This place is the TRUTH! This was my second time visiting the Phoenix area, though this time I was in Tempe at the Marriott Courtyard by Mill Avenue. I was concerned if the breakfast spots here were as good as those in Scottsdale, where I had stayed on my first visit to this area. Over there, I enjoyed one of my all-time favorite brunches at the Daily Dos. I was impressed that the PHX area did brunch/breakfast as well as some of my favorite stomping grounds in San Francisco.
So, on Saturday morning, after a night of partying and having multiple vodka club sodas in Old Town Scottsdale, I walked from my Marriott hotel in Tempe over to NCounter which I had looked up on Yelp.
I rolled up and, boy, was there a line! But, at 9am on a Saturday that says a lot about the reputation of this place.
After waiting for some time, I finally made it up to the counter. As always, I was conflicted about whether to go for pancakes or the omelet. I like to load up on protein and go light on carbs/sugar, especially when I travel, so I went with the omelet. Now at other brunch spots like Daily Dos, and my favorite places in Scottsdale, you could order a single pancake or French Toast as a side. I didn't see either of those listed on the menu as sides, though I'm not sure if they would have made that accommodation upon request, so I won't dock a star for that.
So, I went with the "loaded" omelet, which loaded up on the meats (sausage, bacon, etc), and I had a side of cottage cheese and a cup of coffee. Service was FAST.
The strong coffee was just what I needed as it lifted up my energy and morale which set me on a path to recovery from the night before :)
It was tough to find seating but I walked out to the patio and waited for a couple minutes and soon found some space. It was a win because it was comfortably shaded which is critical in Arizona. Unlike DC, where I live, AZ heat is dry so as long as you're in the shade you're good to go, unlike humid heat.
At any rate, this is a SOLID brunch choice with quality food on deck. This should be your main go-to spot for breakfast if you're in the Tempe area.