Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Posted on March 19, 2018 by ttimmons

LOCALLY OWNED JUST TASTES BETTER

Featuring farm-fresh, from-scratch foods served in a bright, cheery and contemporary atmosphere, BLD (Breakfast Lunch Dinner) is the latest South Chandler dining destination. Open all day, every day, this casual neighborhood hangout features over-sized roll-up windows overlooking a spacious, stylish outdoor patio. Meanwhile, a convenient drive-thru window dispenses barista-made beverages, protein shakes, smoothies, and top-notch to-go foods. – (from their website)

I finally made my rerun to BLD in Chandler. It has been quite some time since I first visited here. They are not only a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner all day long. They also have a drive-thru window where you can order coffee beverages, protein shakes, smoothies that are made by a barista. My son and I have been here a couple times now and enjoy the large variety of food on their menu that you can choose from. Our waiter was a friend of my son’s and he hooked us up. BLD is located in the Shops at Pecos Ranch which is home to many of Chandler’s good eats. They also have a great happy hour with discounted prices.

Green Chili Queso Dip & Barrio Rojo

Fried Chicken and Waffles

BLD Steak Salad

Mozzarella Bites

Texas Style Wood Smoked Beef Brisket Tacos

Community Table

The Human Bean

Posted on November 24, 2017 by ttimmons

I love this location because it’s always close by when I’m either running an errand in Tempe or at something related to ASU. They are about a mile south of the 202. My Dad once lived in Ashland, OR years ago and I vaguely remember going through the original Human Bean drive-thru there. That’s where this company got their start. They are known for their hand-crafted espresso drinks and fruit-infused smoothies. And of course every drink is topped with a white chocolate espresso bean. They have a program called the Farm Friendly Direct that allows them to work directly with the farming communities that harvest their beans so that they can build long-term relationships with them. This location has a double drive-thru or you can walk up to the window. You order directly from the barista and not through some intercom which I love. The baristas are usually high energy and very friendly. I haven’t tried one of their teas yet, but I really enjoyed their popular Granita drink. During the holidays they do holiday style cup that is pretty festive.

Provision Coffee

Posted on May 17, 2016 by ttimmons

Provision Coffee seeks to build community through quality coffee. Founders Lawrence Jarvey and Dan Suh (along with designer Kyle Cesmat) have a passion to serve and connect with people. Provision connects with their farmers and helps with the basic needs of their communities. The coffee is roasted here in Tempe and sold through subscriptions and partnerships with local businesses and churches. I visited their full service coffee, beer and wine bar inside the Palette Collective in Gilbert. The Palette Collective is a pretty cool space with various suites that host several businesses. Most of the businesses are independent beauty salons. I’m a big fan of nitro cold brew and ordered the Southwest Sunrise. This cold brew combines a simple syrup, bitters and an orange twist. I also ordered the Havana Nights cold brew on my second visit. It is similar but adds a smokey taste to it with the smoke released from aromatic burned tobacco along with mint leaves for garnish. The combination of the favors with the nitrogenated coffee was crisp and smooth on both drinks. The coffee shop itself is nice and spacious and our barista was very welcoming. I love coffee and especially love it when there is a good story behind it. I look forward to following these guy’s journey and supporting their good endeavours.

Southwest Sunrise

Havana Nights

Palette Collective

Baristas

Posted on November 28, 2012 by ttimmons

I love hanging at 8th Day Coffee & Culture. It’s one of my favorite coffee shops in town. They have great art and great coffee. But what makes them so awesome is their baristas. I’ve gotten to know many of them personally and appreciate how welcoming they are. I had a short stint as a barista and know what it takes to take care of your customers. Shane, Bruce, Amber, Daniel, Juliana, Charith and Elijah – they are all amazing people and I’m thankful for having them in my life. You make my experience at 8th Day unique and rewarding.

BLD

Posted on March 28, 2012 by ttimmons

BLD (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) serves made-from-scratch, farm-fresh food. It was opened by Cork’s Robert and Danielle Morris and executive chef Brian Peterson. The Shops at Pecos Ranch is a fairly new upscale retail strip in Chandler and features a variety of restaurants and local business. BLD is one their newest tenants and has a “virtually everything” concept that includes a drive-thru window. From the drive-thru you can order barista-made beverages, protein shakes, juices, smoothies and some foods. The interior is upscale casual contemporary and features an indoor/outdoor bar. Dinner includes a wide variety of choices that includes comfort foods like fried chicken and waffles, meatloaf, burgers and pork chops. Lunch includes sandwiches, burgers, salads and tacos. Breakfast includes Eggs Benedict, hashes, waffles, burritos (including the BLD) and Hawaiian French Toast Captain Crunch style. I came here with my son for a wine tasting during happy hour. I sampled some wines and we ate light appetizers for our first visit here. It’s nice to have something so close to home.

Coffee Rush

Posted on March 1, 2012 by ttimmons

Coffee Rush has been a regular hangout for me for years!

My Urbanspoon review:

Great atmosphere but too many unwritten rules. Best thing about this location is the view of the lake and the regulars that come to hang out. This place is also a great place to study. I don’t mind the smoke too much because the people that hang out here are pretty down-to-earth and fun to get to know (unlike the annoying Starbucks crowd). The coffee is pretty good too!

Some things that you should know if you aren’t a regular:
– Cash only on orders less than $4
– Wi-fi time is limited and I believe you have to spend a certain amount to get a code.
– You can’t bring in a drink from another coffeeshop (and don’t even think about saying the name Starbucks or ordering a ‘venti’ size).
– You have to hand your money to the barista. If you lay it down, he/she won’t pick it up.
– If you hang around without ordering something, you will be asked to leave

Do any of these and the coffee nazis will come after you – no joke!

Iced Caramel Macchiato

Food, Art & Culture

A photo and video blog about my travel experiences with food mixed in with some art and culture. Eat, Drink & Be Merry!

Tag Archives: barista