Kayla
10 Restaurants to Try by ASU
In January 2021, my mom had to take my youngest sister, Lexi, to a lacrosse tournament by Arizona State University. I begged to go on the trip with them so I could leave the cold behind in Minnesota and enjoy sunny Arizona. If you have read some of my other posts, you know that I am a big foodie and planner. However, I decided to go with the flow and let Lexi pick most of the restaurants. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed.
**All photos were taken from restaurant's website or Instagram!**
Breakfast
690 S. Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281
I went to morning squeeze with Lexi's teammates and parents. Wanting to give Lexi time to hang out with her teammates, I sat at the adult's table. I ordered a veggie omelet with fresh orange juice, which is one of my favorite breakfasts. However, if I was with people my age, I would have had a boozy brunch and indulged in the mimosa flight (orange, pomegranate, and strawberry) or the 'Let's Get Toasted' (vanilla vodka, hot chocolate, toasted marshmallow simple syrup, graham cracker) cocktail!
615 S. Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281
My mom, Lexi, and I went to Snooze together before Lexi's big lacrosse game. I ate the 'Sweet Potato Veggie Smash Up,' which was out of this world. While I was in Arizona, I noticed almost every menu had at least one meal that was sweet potato based. I also enjoyed the 'Palomimosa,' which is the perfect combination between two of my favorite drinks: a mimosa and Paloma.
3213 S. Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281
When I traveled to Arizona, Lexi told my mom and I we had to go to Dutch Bros, a chain coffee shop with over 400 locations. I was happy to be trying a new place but I was not expecting a chain to become my favorite coffee shop. I ordered a delicious blueberry muffin and a coffee that the barista recommended. I think I fell in love with Dutch Bros because our barista was so welcoming and really talked us through the menu. When I go back, I am going to try the 'White Chocolate Lavender Cold Brew!'
Lunch/Dinner
414 S. Mill Ave Ste 115, Tempe AZ 85281
Fuzzy Taco Shop seems like the place to be in Arizona. It is a very casual taco shop serving incredible margaritas until 11:00pm. My favorite thing about Fuzzy's is that you can mix and match your tacos. I chose the grilled veggie taco, tempura fish taco, and the grilled shrimp taco. During non-covid times, I would assume the restaurant is packed with students.
525 S. Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281
Right across the street from Fuzzy's is Illegal Petes, which is like a Chipotle that serves fish and alcohol. My mom, Lexi, and I each made a burrito bowl there. I also ordered a corona with lime to drink on the patio and enjoy the sun.
222 E. University Dr., Tempe, AZ 85281
The Original Chop Shop is similar to Sweet Green but with more grain options. I ordered the grilled protein bowl, with sweet potato hash as my base, and green tofu curry as my protein. To drink, I had the "cool down" which is watermelon, pineapple, apple, lime, and ginger. This meal was super refreshing and much needed after the bigger meals I ate in Tempe!
615 S. College Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281
If you love bruschetta, Postino has to be on the top of your list. The menu has 11 different types of bruschetta to choose from, including options without tomatoes. I tried the brie, apple, and fig bruschetta and the fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil bruschetta. To go with the heavy carb dinner, I enjoyed a nice glass of wine.
15191 N. Scottsdale Rd, Ste 100, Scottsdale, AZ 85254
The first time I went to True Foods I was in Washington D.C. for a lacrosse tournament. True Foods is a chain of restaurants that serves healthy yet delicious foods. When I was in Arizona, I ordered 'The Herbalist,' one of their signature cocktails, made with gin, honey, chamomile, and lemon. For my meal, I ordered my usual, the 'Ancient Grains Bowl.' The bowl contains sweet potatoes, turmeric, onions, snap peas, portobello, avocado, and hemp seeds. I would highly recommend going to True Food Kitchen is you or someone in your group is a vegan/vegetarian or has a gluten allergy!
4302 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Similar to True Food Kitchen, Farm and Craft also prides itself on using whole and healthy ingredients. Since I was on a bowl kick in Arizona, I ordered the 'Fried Farro Bowl,' which had grilled pineapple, carrot, snap peas, jalapeño, cilantro, and cashews. I also had one of their signature cocktails, served in a watermelon.
4925 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
For our last meal, Lexi suggested the Canal Club, a Cuban restaurant inside The Scott Resort and Spa. The vibe of the restaurant made you feel like you were at a beach resort, not in the desert. Our table split plantains, one of my favorite foods as an appetizer and for dinner I had the paella de Vegetables.