Restaurant Reivew
24 Carrots
24 Carrots is a health food cafe/juice and smoothie bar in Tempe. It is the perfect place to enjoy a refreshing, nutrient rich meal and juice drink after a long, hot morning hiking the beautiful trails of South Mountain.
Food
24 Carrots is your standard health food cafe with lots of allergy friendly choices, including a 100% vegan menu and many gluten-free options. Creative variations on popular dishes (cashew cheese based nachos, almond cheese based jalapeno poppers) should please diners trying to avoid dairy.
The juiced drinks and smoothies are delicious. We tried both the Beet It Juice (Beets, ginger, cucumbers, celery, apples, and carrots) and the Good Juju (Nut butter, chocolate, cinnamon, almond milk, banana, and protein). As these drinks are a bit messy and time consuming to make at home, I don't mind paying the upcharge every now and then.
Pricing is high ($8 for a large drink), the usual for health cafes that use higher quality organic ingredients. On the bright side, at least you are treating your body well and eating more nutrient rich food in exchange for your money!
An organic plant based tea and coffee bar is also available for anyone who wants a healthy caffeine boost.
Service
There is no waiter service here, you just order and pick up your food at the counter. Why do so few vegetarian cafes offer waiter service? The dining experience would be so much more enjoyable if they simply hired some waitstaff, and thus, made it feel more like a real restaurant experience.
Atmosphere
The dining area is fresh, modern, colorful, and clean. If the weather is not too unbearable (basically during the winter season), you can grab a seat outside and enjoy the endless sunny skies of Phoenix.
Final Remarks
Overall, 24 Carrots is a good post-hike choice for vegans and anyone else craving an energy rich meal or refreshing drink to help their body recover from the intense workout in the desert heat. Expect high prices in exchange for a high quality meal and you are sure to be satisfied with your experience.
