La Grande Orange

I don’t know if this makes complete sense, but La Grande Orange may have been one of the most comfortable sandwich experiences I’ve ever had. Is it a grocery store? A deli? A casual café? A place to sit with your laptop and work for a while? Honestly… it’s all of those things, and somehow it works. Maybe it was the genuinely friendly staff the moment I walked in—something my slightly cynical Boston upbringing isn’t always prepared for—but the whole place just felt welcoming. I actually wished I had been hungrier, if only to justify hanging out longer. Several staff members recommended the stacked turkey sandwich, which normally wouldn’t excite me because I’m a little turkey’d-out lately. But I’m glad I listened. Something about the combination—maybe the mustard and the havarti—just worked perfectly. Clearly I’ve been doing something wrong with my own turkey sandwiches at home. I paired it with a seasonal creamsicle matcha, which turned out to be the ideal companion to the sandwich. I’m new to Arizona, and finding places that instantly feel like a regular spot can take time. Happy to say La Grande Orange might have just become mine.

Call me whatever you want. However when you pay $9 for a slice of cake that you don't need, you'd like some consistency. This won't be my first bad experience with shrinkflation here. But I'll tell you it'll be my last. I realize I don't keep their lights on with my patronage, from here forward I'll keep my chump change in my pocket.. Less than an inch, while the other slices in the case were clearly an inch/ inch and a quarter. I have been in construction the last 4 years and you learn how to size. Anyway that's my rant. Thx for the let down.

We finally made it here for coffee after having to skip it last Saturday because we couldn't even find a parking spot. Heads up: parking is very limited and can be a major challenge. The space is incredibly busy. If you aren't a fan of crowds or "bumping into people," this might not be your spot. It was packed even on a Friday morning! Between the high energy and the very loud music, having a conversation was pretty difficult. The Highlights: • The Gift Shop: Really cute and well-curated. • The Food: They offer a massive variety, from a full breakfast/lunch menu to a pizzeria. The "grab-and-go" salads looked particularly delicious and fresh. The Coffee: I had a mocha and David had a drip coffee. My mocha was... interesting. It had a unique flavor—I could swear there was a hint of orange in there—but it wasn’t quite to my personal taste. Summary: While it's a neat spot with a lot to look at, the combination of the parking struggle, the noise level, and the crowds means I probably wouldn't make a special trip back just for coffee. Great for people-watching and quick food, though!

ÑThis place offers a very warm and comforting atmosphere, perfect for spending a pleasant time. I’ve been here twice—both on cold, rainy days—so having such a cozy environment feels wonderful. The potato soup and tomato soup are delicious, and I really love the Margherita pizza. The service is very good. The only downside, which happened on both visits, is that the food is served cold. The soup, the pizza—everything came out cold. I’m not a fan of that because the wrong temperature can really change the whole tasting experience.

Let me preface this by saying that I have eaten at this restaurant several times and absolutely love it—I am only posting this so the restaurant can fix the issue moving forward. I ordered a to-go order the other day, and unfortunately found a live bug in my sandwich (see photo) I think probably because the back door is right in the kitchen and a bug probably snuck in right before the lid was placed on. Either way, it would probably be good to quality check the meals before sending them out to customers—the bug was right near the top and I didn’t even have to move things around to see it.