A dining critic's guide to eating and drinking in downtown Gilbert: Coffee to cocktails
Andi Berlin
Until a few years ago, the best thing to eat in downtown Gilbert was a vanilla ice cream cone at the local Dairy Queen.
The Heritage District has a come a long way since its days as a rural farming community, as recounted in an Arizona Republic history piece by Jessica Boehm. And with the help of some forward-thinking restaurateurs, like Joe Johnston of Joe's Farm Grill and Craig DeMarco of Postino in the early 2010s, the neighborhood has transformed into a bustling culinary strip with about three dozen stylish bars and restaurants.
Only a few of the historic farming structures remain, and now the stretch of Gilbert Road between Elliot Road and Juniper Avenue is a magnet for satellite locations of popular Valley restaurants like Clever Koi, Barrio Queen, Culinary Dropout and Postino. A few miles away, Gilbert is also getting an ambitious mixed use project called Epicenter that's soon to open its doors at Agritopia, where even more buzzy Phoenix restaurants and bars plan to open new outposts.
I can't lie, I do like the occasional Blizzard from time to time, but if you're in the mood for something more special, my favorite local bars and restaurants aren't chains and they're not second locations. My top 10 are all Gilbert originals.
Here's where to eat like a food critic in downtown Gilbert.
Galapagos Coffee Shop
Just a few blocks away from the main downtown drag, this intimate coffee shop provides a glimpse into Ecuadorian coffee culture. In addition to a small menu of coffees, owner Alexandra Moran serves traditional Ecuadorian pastries like alfajores cookies and pan de yuca, a savory cheese bun made from cassava flour. That's why I checked it out the first time, but I went back for Moran's friendly service and warm, welcoming conversation.
Details: 7 E. Palo Verde St., Suite 7, Gilbert. 480-560-4162, galapagoscoffeeshop.weebly.com.
The Farmhouse Restaurant
It's as close as you'll get to a country diner in the Phoenix area, so I can see why this homey breakfast joint was packed during a recent visit. Originally housed inside an actual farmhouse, the woman-owned restaurant moved to the 1918 building in 2001 and has been serving a big menu of omelets and homemade cinnamon rolls ever since. I got my omelet loaded with bacon, sausage, green chile and sour cream ($14.25). Hearty food, well prepared.
Details: 228 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert. 480-926-0676, farmhouseofgilbert.com.
Liberty Market
Gilbert restaurateur Joe Johnston's contemporary diner is in the 1935 building right next door to The Farmhouse. Like its neighbor, it also makes a hulking beast of a cinnamon roll. But Liberty Market is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And like his other restaurants, Joe's Farm Grill and Joe's Real BBQ across the street, the approachable menu has a little something for everyone.
Details: 230 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert. 480-892-1900, libertymarket.com.
Bergie's Coffee Roast House
I go to Bergie's more than any other place on this list, and it's not just because I love locally roasted coffee. When the weather is cooler, I can spend hours sitting on the quaint garden patio overlooking the small cottage that doubles as a coffee shop. The building was home to the homesteading Clare family until the 1960s and now hosts a small cafe run by the Bergesons. Their cold brew is potent and always hits the spot.
Details: 309 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert. 480-497-3913, bergiescoffee.com.
Topo
When downtown, I always try to hit up this walk-up burrito stand that's flanked by a 7-foot-tall statue of a gopher. The roadside attraction is a sister spot to Joe's Real BBQ and serves just two burritos, a cup of elote and vanilla and prickly pear soft serve ice cream. I usually go with the Topo Loco burrito ($8.50), which is stuffed with Fritos corn chips and a lotta saucy stuff, including juicy pulled pork, creamy elote corn dip and a soft dollop of refried beans. It's not classic Mexican food, but somehow, it works.
Details: 301 N. Gilbert Road, Building 2, Gilbert. topoarizona.com.
Romeo's Euro Café
This old school Mediterranean restaurant has been around the East Valley for more than 30 years. It moved to its decked-out Gilbert location from the Fiesta Mall area of central Mesa in 2004. The first thing you notice when you walk in are all of the gift shop doohickeys and the pastry case, which is filled with various chocolate cakes and cannoli. Romeo's is a Valley gem that goes hard on the pita sandwiches, but still has the space for a creamy tortellini "kalypso" with crab meat, red peppers and asparagus ($24).
Details: 207 N. Gilbert Road, Suite 105, Gilbert. 480-962-4224, eurocafe.com.
Café de Bangkok
Not technically in downtown Gilbert, but so good I had to put it on this list. Café de Bangkok is a standout Thai restaurant in an old strip mall down the street. Before it was taken over by new owners in 2019, the place was called Mint Thai Cafe and was considered one of the best Thai spots in the Valley (by me). The menu on a recent visit was just as exciting as my childhood memories, especially when the Thai fried rice came out in a cast iron skillet on a bed of sizzling cheese ($14.95).
Details: 1111 N. Gilbert Road, Suite 101-103. 480-497-5366, cafedebangkokgilbert.com.
Sotol Modern Cocktail Kitchen
Named after the iconic agave spirit of northern Mexico, Sotol is a modern Mexican restaurant with rooftop views and quite the experimental cocktail menu. In a recent guide, former nightlife reporter Tirion Morris recommended ordering the tequila-based Forbidden Dance With Mango ($17). "It is a drink that celebrates mango in the way a smoothie or milkshake might, highlighting the fruit's sweetness and softness," she wrote.
Details: 313 N. Gilbert Road, Suite 301, Gilbert. 480-550-6300, sotolmck.com.
Sotol guide: This bar has a sneaky entrance and killer views
Gypsy Cup
New to the strip, this boho chic coffee and cocktail house has an intriguing menu of bar snacks, like deviled eggs with feta and za'atar spice mix and short ribs with espresso miso glaze. The cocktail menu has a similar aesthetic with a tequila-based espresso martini and the Strawberry Kisses ($15) with prosecco and cold berry infused smoke.
Details: 50 W. Vaughn Ave., Suite 107. gypsycup.com.
The White Rabbit
Modern speakeasies are still definitely a thing in downtown Gilbert, where you have to give a password at the door to enter the Prohibition-themed basement bar The White Rabbit. (Don't worry, you can sign up for a password at their website, or like I did, badger the bouncer until they give you one.) Once inside, you'll find a menu of "swishers," tiki drinks and fun numbers like the Snakes in Eden ($15) made with gin, green apples and butterfly pea infused elderberry green tea.
Details: 207 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert. twr.bar.
Reach reporter Andi Berlin at amberlin@azcentral.com. Follow her on Facebook @andiberlin, Instagram @andiberlin or Twitter @andiberlin.