Reviewing Goji Berry Café: Plant-based clean-eating in Downtown Phoenix.

On my quest for the best plant-based, clean-eating restaurants in Phoenix, I visited Goji Berry Café in the historic Grand Avenue District. This funky and eclectic neighborhood is the perfect setting for vegan restaurants. 

Goji Berry Café shares space with Earth, another vegan-inspired eatery. You are greeted by a cheerful and colorful atmosphere as you approach Goji Berry Café through the exterior hallway. Doily flags in all rainbow colors are strung on ropes and draped from the ceiling, creating a vibrant and festive ambiance. 

To separate the restaurant and sidewalk from the parking lot, bright silver horse troughs are used as planters with trees between the tables, offering alcoves for dining. These planters also help to reduce the noise from passing traffic. Two-person tables outside provide ample space and easy restroom access. 

Relax and Enjoy at Goji Berry 

The mission of Goji Berry is to promote relaxation and enjoyment through plant-based, clean-eating recipes. Mocktails and refreshers are made with the cleanest ingredients to provide healthier options for everyone. 

Clean Eating vs Veganism 

While both clean eating and veganism emphasize healthy eating, they differ in their approach. A vegan diet can include processed and unhealthy foods if they are not animal-derived, while clean eating focuses on the quality and processing of the food, regardless of whether it’s plant or animal-based.

Goji Berry serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I arrived soon after they opened at 11 a.m. Many customers came for the beverages and conversation at the outdoor tables. 

Healthy refreshers and artful lattes at Goji Berry Café

With the extensive list of healthy refreshers, coffees, and tea, it was hard for me to choose. 

Refreshers are colorful, striking, drinks and made with organic fruit and house-made syrups. Many sounded good, and I’ll go back to try the Lavender or Matcha Limeade, or maybe the Dragon Fruit. 

Along with espresso, hot chocolate, and organic hot tea standards, the wide flavor selection of lattes and matcha piqued my interest. Pumpkin and apple pie coffees are perfect for the holidays. 

Açai Bowls, Caesar salad, Cubano sandwiches, and more at Goji Berry Café

All dishes at Goji Berry use quality, fresh ingredients and are made in-house from scratch. 

Their menu includes three bowls (Almond Butter, Very Berry, and Malibu) as well as three smoothies (Strawberry, Pina Colada, and Goddess). All of their Açai bowls and smoothies use organic fruit and fair trade açaí.

One salad is on the menu–Caesar. The salad would make a great accompaniment to a deli sandwich such as the Cubano or Philly Cheesesteak. Add the house-made potato chips, and you’ve got a complete meal. 

If you must have dessert, the house-made ice cream with waffle cones might be a good choice. However, an extensive selection of donuts, artisanal pastries, and conchas, Mexican sweet bread, will tempt you, too. 

I looked through the pastry case while deciding what to order for my entrée. I can’t resist matcha and attractive, colorful designs. I selected the vanilla cake with thick matcha frosting and a nasturtium edible flower on top. Because life is uncertain, I ate the dessert first. 

Mac & Cheese – a signature Gogi Berry Café dish

The Goji Berry signature dish is the Mac & Cheese–unsurprisingly, their most popular on the menu. The Mac & Cheese was served piping hot in a cast iron skillet with crumbles and fresh parsley on top. The server brought it to the table on a wooden platter and cautioned me that it was extremely hot. While waiting for the Mac & Cheese to cool down, I ate the pastry, reserving some to take home.

When I discovered the Mac & Cheese wasn’t heated through, I brought it to my server’s attention. She immediately offered to return it to the oven, but I declined. I was full from the pastry and already planned to take some of the Mac & Cheese home for a delicious leftover meal. 

The single-serving was so large I took more than half in a To-Go box and enjoyed it for two additional meals. 

Goji Berry Café Final Review

Goji Berry Café is worth another visit to the Grand Avenue Historic District. I’ve got to have more Mac & Cheese! And must try one of their healthy refreshers.