Longing for a tropical vacation after less than a month back at school? Escape the blistering Arizona heat by ducking into The Breadfruit and allowing yourself to be transported – if in mind and stomach only – to Jamaica.
The Breadfruit, nestled only blocks away from Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix campus, is owned and operated by Dwayne Allen, a Jamaica native passionate about sharing his healthy, wholesome version of his homeland cuisine. The restaurant is small and unassuming from the outside and is difficult to spot without the barrage of street construction on First Street between McKinley and Fillmore streets. Those willing to poke around and brave the maze of sidewalk closures, however, will be rewarded.
The Breadfruit’s interior is a marriage of its urban setting and its tropical roots – exposed brick, stainless-steel light fixtures and contemporary black and white sketches of female nudes (the latest art in the restaurant’s rotating gallery is the handiwork of Chinue Moore) are set off by lemon- and lime-colored accent walls and framed photographs of Jamaican scenery, from children walking to close-ups of tropical fruit, including the titular breadfruit. Island-y music plays softly in the background. The sound of steel drums or the occasional stereotypical “rasta” lyric (“I’m feeling high, so high…”) rises above the gentle hum of conversation.
The staff is friendly, knowledgeable and always ready to trumpet the praises of The Breadfruit’s commitment to organic, healthful and locally sourced ingredients.
“Everything is hand-crafted, nothing comes out of a can, all of our meat is very friendly,” says server Sierra Bergstrom. “We have our own personal fishmonger, which is unique, especially in Arizona. If we’re serving a fish special tonight, it was swimming yesterday.”
The Breadfruit’s menu has the usual suspects for an authentic Jamaican place – jerk chicken, escovitch fish, brown stew chicken, peas and rice, patties (like a Jamaican empanada) and plantains, but they also have a number of unique dishes like Red Stripe curried prawns, plantain avocado spring rolls and coconut curried tofu. Entrée prices range from $10.50 to $22, but a meal could easily be made out of starters ($5 to $12.50) and a sandwich, soup or salad ($7.50-$14). Desserts range from $5 to $9.50 and center around sweet potatoes, Madagascar vanilla bean ice cream or both, as in the house specialty pudd’n a la mode, a sweet potato pie topped with toasted coconut and a scoop of ice cream. Bergstrom and her fellow servers take pride in the food they serve and enjoy making informed recommendations to diners.
“That’s why I like working here,” Bergstrom says. “I’m a foodie, so it’s a perfect fit. It’s wholesome food that you never have to feel guilty about. We don’t cook with any butter or dairy. The only dairy on the menu is from the ice cream, which is locally made. We get it from Crave.”
Patty Templeton eats at The Breadfruit every time she visits from Chicago. She and her mother Pat, who lives in Surprise, have visited at least four times and return again and again for the “consistently good” food, Pat says.
“It’s usually pretty mellow, there’s a great vibe,” Patty says. “It’s also vegan-accessible. Their tofu is awesome. You actually second-guess that it’s tofu.”
Pat says the brown stew chicken and the restaurant’s relaxed vibes are worth the commute.
“I like the music, I like trying new food,” Pat says. “I’ve never gone away from here feeling that they didn’t give me my money’s worth. There are a few places worth driving for, and this is one of them.”
The Breadfruit is known for its rum bar, a collection of more than 111 rums that Bergstrom boasts is “the largest rum selection in the Southwest.” The rum bar is the buzzing hive of the restaurant on weekends, especially on First Fridays. The Breadfruit also has a cigar patio and does rum and cigar pairings. Alcohol offerings include beer (Red Stripe, Red Stripe Light and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout), Arizona wines from Dos Cabezas WineWorks, daiquiris, mojitos, classic cocktails from caipirinhas to piña coladas and “signature originals” including Spicy Rumtinis and Kingston Rum Punch ($8 to $12). For teetotalers, there’s a selection of house-made, non-alcoholic beverages from mango lemonade to carrot juice ($3.75 to $6.50).
Although the prices might be a little steep for college budgets, students can go with friends and share a few plates to get a taste of the Jamaican experience. It’s also an ideal spot to splurge for special occasions or an impressive off-the-beaten-path date.
SPM recommends… Mango lemonade Jerk chicken off the grill Peas and rice
If you go… The Breadfruit 108 E. Pierce St., Phoenix Open Monday – Friday for lunch: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Dinner: 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., Friday until 10 p.m. Saturday: 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. (rum bar open until midnight on Friday and Saturday) (602) 267-1266 www.thebreadfruit.com
Contact the reporter at llemoine@asu.edu
