Nestled in a corner of midcentury-modern Phoenix small business shopping complex The Frederick lies the lovely little Lydia’s Kitchen & Market. The all-day café, which opened over the summer, is a collaboration between Berdena’s Coffee Shop owner Jonathan Madrigal and The Frederick founders Chantell Nighswonger and Kevin Cieszkowski.
After driving by The Frederick and noticing Lydia’s sign several times, I knew it would be the perfect place to suggest when a friend wanted to meet up for a quick girls’ lunch.
As you make your way up to Lydia’s entrance, you’re greeted by small tables with wooden folding chairs. Once inside, you’ll see a charming retail space featuring home goods, kitchen gadgets, cookbooks and a small selection of fine jarred foods beautifully displayed across bookshelves and a big farmhouse table. Beyond the selection of pantry items lies an espresso bar offering a tidy menu of to-go items, which explains the seat-yourself tables and chairs on the way in.
The entire space has a modern country-house vibe, complete with a cheerful tree in the center of the space that sets a casual atmosphere for leisurely browsing. I, of course, wanted to snatch up every single goodie on offer, but held off and headed to the hostess stand for lunch.
The hostess leads me and my friend into a second room that holds a small, six-person corner bar and rows of long, pillowed banquettes with bistro tables and cozy chairs. Decorative plates and charming artwork hang on the walls while gorgeous chandeliers resembling fabric baskets hover above each table. A full wall of glass sliding doors line one side of the restaurant, allowing natural sunlight to envelop the space. Outside, I spot an adorable patio with tables tucked under vintage scalloped umbrellas and a fire pit ideal for outdoor drinks and intimate conversations. It was enticingly inviting, except for the 105-degree day we were having, so I logged it for a later date once Arizona temps allow.
My friend and I arrived around 1 p.m. and were pleasantly surprised to hear they were serving both breakfast and lunch. American classics with sophisticated twists fill the small menu – French toast, pancakes and waffles on the breakfast side and a Caesar salad, BLT and burger for lunch. A separate, lengthy beverage menu includes craft cocktails, wine, beer and espresso drinks. Since my visit was during a workday lunch hour, I opted for the non-alcoholic strawberry lemonade, a perfect quencher on this particularly muggy afternoon. To eat, I decided on the curry chicken salad sandwich – blended with cashews, atop a croissant and accompanied by a small bed of mixed greens. My friend went the breakfast route with the house-smoked salmon plate with eggs, crème fraîche, pickled red onion, capers and pumpernickel crostini. The deconstructed entrée allows for the creative customization of each tasty bite. Both dishes scream quintessential ladies’ lunch specialties, which was exactly what we both had been in the mood for.
As we said goodbye to our friendly waitress, I was mentally going over my calendar to decide when I would have the opportunity to come back to sit at the bar, try one of the tempting cocktail options or the newly introduced dinner menu, which includes interesting offering like mushroom sliders and steak bites with chimichurri.
Lydia’s may just be the perfect addition to The Frederick, which also houses a bakery, salon, boutiques and more. What a fabulous one-stop destination to meet friends, grab drinks and bites, and stroll through the rest of the shops – all while supporting local and small.
215 E. Missouri Ave., Ste. 10, 480-725-8034, lydiasphx.com
