I absolutely love a place where families are playing, the food is fresh and the coffees are big. LUCI"S at the Orchard is all of those things.

Situated in central Phoenix, this location doesn't seem like something so spacious and inviting. It sits among homes and churches, and doesn't boast a big, fancy sign or a flashy entrance. It is casual, comfortable and very down to earth.

It was a Sunday on a holiday weekend, so it was busy. But the great thing about LUCI'S is that if all the tables are full, you're more than welcome to throw down a blanket on the grass and have your own little picnic! We entered the small cafe and were immediately distracted by the great gift shop with kitchen gadgets and tote bags for mom, candies and toys for the kids. I quickly spotted a very large Jabba the Hutt coffee mug and tucked it under my arm. He was mine. Oh yes, he was now mine.

With a large menu board and a happy cashier waiting for you, food gets ordered in the cafe and brought out to your table with a number. LUCI'S has an amazing all-day breakfast menu, complete with an amazing espresso bar and fresh pastries. For me, no Valley restaurant is worthy without a proper breakfast burrito, and LUCI'S has the BOMB. The Burrito Bomb that is! It includes all the normal breakfast burrito fillings; eggs, potatoes, cheese and ham, sausage or bacon, but they have Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach tortilla options for upgraded flavor. It was the perfect side dish for my giant, almond milk latte entree!

I loved the diversity of LUCI'S menu. There are super healthy options like the Morning Run Burrito (kale, black beans, peppers and egg whites in a whole wheat tortilla) and there are just plain bacon and eggs. My hubby opted for the Eggs in a Nest, which took him straight back to his childhood. This was a simple dish with an egg over easy inside a slice of grilled bread. Thick bacon, hash style potatoes and fresh fruit accompanied the dish, so his morning hunger was very quickly a thing of the past.

My kiddo was EXTREMELY distracted by the other children playing in the splash pad (be sure to bring swimsuits and towels for the kids), but he managed to eat a bit of his funky monkey french toast. "Don't worry," I told him, "It's not made from real monkeys!" He giggled and I told him that it was made from real cinnamon pull-apart (aka Monkey) bread. It came out with warm, melting butter and hot maple syrup. I may or may not have eaten at least half of his dish.

As we ate our breakfast, we loved watching the kids play. There was a graduation party starting with gorgeous catered food, decorations, balloons and some pretty happy princesses. I felt a warm sense of community, relaxation and welcoming.

We walked back inside to further explore the gift shop and try some gelato. "Splurge" is a section inside the cafe that specializes in delicious gelato, candies and pastries. It's really a sugar monger's paradise! My kiddo is a sucker for a good mint chip ice cream, so we just opted for a small, but super flavorful scoop! We had just loaded our bellies with breakfasts, after all!

I can't wait to go back to LUCI'S and try more of their menu. The grounds are so beautiful, I'd love to go back on a day where hardly anybody is there, and imagine that I'm in my own backyard! I also drank coffee out of my Jabba cup this morning. It was glorious!

For more information about LUCI'S at the Orchard, visit their website at: www.lucisorchard.com

Note and Disclaimer: Restaurant reviews are NOT paid. At times restaurants do trade complimentary meals in exchange for photos and/or reviews, but those reviews are NOT expected by the restaurants to be positive. I choose however ONLY to document my positive experiences. If I encounter a meal or a restaurant experience that I don't think is a good one, I simply don't publish the result. This website is only about GOOD FOOD and GREAT PLACES!