One of the categories in my “New 60” challenge for turning 60 was trying 10 new restaurants. Of course, I’ll share about the food, but knowing me, I’ll make it about more than just the food.
Quote of the day: “The best view of the game is probably from the stands. But that’s not where the action is. And so you have to decide, do you want a nice view or do you want to be in the thick of it and playing the game?” James Clear
This was one of the hardest challenges for us. Not because we don’t Love eating out, but once you have food restrictions and know how to cook pretty well, it’s not always the best experience for the Money.
Insider detail: Rob and I used to be HUGE foodies and loved going to all of the fancy new restaurants. In fact, our favorite thing was to start with dessert first. The other thing that has changed tremendously is that we used to spend half the tab on drinks.
Now we don’t drink and don’t (usually) eat sugar, so that has changed our experiences.
And yes, we splurged at a couple of these and had sugar or drinks (sometimes both). It was my birthday celebration, right?
Many of these came by recommendations from friends, and I love the idea of supporting local businesses. A couple of them we had heard about in the past or figured out ourselves.
Some places wowed us enough that we’ve already returned. Others were more about the experience than the meal. Yet everyone added something fun to the 10 new restaurants for my birthday challenge.
If you are interested in the idea of my New 60 Challenge or want to see how some of the other categories fared, here are the articles
-Outfits
-Things
–Recipes
Spencer’s was recommended by a friend, and it ended up being so much more than just coffee.
The thing I absolutely loved most about this coffee shop is that they employ individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It is owned by a woman who wanted to create Employment for her son, who fit that bill.
The coffee was great, but the mission behind the place is what made it memorable for me.
Supporting local is always an important factor for me since I used to be a small, local business myself with my dental practice.
We already loved the restaurant at the Phoenix Botanical Gardens run by Mark Tarbell, so we figured it was time to try his main restaurant.
In fact, we had driven by it many times, so we were glad to finally stop in and try it.
I’ve heard it’s an iconic landmark in Phoenix because it’s been around so long.
One thing I really appreciated is that there are so many gluten-free options on the menu because Mark (the chef) is gluten-free. Since Rob deals with this sensitivity, it makes such a difference when restaurants actually understand it instead of treating it like an inconvenience.
This is the coolest kind of restaurant.
You get that fancy schmancy 3-course meal (even an amuse-bouche is included) for a deal because it’s all done by the students.
You do need reservations, and lunch is the only time you can go.
I would say the food was top-notch. They make everything in-house including the bread and croissants, as well as the centerpieces.
The service needed some panache, but we all have to learn, right?
Another friend recommendation, and this is where we ended up going on my actual birthday night.
They offer a three-course meal deal on Mondays and Tuesdays, and the staff made us feel very special. (It didn’t hurt that I was wearing a tiara).
The service was incredible, and our waiter went out of his way to find us a dessert that fit into our way of eating. Instead of the usual desserts offered, he found a way to get us a bowl of berries.
This place is basically social media bait and was also recommended by a friend.
Everything is adorable and photogenic, from the decor to the food. If you love places with personality and creative details, this is definitely one of those spots.
The coffees were fabulous, but half the fun was the people watching.
It goes to show that sometimes dining out is as much about the experience and creativity as it is about the food.
Have I ever told you that prime rib is my absolute favorite? So when this new restaurant opened near us, and they promoted prime rib on Fridays and Saturdays, I told the blogging crew, ” That’s where we are going.”
This was the first of our 10 New Restaurants to try out, so I wasn’t as good with photos.
The place is a very casual, modern place with live music on the weekends and lights that change color. That’s why my prime rib looks green.
But it was really yummy, and I’d go back for sure.
In a strip mall near the UPS store we always go to, this had been abandoned space with a cool outdoor patio. In fact, we took photos there back in 2022.
We were ecstatic when we saw it was opening as a restaurant and even happier finding out it was Mediterranean food.
Our favorite item was the babaganoush. I usually make it at home, but theirs was even better, and the waitress told me the secret ingredient.
This place will definitely be on repeat, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s super close to us.
Our foodie friends recommended this one, and even met us there the first time we went.
Everything on the menu works for a keto Lifestyle, which meant Rob could literally order anything without having to modify it. No sugar, no seed oils, no gluten, soy-free, and dairy-free.
The first time we went, Rob got the liver and onions, because it’s something you don’t see on the menu usually, and I NEVER fix it at home.
We loved it so much that when my stepmom Nancy came to visit, we took her there too. And when we are in the area, we will visit again.
Another recommendation from friends, and we were excited about it because everything is gluten-free.
However, it was a tad disappointing. Just because food is gluten-free does not make it healthy. And this place made it hard to find the items we wanted to eat.
The item we had was interesting, and we figured we could make it at home one day. It was a breakfast pizza, which is very unique.
Granted, when we make it, there will be more veggies on it.
This one had been on our radar for years.
We actually tried to go once before, but didn’t have reservations and couldn’t get in, so I thought it was the perfect plan to add it to my 10 New Restaurants list.
The experience was lovely, and we had some yummy food. For us personally, though, it wasn’t our favorite of the 10.
It’s a good reminder that not every experience becomes our favorite.
One of the best things about this “New 60” challenge has been realizing how easy it is to fall into routines without even noticing.
Sure, I talk about it a lot with our outfits becoming stagnant, but the rest of our lives can do the same thing.
We tend to rotate the same favorite restaurants because it’s comfortable and predictable. But trying 10 new restaurants reminded me that there are still so many experiences waiting right in our own city.
As usual, I had to make a moral of the story with our 10 new restaurants, and for us, it is that there are still plenty of new things worth discovering.
I hope I thank you enough because your support allows me to continue this journey, which I LOVE!!!
Supporting a blog can be easy and free. Just visiting my pages, clicking my links (especially for Small Businesses and sponsored posts), and sharing the things you like on your social media make a huge difference. Spreading the word is how I can reach more wonderful people like you!
Or feel free to “buy me a coffee” which is a monetary way to tell me that you enjoy reading my blog.
Jodie Filogomo is a retired cosmetic dentist and fashion blogger behind Jodie’s Touch of Style, where she has been helping women over 50 experiment with style in fun, creative ways for over 12 years.
Find out more about the crew, because we love to showcase all ages, body shapes and women who love different styles.
The post 10 New Restaurants We Tried for My New 60 Challenge appeared first on Jodie’s Touch of Style.
