CLOSED: Conspire

Conspire has always been a favorite hangout of mine, and the place just got better. Under new management and ownership, the food is now more consistent and the quality is awesome. Wraps, burgers, burritos, smoothies, the best Thai tea in town, all for a good price and a relaxed and cozy atmosphere. There are many places to get a good veg meal, but at Conspire you are supporting a local community and they make you feel like family. If you haven't been to Conspire, go experience it for yourself. If you haven't been in a while, go give it another try. You won't be disappointed.

An interesting place, Conspire is an old house re-purposed as an eatery / art gallery / anarchist library. (Why their anarchist library includes a Tom Clancy novel, I cannot guess.) The staff, all in their late teens or early 20's, are friendly and eager to please.

I came there during the monthly First Friday event, and the music was so loud I could barely hear anything anyone said. I don't know what they're like on regular days.

The art on the walls was interesting and beautiful.

But the food is what I cared about, and I'm sorry to report it was not what I'd hoped. I had a wrap and a potato salad. The wrap was adequate but no better than what most people could whip up in their own homes. The potato salad was lousy.

If I'm ever in Phoenix again, I'll probably give another place a try. Conspire's exciting atmosphere and friendly staff don't mean as much to me as flavorful food.

Looking for a locally run, full vegan cafe, smoothie bar, vegan treats, teahouse, venue, art gallery, boutique, & library all in one place? Probably not because who would think such a unique place even exists! Well it does in the heart of the downtown Phoenix art district in a little house called Conspire. They seem to change every time I walk in with new art, new merchandise, new seating options, and new food. Some things that seem consistent though are tasty food, casual, hip, & eclectic atmosphere, and a friendly staff who is happy to show you around and guide you through the menu.

I wasn't sure what to expect out of Conspire. It is in a small neighborhood, and is VERY busy inside and out - definitely an artist's cooperative. At night they apparently have a bonfire and do poetry readings. Conspire has a very informal setting with no actual designated dining areas (just tables throughout the house/art gallery). The menu changes nightly as far as food goes, and they have smoothies, teas, hot chocolate, italian sodas, and vegan baked goods nightly. They had almond, rice, and soy milks available, and honey for those who wanted it. I went on a Wednesday night and they had three different types of vegan pizza which was DELICIOUS! The pizza was by donation so I ended up spending $1.50 a slice for amazing vegan pizza and $3 for a cherry italian soda. I overheard that they were also currently making homemade guacamole to order which sounded good, and that they have burritos and vegan donuts on select days. I browsed the baked goods and all of them were vegan - chocolate chip cookies, vanilla cupcakes, and carrot muffins. Someone told me to friend them on Facebook for updates on exactly what they have for food. Despite it being much like a hippie commune, the food was great and the people were friendly and I would definitely go again!

I saw their 'Vegan Donuts' sign from the road and had to stop. My group was in a hurry, so I can't comment on the food or drinks, but the donuts are good. At two bucks a pop it's not worth buying a dozen, but they are cake-y and tasty. Conspire seems to be quite legit, so it's worth supporting if you're into local, non-corporate places.