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| - North Scottsdale is not a place known for its unique cafes and sense of community. In a city where big chain restaurants dominate the dining scene with mediocre food and impersonal service, small cafes like Benedict's are all-too-often overlooked. Other reviews have said it before, and I'll reiterate it: Benedict's is the absolute epitome of a diamond in the rough.
I saw Benedict's listed on Yelp as being a cafe where I could grab brunch and coffee on my free weekend days. My first impression was that it was really small and personal, which I liked. It was tucked away next to a gas station in a rather cheap-looking row of shops with royal blue awnings. The first time I went there, I kept it simple: breakfast burrito with bacon and a french roast coffee. The eggs were freshly scrambled, the bacon was crisp and flavorful, and the coffee was freshly brewed and a perfect temperature.
I've been back several times since, over the weekends and have tried their three cheese & herb omelet and the croissant sandwich, both of which were really good and really flavorful.
The staff is what really makes this place worthy of 5 stars in my eyes. Every time I've been back, I swear they've gotten friendlier. It's one of those places where, if you go in more than twice, they'll recognize you. I haven't met the owner yet, but I've chatted with a couple of their other employees (I believe their names were Barbara and Callie) and every time, I am greeted like family. They go out of their way to make conversation and make you feel at home. I'm a fairly shy guy and when I go to Benedict's, I feel a little less shy because of how friendly everyone is there. When I go into Benedict's after not going in for a couple weeks, they've told me (on several occasions), "we haven't seen you in a while!" That, my friends, is what great service looks like.
I hope that Benedict's can prosper and grow in a corporatized city like North Scottsdale. I hope that more folks in the Scottsdale area will give Benedict's a chance. It's a great little cafe and I will continue going back, as long as I live here.
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