Lucas and Jamille Chamon were passionate about authentic açaí bowls and decided to open Samba Bowls in downtown Ann Arbor. The couple, originally from Brazil, returned to Michigan after a brief stay in 2015 and missed the açaí bowls they enjoyed back home. They chose the location at 113 W. Washington St., where Vogel’s Lock and Safe had been before closing in March 2018.
Since early June, Samba Bowls has been offering customers fresh Brazilian açaí bowls and smoothies made with tropical fruits. The couple resides in Novi but felt that Ann Arbor’s diverse community was the perfect place to introduce their concept. They use fruits imported directly from Brazil for their bases, including açaí with guarana, mango with passionfruit, pitaya with passionfruit, açaí sweetened with dates, and cupuaçu. To achieve the right texture, they use an ice cream machine and focus on natural sweetness from fruits rather than added sugars.
Customers can customize their bowls and smoothies or choose from Samba Bowl’s signature menu. Lucas mentioned that they plan to introduce new bases and unique fruits in the future to keep the menu fresh and interesting. Samba Bowls is open from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m
