Vegan
American
International
Take-out
Fusion
Breakfast
Deli cafe in downtown with emphasis on global cuisine using as many local ingredients. Menu items such as wraps, salads, bean dishes, quinoa, pasta salads, breakfast burrito, smoothies, and baked treats. Reported to close unexpectedly, check ahead before visiting. Reported fully vegan December 2023. Open Mon-Fri 12:00pm-3:00pm.
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- Outdoor seating
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 26 Dec 2023 by ElizabethReynolds
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38 Reviews
First Review by SkinnyBytes
H54LF
Points +226
Super - Edit
Nice little spot with a “deli” style feel to it. Limited hours and we got there towards the later part of the afternoon but still got a nice plate to sample. The pasta salads were good, and most of the dishes I liked. The quinoa was a bit tangy but all in all a nice experience and vibe. The staff was super friendly.
Read morePros: Friendly Staff
Cons: Hours
Guest
meggold
Points +478
Ummm, YES!!! - Edit
If you like a big menu with lots of options and hot food, this place is not for you. But if you like really good, healthy plant-based then you are in the right place.
Read moreIt’s a tiny shop with no indoor seating hidden in the back of a courtyard. When I entered I wasn’t quite sure how it worked, and in a bit of frustration ordered the smorgasbord which is a little taste of everything. And, I’m very glad I did as it was filling and delicious. I also had the donut which, once I picked off the unnecessarily sweet icing, was very tasty. My partner had the tacos which he enjoyed but would have appreciated some sort of sauce for added flavour.
Will definitely come back again the next time we are in town!
Pros: Fully vegan , Delicious food , Unique and quirky
Cons: Gluten free options are a bit limited , Very small outdoor seating area , Not everything was ready when we arrived
Guest
emma_happycow
Points +78
Cozy no-fuss kitchen restaurant - Edit
Very nice restaurant, cuddled in a back alley, off Mill street.
Read moreMenu changes everyday. Smorgasbord plate is a big seller and fulfilling.
Only open Monday thru Friday, 11am to 3pm for now
Guest
LucienSea
Points +281
Hidden gem - Edit
Found this place on a whim. Very friendly and helpful staff, with fun and creative changing menu items
Read morePros: Serene courtyard to sit outside and eat
Cons: Small menu, but always something new
Guest
ErinPetschke
Points +434
Fresh, tasty, and homemade vegan food - Edit
Desert Roots makes new delicious vegan, gluten free options every day. There are always different flavors and it makes you feel satisfied but still light and fresh. I love going here on my lunch break to see what new dish I might love.
Read moreThe owners are so nice and personable. They ask of you have any allergies and pre-covid, they would let you sample everything
Pros: All vegan, Made fresh daily, Ever changing menu
Cons: Sometimes the menu isn't posted online until late
Guest
pHebron
Points +283
Good food, limited menu. - Edit
You must try this place. Get there early because they do have a limited menu and can run out of options.
Read moreGuest
CatJM
Points +200
Love it here! - Edit
The owners are super friendly and the menu changes every day which I love
Read moreGuest
Odaywatomi
Points +151
Laid Back - Edit
Love the atmosphere here. The food is made fresh and varies daily. They toss it together however you want it. Very versatile. Makes you want to try new foods. Highly recommend their sweet, pumpkin carrot muffin cookie.
Read more*Can bring your own clean togo container instead of using single use products.
Pros: Chill Vibe, Homemade Food, Healthy Options
Guest
JoshTheberge
Points +34
Poorly run - Edit
I really wanted to try this place but I traveled 30 minutes and they were closed for maintenance. I had tried calling before I left and their phones were down. They don’t have a website. As a business this place seems really poorly run. I can’t speak to the food but they really seem like they need help on the business side of things.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Looked healthy, Looked interesting
Cons: No website, Phones don’t work, Closed for maintenance
Guest
PeterBradleyAdams
Points +13
Gem! - Edit
Menu changes daily. Delish!
Read moreGuest
AutumnTierra
Points +1450
Hippie Dive - Edit
This is a tiny, hippie hole in the wall (in a good way). The staff were super nice and the food was decent. I was there on a Saturday and they seemed a little behind. The menu wasn’t made and they didn’t know necessarily what they’d be offering. I ended up with a couple of tacos (cold) and some surprisingly good cold pasta salad. It is outdoor only seating. I thought it was a little expensive for what it was, but it was fast, healthy, and decently tasty. I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here again, but it was worth checking out. If you are a health vegan, raw vegan, or GF it is worth trying. They specifically ask if you have any food allergies.
Read morePros: Fast and friendly, Great location , Serious about food allergies
Cons: Limited menu, No indoor seating
Guest
christya
Points +39
So delicious - Edit
We had 3 different hand helds. All were amazing. My son had a chocolate milk shake. He was so happy. We are on vacation and cant get food like this at home. Might be back tomorrow
Read morePros: All vegan
Cons: Cant find any.
Guest
FrancisCortese
Points +46
Simple(y)...AMAZING!!! Chef prepared food made from scratch daily. - Edit
The food was real and so are the folks behind the counter.
Read morePros: All vegan!, Made in limited supplies daily, Local businesses featured
Guest
cito
Points +35
Cold and stale - Edit
I was looking forward to eating here, but was very underwhelmed with the bean and rice tacos. The tortillas and rice were both stale, and they weren’t able to heat any of it up.
Read moreThe hummus was very good at least, but I will not be coming back.
Cons: Expensive, Meets health code?
Guest
MarianBuffi
Points +23
Great food - Edit
Daily made food with just the right options
Read morePros: Good daily options, Good taste, Terrace
Cons: Usage of disposable cups
Guest
ashleynt646
Points +283
Pretty good - Edit
On my first visit here I asked the server to walk me through how it all works. You can either get a wrap, 2 sides, 3 sides, or a half wrap with two sides. All of which are served cold. If sides are not your thing, they also have other dishes like the burrito. You can also get any of the sides in a wrap instead of their wrap of the day.
Read moreThey will also let you try the sides or fillings to see which ones you want which is a feature you should take advantage of, because some of their sides are much better than others. They had three hummus options which also count as sides if you decide to get one of those. I got a 1/2 wrap and two sides for about $12.00 which was pretty expensive, but you get a lot of food and leave full. Plus they have one smoothie which was basically spinach, banana, and peanut butter (it was a pretty big smoothie too) and that was very good.
They can get very busy and sold out of some of their options before noon which was a bit disappointing. You order at the counter. They serve your order to you right there on a plate and you pay. Then you can help yourself to water, and you seat yourself outside under covered seating. It’s pretty hot under their seating area, so I’d probably take it to go next time. I’d also try the fillings before ordering next time as well because the one that I got in the wrap had some undercooked rice and one of the sides was very spicy. I liked their teriyaki dish though. I might be back to try some of their other dishes, but hopefully they won’t be sold out next time.
Pros: All vegan, Friendly and helpful staff, Try before buying
Cons: Busy, Pretty expensive , Sells out of some dishes early
Guest
bwood17
Points +48
Fantastic food and awesome people - Edit
Christian was working when we went in and quickly ascertained that it was our first time there. he explained everything and gave us samples of stuff before we ordered! And the food was amazing and made us very happy!!
Read morePros: 100% vegan!!, Well-priced, Fresh food daily!
Cons: There are not more than one of these kitchens?
Guest
TC827
Points +38
Delicious gem in Tempe - Edit
We ate lunch here and were treated to a sample of everything before making our choices. The menu varies daily, is super tasty, and 1/2 wrap & a side was very filling. Love this spot and will come visit again!
Read moreGuest
ALR14
Points +433
yummy lunch option - Edit
I was in town for a quick trip and was so happy I was able to pick up lunch at this place. I came near closing but there was still some delicious options left. With a menu that changes daily, the food is very fresh and creative. Loved it!
Read morePros: tasty, healthy options, changing menu, overall vibe
Cons: parking, hard to find (inside of a little outdoor mall area
Guest
MayaAcosta
Points +1032
Pleasant Environment - Edit
I really enjoyed visiting this cute spot. Located inside a small plaza along Mill Avenue in Tempe. You’ll dine outdoors surrounded by trees and a soothing fountain. I enjoyed the food. Pleasant customer service.
Read morePros: great food , nice environment , excellent customer service
Guest
edina.kurdi
Points +106
lovely atmosphere nice food - Edit
This is a small place with a small menu. We had a wrap and a rice pilaf on the side. Indeed the rice was crunchy just the way I like it but boyfriend prefers well cooked rice and pasta. We shared a plate and that portion was just enough. Full portion would have been a lot (for us anyways). Wonderful atmosphere and nice staff.
Read morePros: atmosphere lovely , staff friendly and helpful, nice food
Cons: limited variety
Guest
vallonicka
Points +195
Fantastic Food at Fantastic Price - Edit
Finally got down to Desert Roots Kitchen, and glad we did. The food was fantastic, clean, made with love, tasted like home. Since this is a deli style restaurant, you choose what you want to do. We created our own wraps, using the corn wrap, since we are gluten free, and it was great. For the insides of the wraps we used the three different kinds of hummus (all very tasty), along a split-pea salad, and curried potatoes, along with some vegetables and greens. Really hit the spot for a great uplifting lunch.
Read moreThe decor is very charming, laid back, kind of hippie-like, we loved it. The owner was fantastic, also charming and incredibly accommodating. Seating inside isn't a thing, but they have a wonderful outside eating area within the courtyard, that we can't wait to sit in (was too hot & humid on this particular day).
The prices are fantastic, we got four of those wraps, and two sides for less than $30, compared to other vegan restaurants in the area, we were very pleased with everything, and will be returning soon.
Pros: Great food, Great owner, Cool spot
Cons: Would like to see more dessert options.
Guest
stevenrouk
Points +16
Delicious Deli Food - Edit
I've been here twice, and the food is ridiculously tasty.
Read moreThe menu changes daily and is often made from local ingredients. Everything is mostly cold, from various types of hummus to chickpea salads and different potato dishes. (The dolmas are amazing.)
They also bake cookies and other tasty treats! It's right off of Mill in a beautiful courtyard, definitely check it out.
Pros: Delicious, Fresh , Local
Cons: None
Guest
Speedteq
Points +35
Full Wrap + 1 side - Edit
Haven't been here in 6 months in area today and hoped for something filling and tasty and hit the jackpot with a Full Wrap and a tasty side dish .. Massive portion which I needed today .. Great day to sit on their patio too ..
Read moreThanks Desert Roots !!
Guest
Troktagon
Points +179
Awesome - Edit
Stopped by for lunch when I was in town for a meeting, and this place was great. Fresh, local food that changes daily. Some of the non-vegan people I was with thought the food was kind of bland, but if you're used to eating real food instead of processed, this place is great. Everything tasted fresh. They had Peanut Butter Pickle hummus which sounded weird, but was amazing.
Read morePros: Creative menu, Fresh, local, Quick
Cons: Small menu
Guest
WhatDoYouEatThen
Points +488
1st visit - Edit
Stopped by while visiting Phoenix
Read moreWhat a cool place, great food, friendly people
I had a breakfast burrito
Will deff stop by again
Pros: Great food, Different each day
Guest
Tigra220
Points +10644
Fresh and Flavorful - Edit
This place has some of the freshest and most flavorful options around. They have wraps, hummus, rice, and pasta dishes. The menu changes daily and they are pretty good with keeping their Facebook page updated with the menu, but sometimes they forget. I suggest calling ahead with any questions and/or to get the daily menu.
Read moreThe employees are friendly and helpful.
Guest
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