Cornish Pasty Company Experience

He Said

The Tempe location is a bit hidden in the back and side of a strip mall off University. Even the entrance seems hidden and once inside all you see is a long narrow eating area along with the kitchen, but don’t fret once you walk down that long hallway there is plenty of more seating. We sat outside for lunch and while it was a beautiful day I was saddened to eventually find that people were smoking on the patio. We had already gotten situated so we just tried to ignore it. I am not a big fan of people smoking while I eat, and I don’t deny anyone their right but it taints the food experience. So I’d say sit inside because the flaky crusts of the of the pasty is so worth all the carbs that come with it.

I had the Mediterranean chicken pasty and my partner had the veggie spicy asiago chicken. We also shared a plate of garlic chips. The chips were good and definitely garlic was present, nice big chunks of roasted garlic. But I would have saved the calories so that I could enjoy my entire pasty as it was a tasty pasty. It came with tahini which was a perfect compliment. So be forewarned the pasty itself is a meal, no matter how hungry you might be it will fill you.

I do have to mention that I tried my partner’s mushroom, walnut, and spinach soup and it was sublime. It also came with fresh baked bread that was so dense and soft on the tongue. I would love to have a loaf of it to make all of my sandwiches from now on. So have at it because everything is freshly prepared with some amazing ingredients and besides all the dough it feels healthy!

She Said

If you haven’t been to one of the 3 locations of Cornish Pasty Co. in Arizona you are in for a real treat. The original location opened in Tempe in 2005 and since their success, locations have emerged in Mesa and Old Town Scottsdale.

Walking into the entrance of the Tempe location you immediately recognize the feel of an Ol’ English pub, quaint and dark. I’ve heard it described as a “Hole in the Wall” on many occasions, but since I tend to embrace those types of establishments I’ll label it as cozy and comfortable.  Heavy wood tables and benches fill the dining area with a long bar that runs the length of the entire restaurant. I opt for sitting at the bar where you can throw back some pints as you watch the varieties of pasties being prepared in the kitchen, which lies just behind the bar. If that doesn’t get your mouth watering, I don’t know what will.

A pasty is a baked pastry originating in Cornwall, England. Dough traditionally filled with meats and vegetables then crimped and baked resulting in a calzone type of food. Each pie is made to order and on this particular night my dining companion decided on The Cottage Pie and I chose the Chicken Pot Pie. The Cottage Pie is traditional English flavors filled with seasoned ground beef, peas, carrots, grilled onions, mashed potatoes, and cheddar cheese. The hearty combination in a flaky crust is mouthwatering! A delightful red wine gravy comes on the side that you will gladly dunk your pocket of goodness into again and again. The Chicken Pot Pie is packed with chicken, carrots, red potato, green beans and celery in a thyme and chicken gravy. The comforting warm flavors are so enticing it is hard to stop once you start eating. I proudly downed my pie in record time! It is sided with some extra gravy that I love to pour on top making a savory sloppy mess.

For all of you vegetarians and vegans don’t fret, Cornish Pasty Co. has outstanding meatless pies that will even make meat eaters coming back for more.  Seriously, whole meals in delicious pockets? Can’t get much better than this!