Well-suiting its focus on healthy eating, Flower Child’s décor evokes a back-on-the-farm feeling. The newest location, recently opened in Desert Ridge Marketplace in North Phoenix, is especially open and airy in its farmer’s market styling – simple, homey designs; a lot of light; and the chain’s signature cheerful touch of a cut flower on every table. The open expo kitchen allows guests to see chefs preparing each meal to-order.
With a menu devoted to veggies, grains, fruits and healthy proteins, the fast-casual restaurant offers a wide selection of organic, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options for lunch and dinner, made from scratch every day. And flavor inspirations are equally wide-ranging. Bowls include the Late Riser, a combination of cage-free eggs, heirloom beans, quinoa, roasted chile, salsa, avocado, corn Greek yogurt and queso blanco, and Mother Earth, made with ancient grains, sweet potato, portobello mushroom, avocado cucumber, broccoli pesto, charred ion, leafy greens and hemp seed in a red pepper miso vinaigrette. There’s a Vietnamese Crunch salad, with savoy cabbage, romaine lettuce, quinoa, tomato, bell pepper pineapple, avocado, cashews, Thai basil, cilantro and mint mixed with a spicy lemongrass vinaigrette. Wraps are a popular lunch choice; Flower Child makes them with whole wheat, flax and chia seeds (or gluten-free pita). Among the varied side plates are a Sichuan Green Bean, Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Simple Sautéed Broccoli. Protein add-ons available are all-natural chicken, grass-fed beef, sustainable salmon and organic, non-GMO tofu.
The drink menu includes a short alcoholic selection of wines and Arizona beers.
It is a large restaurant with plentiful seating inside and on the patio. And its location in the southwest corner of the shopping center affords convenient parking away from the often-crowded big-box stores and “The District” central retail area they surround, making it as easy to pick up food “to go” as it is to stay and enjoy the meal there.
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