The Bottom Line
Two of us stopped into Daphne's Greek Cafe for lunch one day. We ordered a shrimp appetizer to share, a Combo Plate entree, a Shrimp Ka-bob lunch special, an order of feta fries and two pieces of Baklava for dessert. Excluding beverages, tax and tip, the total came to $26.65.
Pros
- Fast and fresh
- Casual environment
- Reasonable prices
Cons
- It's a chain (a problem for some, not for others)
- Confusing for newbies
Description
- Daphne's Greek Cafe offers a nice alternate to typical casual dining.
- No paper or plastic plates here; food is served on china with real utensils (even though the drink cups are paper).
- Daphne's Greek Cafe offers vegetarian menu items.
- You may refill your own soft drinks at Daphne's Greek Cafe.
- At this time, November 2006, Daphne's Greek Cafe has three locations in the Phoenix area: Chandler, Mesa and Scottsdale.
- All prices and offerings are subject to change without notice.
Guide Review - Daphne's Greek Cafe
This was my first visit to Daphne's Greek Cafe, and I was impressed. The food was fresh, meats and shrimp tender, pita bread was warm, and the dips were tasty.
The concept at Daphne's Greek Cafe is that you order up front at the cashier, pay for your food, and then sit down and wait for a "Guest Service Expeditor" to bring it to you. They provide more service than your typical buffet, but less service than a full-serve restaurant.
I found the initial part of the trip a bit confusing, since the menu is not displayed; traditional menus are available as you enter. Since there are many more offerings and options at Daphne's than at a fast food restaurant, I asked if we could be seated first to look at the menu and decide, rather than take up space standing at the register where there were other customers. The cashier was gracious, and we were seated.
I can recommend almost every item we tried. The shrimp appetizer ($6.49) served with hummus, tzatziki, the special fire feta sauce (not all that fiery to me) and pita would certainly make a meal by itself, and is absolutely large enough as an appetizer for 2 or 3 people to share. The Combo Plate ($7.69) included a fresh Greek-ish salad, rice pilaf, gyros, tzatziki and pita bread. With the combo plate you also choose an additional item, and I never hesitate when I am offered spanakopita! The Ka-bob Lunch Special with Shrimp ($7.29) also comes with salad, rice, tzatziki and pita bread. The Baklava ($1.59) was honey-gooey-nutty with crisp, flaky filo--just the way it should be. The only disappointment I had at Daphne's Greek Cafe was feta fries ($1.99).
Daphne's Greek Cafe is a privately held company and does not have any franchised locations. Started in California, it has been expanding since its inception in 1991. The Arizona locations are the first ones outside of California.
