| CHOW BELLA | t Café Village Adventure Dining Guide: Where to eat and drink in Maryvale. BY NATASHA YEE B reakfast to happy hour, quick coffee to sit-down dining, greater Phoenix offers an unending supply of neighbor- hood dining hubs. Take Maryvale, which offers an abundance of marvelous Mexican food, with some of the busiest taco and torta spots in town. But that’s not all. The urban village in west Phoenix has other tasty dining and drinking options, too. Maryvale began as a master-planned community in the 1950s. The largely working-class area spans west of Interstate 17 and U.S. Route 60 to past 107th Avenue in its westernmost areas, from Camelback Road south to Interstate 10. Here is an all-day rundown of what to nosh and sip on in the area. BREAKFAST El Cafezito 7540 West Indian School Road, Suite A4 623-849-8285 In France, crepes are a daily occurrence, but Americans are not always so lucky. El Cafezito serves the sweet and savory kind, with offerings like a Nutella Crepe adorned with fresh strawberries and bananas and drizzled with Nutella, and the Ham and Cheese Crepe topped with sliced tomatoes and parmesan cheese. The berries crepe with cream cheese and the pizza crepe topped with pepperoni are two fan favorites, so bring a friend along to share a few items. El Cafezito also provides plenty of caffeine, from espresso drinks such as cappuccinos and Americanos to hot and iced teas including matcha and chai. Genie G’s Family Restaurant 7349 West Indian School Road 623-846-0114 Genie G’s is a diner reminiscent of a foregone era where coffee is refilled from a glass pot at the breakfast counter. Waltz inside this humble eatery solo and grab a stool, or bring the gang and go for a booth. The plates are hearty and the 75th 30 Avenue Breakfast is a popular choice, with three eggs, gyro meat, golden hash browns, and all the toast or pancakes you can eat. If you’re feeling extra casual, ask for some Natasha Yee Herb N’ Grinds serves coffee, kava, and kratom beverages from its vibey Maryvale location. COFFEE Herb N’ Grinds Coffee Lounge 5950 West McDowell Road, #103 480-395-7058 Herb N’ Grinds is an all-around interesting place. It’s part coffee, kava, and kratom shop, part electronic dance music hangout, and part glassblowing studio. The lounge, which has been open for about a month, used to be an event space hosting live DJs, but now people can hang out all day, coffee in-hand. Herb N’ Grinds also serves kava, a calming beverage utilized for ceremonies in the South Pacific, and kratom, an ener- gizing herbal extract derived from the leaves of an evergreen tree grown in Southeast Asia. The space is chill and funky, with books inside milk crates stacked atop of one another surrounding the blown glass on display. Beverages range from a Vietnamese Shotgun made with espresso, condensed milk, French vanilla, and half and half, to the King Louie XII, a guava lemonade with a shot of kava. And plain old cereal — it’s served in a bowl with milk. Lunch and dinner are also served here, but it definitely fits the classic break- fast diner bill, with the most important meal of the day served all day. The Donut Shoppe 2929 North 75th Avenue, #29 8141 West Camelback Road, Suite B 623-242-9789 Both of The Donut Shoppe’s locations are go-to spots for brekkie on the run or donuts for the office. Breakfast sandwiches are filling and made quickly — perfect for a hectic morning commute. Try the classic egg, bacon, and cheese sammie on your choice of croissant, bagel, or toast, or kick it up a notch with the ham and cheese croissant with jalapeño. Donuts range from glazed to topped with Fruity Pebbles. Go for a mixture of a dozen regular, cake, or filled donuts, or try a dozen “fancies,” like cookies and cream bars and croissant donuts. The Donut Shoppe also serves coffee, smoothies, boba teas, and Thrifty Ice Cream, and is open for lunch. >> p 33 SEPT 29TH–OCT 5TH, 2022 PHOENIX NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | NEWS | OPINION | FEEDBACK | CONTENTS | phoenixnewtimes.com
