Mandala Tea Room
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Sat 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Sun 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Brunch, Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
20 Reviews for Mandala Tea Room
We went for brunch today and it was AWESOME. The place was quiet and calm and the waitstaff was friendly and efficient. Their vegan brunch was better than any other vegan brunch I've had, and we have some excellent restaurants in LA.
This will become a regular place to dine when I visit Phoenix.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I really enjoyed my lunch here on a weekday a couple months ago.
The atmosphere was really relaxing; soft, interesting music playing, decorations were nice, seating was comfortable. The menu is definitely interesting; everything is vegan, organic, and lots of spelt-y things. I ordered the lettuce wraps, half tempeh and half "live" teriyaki. Both were really good, fresh and crunchy with good sauces. I also had some tea, can't remember which one, but they have a great selection, lots of different kinds. My friend had an "elixir" which was infused with herbs and oils to fight off a cold (she said it was good). The service was good and friendly. I can imagine if there were more people at the place it might be less enjoyable, since the draw was the relaxing quality of the restaurant (and the tea!). I'd definitely like to come back here again.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
Refreshing veggie rest. right off the main drag. Dishes were tastie but not too original, quite macro and yogi taste with a heavy accent on Cilantro.
Would eat again, good for group in shoe-less seating area.
Grand tea selection is a big plus....
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
Get your Buddha on!
100% vegetarian/vegan, all organic menu with friendly, happy people serving you...what more do you want?
Mandala is a cute little restaurant in the Scottsdale Arts District. It has a nice variety of menu items ranging from raw foods, macrobiotic, low-cal and high-energy options. Granted I just came here after yoga class so my chi was already happy but the food really was tasty.
I had the South sandwich that has a black bean and rice veggie patty with vegan mayo, tomato and lettuce. A small and yummy scoop of tabbouleh-style quinoa salad accompanied my order. To keep cool in heat, I opted for a sweet but tart hibiscus ice tea (caffeine free).
Mandala has both indoor and outdoor dining options and plenty of parking.
It's a nice place to go out to eat and have a healthy meal that does a body (and spirit) good.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (2)
This place is okay. Average vegan food and slow service. The day my bf and I were there, thye had a digery doo trio performing in the restaurant. OMG, for an hour, I had to listen to the digery doo concert! It was sooo freaking loud.
Had the waffle and it was okay, and they served it with half a teaspoon of maple syrup! How generous! I had a tofu scramble and that was tasty I must say, but not worth the torture from the digery doo concert!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I'm diggin this place. Cool atmosphere, soothing music, hipster waiters...ok, am i still in the Valley?!
My friend and i drove up to Scottsdale for the sole purpose of eating at this joint. We ordered the appitizer nachos with vegan sour cream and black beans. Pretty tasty. Instead of getting something cooked, I went for the raw entrees. I asked the server what the most popular dish was and he directed me to the burrito. The burrito was wrapped in iceberg lettuce and had a bean-like filling with guacamole and sprouts. sounds simple but the taste was crazy/delicious.
Its a little pricier than say Green or Veggie House but a great place for a late lunch/ early dinner! nothing was too heavy and I love the feeling of being satisfied but not stuffed. Try it at least once.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I was a vegetarian for 15 years, so I'm not afraid to enter a restaurant that is vegetarian or vegan. My husband, however, is a different story. He is not a fan of vegetables in general. So I used my friend Brian's trip to Phoenix as an excuse to check out the place that I heard really great things about.
I ordered a tea with orange and licorice. It was very yummy and I had a hard time choosing between all of the options. I was very happy with the drink as well as the timer that accompanied it to insure that it was perfectly brewed.
The appetizer was so good it's hard to explain. We ordered the crumpets which were pieces of perfectly toasted rosemary foccacia covered in 3 different spreads: white bean hummus, tomato and fennel, and garlic/artichoke.
I went with the macrobiotic platter as my entree, and Brian ordered the Jerked Tempeh. My meal was absolutely macrobiotic, which I have dabbled in from time to time, so I wasn't surprised at the lack of spices. The only complaint was that there are too many beans. There is no need for anyone to consume 2 cups of adzuki beans. No one. The platter was otherwise delicious. Brian loved his Jerked Tempeh.
Then there were the desserts. I'm always willing to try desserts, but Brian was a little more discriminatory. He asked the waitress if she was a vegan, she answered that she was a vegetarian, to which Brian said "Good, I don't trust vegans telling me that vegan desserts are good." I found this hilarious, but so true. She assured us that the desserts did not taste like cardboard and talked us into the blueberry cake with tofu icing and the tiramisu.
I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to tiramisu. It's my favorite dessert, but again, I'm always willing to try dessert. For a vegan dessert, it was phenomenal... rum flavored icing, super moist cake-y bottom. But it is not anything like real tiramisu.
The service was great. Our waitress was super informative and extremely helpful. She even knew the amount of time that it would take for our appetizers to be finished.
It's a little pricey, but it was very good. I'll definitely be back.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I've eaten here about 6 or 7 times. It's always a pleasant and delicious experience.
I'm an on again, off again vegetarian and on Friday afternoon when my boyfriend told me he decided to become vegetarian, I couldn't have been more excited! The crazy thing is that on Wednesday I had decided the same thing without telling him. He always makes fun of me when I decide to go veggie. BUT now with him doing it as well, it will be a breeze! Now if only I could commit to being a raw foodist for longer than a month at a time... hmmmmm.....
On Saturday morning I said let's go to Mandala Tea Room to celebrate our first day of being vegetarians together. So we did! I ordered the blue corn pancakes with raspberries and a side of tempeh bacon. He ordered the BLT.
Both dishes were scrumptious. They accidentally brought him out a salad, so that nice for him. He ate all my bacon, and then ordered another plate, and only gave me once piece from that order. ha!
The ginger iced tea of the day was refreshing. My favorite is when they have a coconut iced tea.
We debated between the tiramisu or the the blueberry/raspberry cake. Our adorable waitress asked us if we wanted sinful or playful. So we went playful with the blueberry/raspberry cake.
It was also nice that they were playing our current favorite album, In Rainbows, by Radiohead. A day hasn't gone by since we got the cd this fall that we haven't listened to it.
This is one of those restaurants that I could eat at every single day and be super happy!
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Cool (4)
I'm not a vegan, but I love Mandala Tea Room and Mandala Apothecary...
I've been on several occasions and enjoyed it every time. Not only do they have a ton of teas to choose from. but they have elixirs and organic beer and wine too.
Most recently, I went in on a Monday night with my bf. We both enjoyed the herbal iced tea of the day and we shared an order of the tempeh lettuce wraps, the daily soup inspiration, and the curry vermicelli rice noodle bowl. It was just the right amount of food... it was tasty and light and all of the flavors went well together. I've also enjoyed the macro platter on previous visits.
We had great service from Carrie and Ali, and we heard that there is live music every Thursday night and that they may be starting a movie night sometime soon too. Could be pretty cool! Carrie informed us that 'mandala' means "circle" in sanskrit. There are beautiful magic mandala artwork throughout the restaurant. When you look at them, you almost lose yourself in the intricate details in each one, and there is deep meaning behind them as well.
I noticed that Mandala has a kids menu as well as some delicious looking desserts. I hope to save room for those next visit! I'm also looking forward to returning to the Mandala Apothecary nextdoor where they offer organic beauty boutique products and a holistic healing spa...
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (4)
Great place to get fresh, healthy, solidly-executed food. Unfortunately, the menu's lacks imagination and is a bit limited, especially for brunch.
There are more choices for drinks than there are for food, hence the name Tearoom. All teas and coffees are served in french presses with an egg timer so you get the perfect brew. You get the choice of soy, rice or almond milk and a wide range of sweeteners.
The blue corn griddle cakes served with maple syrup and blueberries was full of fibery goodness.
We also had a spelt foccacia sandwich filled with an artichoke-garlic spread, spinach and shredded carrots. The salty miso soup helped balance the blandness of the sandwich.
Healthy doesn't necessarily mean bland. I've had some great raw vegan meals in NYC where they use lots of herbs and spices to make up for less salt. Mandala could be great with an injection or two of creativity.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I'm a recent transport from los angeles, so you can understand that I've been having major vegan food withdrawals...then I discovered mandala. The macro platter and the BLT are everything a hearty vegan meal should be, not to mention the space just makes you feel healthy the moment you arrive and everyone is really nice.
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (2)
Cool (2)
I really like this place. I have tried all of the sandwiches and bless them for the newly introduced truffles! I think it's odd to have a spa connected to a restaurant but it doesn't detract from the atmosphere.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (2)
Organic Vegetarian cuisine. I agree that Arizona needs more Organic and vegetarian choices.
I agree that the ziti was pretty boring. The spinach salad I had was huge. There was more spinach than I cared to eat though and ended up just picking out the tempeh and other yummy toppings.
The bench-style seating make the seats too close together for my personal space requirements. On one visit, I had the misfortune of sitting next to a table of 4 adults and one kid plopped right next to me in a high chair that found it amusing to throw his food all over the floor beneath he and I. On the other side, was a couple that seemed to be having an intimate meal. Both of my neighbors were within arm's length.
I do love the seating near the window where you can sit cross-legged with a nice privacy screen. And once it cools down, the outdoors should be nice.
Their tonics are pretty yummy. As a Green Girl, I love the dual-flush toilets and other Green furnishings spread throughout.
Overall, a good aesthetic representation of Organics, but the food could use some more oomph for the prices charged.
I'll stick with them, though. I have high hopes for this new restaurant.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
Just had lunch here and was impressed. Great vegan menu, which is much needed in the Phoenix Area. Service and atmosphere were both nice. I enjoyed the ceasar salad (not the best vegan dressing i've ever had but still good) and a wonderful BLT on foccacia. I've been hoping for a place with a simple good BLT for a long time in this area and they've definately got it. I had a taste of the chips and salsa which was also excellent and comes with a great vegan sour cream
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I really wanted to like this place more than I did. The concept earned it an extra star. The Valley is devoid of vegetarian restaurants and was dying for a good teahouse. I tried brunch and while the food was good, the prices were high. Additionally, the service was bad. I'll give it one more chance. Check back for my updated review.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I thought I would love this place, but ended up feeling that it was just okay. Mandala Tearoom is a vegetarian restaurant that serves up organic dishes and a variety of tea's, elixirs, tonics and herbal infusions.
Personally, I think the prices are too high. The food is okay, kinda good, but not exceptional. I tried the ziti and it was tasty, but nothing to write home about it.
I did like the countless tea choices and all the other interesting drink options on the menu.
All in all, I think Mandala Tearoom is a really cool concept and I'm not going to give up on it just yet. I've only gone once, so I'd like to try it out again and see if anything improves.
**To be continued**
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Lovely place with good food. 100% vegan and healthy. Good selection of raw and/or gluten-free items. Friendly helpful staff, sometimes slow and forgetful, but always pleasant.
Clean cool new age atmosphere. The tables are a little close together, but the seating is comfortable and the music softens the sound space. Sometimes there is live music.
Easy to find, plenty of street parking available.
I've tried the dinner and the brunch. Mandala would rate 5 stars except for some food related shortcomings. Raw burrito was full of salty olives - too salty for me, and unexpected in a raw dish. Blue corn pancakes were undercooked, though the flavor was good. (on the bland side, but I prefer that to an oversalted fried ihop style concoction) Also the service could afford to be slightly more attentive.
On the positive side, everything else we ordered was good, though not hugely outstanding. The menu could afford to be slightly more innovative.
Despite some shortcomings, Mandala is by far the best place I've found in the Phoenix area for a healthy vegan meal. It rates among the better vegan restaurants I've been to in the U.S. The prices are reasonable for a nice restaurant and I look forward to my next opportunity to eat at Mandala.
P.S. The spa/apothecary next door is nice and seems to be open even in the evenings for after dinner treatments.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cozy, clean atmosphere. Thrilled at the quality of the food. Everything is organic. Menus planned by master chefs. Great for conversation and enjoying a delicious meal followed by tea. Teas were fresh, and the affiliated boutique offers everything from aromatherapy & massage to acupuncture from certified practitioners. Easy to get a table without a long wait.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
This place is amazingly good. I love going here. The only bad thing is its in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale which can be a bitch to navigate. Trust me though its definitely worth it. They have many types of teas and I personally love the toasted Foccacia Bread with 3 spreads. Uh! Thinking about it is making me extremely happy!
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
I was not too impressed with my first experience at the Mandala Tearoom. Several of the items on the menu where unavailable that day (including the one I had hoped to order) so I decided on a vegan BLT. It was okay, but nothing to rave about.
I did enjoy their selection of tea. I had a delicious "Coconut Creme" black tea that I would highly recommend.
Next time I go I'll take my fella, we'll go stretch out in their comfy lounge area, sip some great tea and skip the food.
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
Top Restaurants
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Hot and New
- Ted's Hot Dogs
37 reviews
Tempe, AZ
- The Vig Restaurant & Bar
40 reviews
Phoenix, AZ
- Stax Burger Bistro
21 reviews
Scottsdale, AZ
- Frances Vintage
23 reviews
Phoenix, AZ
- Halo Thrift Store
4 reviews
Phoenix, AZ
