Pomegranate Cafe's Second Location Now Open on Seventh Street in Phoenix

A staple of the Ahwatukee vegan community has moved to Central Phoenix. Pomegranate Cafe is currently in soft opening mode, testing its new location with limited hours. 

Pomegranate Cafe's menu is vegan through and through. Further, Pomegranate claims that 98 percent of its menu is organic and 100 percent is non-GMO. The cafe features healthy dishes made from local, seasonal vegetables; the menu dutifully lists its main purveyors. All the cafe's breads are baked in-house. Salads, sandwiches, wraps, burritos, bowls, and sushi-like rolls anchor the menu.

"Burger" patties are mushroom-lentil-walnut based. They're served on homemade buns or wrapped in a collard leaf. The POM Burger contains melted cheese, greens, tomato, red onion, and ranch sauce. Instead of fries, the burger comes with healthier sides like root vegetable wedges.

Many of the cafe's popular dishes have made the trip to Phoenix, such as Gila Monster Tacos. These are built like your standard taco but with meatless walnut "meat," black beans, chile con queso, pico, guac, chimichurri, cashew sour cream, and jalapeno.

Pomegranate also serves brunch. Dishes like a biscuit and gravy skillet, gluten-free pancakes, and a giant cinnamon roll round out the a.m. offerings.

The new location will feature a new signature coffee: The POMuccino. It's a vegan version of the classic espresso-based drink, made with oat-derived milk and an almond biscuit. The cafe also offers vegan baked goods like pop tarts, cupcakes, and cheesecakes.

There will also be juices. There will be smoothies.

The tentative full opening is scheduled for February 1. The cafe will then roll out a bigger menu, one with new dishes. A vegan pizza is currently in the works.

Pomegranate Cafe. 5555 North Seventh Street, Phoenix; 480-706-7472.
Tuesday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.