Wildflower Bread Company opening in Flagstaff in January 2010

Wildflower Bread Company is finally getting ready to open its doors in Flagstaff. We're less than a month away from the January 12, 2010 scheduled grand opening.
Wildflower will be located at Aspen Place at the Sawmill on the Southeast Corner of Butler & Lone Tree. They'll have free wifi in addition to their food offerings.
In the meantime you can check out their menu which features soups, salads, breads, hot cocoa, coffees and more HERE.
Wildflower is an Arizona-based bakery.

The Village Baker opens a new place

By Angele Sionna

NEW LOCATION: 1435 S Milton, Flagstaff, AZ (behind Strombolli's)
(no menu online)

The Food (taste/flavor/quality of food & drinks)
>>>>= a favorite, can count on it being good every time

The Atmosphere (environment, wait staff, comfortableness)
x= if the food's good enough, still worth going, otherwise forget it

Price (what to generally expect to pay per person per entree)
$= under $10

Value (what you get for your money)
*** = fair -you get what you pay for, not in a bad way

This was one of the best kept secrets in Flagstaff. A tiny little bakery without a sign making some of the best breads in town. But now the Village Baker has a new location, still without any frills, except in their foods.

Village Baker is a bakery only, not a real restaurant, though the new location does have a barstool or two in the front window. It is a great place to buy fresh, unique, healthy breads. They’ve got quite an impressive assortment from several varieties of whites and sourdoughs to honey wheats and multigrains and everything in between. Options to depend on the day and the time. So go in the morning for the biggest selection.

When they opened the new location, they also added lots of yummy breakfast items from cinnamon rolls to scones, danish and more. The fresh fruit danish are really good and worth going for. But do plan on just running in and picking up your chosen goodies. The atmosphere is totally lacking.

Whether you’re a tourist or a local, I’d recommend stopping in and picking up a loaf (ask them to slice it for you). Then grab some deli meats from the grocery store and head out for a picnic at the Arizona Snowbowl just north of town. There are plenty of spots in the meadow or under a tree to throw down your picnic blanket and hang out with the whole family. This is actually a tradition for my family every father’s day.

NOTE: During the summer and early fall, you can also buy Village Baker breads at the Flagstaff Farmer's Market.

**TIP: Look in Flagstaff’s independent free weekly tabloids for an occasional dollar off coupon for The Village Baker!**

More Village Baker photos HERE.

House of Bread

By Angele Sionna

1237 S. Plaza Way, University Plaza Shopping Center, Flagstaff, AZ
Lunch & Bread menu at: houseofbreadflagstaff.com

The Food (taste/flavor/quality of food & drinks)
>>>= good, but not great

The Atmosphere (environment, wait staff, comfortableness)
xxxx= comfortable

Price (what to generally expect to pay per person per entree)
$= under $10

Value (what you get for your money)
**** = worth it - you won’t be disappointed with what you get for your money

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="House of Bread in the University Plaza Shopping Center"][/caption]

House of Bread seems like a little local joint but in reality it is a franchise of small regional chain based in California. The bread and butter of their business, if you will, are their 25 types of homemade premium breads, made with freshly stone ground flour. They do it right in the store everyday. (But don’t show up with the kids to watch because all the fun goes on in the wee hours of the morning, I asked about it.) Their website states that all of their products are all natural with no chemicals or artificial preservatives. You can taste the quality of the ingredients in every product they serve.

The set up inside House of Bread is friendly and welcoming. You could almost forget you’re in the middle of a strip mall if it weren’t for the giant windows looking out to the massive parking lot. Otherwise, it reminded me of a little country store with wooden chairs and tables and a farm mural painted on the wall. House of Bread is especially kid friendly with their “sweet” menu and a wooden kid-sized table parked up against the brick wall. It is covered with lots of toys to entertain your little ones while you kick back and enjoy a cup of organic coffee.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="240" caption="House of Bread's Blueberry Scone & Cinnamon Roll"][/caption]

My mom, my daughters, and I went to House of Bread for breakfast on a random Monday morning about 9am. We were the only customers sitting down, but there was a steady flow of people popping in to grab some bread and what not. We ordered a blueberry scone ($2) and a regular cinnamon roll ($2). They have several kinds of cinnamon rolls, including some with nuts and others with gooey caramel. The blueberry scone was outstanding. Slightly sweet and filled with giant plump blueberries. Oh so good. The cinnamon roll was good, but not on the same level as the scone. It had lots of cinnamon, a sticky sweet sauce of some sort, and raisins. Good flavors but next time I might ask if they could heat up the cinnamon roll. I think it would have been better warm.

This was my second visit to House of Bread. Previously I’d bought some of their bread, Grandma’s White Bread to be precise. It was exactly what you’d hope fresh bread tastes like. Yum! We made some great sandwiches that week. Great bread is the key to a great sandwich after all. That being the case, the sandwiches that House of Bread serves for lunch are probably pretty good, but I’ve yet to try them. But one day the Cranky Turkey ($4.50 half, $5.95 whole) sandwich with cranberry cream cheese sauce is going to call my name and I’ll update this review then!

Until then, I will just note that sandwiches, soups, and salads are served for lunch from 11am to 2pm daily. Hot breakfast items like toasted egg sandwiches are served from 7 to 11 am daily. You can buy cinnamon rolls, scones, and muffins, in addition to several varieties of breads through business hours. By the way, they make different breads on different days, so check out their bread schedule on their website if you’re looking for something particular.

Something fun and unique to note: House of Bread offers field trips and group tours. So if you have some curious boy scouts or girl scouts, call up and schedule a behind the scenes visit. They even have a special hands-on tour that costs $5 per child, samples included. Details can be found on their website HERE.

**TIP: If you live around Flagstaff, check your mail for House of Bread coupons. You can often find a bargain in the Money in the Mail booklet that comes out monthly. Recent coupons have included buy a cinnamon roll, get one free or buy a sandwich get the second for half off!**

More House of Bread photos HERE.