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Categories: Grocery, Breakfast & Brunch
4410 N 40th StWe've got you covered: call the Bake Shop for your office party or event! We have a great selection of treats perfect for the holidays.
Announced 1 week agoMon-Thu. 6:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 6:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 6:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Be sure to check out our Weekly Specials, including 98¢ produce packs!
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You can find me here every Wednesday morning for breakfast. I am a fan of their simple breakfast. Scrambled eggs breakfast (comes with fruit and toast) with a side of bacon. It's just a basic breakfast, but they do a great job with it. I may also enjoy the daybreaker, a pastry, or the granola. My mother is a fan of the french pancakes, and the croque madame.
The staff is very nice early in the morning, and over the past year or so we have gotten to know them well enough that they know what I am going to order. They even know that my mother likes her latte without a lid because the foam costs 2 dollars (her logic is that milk is free and espresso costs $2, so $2 must be going to the foam). They recently have changed their methods, and have properly trained their baristas, of making espresso. It has improved tremendously.
I look forward to my breakfast every Wednesday, and a great way to start my day and enjoy the AZ mornings.
Wow,it's been over a year since I have come here. What in the world was I thinking? I forgot how much I liked the unique and tastey sandwiches here.
After a long grueling Camelback Mtn hike my friend said we should come here for a bite. Glad I agreed to and that part. My muscles everywhere on my body were hurting, but that sandwich made me forget all about them as we sat on the patio.
I know parking is a nightmare on this corner in Arcadia, but who cares about that. Great place to people watch and enjoy great food at the same time. I definitely won't wait another year until my next visit.
I have been driving by over and over, never thought to stop. Until a friend told me they have awesome cakes. I buy one and brought it to my in-laws. They thought it was fantask. The presentation was beautiful and tasted like sin.
So I returned to try their breakfast. OMG! I should have gone sooner!! I loved the Commuter Sandwich with turkey. YUMMY! The LGO organic oatmeal was so decilious. Need to go back to try the pancakes. They looks and smelled so good.
Just thinking about it make me want to drool....
I couldn't believe how busy this place was for Monday at 10 am.! This was my second time eating here and both times the food and service have been terrific. I went here with my sister and nephews. I usually don't go out to eat with kids but this place was great for kids because of the sitting area outside. I had the commuter sandwich with smoked salmon and it was amazing! The homemade english muffin is what made the sandwich. My sister had mia's french pancakes. I tried a bite and they were also very tasty. This place can get really hectic and yes the parking sucks but the people who work here are unbelievably nice and the food is delicious!
The commuter sandwich with avocado was amazing. I enjoyed the eclectic decor and impressive wine offerings. Great vibe overall. Tons of amazing looking things were coming out of the open kitchen.
Look, this is just fine as a great neighborhood family spot, but it clearly fails as a destination (see parking complaints). A friend and I used to go here on Saturdays/Sundays after hiking Camelback because he lived in the area. While I would never travel from afar to go here, I have to admit that I want one near me. They absolutely get it right, handling a huge volume of brunch orders on weekends and keeping it all moving relatively smoothly with always good food. Nothing exciting, but good.
Note: the core demographic seems to be shifting to more and more young parents like ourselves. So I wouldn't advise bringing your hangover here to encounter the screaming babies.
Also, please don't glare at me over the rim of your paper coffee cup because I look like I just went hiking. It's a freakin' grocery store with a cafe in it! Get over yourself.
I wish they had this type of place in the bay! Extremely cute grocery store where you can pick up a bottle of wine to enjoy with Sunday brunch. There were fresh baked goods, fresh squeezed OJ, freshly made salads and desserts galore! I ordered the croque madame and enjoyed it so! It's pretty crowded on the w/e, so come early & have a friend save a table. They're pretty organized so the line moves quickly and cashiers are very friendly :)
Frequent LGO-er. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Parking continues to be an issue, but the proprietors have made strides in improving the experience for drivers. Ideal for neighbors within walking, biking distance (thank goodness!). Whether breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, coffee or dessert -- LGO is an easy choice. Chef Cole Turner's desserts are A-MAZING. Try the peanut butter pie.
This place is da bomb dot com.
If you love Whole Foods then you'll love this mini-version. It's a cafe, coffee shop, pastry shop, and grocer that sells anything from fresh greens and post cards to hot sauces and wine.
Gabi K brought me here for a small pre-flight brunch. We walked directly up to the counter and ordered from the menu. Like what I saw: lots of health-conscious entrees. Everything looked so delish, especially those breakfast plates they were flinging across the counter with egg whites so artfully laid out alongside fresh fruit and multi-grain toast.
After placing our order, we snagged a very small table near the bottled wine. There I spot various jams; particularly the mimosa jam caught my eye, made with oranges and Champagne. I bought that for a future birthday brunch we're planning at the lake, along with some peanut butter dog treats for my little schmoopie.
When our food finally came out, just minutes later, my seared ahi tuna sandwich (new to the menu) with avocado, greens and tangy sauce was soon just an empty plate with a few bread crumbs and a watermelon slice. It was a large serving stuffed with so many fresh goods, but even more delectable I devoured it before I could even ask Miss Gabi how she was enjoying her Commuter breakfast taco. Also a popular item.
Love the vibe here, It's lively, friendly, local and smells fabulous with that coffee/cafe aroma. And they have free wi-fi too. Wouldn't mind sitting around for a few hours and get some work done. Til next time La Grande Orange.
The place has tasty, fresh and natural food. But the 3 stars goes because service is a big chaos!. The self service doesn't work with the place stuffed with shelf after shelf of products. They have ppl "working" there, but no one seems to do much, and when ever you are waiting for your order, the question "what are you waiting?" won't make your order faster. Parking? the free valet parking is just an illusion. Other than that...the best is the gelato place next to them.
My fiance and I arrived on a Saturday around 10:30am. This place was swamped. I attempted to enter a door and found out it led to the kitchen... awkward... so we meandered to the side. There is no method to the madness here. It's more of a "I really hope I'm in line to order some food". We finally make it to the counter, place our order and then walk to another counter that has a bunch of people standing around. This must be where I get my food.
There are people walking around grocery shopping, getting silverware, ordering drinks from a second stand. I peak into the other room and there is a sushi chef slicing up some tuna, I also see a pizza menu. I'm laughing at this point, thinking that if I ever do get my food, we might just have to eat it in the car.
For some reason though, the stars lined up that morning. My name was called, I grabbed my silverware, and walk to a newly available table (the only table available in the pace). I sit down, exhale, sip my espresso, and dig in to the most delicious and simple breakfast. Poached eggs with prosciutto on english muffins. So simple, so well executed. Perfectly cooked. It was like the madness was in slow motion at this point. I look up at my fiance and tell her "I really like this place, we'll be back." She agreed with me and we are making plans to come back for pizza and dessert.
After a wonderful meal over at LGO Pizzeria, my group and I wandered over the grocer that's attached to the restaurant. I believe I may have actually been floored by just how cool and fun this little grocery shop/bakery/cafe was.
It didn't really matter that it was after 7pm and many of the baked goods were half off, they all just looked absolutely amazing. Even my non-sweet tooth itched to try those truly seductive red velvet cupcakes or the decadent peanut butter chocolate cake. Even the cookies looked soft, chewy, and delicious.
(Yeah, this is all coming from someone who can't walk in to most ice cream parlors as they simply smell too sugary.)
The place is charming but very tiny. Just like the cripplingly small parking lot. Even so, it's easy to find yourself wandering about in search of some hidden treasure, consumable or not, because you know they're there. It's just that type of place.
La Grande Orange---La Confusing. When I walked in I felt totally disoriented trying to figure out where I was supposed to go. It was nice I met someone here who had been before. He showed me the ropes.
Ordered the San Danielle Sandwich - simple grilled type of sandwich. Nothing spectacular, but was satisfying for the most part. The outside, which was most likely sprayed with the butter crap was way toooooo salty for my tastes. The people were pretty nice, a nice play to sit and have a conversation.
I guess that's all I have to say about it. Wish I had more passion for the place....
La Grande Orange Grocery is the "the bomb!"
Everything on their menu is great.
Some of the things that you MUST TRY for BREAKFAST:
- English Muffins
- Birchermuesli
- CROQUE MADAME
- ZUNI BURRITO
- DAY BREAKER
- COMMUTER SANDWICH
- THE JERSEY GIRL OMELET
Wow, so good.
And for LUNCH:
- Guacamole B.L.T.
- REUBEN
There are two pet peeves that I have with LGO:
1) Parking: Unless you come at non-peak hours (ex. mid-afternoon between lunch and dinner), you WILL have issues finding a parking spot. Thus, you will either have to valet your car OR use the curbside service. The problem with the curbside service is that there is usually a moron that decides not to use the curbside service, and park there anyway.
2) Preserves: When I buy LGO's great english muffins, I expect an adequate amount of preserves. I feel a bit "shafted" when you give me six small preserve containers for one dozen muffins. Why? Because I dislike having to split one very small preserve container for every two muffins.
Now that I have the complaints out of the way, I still give LGO five stars for everything they have to offer.
Yummyyy.
Also, I recommend you try their "Spicy Tuna Roll."
Seeing that my last review was in December 2007, I figure it's about time that I write a quick update! I'm still a huge fan of LGO... as a matter of fact, I'm still a regular! Mostly I go for breakfast and lunch. I've never been disappointed with my order there. My latest favorite item is the commuter sandwich on a whole wheat tortilla. I get it with egg whites and avocado and it is delicious!
I love the iced tea, and I also love the fun retail items on sale at LGO.
It's best to go during non-prime hours so you don't have to fight the crowds or the parking situation...
I am a forever fan of LGO - I cannot get enough!
Since 32 reviews may not be enough for someone looking into LGO (as i like to call it), I will add… Read more »
It seems that there are brunch people that don't mind a bit of chaos, while there are also those that prefer a bit more structure/order. LGO caters to the former, while I am a member of the latter group. Blasting this place would be unfair, since it's just not my type of brunch place.
Objectively speaking, there was a ton of people there and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Parking was an f-ing hassle, as others have expressed. The kitchen was rocking it, though. The dry goods and wine selection seemed worthwhile. Can't comment on the food or coffee...it was all too much to deal with, and had to get the hell out of there before I could order anything.
If you don't mind the high-energy brunch scene, this place is probably pretty good. If you do, you might want to skip it.
Ooo yes, me likey.
After a super long flight and arriving in hot and steamy Phoenix, Gabi whisked me away to La Grande Orange Grocery, and I must say her decision was spot on. I had no idea what to order from their expansive menu (I never know whether to order breakfast food or lunch food at places like this!) but once I saw a croque madame it became the only option.
Things were bustling around this cute little spot, selling various wares to whoever might really feel the need for a cute whisk or a new card game. I witnessed a woman making fresh grapefruit juice, and despite not liking grapefruit I was tempted to order some for myself. I was quite pleased with my sandwich, secretly happy it was lighter than some of the other croque madames of my past; slathered in various types of sauce and piled high with meat and cheese. No, this portion was perfection: filling and certainly sinful without being over the top.
Okay, so it's not their fault that the parking sucks like no other....it makes me feel like I'm back in L.A. though!
The atmosphere here is fun. It's noisy, it is great for people watching and there are a lot to see (and, if you're like me, BUY)
The staff always seems to be smiling, and are helpful when asked, BUT this will never be the Nordstrom of restaurants.
So here are the things you have to try! They are WONDERFUL!
Mia's French Pancakes
Croque Madam
Commuter Sandwich (either with avacado or salmon, both are great)
Jersey Girl Omelete
The Cubano Sandwich
The Rueben
Guacamole BLT
I forget the name, but its either a Spanish or a Mexican Latte is wonderful!
I also love the little pickle slices they serve!! So good!
The Tammy Coe cakes are so good too! I love the designs! very creative use of fondant!
LGO..I give you props bc you keep it real and do something different. From the food to the atmosphere, you are truly original here in the valley. This place is great for a number of things from bfast to lunch to wine to cheese to dessert to groceries...the list goes on and on. The open market style of this place makes it so much cooler than so much around here.
Breakfast: Pretty much everything is delicious, healthy, and made extremely well/fresh. If you're in a healthy mood I def recommend the 'Daybreaker." Egg white omelet with roasted turkey breast, topped w/ tomato-avocado salsa (bomb salsa!). If you're in the mood for something a bit more tasty, I love their Croque Madame.
Lunch: All the sandwiches are great. Not too big, so a good place if you're looking to keep it light, and again plenty of healthy and fresh options. I liked the BLT w/ guac. Salads are all premade, but most likely daily and I've always had a fresh tasting one. By far my favorite is the Chopped Turkey. All the ingredients blend so well and it's big enough to fill you up.
Dinner: I guess the Pizzeria next door is separate, but I'll just include it here. Pizzas were great, nothing I'd want to make a special trip to LGO for, but def something to keep in mind if you're there during lunch/dinner and if you feel like pizza. Very light and flavorful and love that you get options for cheese *check the bottom of the menu. Def not the best gourmet pizza, but a good one. Crust on the pizza was great, slightly crispy and great dough.
Cheese/Desserts: CHEESE! Great options here. And the best part...you get to sample! If you don't know, the little plastic containers next to almost all cheeses are for your consumption! Grab a toothpick and taste away. Then turn 180 and grab a bottle of wine. Desserts are all made fresh from the bakery next door and offer not only great taste but awesome design. Check in for a review on them soon.
As you can tell, LGO offers so much that you should make it a point to stop in for anything (food, wine, cheese, candy, etc) and just check out the whole place for yourself. A cool and trendy crowd always in attendance, indoor/outdoor/patio seating, and great chill music. Gotta love a little Jack Johnson and an Orange Pellegrino on a nice morning in AZ....and congrats on the LA location, you know you get love from me on that!
** The reason I gave it 4.5 not 5 stars is bc I think they could do a little better with the bread options for their sandwiches. They do have amazing loafs for sale...so maybe they should start using those as choices bc that would def make all their sandwiches just taste that much better.
I've been in the valley for 3 years - the social vacuum that is Chandler, to be exact. Because to get anywhere cool other than Downtown Chandler takes google-mapping and planning for drive-time and checking for construction on the 101, 60, 202, I rarely leave my 'hood. Sad. I know.
I kept hearing about LGO from friends, coworkers and others who've apparently always dealt with driving everywhere and don't see this as a major pain in the ass. Poor souls just haven't lived where walking and public transportation are all you really need, and everything awesome is just a short walk or train ride away. My god, I miss NYC... but I digress.
LGO.
My friend Monika and I planned to meet for breakfast at The Farm at South Mountain (yet another place to which I hadn't taken a "road trip" in these 3 years). When we got there, it was closed for summer. Oops. Guess we should've checked. Standing in the parking lot across the street, stomachs rumbling, beautiful morning... She says, "Oh, how about La Grande Orange? I know you haven't been there, and you'll like it."
Monika is a non-local local and knows everything about everywhere. She is one of the people who has most influenced my decisions on which places I've decided to go check out and she's always spot on with her recommendations. So LGO it was. She already had me out, and I had a full tank of gas. Let's drive.
And drive we did (well, more than I like to, or am used to, but truly it was maybe 15-20 minutes from The Farm when all was said and done, on a Friday morning, after 8AM).
Was it worth it? The food (at least this time around), not so much, but the overall experience, definitely. The breakfast I ordered wasn't "oh-my-god-the-best-egg-white-omelet-i've-ever-had " but it was good. It was also the first egg white omelet I ever get that is not covered in oil, isn't huge, and isn't overstuffed. It was a normal portion, for a normal person, with an average appetite. It's called the Daybreaker: egg whites (they come like that, it isn't an extra $1.50 like it is at some places), turkey, and a tomato-avocado salsa.
I tend to order healthier breakfasts, though I always fantasize about the pancakes or waffles. If I can share those with someone, then I'm game, but I know Monika and I both tend to sit on the "healthy" side of things, so I didn't even suggest it. She ordered eggs, toast and jam. Pretty simple breakfast, but again, very normal sized portions, nothing looked shiny with oil.
I know you all were probably hoping I'd dish out rave reviews about something else, like the pastries in the case, or their breads... I promise I'll return, and I will indulge in something other than egg whites, in the name of Yelping. But truly, my fairly-priced Daybreaker omelet was good - not great. The tomato-avocado salsa truly gave it that "mmm".
I also noticed on the sandwich menu that they have a Cuban sandwich, aptly named Cubano. Not so sure it'll taste authentic, but I'm not a Cuban food snob, and if some non-Cubans are giving it an honest try, even putting their own spin on it, I'll try it. And I'll probably love it (or at least like it a lot). You can't go wrong with a Cuban sandwich, especially one whose special spin is Gruyere cheese and spicy brown mustard. I'll let you know. Promise.
They have sushi (which I won't eat, ever, anywhere, any kind), salads, and some other breakfasts - egg dishes, yogurt/granola, oatmeal, burrito, etc. Nothing that really calls to me. So I'll likely just return for the Cuban sandwich and pastries.
It wasn't really the food that was good about this place. More than the food, I just loved the environment. Yes, there were people having conversations on a phone or with another person. People on laptops. Some tourists. So what? Live and let live, you know?
We spent 15 minutes eating and then 2 hours perusing the shop/market. They've got some unusual items, gourmet/specialty candy, ingredients, mixes and other foods, some really neat gifts for people and pets and some awesome art. Not sure how often or what kind of variety they carry. When I went they had these really interesting vases, one-of-a-kind, with things written on them. They were funny, or twisted (or both), and totally thought-provoking. The artist is Kaelyn Loes. I may pick up one or two for some good friends who I know appreciate "word art."
As for parking - it sucks, but we got lucky. The parking lot is across the street and tiny, and I can see this being a problem. In fact, others' reviews mention that too. I read somewhere that the designer for LGO did this on purpose to encourage foot traffic and make this place a "community" gathering spot for the area locals, so I appreciate the concept. and you won't find me bitching about the parking situation.
Final word? If you live in the valley, go at least once. It's not like any of the boring, personality-lacking chain places at every strip mall. A diversion from the predictable crap on every corner in suburbia.
The food is excellent. I recommend a few items in particular:
The Commuter breakfast sandwich -- the very best breakfast sandwich I have ever had, anywhere in the world. Eggs, bacon, fresh tomato, cheese, on a fresh-baked English muffin. I can't describe the taste -- it's just really, really good.
Mia's pancakes -- they're going light on the cream lately for reasons unknown, but it's still an excellent breakfast.
Chocolate raspberry muffin.
This place is just as pretentious and uncomfortable as any uncomfortable and pretentious place I have ever had the displeasure of wasting my time and money.
The food was boring, the service was unfriendly and almost non existent, parking was lousy, the food is overpriced, and the ambiance, if any, was drowned out by the incessant blaring music.
This is the typical place where people with lap tops sit around discussing their greatest business and work ventures making sure everybody around them is, of course, aware how great they are and how cool they are.
I don't recommend this place to any body that actually knows what good food is, what good ambiance is, and what good service is.
This review is for the food only. If you care about parking and what kind of extras they sell that aren't food related you'll have to check out another review.
I love LGO. The food is absolutely top notch and I love how the menu has both traditional fare and a few things you've never heard of like their Venice Beach Burrito which is filled with scrambled eggs, tofu chorizo, spinach, and other goodies. It comes with a side of salsa which also fantastic. I eat breakfast here all the time and I have never been disappointed. Also, if you're in a hurry grab one of their pre-made granola/yogurt/fruit parfaits, Yum!
Breakfast is my favorite at LGO, especially very early when there is still seating and parking. This morning reading my paper over poached eggs, I realized the crowd is starting to wear on me - some guy at the next table was loudly pontificating about " and then Senator So-And-So told me...", while the hard body bikers glided past, and a couple of Angelina Jolie clones with tousled just-out-of-bed hair, pucci-style (or real?) sundresses slinked in...if you look like like me in the morning (a poor schlump lucky to get her shirt on right side out - maybe), definitely gird your self-esteem before braving the LGO morning crowd.
Ok, I still love the food, the outdoor seating, and the cool knickknacks; so being rather thick skinned about my schlumpiness, I continue to go. But jeez I'm gonna puke if I hear any more Senator So-and-So conversations.
I only love this place for getting together on lazy sundays with my girls! Im NOT crazy about the atmosphere nor counter service.. The breakfast/brunch choices are good..Im always into the poached eggs with proscuitto on english muffin.. we always get coffee and chase it with a bottle of good wine! WHICH, you can buy in the store and they will open / cork it for you.. but NOT serve you...which is fine! Ive had the Sonoma Salad.. Im not into that its in the refrigerator there as 'premade'.. but good for the grab/go.. Im just into 'fresh built'.. :-)
I'm updating my review because I had the pizza for the first time...
OH
MY
GOD ....
Generally I try and stay away from :hype: items, but their pizza is KILLER. Like, just the cheese... was AH-MAY-ZINGGGG!!!
Also, the iced tea is so freaking good. I love that they put oranges in it, and you can actually get the loose leaf tea they use while you are shopping!
On a Sunday evening, the place was busy but I was able to find parking and they were taking orders at three different counters, so it was much more efficient than usual :)
It is REALLY hard to rate La Grande Orange because there are so many amazing things about it, but it… Read more »
Commuter sandwich on homemade English muffin? Check. The best bran muffin EVER? Check. Tammie Coe coconut cupcake? Check. Fresh carrot/apple juice? Check.
Been making the trek over here ever since it opened and have never been disappointed. And every guest we've brought has always asked us to bring them again the next time they're in town. Note: My single friends swear LGO has some of the best eye candy around. I'll have to take their word for it; I haven't noticed. ;-)
The valet option has pretty much resolved the parking crisis and there are always new goodies to bring home. Just received an LGO hat as a gift -- even THAT is perfect. I heart LGO.
Next time I swear I'll try the pizza.
What can I add this place rocks for so many reasons...
If you are a vegetarian get the Zuni burrito (whole wheat tortilla filled with tofu "chorizo", corn, spinach, egg and served with salsa) it is delicious!
The French pancakes w/ honey, fresh fruit and crème fraîche are fantastic (think crepes)!
Order at the coffee counter, it will save you a ton of time.
Sipping a latte and people watching absolutely rules here.
I spent the weekend helping a friend move into her home on Campbell (4 houses away from LGO) and since I've never eaten here I thought I'd come back and try it out. So on Monday April 20th I had lunch here and all in all I was underwhelmed.
First off the parking is almost nonexistent and the music is so loud that you have to yell at person across the table from you for them to hear you.
I had the Cubano sandwich (ham, pickles, gruyere cheese, spicy brown mustard on hot-pressed baguette) it comes with a little specimen cup of fruit (4 slices of strawberry and 1 grape). The sandwich was tasty, but they skimped out in portion. I would assume that if you charge $7.50 for a sandwich that it would have more than a couple slices of ham. I'm not kidding when I say that the sandwich was less the 1" thick (outside of bread to outside of bread).
I still have more work to do at my friend's house on Campbell, being so close maybe I'll walk over to try something else or maybe not.
Too much hype about this place, really. The menu is creative and it has a good concept but I think they are resting on their laurels. We had the Orange Fennel Salad and the Margarita Pizza. The salad was fresh and heavily dressed, good stuff. The pizza was some of the worst I've had. Very arrogant and unappreciative staff, except for the busboy/waiter that they bossed around, he was nice.
One note, I had heard that Phx can be a pretty vapid place, full of plastic people who are out of touch with reality. Living in Tempe and spending time in downtown Phx, I had no contact with this side of Phx really. Enter Le Grande Orange.
This has to be one of my favorite breakfast places near Tempe. Although it is a little frustrating when it is super busy(which is majority of the time) it is well worth it. And for a college student, it a little out of budget so I only go here when the parents visit or to treat myself!
I am obsessed with the chocolate pumpkin muffins.
My only thing is I feel like I see people that have ordered really cool dishes yet I never see them on the menu? Am I missing something?
Great food, entertaining atmosphere, couldn't ask for more
I know that saying something negative about this place is like calling your baby ugly. With that said, I think we may have an ugly baby here. Don't get me wrong, there are some redeeming factors here, but for the most part I think that there might be a bit more hype than anything going on these days at La Grande.
I went here for lunch today not recalling that 50% of their menu is not available 100% of the time and that kind of bummed me out because that means no pizza until 4 pm during the week unless it is Friday or Saturday and no burgers unless it is Friday or Saturday. Either way, 11:15 am on Wednesday means I have a full choice of sandwiches, pastries, salads, and breakfast choices. Many will say that those choices should be more than enough to choose from if I am willingly going to dine here. Well...it wasn't my day to pick the lunch spot. A work colleague actually picked it which is amusing due to my second gripe: between the loud music, gabbing hikers, lunching ladies on their way to or from the Biltmore or Fashion Square, the place doesn't necessarily lend itself to normal conversation. That is assuming there is a place for everyone to sit. Just because you are alone, with your latte and laptop doesn't mean that you need to take up an entire 4 top to yourself. The place itself and the atmosphere just doesn't feel as "phoenix" as I recall when I first went. Something has changed. I feel like all of the LA transplants come here to recharge and then go off again to do their thing. It only made me laugh harder when I was leaving the restaurant and noticed the sign on the door that read "LGO now open in Santa Monica." Yahtzee! That is exactly where I thought I was anyways during lunch so I guess it makes sense that they opened another one out there. I also think that the flow can be improved from finding parking, to the ordering, to the waiting at the end of the counter for your food, to finding a seat. I would think for all the hassle I was going to get served a plate of food that was made from the water of the fountain of youth or at least a hint at the secret of life. But alas my $8.00 tuna salad sandwich only came with a couple of pickles and a watermelon wedge.
While I will say one of the redeeming is the food (although an $8.00 sandwich has to be pretty damn fantastic to be $8.00). My tuna salad on 9 grain was fresh, not too much mayo or other junk in it.. It is served with tomato, cucumber, apple and greens. I will be honest, the tuna is stacked high, but the bread is overly toasted and I hardly tasted the apple. But I repeat, the tuna salad itself was pretty good.
I know when I first tried La Grande I liked it a lot. I thought the breakfast was great and I truly enjoyed the scene there. These days it just seems like it has lost a bit of it's luster for me. I am sure I will be back in the future and will give it another chance. It will probably be when I can get dropped off, have called in my order ahead of time and it is between the hours of 4 and 5 pm on a Friday so I can freely order from the entire menu.
There's nothing not to love...
It's rare to find a place that's so unusual in the middle of Phoenix.
Everything is good and they have these french pancakes that I can't resist getting each time I go. That's a problem because their pizza is so good... So now I figure I'll still get the french pancakes and take a pizza home for dinner.
I just like the whole atmosphere. Very city like with tight cramped rows of grocery items and gifts along with tables scattered about to sit and enjoy the weather.
Sandwiches, Breakfast, Pizza and don't forget the most beautiful decorated cakes I've ever seen. I have yet to try them because they appear dangerous to my thighs.
I agree that La Grande Orange is overly corporate. I also agree that the parking sucks. Hell--if you have a complaint about La Grande Orange, I probably agree with it. If I didn't work just a mile away, I probably would never make the trek to this place.
However, I'd still probably give "LGO" three stars for two reasons:
1. The sandwiches - all that I've tried are solidly good and not too expensive given similarly priced sandwiches elsewhere in the area
2. The great selection of artisan products and unique gifts - back in December, I found some amazing stuff over lunch to give to some of my friends and family for Christmas
If you are any of the following I'd recommend checking LGO out:
-Coming in from out of town and looking for a breakfast or lunch spot that's more of a destination
-A local resident that wants a place to hang out on a lazy weekend morning
-Someone who works nearby and has the opportunity to take a leisurely lunch
If not, skip the drive and look for a local place that isn't as overhyped or crowded.
I enjoyed frequenting La Grande Orange when I lived right up the street. Now that I live further away, I find myself very uninterested in making a special trip for it. It has little to do with the food - although they've gotten my husband's "well-done poached eggs" order wrong 9 out of 10 times - and more to do with, well, everything else.
The parking situation is beyond ridiculous. The seating situation is the same. They play groovy tunes, but need to dial back the volume. Great wine selection, but you can't drink it there (unless you're in the pizza side at night, I think).
They used to have more specialty food items in the grocery section and fewer chochkies. I love the chopped turkey salad, but last time I got it - a few months ago - it was missing some key ingredients. I felt cheated, quite frankly.
The best reason to visit is the Tammy Coe baked goods. If you see bread pudding under the counter, buy it immediately and hoard as many as you can - it is heaven in a takeout bucket. That would make me want to make a special trip!
Yelp was a big contributor to my recent visit to Phoenix. I skipped the traditional breakfast place in lieu of a stop at LGO. I see what the fuss is about: fresh stuff and interesting menu choices in a cute yuppified setting with lots of eye candy. I had fruit and the "famous" english muffin. The fruit was good but I was underwhelmed by the muffin. Burl Ives had some good-lookin' crepes.
I probably would've bumped this down to four stars because of the enormous crowd at 9:30 on a Saturday but I experienced LGO magic: a parking spot at the front door and a table for two the minute I needed it.
stopped by after dinner at the parlor and was pleasantly surprised. the desert selection was a little less european than I was hoping, and tended more toward the overly sweet/cloying end of the spectrum, but for the most part I really liked what I saw. I'll be back for sure, mostly to check out attached gelato bar and pizza parlor. Looks like they converted three storefronts in a mini strip mall layout into a connected grocery store/deli/pizza parlor/gelato bar. high concept stuff, and pretty well pulled off, at least from an aesthetics stand point.
I would agree that the food and pastries here are above average, but when I walk into a small, crowded, noisy place and don't know where to go for a simple beverage and no employee seems to notice my perplexity or to care, I come away feeling the place is pretentious, snobby, confusing and out of my league. Which is too bad, because it's right in my neighborhood. I sense that if you're a regular here, then probably you feel welcome and the employees chat you up all time. But not all of us can afford to be regulars here. This is at least the third time that La Grande Orange's uppity ambience has annoyed me, so I don't feel guilty about the poor review.
I wish they could make me personal breakfast every morning !! The french pancakes are soo soo good.
The pizza I didn't really like that much. The crust turned me off.
Stick with the breakfast food!
Great place for meeting friends. Good eats. The english muffins are amazing! Highly recommend this place.
Phoenix, AZ
Category: Pizza
Phoenix, AZ
Category: American (Traditional)
Phoenix, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Phoenix, AZ
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Phoenix, AZ
Category: American (Traditional)
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