Thursday, June 4, 2015

Sphinx Date Co.

By: Janice Vega

Arizona has an assortment of hidden gems. Recently I had the pleasure of encountering one of them: Sphinx Date Co. Palm & Pantry in Scottsdale.

I had driven past Sphinx Date Co. Palm & Pantry a number of times and it had been one of those places that was on my list of "Places I Need to Check out Sometime." The charming yellow and white storefront always caught my attention as I traveled up Scottsdale Road so I was excited to explore the little shop, which is known for being a purveyor of locally crafted food and gifts specializing in Arizona grown Medjool dates, and Date Shakes!



If you are not familiar with Sphinx Date Co., they have been an Arizona fixture for over 60 years. The family-owned business receive dates direct from Arizona farmers. According to their website, their Arizona Medjool Dates are hand-sorted as they're packed to ensure top quality in every bite.

Upon entering the store, I was handed a sample Date Shake. On my first slurp, I was sold. If you take anything away from this blog post, it should be this: Sphinx Date Co. Palm & Pantry Date Shakes are phenomenal. I wanted more… but there were so many other tasty treats to try...like date bars.



For years, Sphinx Date Co. has been a go-to for corporate and/or holiday sets and it’s no wonder why. In addition to a variety of Arizona-based goods like wines, pastas and oils, the store was filled with a ton of date customizable packages, gift-sets, sauces and spreads.



One of the most popular items sampled that evening was the all-natural Date Salsa. I don’t know what I was expecting when I dipped my chip, but I was quite happy with the result. The sweetness one would expect was minimal and it merely balanced out the bite of the chilies and spices. Sumo Maya generously provided their bacon wrapped dates as an example of what could be done with this sweet, delicious fruit. The mixture of sweet and salty was an explosion of flavor that I loved and couldn’t quite get enough of. Bacon lovers: you’re welcome.



I was quite surprised and impressed at how versatile a date could be. If you’re looking to try something new, need a unique gift item, or are simply in the mood to share a Date Shake with your sweetie then I suggest stopping by this Arizona staple.

Sphinx Date Co. Palm & Pantry is located at 3039 N, Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale. They offer local delivery and ship worldwide. For more information, visit

7 comments:

  1. Now this sounds like a destination to add to my list - love dates!

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  2. I need to come to Arizona just for the food! I'd gain 10 pounds!

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  3. What a lovely store and those bacon date bites look incredible!

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  4. I'm embarrassed to say I've never eaten a date! However, those ones wrapped in bacon sound just perfect to me.

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  5. Oh my - those bacon wrapped dates look incredible!

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  6. I had no idea that they grew dates in Arizona. I have no idea where I thought they came from!

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  7. I LOVE dates...and the dates wrapped in bacon are calling to me. :-)

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