Walk into Choco Fruit on Brookhurst Street and you will see three fruit cocktails on the menu with very similar names: the Lebanese Fruit Cocktail, the Syrian Fruit Cocktail and the Syrian Nutella Fruit Cocktail. They look alike in the cup, too, which is why we get the question so often. Here is what actually separates them, using exactly what goes into each one at our shop.
What a fruit cocktail is here
In this kind of dessert, "cocktail" has nothing to do with alcohol. It means a tall cup packed with chunks of fresh fruit, filled with a cold blended drink, and finished with toppings. You eat it and drink it at the same time.
All three of our Levantine-style cups share the same frame:
- mixed fresh fruit chunks at the base,
- a blended drink poured over the fruit,
- whipped cream on top,
- a drizzle over the cream,
- and more fruit as a garnish.
The difference is in the blended drink and in the drizzle. That is the whole story, and it changes the flavor a lot.
The Lebanese Fruit Cocktail
The Lebanese Fruit Cocktail ($13.99) pours a fruit smoothie over the fruit chunks. It is then topped with whipped cream, drizzled with condensed milk and honey, and garnished with fruit.
Because the base is a fruit smoothie rather than a milkshake, this is the lightest and freshest of the three. The fruit flavor carries all the way through, and the honey and condensed milk on top add sweetness without making it feel like a milkshake. If you like your dessert bright and fruity, start here.
The Syrian Fruit Cocktail
The Syrian Fruit Cocktail ($13.99) uses a strawberry milkshake as the base instead. The toppings are the same as the Lebanese cup: whipped cream, condensed milk and honey, and a fruit garnish.
That one change makes a big difference. A milkshake base is creamier and thicker, and strawberry gives the whole cup a pink, dessert-shop feel. Think of it as the Lebanese cup's richer cousin. It is a good pick if you want something closer to a milkshake with fruit in it.
The Syrian Nutella Fruit Cocktail
The Syrian Nutella Fruit Cocktail ($14.99) takes the Syrian idea further. The base is a Nutella milkshake, and the drizzle on top is condensed milk and Nutella instead of honey. Whipped cream and a fruit garnish finish it.
This is the richest cup of the three, and the one for chocolate lovers. The fruit chunks cut through the hazelnut chocolate, so it still feels like a fruit dessert rather than a plain shake.
Side by side
| Cup | Base | Drizzle | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanese Fruit Cocktail | Fruit smoothie | Condensed milk and honey | $13.99 |
| Syrian Fruit Cocktail | Strawberry milkshake | Condensed milk and honey | $13.99 |
| Syrian Nutella Fruit Cocktail | Nutella milkshake | Condensed milk and Nutella | $14.99 |
All three start with mixed fresh fruit chunks and finish with whipped cream and a fruit garnish.
Two lighter options
The fruit cocktails page has two more cups that are simpler than the Levantine three.
The Fruit Cocktail ($10.99) is simply mixed fresh fruit chunks in a fresh mixed fruit smoothie. It is the plainest way to have fruit and smoothie together.
The Chocofruit Salad ($11.99) skips the blended drink entirely: mixed fresh fruit, topped with whipped cream and condensed milk and garnished with fruit. You can add Nutella for $1.99. It is one of the shop's best sellers.
Why these cups feel familiar
For many people who grew up in Lebanon, Syria or nearby countries, or in families from there, a fruit cocktail from a neighborhood juice shop is an everyday treat. Juice shops across the Levant are known for cups like these: fresh fruit, something cold and blended, and something sweet and creamy on top. The names on our menu point to those two styles, one built on a fruit smoothie and one built on a milkshake.
You don't need any of that background to enjoy one, though. If you have never had a fruit cocktail, think of it as a fruit salad, a smoothie and a sundae in the same cup.
How to eat one
There is no wrong way, but a little strategy helps.
- Start at the top. Use a spoon on the whipped cream, the drizzle and the garnish while they are still cold and neat.
- Dig into the fruit. Once the top is down, the spoon reaches the fruit chunks soaked in smoothie or shake.
- Finish with a sip. By the end, what is left is mostly the blended drink, and you can drink it.
- Don't wait too long. These cups are best fresh, while the cream is cold and the fruit is firm. If you are ordering for delivery, plan to eat them soon after they arrive.
What to pair it with
A fruit cocktail is filling on its own, but it shares a table well.
- With a crêpe: the fresh fruit balances a chocolate-heavy crêpe like the Triple Chocolate Crepe or the Brownies Crepe.
- With something to dip: the Chocofruit Dipping (3 Items) adds warm chocolate to the table while the cocktail stays cold.
- For two people: one Lebanese cup and one Syrian Nutella cup is a good way to taste both ends of the range.
Ordering
The full list lives on our fruit cocktails menu. You can order any of these in the shop on Brookhurst Street until 11:30 every night, or order online for pickup or delivery. Prices in this post come from our ordering system on the day it was written and can change. If you'd like to read the menu in Arabic, visit /ar/.