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Desert Roots Kitchen

4.7 (335 reviews)

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DESERT ROOTS KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Quiet
Casual
Dogs allowed
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Desert Roots Kitchen

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Haley N.

Phenomenal. The samples really helped me decide I wanted to try literally everything so I got the smorgasbord lol amazing service, intentional ingredients, so much flavor! The mac and cheese was my favorite. I will definitely be back!

Entrance

Anyone raised on punk rock vegan cooking a la How It All Vegan, this is THE place. As if I was on my most A-game of homestyle vegan eats. Could happily eat here every day of the year. Grandmas pasta salad, kale salad, apple walnut salad and elderberry blackberry iced tea. Perfection. DRK is the true meaning of elevated cuisine: When food inspires you enough to make you want to be a better human. Thank you, Leslie and Team!

Smorgasbord

I am not a vegan but appreciate good food and this place has it! Flavor, texture, and freshness reign supreme here. I appreciate that the dishes/options change daily, nothing tastes similar because they don't re-use seasonings or herbs on the individual daily dishes, and I can have a variety of experiences through both taste and texture on the same plate. I don't live in the Tempe area, or even the Phoenix metro area, but this is my favorite restaurant to go to on my every-other-month visits. I found this place thanks to the other reviews when wandering around Mill Ave. looking for a place to eat. Those reviews pulled me in, the quality and inventiveness have kept me coming back. The recommendation is for the smorgasbord - a little bit of everything made that day and an epic meal that could easily be two meals. Also, while ordering, take a little time to talk to the owner who is affable and always willing to engage in conversation. Great to be able to support this small local business creating intriguing, and colorful, dishes which taste great and appeal to the other senses as well. Job well done here!

Beet, Basmati, air fried tofu, tahini rice, "rabbit food", and dressed up quinoa!
Billy M.

Awesome place to grab creative, delicious, small-business healthy food. Glad I stopped. Cool concept with an ever-changing menu, the chef flows ingredients and spontaneity and the menu always changes. So delicious - secret courtyard entrance off Mill st. Thank you for the delicious, healthy, vegan, meal. Also had the house-made herbal iced tea and it was so fresh and delicious.

A little bit of everything!
Renee R.

We had just gotten off the plane in AZ when we headed to our hotel and started to look for a restaurant. My dad used to work in this plaza so naturally we headed over to Desert Roots Kitchen! The interior and exterior of this place is beautiful! There are plants everywhere and beautiful colors. I really loved the design and decor as it was so nice. The lady and gentleman who took our order were so kind and answered any questions we may have had. I ordered vegan tacos with a side (in the photo) and it was SO GOOD!!! I loved the tacos and the crunch they had to them. Everyone else in our party is vegetarian except for my dad but he loved the food too! It was an awesome dining experience.

Black beans, dill salad, kale salad & green quinoa. Wrap was curry quinoa, sweet potatoes and other yummy stuff.
Nikki W.

Amazing food. Full of flavor and super friendly staff. Definitely would recommend!! We split a wrap and 2 sides each so we could try a little of everything. Black beans, dill salad, kale salad & green quinoa. Wrap was curry quinoa, sweet potatoes and other yummy stuff.

NW of Mill and 5th St. Entrance to court yard
Lisa R.

The food, service, price and atmosphere are excellent. Even the other customers are happy and fun to be around. I will come back here again someday.

Penne, kale, and rice & beans
Dani E.

Had lunch here after getting off a plane from Baltimore. Everything was delicious! I was surprised that the penne and rice were cold but it still was really good, especially the pasta sauce. Will probably eat here again before we leave to go back to the cold east coast.

Mini Big Box $25
Beth L.

First time trying this place out. Wanted to give a local small business a chance. I ordered the Mini Big Box which to be honest, I was expecting more food than what I got. It came on one paper plate plus one wrap. $25. That's a bit steep for a plate of food. I also added on 1 vegan treat but they failed to put that in the bag. They must have had someone new filling in today bc pickup didn't go smooth. I placed an order online for the Mini Big Box $25 and a Vegan Treat $2.95. I had my daughter go pick it up. I provided her the receipt so she wouldn't have any issues. When she arrives, she says she's picking up an online order for Beth. The guy was very confused and didn't seem to understand. Once he figured out it was for a mini big box, he said that customers don't usually pick them up until Thursday. (Today is Wednesday) She showed him the online image where it says pickup Tue-Thur between 12-3pm. If I'm placing an order on Wednesday I want to pickup on Wednesday. He said something about the lady with the computer isn't here today. Lol

wrap of the day and salad
Joseph W.

Really cute spot with local vibes. The owner was in the shop when I visited and gave me a good run-down of all the options. They have a menu that changes every day, and it seems like they have a lot of fun playing with new recipes and ingredients. I got the half-wrap, half-salad combo, and both were good -- especially the wrap, which was full of rice and nuts and ... other stuff that I can't quite remember. It had a great cheesy sauce, too. Hope to come back again someday!

garlic veggies basmati rice

Hands down garlic veggies basmati rice is the best item I've had from any Tempe vegan spot. If you're vegan or not this place will definitely satisfy you. I forgot how good this place is. Service is phenomenal they are so nice and the atmosphere is peaceful and not loud and chaotic like most restaurants. No Loud annoying music either!

Today's menu. It changes every day!
Gary M.

Fresh Food, Bold Flavors, and Vegan! You often don't hear those words associated with vegan food, or at least I don't usually find myself saying them. I will be the first to eat my words, as long as it comes with a side of fresh ginger lemon beet hummus from Desert Roots Kitchen! I have been here twice now, and each time was a sock to my palate...in a good way. I got a plate with balsamic sunflower couscous with spicy chipotle roasted corn,yellow squash and carrots on top. Double dill bowtie pasta with peas that would make you swear you were eating an anything but vegan creamy pesto sauce, a dollop of beet hummus, and a heaping helping of double carrot curry heirloom bean salad. Don't judge, it was one of the most unanticipated amazing things I have eaten! It doesn't look or taste anything like you are imagining. It was culinary artistry. The menu is different every day. Come with an open mind and empty stomach. You may just leave rethinking your life choices.

Sesame peanut lentils, strawberry coconut kale salad,  1/2 pineapple habanero red bean burrito.

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Business owner information

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Leslie R.

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Clean, fresh and delicious. I absolutely love this place. They change the menu daily and there's always amazing options.

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Ask the Community - Desert Roots Kitchen

Do they offer herbal teas?

Yes, when I went there was two different kind.

View All 3 Questions

Alter Ego Tempe - Indoor area

Alter Ego Tempe

(243 reviews)

$$

Odd description on their Yelp "About" because this is not a rooftop view. It's on the street…read morelevel. Nonetheless, this place was a great surprise. Our group of 8 ended up here when another Tempe restaurant had a kitchen emergency and cancelled our reso an hour before dinner. Alter Ego was able to accommodate us, and we were glad they did. If you enter from the street side you'd never know you're in a hotel restaurant. It's got an upscale, classy vibe not usually seen in hotel dining. The waiter and bartender were attentive and knowledgeable. The menu wasn't huge but it was a great variety of options. Table had some salads, flatbreads, burgers and a round of butter cake desserts. Each was really, really good. Way more sophisticated plates than expected. Also had a bunch of craft cocktails, unique and well made. Sometimes the best experiences are unplanned. But you SHOULD plan to give this place a try.

I came to Alter Ego Tempe this morning with my wife expecting brunch... and instead got an…read moreimmersive, interactive escape room experience called "Find the Hostess." We walked in and were immediately greeted by... absolutely no one. There was what might have been a hostess stand, or possibly a modern art installation--I'm still not sure. After doing a full lap like we were casing the place for a heist, we confirmed: no hostess, no sign, no clues. Just vibes. Naturally, we migrated to the bar like confused NPCs waiting for a quest. Stood there. Made eye contact. Practiced our "we are clearly humans who would like to eat" stance. Nothing. Not even a nod. At this point, I was considering ordering invisibility cloaks since we were clearly already wearing them. Finally, we move to the front of the bar where someone acknowledges us and says, "Oh yeah, just go to the hostess stand... she'll be back." Ah yes--the elusive hostess. A mythical creature. So we return to the podium of mystery and wait. Eventually, an older woman appears (possibly summoned by our collective confusion) and seats us. Progress. We sit down. No water. No greeting. No "hey, glad you solved the puzzle and made it to Level 2." Just silence. About 7 minutes later, two guys get seated right next to us. Within 4 minutes, a server rushes over to them like they're VIPs at a Vegas club and takes their drink order... while we're sitting there like decorative furniture. At that point, we realized we weren't dining--we were extras in someone else's restaurant experience. So we left. To whoever manages this place: you might want to check the tape. Not even to fix things--just to appreciate the full cinematic masterpiece of how impressively this all unfolded. Honestly, it'd make a great training video titled "What If We Just Didn't?" Would I come back? Only if there's a leaderboard next time so I know how close I was to unlocking the "Order Coffee" achievement.

Spitz - ASU

Spitz - ASU

(67 reviews)

$$

I am a HUGE Greek/Mediterranean food fan! Especially when I'm traveling for work (why I'm here in…read morePhoenix), and most food option to order aren't the healthiest, I always find this to at least be a halfway decent alternative. I ordered the chicken Medi bowl and it was so incredibly flavorful. I took the picture before I mixed everything together, but I was glad to see it did mix well. There's nothing worse than getting a bowl and trying to mix all the ingredients together, but you end up just taking giant bites of hummus with nothing else. Their portion size felt like just the right amount, with a good balance of chicken, veggies, quinoa, and a sauce to mix in. I was originally going to immediately give this place 4 stars max, because it's my biggest pet peeve when places don't give silverware with their takeout orders (I luckily had a fork from something else I ordered, but it was flimsy and not made for this bowl for sure). But after eating it, the flavors were out of this world that I did feel like it was deserving of 5 stars. We have some pretty great Mediterranean restaurants in Boise, but I think this definitely competes!

We discovered this on our day of touring around Tempe before the Innings Festival. Located on an…read morealley of about 10 food establishments on the ASU campus. The inside was small and full of color. We did notice this was a very popular place for students, and it seemed about 80% were by mobile order. There are many things to like about this place but a few that made me also not like it. First off the main part, the food was great. The zesty wrap was a great price and very large, same as the Doner bowl, packed with all of the ingredients both me and my wife were very full after eating our meals clocking in a just over $30 tip included. Now for the downside, the menu posted inside above where they make everything, maybe I'm old, but it was just confusing to me. Then when you walk up to the counter to order they have a hand held menu that makes sense. Easy to understand. Wish I would have seen that first. The main thing that disappointed me was the service or lack thereof. Now I realize they were busy with mobile orders and maybe it's because it's in campus or i don't know. Even after standing from afar looking at the menu for a good 5-7 minutes nothing from the employees. Then walking up to the counter we stood at the register for AT LEAST 5 minutes with an employee less than 5 feet away with no acknowledgment whatsoever. Then when she was ready to take our order she was neither friendly nor happy. Overall Yelp doesnt do half stars but I would realistically give Spitz a 3.5, not 4. Great value and food, but lacking in service

Perfect Pear Bistro - Lemon garlic linguine + shrimps

Perfect Pear Bistro

(1k reviews)

$$

What a find in the heart of Tempe! A friend invited me to lunch here on. Monday and wow, they were…read morebusy! Full parking lot! That was good sign. We shared a Berry Avocado Quinoa Bowl and a Perfectly Grilled Cheese. They even plated them separately for us! (2 plates with half a grilled cheese and French fries on each and 2 bowls with our Berry Avocado quinoa! So sweet and helpful!) Everything was very delicious--fries were seasoned and crispy! The grilled cheese and sweet and salty (they use their spiced pear bread, a delicious four cheese blend and bacon). Quinoa bowl was very hearty! The space was cozy and not too loud--my friend and I were able to catch up without having to raise out voices. Cannot wait to come back to try the rest of their menu!

This was a quaint little place that I picked out based on reviews and the fact that they had a…read moreCuban sandwich on the menu. It was very tasty. And hit the spot. I ordered one of the side salads but I asked if I could have them add fresh pear to it because of course the name of the place is Perfect Pear Bistro so I was naturally craving pears. The ambience was cute and classy. I sat on the patio because it was gorgeous outside, but I did take a peek inside and it has a low lit upscale rustic vibe. There was plenty left in the salad after I housed my sandwich (elegantly) and I finally had to tap out and get a to-go box. Lovely little stop, would come back.

Pita Jungle

Pita Jungle

(317 reviews)

$$

We went to The Festival of the Arts in Tempe yesterday and afterwards we stopped…read moreIn at The Pita Jungle for dinner. We hadn't been to this location in quite awhile. One thing we love about the Pita Jumgle is that they have a designated vegan menu and it's great! We had the Caramelized Cauliflower, Tofu Tikka Masala and Falafel Pita. Pita Jungle always has a great atmosphere and is always clean and professional looking. Our service was spot on yesterday. Our waitress was energetic, helpful and attentive. I'm so sorry I don't remember her name which I always try to do and feel is so important. She was great! Such a fun and tasty experience and a wonderful way to end our time at the Art Festival.

I'll start off with how GENEROUS the portions are. The hummus starters and my Chicken Mediterranean…read moreSalad were enormous. I came here with a party of about 9, and all of us combined could not finish the 2 hummus starters we ordered. I could not finish my salad either. We came an hour before closing on a weekday. This restaurant was not busy at all, but our server was a little frazzled and did not take our order for some time. It also took some time to get our order out. They forgot my side of grilled veggies as well, but they were very nice about it. My salad was unfortunately too wet, and the flavor was just okay. The drinks, hummus, and pita were quite good though. If you're looking for a place to eat near ASU that's on the healthier side with large portions, this place is the one for you!

The Chuck Box - Double protein burger

The Chuck Box

(1.3k reviews)

$$

We have been wanting to try this place for a while now. It is in the middle of ASU campus and…read moresometimes we avoid the area because of traffic but today we were in the area and we decided to go! Friday afternoon around 3pm after a baseball game. There are about 5-7 parking spots out front. We were happy to find a spot. It is CASH ONLY. So make sure you bring cash! It is one of the oldest places in the area and we have heard amazing reviews! It has a lot of history and super cool pictures and a great vibe. The people are great. William took really good care of us. We got the bacon cheeseburgers, fries and beer battered mushrooms. FIVE STARS!!! Omg. William was friendly and he made sure our entire order was made to order so our fries and beer battered mushrooms were fresh! They charcoal broil your burgers to order in front of you! Everything was delicious! You can definitely taste the charcoal broiled meat!!! The fries were perfectly salty and crispy! We asked for extra crispy fries. And the beer battered mushrooms were crispy on the outside, salty and juicy on the inside. It is also important to note that they premade bacon pieces in the shape of the burger patty so every bite has bacon! It was spectacular. I love my entire meal!

First time coming and loved the whole experience and vibe of this clearly classic gem. My mom used…read moreto come here when she was at ASU and glad to see the vibes are the same! It's a no frills small joint that's been slinging food here for decades. I got the bacon cheese burger, fries and a coke. Simple, yet all I need with a burger. I loved how they do the bacon here too. It's not strips of bacon but instead a circle of bacon. So good and crispy! The condiments are self serve in this middle area and you shout your order when it's your turn and then wait for your burger to come up then grab a tray, your burger, drink and side. I love a nostalgic place, and this is def that! It was packed when we got there but don't fret. Line moves fast and people eat and then get out knowing it's a place you eat and then move on.

Desert Roots Kitchen - vegan - Updated May 2026

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