The ‘Perfect’ Place for Summer Fare at Perfect Pear

The Place: Perfect Pear Bistro
The Location: North Tempe | South Tempe | Ahwatukee
The Dish: Mexicali Quinoa Bowl
By: Jessica Cowan

Perfect Pear Bistro offers everything you could want in a relaxing summer afternoon: delicious, light fare, local ingredients, a full bar, and a covered patio. Founded in 2013 in Ahwatukee, Perfect Pear now offers three locations in the southeast Phoenix valley and focuses on creating a family-friendly atmosphere, and supporting local purveyors. I was able to check out the South Tempe location and enjoyed a wonderful afternoon on their sunny patio.

Perfect Pear is an American-style restaurant, but where many American restaurants offer fried foods and quick meals, Perfect Pear offers salads, sandwiches, tacos, and much more. Any of their salads can be prepared as a wrap, and their pasta menu offers chicken, falafel, shrimp, and salmon protein options. In fact, Perfect Pear even offers items to soothe any palate, including gluten free pasta and bread, salads that feature the baby spring mix or house blend, and sweet potato fries. Whether you’re in search of a light meal or something more substantial, this menu has you covered.

During my visit, I had to try the Mexicali Quinoa Bowl ($9.99), which is served cold and features a collection of flavors with roasted butternut squash, black beans, avocado, egg, feta cheese, cilantro cabbage slaw, spicy pear pico, and pumpkin seeds. We added chicken to our bowl for an extra $3, but patrons can choose between chicken, falafel, shrimp, salmon, or no protein add-ins. The sweetness of the butternut squash balanced perfectly with the spicy pear pico and chipotle ranch, and the pumpkin seeds added a nice crunch to top off the entire bowl. Overall, this meal was the perfect option for a warm Arizona afternoon and offered a substantial portion size that easily turned into lunch for the next day.

Although I opted for the patio with its covered top and perimeter of bushes, the inside of Perfect Pear is charming with its subway tile walls, wooden tables, and industrial countertops. Inspired by its flare for nature and local ingredients, this restaurant showcases a wall of potted plants and plant décor throughout the establishment.

With it’s expansive menu options and light meals, the Perfect Pear is a perfect summer location to take in a lazy afternoon with friends and family. Be sure to swing by! Hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10:30 am to 9 pm, and Sunday-Monday 10:30 am to 8 pm.

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