Farmboy

Posted on June 12, 2018 by ttimmons

Real Food, Real Farms, Real People

This was a nice little find for lunch. Farmboy, Market, Meats, Sandwiches is a fast-casual restaurant and mini marketplace located in a popular spot that was once operated by Paradise Bakery. They specialize in sandwiches that use wood-smoked meats that are nice and tender because of the slow cooking process. In fact, the moment you walk into the restaurant you get a nice BBQ smell that immediately draws you in. All the meats, produce and bread are locally sourced here in Arizona. The restaurant itself isn’t incredibly large but has both indoor and outdoor patio seating. The ambience is casual and the walls are decorated with beautiful photos of various landscapes in Arizona that pay homage to our great state.

The sandwiches at Farmboy are made from scratch and use only the quality portions of the smoked meats. One thing that is unique is that they are named after different locations in Arizona. Some of the names include the Verde Valley, Lake Powell, Alma School, Coconino and San Tan. If you are a native like myself, you will get a kick out of it. I ordered the Pinetop Beef and Chicken sandwich and thought it was amazing. In addition to the delicious smoked meats, the sandwich is topped with a spicy mayo and honey BBQ sauce that really make a nice blend of flavor. You have a variety of sides to choose from to go with your sandwich. Farmboy also has a small marketplace that you can purchase locally grown fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk (Danzeisen) and meats. They serve breakfast as well in the mornings. If you live in Chandler and are wanting to eat and buy local, this is the place to go. Farmboy is a nice addition to the area.

Pinetop Beef and Chicken Sandwich

TKB Bakery & Deli

Posted on February 8, 2017 by ttimmons

So I’m driving from Arizona to California and I pass by a sign in Indio that says one of the top five reviewed restaurants on Yelp in the U.S. is at the next exit. Being a Yelp Elite, I gave in to my curiosity and grabbed lunch at TKB Bakery. They began in 1991 when three kids went door to door selling their mother’s frozen cookie dough. Years later, those same kids now operate TKB Bakery & Deli (The Kids Business). The deli is a popular stop for many of the cars passing through and the company supplies many large grocery chains. The outside of the restaurant wasn’t much to look at when I first pulled up. But the inside had a spacious seating area and friendly people taking your order. I went for the Reuben Stud-er (similar to a classic Reuben sandwich with hot pastrami and coleslaw). Other popular choices include The Trump, the Mexican Meatloaf and the Chicken Chipotlé sandwiches. I gotta say, that was one pretty damn good sandwich. The jalapeño bread on the cart next to me had me salivating too. With as many trips I make to Cali, I’m pretty sure this won’t be my one and only stop here. Good story and a nice find!

The Reuben Stud-er

Jewel’s Bakery and Cafe

Posted on October 15, 2016 by ttimmons

Jewel’s Bakery strives to make gluten-free items taste good. They have an amazing selection of bakery delights and desserts that are just as good as any gluten item. I’ve been wanting to stop by here for some time. Jewel’s is located in the Arcadia district and is family owned. Julie Moreno started this cafe in response to her daughter’s allergic response to gluten. Today, Jewel’s is a local favorite and a place you can visit and feel at home. They have a variety of salads, waffles, sandwiches and breakfast items on their cafe menu. You can also order your food online and they offer cooking classes once a month. I ordered the delicious Santa Fe bowl along with a slice of pumpkin pie. It was a nice prelude to Thanksgiving and the customer service was awesome. I had an enjoyable dinner here and I look forward to stopping in for a pastry or one of their waffle creations in the future.

Santa Fe Bowl

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Cali Chik Sandwich

Miracle Mile Delicatessen

Posted on October 7, 2016 by ttimmons

The Straw and Boston Cream Pie

“Live Life Deli-ciously”

I had a blast here on at a Yelp event a couple months back. Miracle Mile gave us a couple discounts to come back and visit again. The food here is delicious! Miracle Mile Delicatessen was started by its founder, Jack Grodzinsky after he moved to Tucson with his family in 1949 from Brooklyn, NY. Not finding work in Tucson, Jack took a bus to Phoenix and discovered and purchased a café. After a couple years, he purchased another café and named it “Miracle Mile” so customers would remember it. In the 60’s, he purchased another location and his busboy, George Garcia (who worked there for years) would eventually take over the business years later. Today, Miracle Mile has a brand new location on the southeast corner of 16th Street and Campbell. The 6,000-square-foot “retro art deco” restaurant is an entirely brand new building and opened up in 2015. They’ve added breakfast and now have beers on tap. The restaurant deli keeps to some of its old traditions and is still ran by the Garcia and Grodzinsky families. The service is cafeteria style where you choose your food as you go through the line and pay at the counter at the end. The portions are generous and the food is delicious. Soups are made from scratch daily. I personally love their huge pastrami sandwiches and I have now made a few visits here. Miracle Mile partners with Feeding Matters – an organization that serves kids with pediatric feeding disorder (PFD).

The Combo

Délice Bistro

Posted on July 11, 2016 by ttimmons

The first time I visited Délice Bistro was on a walking food tour of Tempe. It’s a European-style pâtisserie (a type of French or Belgian bakery that specializes in pastries and sweets) that makes their pastries and entrees from scratch. They are located off historic Tempe’s Mill Ave near ASU campus. In addition to their wonderful parties, they serve European sandwiches, soups and salads (made fresh daily). When I came here last, I had a nutella crêpe with some coffee. They also have a variety of breakfast entrees that include omelets, croissant french toasts and eggs benedicts. But you can’t come here without trying one of their delightful desserts or hand-dipped Bouchée chocolates. Today I had a carrot cake with some coffee from Peixoto. It was delicious and made for a nice late afternoon snack.

Carrot Cake

Nutella Crêpe & Macaron

Porto’s Bakery & Cafe

Posted on June 13, 2016 by ttimmons

Danishes & Croissants

“Quality is the number one ingredient in everything we do”

Every time I’m in Cali I swing by Porto’s Bakery & Cafe and pick up some delicious pastries to go. Rosa Porto opened her first bakery on Sunset Blvd in 1976 after her family emigrated here from Manzanillo, Cuba. They went through some tough times before people started catching on to how amazing her pastries are. She started to add other international savories to her menu and the business took off. Today there are three locations and long lines out the door everyday. It doesn’t stop people from picking up box of cheese rolls, potato balls or a cake. In addition to the pastries, they have some amazing sandwiches, juices and a full cafe. Some of my personal favorites I pick up are empanadas, ham croquettes, meat pies, and of course the potato balls (try the spicy one). You also can’t go wrong with any of the danishes or croissants either. Even though the parking can be a little crazy, Porto’s is always worth a stop.

Potato Balls & Croquettes

Desserts

Pizza Muffins

Posted on August 18, 2015 by ttimmons

Pepperoni Pizza Muffins

Having lived by Florindino Pizza & Pasta for many years, I eat their famous pizza muffins quite often. My kids love them! This family-friendly neighborhood Italian pizza and pasta restaurant offers classics like chicken parmigiana, lasagna, and antipasto salads. But they are known for their large calzones and pizza muffins. The calzones can be stuff with your ingredients of choice: pepperoni, ham, salami, bacon, broccoli, black olives, pineapple, jalapenos, and ricotta. The pizza muffins are freshly baked and stuffed with your choice of pepperoni, ham, sausage, and fresh mozzarella cheese. I love coming here and love the great friendly service they offer.

Traditional Pizza

Floridino’s Bread Sticks with Cheese

Porto’s

Posted on March 12, 2015 by ttimmons

While hanging out in Burbank, I stumbled upon this little gem while running around town – Porto’s Bakery & Cafe. The first thing I noticed was the line and the constant flow of traffic in and out the sliding doors. I decided to go in and take a look and found myself gazing and at all these pasties. Most of the people in line were here to make a box of pastries to go. I decided to make a box myself and take some back to my son in our hotel room. I got a apple and cherry danish. I had to try the meat pie and ate that one right away – yum. The cinnamon roll took us a couple of days to eat because it was so big. What a great find and I can’t wait to make a return visit someday.

Cherry and Apple Danish

Meat Pie

Cinnamon Roll

– You can read my full review of my return visit here.

Sip Coffee & Beer House

Posted on July 13, 2014 by ttimmons

My friend Katrina introduced me to a new coffee shop – Sip Coffee & Beer House. I can totally seeing this becoming my south Scottsdale hangout. They are all about bringing the coffee and beer crowd together under one roof. They have about 20 beers on tap alongside their large selection of bottled beers. For coffee, they use Cartel coffee and serve up a variety of espresso drinks, cold brew and teas. In addition to coffee and beer, they have a light menu that includes sandwiches, salads, breakfast and a cocktail menu. The best part of this place for me is the laid back atmosphere. It’s a great place to read a book or meet with friends while getting a great cup of coffee. The staff was great for my first visit! They were super nice and answered any question I had. I got their cold brew which was super clean and smooth. If you want to sit outside, the patio area is nice and shaded. Thanks Sip Bar for creating a great space for us quiet busy bodies that appreciate good beer or coffee. Definitely check out happy hour from 4-7 or some hear some live music in the evenings. There’s usually available parking spots behind the building on Bishop Ln. Old town Scottsdale is just a few blocks away if you are up for a stroll after your beverage.

Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta

Posted on June 29, 2013 by ttimmons

Pepperoni Pizza Muffins

Best lunch specials in Chandler – I love this place! This has been a favorite stop for Chandler locals for some time. The calzones are huge and pizza is good! But the must-have is always the pizza muffins. They are amazing! I recommended a friend try them and she quoted “Pizza Muffins have changed my life!” Floridino’s has nightly specials in addition to their lunch and happy hour specials. Family nights are a great deal!

Sausage & Olive Calzone

Sicilian Sundae

From their website:

All too often Arizonans discuss their favorite restaurants from “back home” or what they are looking for in an eatery and can’t find in the Phoenix Valley. Floridino’s took the requests to heart and in 1996 we opened our doors with the promise to embrace family-oriented, full-service, true Italian restaurant food in Chandler.

Our menu boasts of oven-baked sandwiches, heaping salads, mouth-watering pizzas, generous portions of pasta and calzones stuffed to the brim. While that is enough incentive to give us a try, a meal at Floridino’s is hardly complete without our renowned pizza muffins or a Sicilian sundae.

2005 brought about Floridino’s unbeatable lunch specials. Starting at $4.75, the goal was to provide a full meal in a timely manner to area working people. The demand was so great, we opened a Chandler banquet facility that can seat up to 60.

Floridino’s is your local Italian restaurant that remains loyal to the community. As always, we support and enjoy giving back to community in the form of food, money and volunteer donations as well as gift certificates for raffles and the utilization of our establishment to house fundraisers.

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: sandwiches