‘Squeeze the Day.’ New healthy food & drink cafe comes to downtown Bradenton
Sky Kirkwood grew up in the restaurant business. Her family owned Island Scoops and Island Donut Company on Anna Maria Island.
“I always wanted to kind of start something of my own,” Kirkwood said.
Now her wish is coming true with Clementines, a cafe that opened in September at 536 13th St. W. in downtown Bradenton. Clementines’ menu features acai bowls, smoothies, coffee, breakfast and lunch sandwiches and more.
“There wasn’t any kind of food like this in the downtown area,” Kirkwood said. “So I wanted to bring a whole new menu to this area.”
A family affair
Since opening, Kirkwood has delivered her own spin on some favorite drinks and dishes alongside her sister, Ocean.
Kirkwood’s mother Julie is involved with Clementines, too, creating colorful signs that dot the walls of the restaurant.
One that reads, “This kitchen is for dancing,” matches Sky’s personality.
“The music is always playing so I’m actually dancing in the kitchen … I’m always in my own world,” Kirkwood said.
A different spin on acai
Acai, pronounced AH-sigh-EE, is a slightly sweet berry native to the Amazon rainforest and a popular food ingredient in Brazil.
Acai is typically prepared in a round bowl with assorted fruits as toppings.
At Clementines, the dish is presented in a unique way.
“Our little twist is to make them look like banana splits,” Kirkwood said.
Kirkwood’s personal favorite is the Pretty N’ Pink acai banana split, which uses dragon fruit as a base with a gluten-free summer strawberry granola and other assorted toppings.
Kirkwood said they make all their granola in-house. While there are 10 different acai banana splits to choose from, acai bowls can also be customized.
But acai isn’t the only item served at Clementines.
Other menu options
Other offerings include a dozen smoothie combinations, waffles, breakfast sandwiches, salads, avocado toast, lunch sandwiches and wraps. The cafe also offers an extensive coffee and tea menu with iced, frozen and hot drinks.
One smoothie with a tropical mango kick is called “Squeeze the Day,” which doubles as the cafe’s slogan.
Kirkwood said the menu caters to various dietary needs with gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan-friendly items.
“Some gluten-free people can only find one item downtown and then for us, our whole menu is literally gluten-free or dairy-free,” Kirkwood said.
Clementines occupies the space previously home to Nutrition 941, a juice and smoothie bar. It’s next to Kava Social Club near the corner of Sixth Avenue West and 13th Street West.
Clementines is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. They offer online ordering and catering, too.
For more information, visit Clementines.online.
This story was originally published June 17, 2025 at 5:50 AM.
