An egg and cheese sandwich accompanied with a fruit cup at Orange Table Tempe is one of many traditional breakfast selections available. (Photo by Aubrey Rumore)In July, breakfast and lunch restaurant Orange Table packed its bags and left Scottsdale, nestling itself just north of ASU's Tempe campus. The new location prides itself on having the same menu and same owner, but slightly changed its name to Orange Table Tempe.
The restaurant bid adieu to Old Town and opened the doors to Sun Devils and its new Tempe customers Sept. 27.
“We closed our old location and moved entirely here,” hostess Jordan Barton said while dealing with an unexpectedly long line.
Open from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., the diner offers a basic breakfast menu, teeming with early morning staples like an egg sandwich enclosed in a crisp piece of sourdough and a plate of fresh, basic buttermilk cakes, but there are a lot of twists across the menu too.
The jalapeño pecan cakes introduce taste buds to the most unusual combination of spicy and sweet — a perfect belly-warming wake up call. The list of “hashes” also jumps off the menu, with options ranging from corned beef to chimichurri.
The restaurant also serves a unique breakfast item called a “flannel,” which is basically comfort food all tossed in a skillet. The entire flannel series at Orange Table received serious acclaim in Scottsdale and will likely continue to raise customers’ brows in Tempe.
Business so far has been “really nice,” hostess Katelyn Parkos said. Beyond the well-known food and mouthwatering aroma of bacon and eggs that sneaks out the front door onto Seventh Street, the location is great, Parkos said.
“We usually have a big brunch rush,” she said.
Student deals include $4 grab-and-go breakfast burritos, $1 coffees and $2 lattes.
Parkos said she has been surprised at the steady stream of business so early. The spectrum of customers has also been a pleasant surprise for her, skewing greatly from the assumed clientele of just students.
“It’s more than students coming in; locals, business people and even some customers from the old location have come by," Parkos said.
The location helps, owner Craig Pierson said.
“We thought the location would be an awesome place,” he said. "We really appreciate everything the community has done for our business so far.”
The decision to move was an easy one.
“I was in Scottsdale for three years, but I had an opportunity to come to Tempe, and I took it,” Pierson said. “It’s my home, and ASU is close to my heart."
The restaurant owner and operator also gravitated toward Tempe because of what Tempe has to offer.
"We like to think of (Orange Table) as a very diverse company," he said. "A little bit of carpe diem, good food and good life.”
So far, the transplant has been a success, Pierson said, adding that Orange Table Tempe has been extremely well-received.
Pierson had nothing but confidence and good words about the new location and business thus far.
“We are more than just a restaurant," he said. "We want to entertain, serve good food and give back to the community.”
Pierson's positive outlook is definitely reflected in the restaurant; the atmosphere is noticeably warm, from appearance to employees. There are giant windows along the perimeter of the building and the work of local artists ornaments the walls. Even a glance around the room at the diversity in customers radiates a community environment.
Pierson and the city of Tempe are in the process of developing new patio plans, allowing seating outdoors on Seventh Street with a clear view of "A" Mountain, he said.
“We’re just hoping Tempe and the rest of the community will enjoy it,” Pierson said.
Reach the reporter at aerumore@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @AubreyElleR
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