Jewel’s Bakery & Cafe

For gluten-avoiders in Phoenix, Jewel’s Bakery and Café in the Arcadia outskirts is a well-known quantity — everything here is 100 percent gluten-free (or vegan- or dairy-free) and made with locally sourced ingredients. Before scanning the cheeky menu of adventurous Arizona comfort food, we recommend the popcorn chicken and doughnuts, the cornbread pancakes, or the brunch sandwich — eggs, sausage, and cheddar cheese on a butter bun with a side of potatoes and buttermilk syrup for dunking (or pouring all over the plate and probably table). The Frites Street fries and the Nashville Arizona hot chicken sandwich are also deserving of praise. As much as anything, Jewel’s is just a nice little place to hang out, a quintessential cafe setting with a lot of natural sunlight and a nice view of passing traffic on Thomas Road. There are plenty of pastries to ogle, to boot.