Growing up Catholic, I probably read more about the gods of Mount Olympus than the catechism which taught about the almighty God worshipped at St. Anthony’s in Peñasco. I didn’t hold the gods of Greek mythology in reverence. If anything, I wondered how they could be so peurile and petty. Though also splenetic and petulent, they were very interesting. Perhaps indicative of my future gastronomic interests, I was particularly curious about the foods that were so prominent in Greek mythology. Pears, for example, were sacred to two of the most powerful goddesses: Juno (queen of the gods and marriage) and Aphrodite (goddess of love and beauty. Pears were also prominent in one of my very favorite books, The Odyssey.
Growing up in agrarian Peñasco, we were surrounded by lush trees offering a bounty of cherries, chokecherries, apples, peaches, apricots and more. The only pear tree I can recall was in our grandfather Max’s front yard. While the pears were sweet and delicious, we seemed to prefer using them as projectiles to hurl at one another or at offending cows daring to trespass into our yard. Pears rated rather low in the pantheon of fruits…at least as an edible fruit. Perhaps they would have rated higher if my mom had baked pears into a pie? She was a prolific baker whose pumpkin pies were without peer (I still have never had better).
During our annual perigrinations into the Valley of the Sun, we’ve stayed at a wonderful Tempe home. For years, our morning trek for Black Rock coffee has taken us past a restaurant named Perfect Pear Bistro. We didn’t give it a second thought until watching an episode of Arizona PBS program Check Please, Arizona. This wonderful show puts locally owned Arizona restaurants in the spotlight. In every episode, three guests review restaurants they recommend to each other. Host Chef Mark Tarbell facilitates the conversation masterfully, sharing his own insights into the three restaurants visited by the guests. Chef Tarbell is one of Arizona’s most highly regarded chefs so his recommendations weigh heavily with us.
Watching the segment on the Perfect Pear Bistro was all the impetus we needed to visit the restaurant we had previously passed without much thought. The original Perfect Pear is located on University Blvd. It’s been serving Tempe diners for more than a decade. Another location has since launched in Tempe and another in Chandler. That expansion should have told us this is a restaurant going places. In the Check Please, Arizona segment featuring Perfect Pear, owner Chris Hove described his restaurant’s featured fare as “modern twist on comfort food,” adding that “we have a little bit of something for everybody: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, a little mix of everything…tacos, Asian, American…really just a big fusion.” That’s a mouthful!
The name “Perfect Pear” is really a play on words, a name proposed by Chris Hove’s bride. He joked that “perfect pair” could be “her and I.” Together they developed all the recipes on the menu. It’s a formidable menu logically ordered into categories that make sense: A Fresh Start lists ten appetizers. They’re not the usual suspects you find at most copycat restaurants. The next section of the menu is titled “Perfect Pear” in that it offers a pairing of half salad and soup, half pasta and soup or half salad and half pasta. Grilled Cheese is the next menu item. Each grilled cheese sandwich is crafted on nine-grain bread. Signature tacos follow suit. These tacos include spicy Asian pork and two vegetarian options.
“Field of Greens” is next up. You guessed it. Ten inventive salads grace this section of the menu. Most of the salads are replete with fruits, veggies and nuts. The “Wrap It Up” section of the menu lets you choose from any of Perfect Pear’s signature salads, tossed with your choice of roasted chicken or falafel then wrapped in a flour tortilla. Six “Quinoa Bowls” are next on the menu followed by eight “Sandwiches,” each available on gluten-free bread on request. Last on the menu is “Pasta,” nine dishes worthy of a fine Italian restaurant. Desserts are listed on a separate menu.
We started our meal with a uniquely named quesadilla called the Tukee Pear Quesadilla. You likely won’t find a “tukee pear” on any comprehensive list of fruits. Tukee pear is thought to be a local name for a prickly pear cactus fruit used within a quesadilla. More precisely, it’s a quesadilla that showcases the sweet, juicy texture of cactus fruit alongside such savory elements as bacon, arugula and pepper jack cheese served with a side of Perfect Pair’s southwest cream sauce. The prickly pear cactus fruit doesn’t have a fruity burst. Instead, its sweet notes are subtle. Not quite as subtle is its crispy texture. The bacon, arugula and pepper jack counterbalance the sweet flavors while the southwest cream sauce lends piquancy even I can respect.
Several years ago, an Italian restaurant in Albuquerque served an amatriciana sauced dish that put to shame many dishes showcasing New Mexico’s sacrosanct chile. It was so piquant that none of the other ingredients were discernible. Amatriciana sauce is named for the municipality of Amatrice, not for anything to do with America. Along with seafood fra diablo, it’s Italy’s contribution to those of us who could lap up lava from Mount Etna. In all honesty, however, I ordered the Rose Amatriciana at Perfect Pear because it’s made with my favorite pasta–rigatoni which doesn’t require manual dexterity like spaghetti does. This dish is made with bacon, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers and the restaurant’s signature creamy spicy red sauce all topped with Parmesan and basil. Instead of one of the available proteins, I had my dish with falafel. What a pleasant surprise that was. This Amatriciana dish didn’t scald my taste buds as the one in Albuquerque did. It was a perfect dish with the falafel pairing wonderfully.
My Kim’s dish came from the sandwich menu. It’s called French Panty (chicken, brie, pears, red onions, arugula, grain mustard, balsamic glaze and four cheese blend… served on a toasted ciabatta) and it’s one of the very best sandwiches we’ve had in Arizona. Particularly spectacular was the interplay of savory (red onions, grain mustard, four cheese blend) and sweet (pears, balsamic glaze) ingredients. The grain mustard will awaken dormant taste buds with its pungent punch. The pears are fresh and crispy with a light, sweet flavor that somehow manages to make itself known. The four cheeses lend salty creaminess while the ciabatta was the perfect canvas for a sandwich that delighted us both.
Many a time have I had cobbler at barbecue and Southern restaurants. Most of the time it leaves me with an “is that all there is” reaction. Not so with Perfect Pear’s peach and pear cobbler with three scoops of vanilla bean ice cream. Served warm, the cobbler is practically melt-in-your mouth good. So much flavor, so much deliciousness. Then there’s the vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with caramel. Could there possibly be a better topping for a phenomenal cobbler. Yes, phenomenal. It restored my faith in cobbler.
The Perfect Pear is the perfect restaurant for sating the not-so-perfect pairing of hunger and budget. It’s simply an outstanding restaurant that shouldn’t ever be bypassed.
Perfect Pear Bistro
603 W University Drive
Tempe, Arizona
(480) 966-7327
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LATEST VISIT: 28 December 2025
# OF VISITS: 1
RATING: N/R
COST: $$$
BEST BET: Pear and Peach Cobbler With Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Rose Amatriciana, Tukee Pear Quesadilla, French Pantry,
REVIEW #1508