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| - I've just recently learned of the fabulousness that is Ike's Love & Sandwiches, and I am a big fan!
This was my first time at the Mesa location. I ordered the Vegan Pilgrim (vegan turkey, cranberry sauce, Sriracha, vegan dirty sauce + lettuce [I omitted the vegan cheese]) on their french roll/bread. I know, I know. That combination makes no sense, right? Wrong! I've learned to leave my inhibitions down the street and around the corner, and to just trust Ike's on whatever his board says. It. Was. So. Good! (1/2 of this sandwich never made it out of my parking space!) Cranberry sauce + Sriracha on a "turkey" sandwich? Who'd a "thunk"?!
That's mostly what you'll find here. An amazing concoction of drool & moan-worthy creations (Meg Ryan/Sally, you ain't ready, girl!), surrounded by delicious, homemade bread. Their Dutch Crunch bread is a must try! They also have a few simple sandwiches, for you retired daredevils.
Supposedly, there are 100 veggie sandwich options, most of which can be veganized. So for all of my fellow vegans, just be sure to tell them to make it vegan. Here's a vegan breakdown:
They use Daiya for the cheeses, Tofurkey for the vegan turkey, and Gardein for the vegan chicken and meatballs.
All of their breads are vegan except for the wheat (it's honey wheat).
The wasabi mayo is automatically vegan, so no need to request a vegan version.
The "Air" fries and tater tots are vegan (and they are baked, not fried).
Their Dirty Sauce is not vegan, but they offer a vegan version (it's delicious!)
Their purple coleslaw is vegan.
There's a vegan french dressing and BBQ sauce.
Not vegan:
Their pesto, honey mustard sauce, the fried foods, like onion rings & beer battered zucchini (egg based batter), and the obvious (meats and non-vegan cheeses).
Sun-Devil sauce is NOT vegan & there is no vegan version.
Veggie bacon is vegetarian; not vegan.
They have gluten-free options.
The girl helping me out was super nice and knowledgeable about their vegan menu. I had a question about the french dressing, and she had a handy-dandy cheat sheet which she used to confirm that it is vegan (or they have a vegan option; I didn't clarify).
Most of the sandwiches are @ $10, but they are big enough to either share or save 1/2 for another day. They offer chips (most of which are vegan too; just avoid the Salt & Vinegar and the BBQ Ranch), bottled and fountain drinks. Nice sized location with plenty of tables and booths inside. There are only a couple of tables outside. It shares a big parking lot with other establishments, so there is plenty of parking. Located about 3 lights north of US 60, off of the Alma School exit, on the east side of the street (opposite side of the street from the Fiesta Mall).
Ike's is like the Lady Gaga of sandwiches: extravagant, daring, and shockingly good. I can't wait to go back.
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