Hippies Cove

Both fans and critics of Tempe's Mill Avenue often point to the district's attractiveness to "alternative lifestyles." The optimistic interpretation of that phrase would point to Mill's tradition of housing quirky small businesses and its current attempts to revive its indie cred via its new farmer's market and the Madcap Theaters. Others with a less favorable view of Mill complain about panhandling by a few along the street's sidewalks. That impression is usually exaggerated, but it's sometimes enough to scare those wanting a completely sanitized environment. Regardless, it's ironic that one of the latest restaurants to open along Mill Avenue is known as "Hippies Cove," a quick service Mexican-influenced restaurant in the space previously occupied by an outlet of the Tacos Del Mar chain, just a block south of the Mill Avenue / Third Street light rail station.

Of course, any restaurant named after hippies is likely to make people think of the growing Two Hippies group of restaurants in Central Phoenix. In actuality, the Phoenix and Tempe hippies are completely separate businesses. Nevertheless, given the similarities in name and cuisine, comparisons to the Two Hippies Beach House are inevitable. Hippies Cove scores at least some points for being more open and accessible. Instead of the high counters and mysterious tie-dye curtains at the Beach House, Hippies Cove is defined by a low counter at which food is assembled in plain view. It's the Chipotle approach of burritos and tacos assembled to order based on customer preferences. Of course, the similarity to the big health-Mex chain helps to reinforce a perception that Hippies Cove isn't all that original as a concept.

While it's not innovative, the food is at least tasty. Given the restaurant's design-your-own approach to the food, the first choice is often to select a protein source. The choices include shredded white meat chicken, beef, carnitas (pork), fish (tilapia), and beans -- black, refried, and whole pintos. The chicken and fish are both straightforward, mildly flavored choices. They're best generously accessorized with salsa, cilantro, and other toppings at the end of the line. The menu labels the beef as carne asada, but it really seems more like machaca since it comes shredded and seasoned rather than with obvious grill marks. Regardless, it's a well-seasoned filling that holds its own without a lot of additional ingredients required. The beans are also reasonably good; the whole pintos and black beans come with onions and jalapenos in a meatless preparation.

Burritos are big and also offered in half sizes -- a nice respite from the oversized burrito madness that can make a simple hand food into a 1000-calorie behemoth. The burritos could stand from better folding and rolling technique, however; they're sometimes a bit messier than they need to be at Hippies Cove. The tacos can be of the soft variety regardless of whether flour or corn tortillas are selected. That's in contrast to many places that offer only soft flour tortillas or hard fried corn shells. Tacos are sold individually, but the best value is a three-taco basket with chips and salsa. The tacos in the trio can be any combination of fillings desired. In the mood for neither a burrito nor tacos? In that case, the alternative is most likely to be a quesadilla. As with the other menu options, the approach here is modular: Choose the desired components and then witness their assembly into the finished product.

Just like at a typical Chipotle outlet, there's no salsa bar, but red and green varieties lurk behind the counter, along with pico de gallo and guacamole. All are fine, but none packs any real heat. To add fire to the food at Hippies Cove, make a stop at the various bottles of hot sauce, located appropriately next to the soda fountain. In addition to those fountain sodas, the restaurant offers Mexican coke, iced tea, Jarritos, and, in a move that seems uncannily similar to Two Hippies Beach House, a selection of fruity flavored lemonades. Hippies Cove also has a liquor license and offers sangria, margaritas, bottled beer, and in a probable nod to the ASU student crowd, Pabst Blue Ribbon on on tap. Dessert is yet another unsurprising hippie cliche: brownies.

At this point, Hippies Cove is a perfectly serviceable place for a quick, inexpensive bit of reasonably healthful Mexican-inspired food. The vintage album covers and surf memorabilia around the room create a pleasant atmosphere in which would it be fine to bring kids. Beyond those basics, Hippies Cove probably has some distance to travel in terms of defining an original concept that will make it stand out among potential competitors. The nearest Chipotle is still about half a mile south, below University Drive, but anything Hippies Cove can do to stand out from the crowd will increase the odds of success in the challenging climate of Mill Avenue.

414 S. Mill Ave., Tempe AZ 85281 | Map
(480) 736-0321