For our first installment of Great American Diners we sit down at one of our favorite local haunts, Welcome Diner out of downtown Phoenix, AZ. Portions run deep here so it’s best to bring along your appetite.
As you walk up to Welcome Diner, this is a true fish out of water situation. Located in a historic and dimly lit neighborhood, Welcome Diner looks like a piece of Austin, TX transplanted from thin air. Although this place has some serious character during the day, it really shines during the early to late evening. Rows of string lights hang above tightly arranged patio tables giving the place some unmistakable charm.
Seating is pretty limited here and that only adds to the charm. The food is prepared inside of a stationed RV, giving the area a bit of a food truck feel. The first think you’ll want to do is order yourself one of the delicious homemade cocktails. Although Welcome Diner has a greater assortment of more frilly cocktails, there’s a few staples like the Kentucky Thoroughbred that use whiskey as the base.
One of our favorite appetizers we tried was the poutine; cheddar cheese lathered in pork sausage gravy over fresh fries. This is pretty similar to popular Canadian style fries, kind of like a glorified ‘Animal Style’ french fry order from In-N-Out. Adding fried avocado to just about anything is easily a sound decision, it’s out of this world.
If you’re feeling a wee bit more adventurous, nothing on the menu really tops the fully loaded PB+B burger. Piled high with crunchy peanut butter, sharp cheddar, crisp and smoky bacon, this is something beautiful right off the grill. Be forewarned, try this burger once and you’ll experience the regular cravings.
Also worth your time is any of the housemade biscuit creations. Every biscuit is served hot and fresh, they also check out as authentically southern. Our personal favorite biscuit creation is the Bumblebee; perfectly cooked fried chicken is paired with local honey, housemade beer and savory mustard.
