La Grande Orange Experience

He Said

Few things make me wish I owned a bike. The intersection of 40^th st and Campbell is one of them. Here you will find some of the best places to eat and relax in Phoenix. One of those is La Grande Orange (LGO). The parking is limited and when it got popular the neighbors had the city put up residential parking only signs. So if you are close and it’s not 100 degrees outside get some exercise and ride your bike, it’s worth not having to hassle with the valet. The store itself is a small grocery with some high end items along with some kitschy fun odds and ends (bacon flavored mints?). But the crown jewel is the deli and bakery. Let’s start with the bakery first because who doesn’t like to cheat and have dessert first.

Ever had the red velvet cake at Chelsea’s Kitchen? What about the cookies by the door that you grab when you leave? Well, you arrived at the source. Even if you have never been to Chelsea’s you won’t be disappointed with these desserts. I have had a lot of red velvet as it is my favorite dessert, and this is the best red velvet in the metro area. They also make the winner of the best cookie in the valley award, the salt chocolate chip. I don’t disagree with their findings.

One thing to know about LGO is that their grill and pizza are only available after 4. So if you go for lunch they have a ton of great salads and sandwiches but you’ll have to come back for the pizza (and you will want to). For lunch I had the Cuban sandwich. A pressed mix of traditional ingredients, it was very tasty without being all mustard, a common mistake I find a lot of restaurants make. But I eyed my companion’s breakfast burrito which looked and tasted amazing. To be honest I’ll never have the same thing here because there is too much on the menu that looks fantastic.

A tip for those not wanting to deal with crowds, you can call ahead. You can order your pizza or whatever and park in a few spaces reserved for to go orders. They will come out and take care of you in your car. No crowds, no fuss, just good food.

She Said

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