As the Arizona heat arrives, St. Francis, known for wood-fired cuisine with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients, is taking a refreshing twist on its new menus. The summer’s brightest and most flavorful local vegetables take center stage to create dishes that are light, yet rich with mesquite and almond wood flavors from roasting in the oven.

Restaurateur and St. Francis founder Aaron Chamberlin’s favorite dishes from the new summer lunch menu include:

  • Carrot Ginger Soup – A savory, vitamin-packed soup made from roasted local carrots, fresh ginger and crème fraiche.
  • Fire Roasted Eggplant Dip – Pureed, fire-roasted local eggplant that is completely charred on the outside delivers a smokiness reminiscent of a summer campfire, layered over yogurt, pine nuts for a cool and creamy dip served with warm house-made bread.
  • Roasted Carrot & Avocado – A labor of love, local carrots are oven-roasted, seared and tossed with sliced avocado, local goat cheese, house-made croutons, mixed greens and topped with orange poppy seed vinaigrette.
  • Wood Roasted Summer Squash – A variety of colorful, oven-roasted baby squash topped with roasted red pepper and romesco sauce, local goat cheese and toasted almonds.
  • Heirloom Tomato – Local tomatoes, cucumbers and shaved red onion atop California burrata cheese, crostini, and drizzled with red wine vinaigrette. Of all the new dishes, Aaron would eat this one every day!
  • A little about St. Francis…Tucked along the historic crossroads of Central Avenue and Camelback Road in uptown Phoenix, St. Francis is a modern yet comfortable family-owned restaurant with a rustic sensibility serving wood-fired cuisine with an emphasis on quality, seasonal ingredients delivered daily from local farmers and the integrity of simple flavors. The centerpiece of St. Francis is a custom wood-burning oven that uses mesquite for its smokiness and almond for its heat. Nearly every dish has a component that comes out of the oven, whether it’s roasted meats that are highlights of the entrees or roasted vegetables that are pureed to make sauce. As the first restaurant concept developed by local restaurateur Aaron Chamberlin, St. Francis was created to truly nourish the community and serve the neighborhood in a 1950s building that blends historic and modern architecture, a charming vine-covered patio with a roaring fireplace, daily happy hour and just for families, a toy box and free meals for children under 12 years old.