La Bellavia - Great breakfast spot in Flagstaff (includes menu)

La Bellavia
18 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ
(928) 774-8301

La Bellavia is a Flagstaff classic for breakfast. There’s an old fashioned feel inside with simple décor and colorful walls adorned with the works of local artists. The sweet aroma of pancakes, syrup and eggs fill the air.

Oat Cake

La Bellavia is known for their Swedish Oat Cakes. These huge buttermilk and oat cakes are served with a hot cinnamon apple topping. They taste like a treat, but they’re pretty good for you. (A perfect combination.)
You can also order a side-sized oat cake, which is the size of a normal pancake other places. It’s the perfect size for kids.

This breakfast joint also does the classics well. The omelette is filled with your choice of cheese plus two additional fillings. It comes topped with hollandaise sauce and is served with an English muffin and a side-sized buttermilk pancake or country potatoes. (These are the side options for almost all the breakfast entrees here). The omelet was cooked perfectly… not overly dry, full of flavor and juicy without being too salty. The sausage chunks were huge instead of being crumbled, which was a little weird but tasted yummy. We opted for the buttermilk pancake as one of our sides and it was excellent: sweet and fluffy. The English muffin was also fresh and tasty.

Other popular choices… The Trout and Eggs combo as well as the two eggs combo. The Idaho trout is pan-fried and comes with the standard side choices. The two eggs any way you like comes with potatoes and apancake or english muffin for about $5. La Bellavia also serves their own handmade pastries.

The kids menu has several great options. Among them: a Koala Bear Pancake ($3.25), three Silver Dollar Pancakes ($2.75) and French Toast Fingers ($3.75).

The best deal on the menu… the weekday early bird special. From 6:30-8am Monday through Friday you get two eggs, an English muffin, buttermilk pancake or country potatoes, all for just $3.95.

Breakfast is the big draw at La Bell and they know it. It’s served all day every day they're open. But they also do offer a lunch menu with sandwiches, wraps and quiches.

Here's a look at their menu:

For more photos from LaBellavia click HERE.

Best sugary breakfasts on the go in Flagstaff

(This story, written by me, originally appeared in the 2/26/09 issue of Flagstaff Live!)

Man does not live by health food alone. Some days you need
that sugary sweet taste of a good donut or pastry to start
the day off right. Luckily, Flagstaff is a great place for
sweet-toothed folks to live and love (eating). Here are a few
places to find that perfectly sweetened morning sunshine for
your mouth …

Malone’s Bakery and Deli
1490 S. Riordan
Wanting the fresh, sugary goodness of a donut for breakfast
on a fine wintry morning? Malone’s is where you want to go.
They make the best homemade donuts in town in several
varieties—glazed, chocolate, maple and cake. Homer
Simpson would definitely approve!
Also on the menu are lots of other sweet morning treats like
Bavarian cream horns (quite a sweet punch and, I would
argue, more of a dessert but still good anytime of the day),
long johns filled with Bavarian cream (and my husband’s
fave sweet treat in the whole city), muffins, apple cinnamon
burritos, cinnamon twists, cinnamon rolls, pecan coffee cakes
and more.
If you’re looking for variety with great taste, this
is the stop to make.

Village Baker
1421 S. Milton
The Village Baker isn’t just for bread loaves anymore. When
they opened their new location behind Strombolli's, they
added an array of scrumptious breakfast pastries. The fresh
fruit Danish is fabulous and my fave. They also serve up
cinnamon rolls, cheese Danish, and apple, mixed berry and
cheese strudel. And if there’s a particular something you’re
craving and can’t find anywhere, Village Baker will custom
make anything you want with just a few days notice. You can
call them for details on custom orders at 773-9310. I’ve
never had anything here that wasn’t top of the line, so you
really can’t go wrong.

It’s About Coffee: The Factory
2620 N. Steves Blvd. (in Kachina Square)
This coffee house is also known for its fab cinnamon rolls.
They claim to be the best in Flag, and they are indeed quite
tasty. They’re ooey and gooey and you’re going to need to
get plenty of napkins. Be sure to ask them to heat it up for
ultimate enjoyment. The icing is a sweet, cream cheese-
style that really tantalizes the taste buds when warm. It’s
About Coffee also bakes up muffins. Both, of course, are a
fine choice with their coffees.

Macy's European Coffeehouse, Bakery and Vegetarian
Restaurant
14 S. Beaver
Macy’s is a Flagstaff must for good food and good-for-you
food. Even their sweet treats aren’t all bad for the bod with
such items as the vegan almond tofu Danish. The most
popular sweet breakfast treat on their menu is the almond
cream cheese Danish. It’s not what you’d call health food,
but it is magically delicious. Other breakfast sweets include
scones (which I personally favor), muffins and berry Danish.

Café Espress
16 N. San Francisco
Café Espress is another good choice for indulging that
morning hankering for something sweet. They bake up such
goodies as cream cheese Danish, turnovers, muffins and
bear claws. Of particular note are their turnovers and bear
claws, which are as popular as they are tasty. I personally
vote bear claw as the way to go here. Mmm.

Best Breakfasts in Flagstaff

Best Breakfast Joints in Flagstaff
By Angele Sionna

(*Note: This article originally appeared in Flagstaff Live! Written by me, of course.)

Eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, pancakes, cereal, bagels, cinnamon rolls, danish, kolaches… the list of breakfast foods is expansive and varies culture to culture. But wherever you go breakfast means the same thing - to break one’s fast. The fast being the longest period that most of us don’t eat, which is overnight. No wonder it’s traditionally a carby-starchy meal that can take you through the day, if need be. Here’s a look at Flagstaff’s best breakfast joints. All places that make getting up in the morning something to look forward to.

La Bellavia, 18 S. Beaver St.
La Bellavia is arguably the best all around spot for breakfast. The atmosphere is homey and the food fantastic. The Swedish Oat Cakes are the perfect choice for those feeling the need for some morning sweets without going into sugar shock. These huge buttermilk and oat pancakes are served with a hot cinnamon apple topping. They’re so big that if you eat a whole stack of three oat cakes, they’ll take your photo and hang it on the wall… plus if it’s a weekday the sign on the wall says they’ll give you a free coffee mug too. Another tasty great option – La Bellavia’s omelets. They’re filled with the ingredients of your choosing then smothered with hollandaise sauce. Delish.

Brandy’s Restaurant & Bakery, 1500 E Cedar Ave
Brandy’s used to be owned by the same people as La Bellavilla. (The owners of Brandy’s being the ones who founded La Bell.) Their breakfast menus do have some feeling of Déjà vu to them. But Brandy’s chef makes the breakfast potatoes much better than their downtown cousin. In fact, I think they have the best breakfast potatoes in town. Their menu includes daily specials from quiches to homemade bagels. Brandy’s also serves up sugary yummies like cinnamon rolls and muffins. While the coffee is good, Brandy’s hot cocoas are not to be missed, piled high with whip cream, to the delight of kids of all ages.

Mike and Ronda’s The Place, 21 S Milton Rd
Mike and Ronda’s The Place is by far the best deal on breakfast. It’s simple and simply great. I recommend their two eggs scrambled with hash browns and a pancake all for the nice price of $4. Add a cup of Joe for an extra $1.50. And the service is always good there too. Added bonus: Thursdays through Saturdays they’re open 24 hours a day. When you just want a good meal at a good price in an old-fashioned diner style, this is the place.

MartAnne’s Burrito Palace, 10 N San Francisco St
MartAnne’s is a hot little hole in the wall spot downtown for Mexican breakfast. In fact it’s got the trifecta of hotness going on… Hot because it is very popular amongst those in the know. Hot because the food is really spicy. And hot because it can get pretty warm in there with all the people packed in. The quarters are tight but friendly. The food is traditional but not to imply boring by any means. It’s plentiful and filling, which is good because you’re going to be really hungry by the time it gets to you. Expect a line here every weekend plus a wait for your food, but it’s worth it.

Best spots for breakfast on the go in Flagstaff

Morning Quickies
By Angele Sionna

Need a morning quickie? Here are the best spots around town to grab breakfast on the go.

Malone’s Bakery & Deli, 1490 S Riordan Ranch St
Wanting the nice, fresh sugary goodness of a donut or maybe a filling breakfast burrito? Malone’s has the best of both in town and are great for on the go. They’ve got both vegetarian and meat lovers options on the burritos too.

Village Baker, 1421 S Milton Rd
The Village Baker isn’t just for bread loaves anymore. They’ve opened a new location behind Strombolli's on Milton and have added an array of scrumptious breakfast pastries. The fresh fruit Danish is fabulous.

Biff’s Bagels, 1 S Beaver St
What would a quickie breakfast guide be without mentioning the ever-popular Biff’s Bagels. They’ve got a great variety and are available served in all the classic ways from plain to toasted with cream cheese and bagel breakfast sandwiches. Try the coconut-almond bagel for unique goodness you’re not going to find anywhere else in town! (But don’t go try that right now. Instead for the holiday season, Biff’s has replaced it with pumpkin or cranberry-walnut, depending on the day.)

Route 66 Dog Haus, 1302 E Route 66
Needing a bite but don’t want to brave the cold? Check out the croissant breakfast sandwiches at the Dog Haus. This place is not for vegetarians by any means and substitutions are not allowed. They’re a greasy spoon for sausage and bacon-loving peeps on the go and in a hurry.

Best cookies in Flagstaff

[*NOTE: This article originally appeared in Flagstaff Live! on 12/25/08, I am the author*]

It’s a Christmas tradition—leaving cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. Whether it’s for a bribe or a thank you, you’re gonna want to leave something scrumptious there by the tree for old St. Nick (wink, wink). Here’s a look at a few Flagstaff spots to find fantastic cookies for Santa and yourself. Macy's European Coffeehouse, Bakery and Vegetarian Restaurant 14 S. Beaver Macy’s has been a Flagstaff must for coffee since 1980, but if you’ve never tried their sweet treats you’re missing out. Macy’s serves several types of cookies everyday, and the type depends on who’s in the kitchen. Their pièce de résistance are the chocolate chip cookies, made with a recipe from one of the chefs’ moms. But their peanut butter cookies melt in your mouth and are not to be missed either! Copper Coyote Café Flagstaff Mall This little mall joint has 10 different cookie choices everyday. Coyote’s most popular is chocolate chip (not a shocker). But the ones to try here are the mint chocolate chip. They’re perfect for the holidays. Santa would definitely appreciate some of these refreshing goodies under the tree. Other options every day at the Coyote include classics like oatmeal raisin and sugar cookies, and more unique choices like gingersnap and sugar cookies with M&Ms. Malone’s Bakery and Deli 1490 S. Riordan Ranch Road Malone’s has several types of cookies everyday. Chocolate chip is a regular, of course. But Malone’s claim to fame: snickerdoodles. They’re soft and chewy. If you haven’t tried snickerdoodles—they’re basically a sugar cookie with a cinnamon twist of flavor—be sure to try the ones that Malone’s bakes up fresh in their ovens. Yum. Café Express 16 N. San Francisco Café Express is another coffee house, bakery and breakfast joint that serves up ambrosial delights. They usually have four to choose from: oatmeal, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter and their best cookie of the bunch, the shortbread with raspberry filling. My grandma used to make cookies like this as a treat—oh so good! It’s a unique choice that you should try next time you’re walking around downtown. Josephine’s Modern American Bistro 503 N. Humphrey's If you’re looking for an upscale cookie that is more than just a sweet snack and bridges into full-on dessert territory, then Josephine’s “Half-Baked Peanut Butter Cookie” is for you. The ooey-gooey peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie is serve hot (and only partially baked as the name implies) with vanilla ice cream melting on top. It’s reason enough to head to Josephine’s for a nice after-dinner treat, even if you just ate your meal somewhere else.

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.

La Bellavia

By Angele Sionna

18 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ
(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)
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

I don’t think a morning has passed that I drove by La Bellavia on the weekend and it wasn’t packed. Finally after stopping one night to browse the menu, we decided to go the next morning. The atmosphere is inviting with flowers and two much sought after outdoor tables full of satisfied looking customers as you walkthrough the door. There’s an old fashioned feel inside with simple décor and colorful walls. The sweet aroma of pancakes, syrup and eggs filled the air, reassuring me that we made the right choice in coming here this morning.

All around the restaurant hang paintings done by a local artist, which change monthly. They’re all for sale. La Bell, as some locals call it, takes part in the monthly art walk that Flagstaff hosts.

La Bell is known for their Swedish Oat Cakes ($4.25 for one). These huge buttermilk and oat cakes are served with a hot cinnamon apple topping. They taste like a treat, but they’re pretty good for you. (A perfect combination.) They’re so big that if you eat a whole stack of three oat cakes, they’ll take your photo and hang it on the wall… plus if it’s a weekday they’ll give you a free coffee mug too. You can also order a side-sized oat cake, which is the size of a normal pancake other places, for $2. It’s the perfect size for kids or to pair up with the Spuds Medley ($5.95), which is what we did.

The Spuds Medley ($5.95) consists of country potatoes served with two cheeses, sour crème, salsa, bell peppers and onions. While these were good, next time I’m going to opt for just the regular size oat cake instead, as it’s far superior.

This breakfast joint also does the classics well. The omelet ($7.75) is filled with your choice of cheese plus two additional fillings (we choose cheddar cheese, sausage and ham.). It comes topped with hollandaise sauce and is served with an English muffin and a side-sized buttermilk pancake or country potatoes. (These are the side options for almost all the breakfast entrees here). The omelet was cooked perfectly… not overly dry, full of flavor and juicy without being too salty. The sausage chunks were huge instead of being crumbled, which was a little weird but tasted yummy. We opted for the buttermilk pancake as one of our sides and it was excellent: sweet and fluffy. The English muffin was also fresh and tasty.

Other popular choices… The Trout and Eggs combo ($8.95). The Idaho trout is pan-fried and comes with the standard side choices. La Bellavia also serves their own handmade pastries.

The kids menu has several great options. Among them: a Koala Bear Pancake ($3.25), three Silver Dollar Pancakes ($2.75) and French Toast Fingers ($3.75).

The best deal on the menu… the weekday early bird special. From 6:30-8am Monday through Friday you get two eggs, an English muffin, buttermilk pancake or country potatoes, all for just $3.95.

Breakfast is the big draw at La Bell and they know it. It’s served all day every day. But they also do offer a lunch menu with sandwiches, wraps and quiches.

For more photos from LaBellavia click HERE.

__________________________________________________

Bear Paw Café

By Arikka Fullmer

75 N Main St
St George, UT
http://bearpawcafe.com


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

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

Here's a little gem I'm so happy I stumbled upon in St. George, Utah with great coffee. The Bear Paw Cafe has a classic facade on narrow Main Street. Forget the chain breakfast joints with typical greasy dishes. The Bear Paw lures you in with it’s vintage feel and by the patient line, you know it’s worth the wait.
The menu can be overwhelming, so many options that all sound so good! The drink menu alone is several pages with a full coffee/tea bar, smoothies, juices and tempting concoctions. The coffee is so good, I keep it simple.
For a simple breakfast try Grandma’s oatmeal, very filling. But my favorite is the eggs benedict with smoked salmon. I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed the vegi quiche and french toast.
There are plenty of twists on classic items with pecan, blueberry, baked apple, almond, and vanilla. Bear Paw’s rustic front is just a front for its sophisticated menu.
My gripes: The line, sometimes it moves quick, other times its slower than dripping molasses. The service, usually abrupt and all business. And they never bring that yummy coffee quick enough.

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.