Flagstaff's Toasted Owl Cafe coming to central Phoenix
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The Toasted Owl Cafe's soon-to-be-open location at Third Avenue and Camelback Road. Photo: Jeremy Duda/Axios
A Flagstaff breakfast institution is preparing to open a new central Phoenix location.
Driving the news: The Toasted Owl Cafe is setting up shop at Camelback Road and Third Avenue, next to Changing Hands Bookstore.
- Owner Cecily Maniaci spent about a year and a half trying to find a location in Phoenix and chose the spot largely because she's a bookstore lover and a huge fan of Changing Hands.
- "I felt like it was divine intervention that we got that spot," Maniaci tells us.
Zoom in: Toasted Owl has two locations in Flagstaff, serving what she described as "elevated diner food with really good product" for breakfast and lunch.
- Their best-seller is the Horned Nest of Goodness, which includes two slices of bacon or sausage, two chicken strips, two French toast slices and fries.
- Other popular items are the prosciutto and brie omelet and the Flagstaff omelet with lemon herb chicken, bacon, cheddar, onions, avocado and creamy balsamic.
- They've got a vegan menu and gluten-free options, plus plenty of dishes for meat-lovers. "We have some unusual taste profiles," Maniaci said.
Flashback: Maniaci moved from Phoenix to Flagstaff about a decade ago and decided to try her hand at opening a restaurant. "I'm like Colonel Sanders. I started at 47 years old at this restaurant stuff," she said.
- The original Toasted Owl was so popular she had to find a new location, leading her to open the downtown restaurant.
- Maniaci also owns Hoot Mart convenience store, Grand Canyon Spirits and Plantasia Eatery, a plant-based restaurant.
What's next: Maniaci says she's hoping to open the Phoenix location later this month.
- Once it's up and running, she wants to open another restaurant in Tempe. She says she's had a number of requests to open a restaurant in Queen Creek, too.
Between the lines: If you've been to Changing Hands during peak hours, you know parking can be hard to come by.
- Maniaci sasys she doesn't think it'll be a problem, since Toasted Owl closes at 3pm Friday-Sunday and 2pm other days. Plus, there's an overflow lot on the other side of Third Avenue.
💠Jeremy's thought bubble: I stopped by Toasted Owl's downtown Flagstaff location for breakfast a couple months ago when my family was on vacation, and I was mightily impressed.
- My wife and both got the breakfast tamales — meaty for me, vegetarian for her — and they were outstanding. They're topped with eggs and green chile sauce, and you just can't go wrong with that.
- They make a mean bloody Mary, too.