After years of being vacant, it's nice to see the Welcome Diner property revived. I'm impressed by the caliber of the menu that Michael has put together. And I love how there is Southern and Cajun style food. But even I couldn't have imagined something like the Holy Puerco--cheddar grit cake with cracklins and pulled pork. I also like the kale sandwich with the fried avocado. If you're getting the avocado, split it with a friend. Five pieces of that is a lot, in my opinion.
The biscuits are really unique. You can taste a difference from theirs and what you may get at another restaurant. The biscuit sandwich with the fried chicken and honey will hit just the right spot. I also like the biscuit with goat cheese and jam. And we can't forget about the peanut butter + bacon burger with fries. You may get some clogged arteries from sampling everything but it may just be worth it. I urge people to try this place. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Guy Fieri parachutes in.
I ended up writing about this place for an article on restaurants worth highlighting in Phoenix. Besides the food, I think this has a terrific location to build on being the "Cheers" of the Garfield neighborhood. The patio is really inviting and you can watch residents coming and going since it's in a residential area. It is quite hipster-dominated but that's just what a lot of Garfield and the Roosevelt Row area are. Hopefully there will be people to welcome this place for a long time to come.