Food for Thought: Valley Fair Restaurant Rundown

Looking for an affordable and tasty place to eat? Lion Tales has you covered.

Lion Tales sampled and reviewed all the dining places possible inside the nearby Westfield Valley Fair mall. We loved some and never want to try others ever again. Valley Fair is close to Lincoln, has a variety of places to eat — most are affordable for high schoolers — and is a popular hangout place. Click here or scroll to the bottom for an infographic of all the places to eat, pricing, star ratings and descriptions.

ANDERSEN BAKERY AND CAFE

$ 5/5 stars

We love the Andersen Bakery for their delicious pastries. They are the best we have ever tried at Valley Fair. Andersen’s holy grail pastry is the Creamy French. It’s a baguette filled with a velvety custard in the middle and trust us it will not disappoint. The Creamy French isn’t bland but it’s not overwhelmingly sweet either. Andersen Bakery and Cafe is located beside the Men’s Macy’s on the first level. If you rush out, you might miss it.

CAFFE CENTRAL

$$ 3/5 stars

Caffe Central is new to Valley Fair and the crepes are an even newer addition. We were eager to try the crepes, which are known to be sweet and delicious, but we were not amazed. We ordered the “L’Amour crepe” — It contained strawberries, Nutella, chocolate syrup and had whipped cream on the side. The whipped cream was a total disappointment and lacked flavor, but the crepe in general was good.

NORDSTROM E-BAR

$$ 3.5/5 stars

This little place might just seem like another Nordstrom addition but it has a great variety. We tried the cheese and cracker plate and it was a nice change of pace for a cafe because we are  not always in the mood for a steaming hot cup of joe. Everything tasted fresh even though it was packaged.

POTATO CORNER

$ 1/5 stars

Tots, curly, or sweet, Potato Corner does not discriminate. Potato Corner has become so popular at Valley Fair for their six different varieties of potatoes. We tried the original fries, cheddar fries, and chicken strips. The original fries were nothing special, the cheddar ones were a big no from us (but seemed to be very popular with other customers around) and the chicken strips were a disappointment. The food is very greasy and there’s not a single healthy option available. Potato Corner did not end up being our cup of tea, but it’s still an ongoing trend at Valley Fair. The Potato Corner booth is located in front of the children’s play area on level one.

TEAVANA

$$ 5/5 stars

Tea heaven! Teavana is the go-to place for all of your tea needs. We tried the Winterberry Green Tea, the Maharaja Chai Oolong, and the Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearls & Peach Tranquility. They were all hot teas, which are our favorite kind, and they all received good reviews from us. Teavana  is the tea equivalent of Starbucks.

SUSHI BAR by SARKU JAPAN

$ 5/5 stars

We definitely recommend rolling your way to Sushi Bar for delicious sushi. Everyone seems to always skip out on the free samples offered here, but that’s a huge mistake. Their sushi is so fresh and tasty, plus they have a very friendly staff. We ordered the California rolls and were pleased to notice we only paid about 5 dollars for 6 rolls.

CHIPOTLE

$$ 4/5 stars

There is no doubt Chipotle has become extremely popular, but is all the buzz true? We think Chipotle really is delicious, plus Valley Fair’s staff is friendly. All of us were new customers to Chipotle so we decided to branch out and try a bowl. We took a vegetarian bowl, pretty much a salad with beans and rice. Nevertheless, it was such a delicious salad. Chipotle’s prices are reasonable but, like always, guacamole costs extra.

MAISON DE PATISSERIE

$$ 3/5 stars

Fresh and soft macaroons, colorful and creative pastries, and hand-picked and sliced fruit are just some of the delicious items found at Maison De Patisserie. This bakery is located on the right corner across from the women’s Macy’s. Their menu includes great things such as croissants, macaroons, mousses, sandwiches and much more. However, they are most famous for their macaroons. On each trip, we found different flavors of macaroons, including caramel, lavender, pistachio, vanilla, chocolate, mango, and raspberry. Our favorite is the caramel flavor because it isn’t too sweet and is usually the freshest. The bakery has a sister location in Santana Row called Cocola, but Maison de Patisserie has much more variety.

SEE’S CANDIES

$$ 5/5

Hands down best chocolate place in the mall! See’s Candies is an affordable chocolatier, has a large variety of sweet chocolates, and exhibits the most generous employees. The ambience in the store is very positive! The moment you enter, you are offered chocolate samples. As you look around, small and large, decorated and non-decorated boxes. If you go during holiday season, you will see a chocolate Santa Clause and if you go during Valentine’s Day, you will see a huge red heart filled with different chocolates. Their chocolate bar is the best. You can pick and choose to make your own box and end up only paying $10 to $15. A chocolate buttercream never goes wrong. We made a box of just those and it cost us $11. However, the place is small so you can’t enjoy your chocolates in there. A little past See’s Candies is Godiva Chocolatier. In any case, See’s Candies wins because unlike Godiva, See’s Candies has fresh chocolate at an affordable price.

NAPOLEON’S MACARONS

$ 2/5 stars

This is probably one of the places to avoid at the mall; walk right past it. Located by Sketchers, this tiny kiosk is no good. As you walk by, you will see many colorful and appealing macarons. However, they are either too soggy or too hard. Macarons are sold for $1.50 but discounts don’t begin until you buy a dozen of them or gift boxes. The flavors we tried were pistachio and mango cheesecake. The pistachio is usually our favorite flavor, but it was too soggy and pieces of it fell all over the floor. The mango cheesecake was a creative idea but there was too much of the mango flavor in the center of the macaroon. The worker was in a fairly preppy mood.

AUNTIE ANNE’S PRETZELS

$ 4/5 stars

You can never go wrong with Auntie Anne’s pretzels. Their items are always hot, fresh, and crispy. Our favorites are the almond and original flavored pretzels. The almond one is a little sweet and a little salty. The original is like a plain pretzel with some salt sprinkled over it. Their service is not the best; the people never smile at you and always put you in a rush. Auntie Anne’s usually has a long line and can take up to a twenty minute wait. They also offer great deals from time to time. You can take a little card and after you buy six pretzels you can get your seventh pretzel for free.

CAKO BAKERY

$$-$$$ 2/5 stars

Cako Bakery is located between California Pizza Kitchen and Starbucks. Known for mostly two things, macaroons and cupcakes, Cako Bakery is just an average cupcake shop that charges you a lot. We had the vanilla and mango flavored macaroons and were disappointed. They tasted bland compared to other places and were very hard. Their chocolate cupcake, on the other hand, was good. The cupcake will fill you up but leave you longing for water. Their deals are okay and customer service is poor.

BOUDIN’S SOURDOUGH BAKERY

$$ 3.5/5 stars

Boudin’s has great customer service along with delicious salads, breads, and clam chowder. Though nothing beats the original Boudin’s Sourdough Bakery in San Francisco, the Valley Fair one does a pretty decent job. Located on the far left side of the food court, the bakery offers great food at a reasonable price. We really enjoy their bread because it is warm and soft, yet has a crunchy end to it. Their sandwiches are good too. Their meat is fresh and everything is put together very well.

GODIVA

$$-$$$ 3/5

Godiva is a great place to buy boxes of chocolates or chocolate strawberries but be prepared to empty your wallets. Their chocolate bar is very small and limited compared to other chocolate stores but their chocolate tastes fresh. We had the chocolate oyster, which is a pure milk chocolate butter ball put in a milk chocolate oyster shell. However, Godiva is most famous for their chocolate strawberries. They use fresh strawberries hand dipped in chocolate. You can see this happen before you. Godiva also has a large variety of packed chocolates. The cashiers are friendly and will answer all questions.  Godiva also offers deals quite often.  During holiday season, the lines may be long, but the wait is worth it.  Godiva is the most expensive chocolatiere in the mall.

Note: do not expect the same kind of freshness, taste, and price of Godiva chocolate bars found in Macy’s. Although from the same company, the Macy’s bars are in limited flavors and are not fresh.

ITS SUGAR

$ 4/5 stars

Candy! Candy! Candy!

Its Sugar has every type of candy you can imagine. They sell the biggest chocolate bar sizes, such as 2 pound Reese’s, and huge candy boxes, such as three foot tall Nerds boxes. They offer little boxes with different types of candy that are charged by the quarter pound; you can fix your box or bag with as much candy as you like. They also sell retro candy like Razzles or Fun Dip. Besides candy, Its Sugar has little accessories such as apparel from the Disney movie, “Frozen,” magnets with sassy remarks, and metal lunch boxes.They sell their candy for a reasonable price; you can leave home with a quarter pound of your favorite candy for four dollars. They also have mannequins dressed up with candy.

MRS. FIELDS

$ 4/5 stars

You can never ignore the fresh cookie scent as you walk by Mrs. Fields.

Pizza sized cookies, different flavors of cookies, and brownies can be found at Mrs. Fields. We had the original chocolate chip cookie and double chocolate chip. They smelled better than they tasted because they were super sweet. You can’t have more than one or two cookies at a time but their pricing is reasonable. The ladies that work here are very kind and always greet you nicely.

PIZZA MY HEART

$$ 4/5 stars

We checked out Pizza My Heart after hearing many rumors that Pizza My Heart is the best pizza place of all. Valley Fair’s Pizza My Heart does not let this opinion down. The customer service is amazing. Customers may want to buy more pizza just because the employees talk to the customer nicely and make pizza-eaters feel welcomed. The pizza itself is delicious; their toppings are very fresh and the pizza has an even level of sauce, cheese, and bread. Pizza My Heart has plenty of different kinds of pizza to choose from at a good price. It’s a good place to check out if you’re confused about where to eat with a group of friends.

CHICKEN WOW

$$ 3/5 stars

A chicken place! Their sides are fresh, their chicken is well cooked, and no ketchup required because they have great sauces.The chicken is sold in an appropriate portion and leaves no grease. Chicken Wow is located on the far right side of the food court and is often missed because it is next to Chipotle. If you are looking for something fresh, healthy, and delicious to eat, Chicken Wow is your place.

CHEESECAKE FACTORY

$$$ 4.5/5 stars

If you like a dimmed atmosphere, American food, and cheesecake for dessert, this is your place! There can be a long wait at the Cheesecake Factory — especially on the weekends — so you may want to make a reservation beforehand. The employees are very kind and the waiters answer all questions with enthusiasm and smiles. As for the food, the salad is fresh and crisp. Their pasta is warm and given in a right portion. The salmon, chicken, and steak are well cooked, appealing, and leave you with a full stomach.

SUBWAY

$$ 3.5/5 stars

Subway is supposed to offer a nutritious meal, however we were disappointed with this particular Subway. The bread smells like it has been in the oven for weeks, their meat is not fresh either, and the vegetables have lost their color and crunch. We had two sandwiches from Subway, one was with chicken strips and few vegetables including lettuce, onions, and jalapenos. The other was a tuna sandwich with no vegetables. Subway’s chicken strips sandwich is better than the tuna sandwich. The tuna sandwich tastes dry and makes your breath smell bad. Most of Subway’s vegetables are packaged, which can be harmful to our health. Because our experience was bad, we recommend that you do not give this Subway a shot. Instead, a more healthy and delicious place to eat is Chipotle — their food is comparatively healthier and their ingredients are fresh.

WETZEL’S PRETZELS

$ 4.5/5 stars

Wetzel’s Pretzels has good pretzels, but only when they are freshly made. The pretzels that have been sitting under the light for a while are not as good as the pretzels that are served straight out of the oven. For example, when the pepperoni pretzel have been sitting out for too long the pepperoni gets dry. We also had the jalapeno and cheese pretzel but the jalapeno dried out and the bread was too crusty. However, we tried their lemonade and loved it. Their lemonade is not too sweet and not too lemony — it’s just on point.

SUPER DUPER BURGER

$$ 4.5/5 stars

Super Duper Burger is the Valley Fair equivalent to In-N-Out. Their burger will fill you up — it has lots of vegetables. The burgers may look like they are small but they are loaded with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cheese and a big piece of meat.  The only bad thing about the mini burgers is that they are extremely greasy. We also tried their chocolate milkshake. It looks small for its price but is very sweet and worth the money.

PANDA EXPRESS

4.5/5 stars

$$

Though Valley Fair has many places to eat, the longest lines are always found at Panda Express. The fast and preppy customer services keeps customers coming. Moreover, food is being freshly served — one pot is empty but another is ready in the kitchen. At Panda Express you can find really juicy orange chicken. The size of the chicken is nice, it’s temperature is at the perfect level and they always give you fresh pieces. Their broccoli beef is also filling and full of flavor. However, the beef can be hard to chew. Panda’s chow mein can be extremely burnt, but is still a much better choice than the fried rice.

STARBUCKS

$$ 5/5 stars

You can’t leave the mall without a Starbucks in your hand! We tried the original and favorite caramel frappuccino and were not disappointed. Although this Starbucks is tightly packed into a corner by the Disney store, they display fresh bread, cookies, and treats all the time. The workers are fast and friendly. We recommend Starbucks as a great snack meal while studying or walking around the mall. Note: you must get whipped cream on your drink to truly enjoy it!