Where to find good lunch specials in Flagstaff

Flagstaff lunch specials
By Angele Sionna

Back to school time is here. Time for meeting and greeting new classmates and colleagues… or getting to know the ones you have even better. A perfect way to do so is a nice lunch out on the town. So here's a few places with good grub and lunch specials to maximize your hard earned cash and enjoy friends and food.

El Charro
409 S San Francisco St
About as close to campus as you can get (about 2 short blocks north of the Wall Aquatic Center) is this little family run Mexican dive. It has been a part of Flag for decades. For $7.50 here you get a soda or iced tea, 2 choices of items from the a la carte menu (like a cheese enchilada and a guac tostada - my favs), rice, beans, and a sopapilla or tortilla. The service here is always friendly and attentive to boot.

Fratelli Pizza
119 West Phoenix
A great spot to relax and enjoy a friend or two or five is Fratelli. Fratelli's atmosphere prompts conversation and the staff always has a smile. The lunch special here is hard to beat and served up quick. For six bucks you get a soda, a slice and a side salad or a soda and two slices (I like to get a pesto slice and salad with ranch). You can upgrade to a beer instead of a soda for $1.65 more – tax included!

Hot Wok Express
1000 N Humphreys St (at the far west end of the shopping center)
For about $6, Hot Wok Express- just north of downtown and just south of the hospital- has a lunch special to satisfy and it’s even better if you’re in a hurry. You can call ahead and pick it up at their drive thru window. A total bonus! My favs here are the Moo Goo Gui Pan, Orange Chicken, and Chicken Lo Mein. Along with the entrée you also get soup, fried or steamed rice, an egg roll and crab puffs included in that lunch special price.

Swaddee Thai
115 E. Aspen Ave.
A little bit of paradise tucked inside an unassuming building downtown is how Swaddee Thai feels when you walk in. The lunch specials here are about $8 and include a salad, egg roll, steamed rice (except noodle dishes) and your choice of a chicken, beef, pork, or tofu entrée. Those include red, green, or yellow curry, pad thai and others. And you pick your level of spiciness to suit your palate. Go to swaddeethai.com to check out all the options.

Sakura
1175 West Route 66 (inside the Radisson Woodlands Hotel)
When you think lunch specials you may not think of Sakura, a place known more for date night or a special celebration, but their teppanyaki lunch specials are quite a good deal, considering. For $9 to $12 bucks for the single item entrees you get a mini-feast – consisting of your meat or noodle selection (I rec opting for the grilled hibachi chicken or steak), soup, steamed rice and hibachi veggies plus a little fire show and get to watch the chef make lunch right in front of you... And boy is it yummy! Now don't go there looking for a quick bite, as I’ve found it takes at least an hour - depending on the crowd and number of chefs working that day. You can check out their full lunch menu at sakuraflagstaffsushi.com.