Around-the-world Dining
Savor Gilbert’s Global Food Scene
By Christina Barrueta
Once known for its quiet farmland, Gilbert has blossomed into a vibrant culinary destination where global flavors meet local flair. From Asian fusion and Latin-inspired fine dining to Mediterranean gems and farm-fresh favorites, this East Valley town is serving up bold bites and unforgettable experiences.
ASIAN-INSPIRED
Clever Koi’s creative menu borrows liberally from across Asia, which means Krazy Fries loaded with tender pork belly and crispy tonkatsu drizzled with black pepper-garlic aioli, dumplings bursting with lemongrass broth and shredded short rib, and a a tangy-spicy Korean-inspired “kimcheese.” And with an illustrated comic book featuring 66 libations, it’s the kind of place where chopsticks and cocktails go hand in hand. Sleek and lively, Blue Wasabi Sushi and Martini Bar is the perfect spot to enjoy creative sushi creations and martinis while soaking in fun, social energy. Along with tempura, sashimi and other Japanese favorites, there are more than 20 signature rolls you won’t find anywhere else, like the cheekily named Marilyn Monroll combining tuna, yellowtail, salmon, spicy tuna, krab mix, avocado, and cucumber all wrapped in pink soy paper.
LOCAL EATS
Joe’s Farm Grill embodies farm-to-table dining in the most authentic way possible. Housed in owner Joe Johnston’s former 1960s family home, its breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus source herbs, fruits, and vegetables plucked straight from the surrounding 11-acre Agritopia Farm. That means kicking off your day with warm apple fritters rolled in cinnamon sugar orending it with a bacon-wrapped, jalapeño-stuffed Sonoran Dog piled high with farm beans, cotija cheese and fresh pico de gallo. Gilbert’s first rooftop restaurant offers more than just panoramic downtown views. Sotol Modern Cocktail Kitchen also celebrates regional bounty in dishes such as Nopales Fritas (crispy strips of fried cactus) and yucca fries drizzled with cilantro crema or the AZ Roots Salad combining beets, citrus, goat cheese, and walnuts. Naturally, agave spirits star in craft cocktails, but you’ll also want to try the namesake spirit, sotol (derived from the desert spoon plant), in drinks like Sotol So Good, a lavender-hued refresher bolstered by butterfly RIOBAGELA pea flower, coconut rum, and pineapple. Bagels and pizza may not be the first things that come to mind when thinking Arizona cuisine, but at Barrio Bagel and Slice, James Beard Award winner Don Guerra’s Sonoran-style bagels, pizzas, and Barrio breads are baked on-site with heritage grains grown and milled in Arizona. Bagels come in a variety of flavors, pizza is made with Sicilian-style focaccia dough, and signature sandwiches are constructed on your choice of a Sonoran bagel, torta roll, or sourdough focaccia.
THAT’S AMORE
At Little Joe’s Italian Market, plan on stocking your kitchen while feeding your belly. Part gourmet Italian pantry-filled with imported ingredients, cheeses, fresh pastas, and housemade sauce-and part butcher shop offering everything from sausages to veal chops, it’s an ode to owner Joseph Gerace’s Italian roots. The daily changing whiteboard menu features sandwiches, on locally made Nice Buns ciabatta, such as meatballs and creamy burrata or crispy chicken cutlets layered with ricotta and roasted peppers. With Wednesday pasta specials, weekend pizzas, and legendary lobster rolls making seasonal appearances, Little Joe’s ensures the devoted have reason to return again and again.
Sal’s Gilbert Pizza is the kind of place that inspires fierce loyalty, and for good reason. At this family-owned gathering spot celebrating almost two decades, New York-style pies and Grandma-style squares fly out of the oven, while calzones and stromboli ooze molten cheese with every pull-apart bite. But the love affair doesn’t stop there. Regulars queue up for soft and buttery garlic knots, meatball subs, and specials like Chicken Scarpariello and Shrimp Arrabbiata. Torn between pasta and pizza? The carb lover’s baked rigatoni pie lets you have both.
LATIN FLAVORS
It was big news when The Mission announced its third location at Epicenter at Agritopia, bringing its bold fusion of flavors from Spain, Mexico, and Central and South America to an even wider audience. The most recent outpost echoes the vibe of the original in Old Town Scottsdale with its glowing salt blocks and cozy ambiance. The smoked pork shoulder tacos, slow roasted for 12 hours and topped with pineapple-habanero glaze, are a must-order, and the margaritas sipped alongside tableside guacamole built to order are the perfect way to kick off your fiesta. A stunning upscale steakhouse with Latin soul, Origen celebrates the flavors of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Fresh seafood and fire-kissed meats such as a hefty 40-ounce tomahawk take center stage, but there’s also magic in the unexpected. A bowl of sugo de carne-deep, rich, and fortified with beef drippings-is a sleeper too good not to share; while charred cabbage, swathed in velvety pistachio crema and showered with Parmigiano-Reggiano, proves that even the sides are deserving of a spotlight. Seafood and Latin flair also make a compelling combination at Origen’s coastal counterpart, BLU Seafood, where the flavors of Sonoran cuisine merge with modern techniques. Fan favorites include creamy risotto topped with tender adobo-marinated grilled octopus or salmon en nogada, which reimagines Mexico’s celebratory stuffed poblano dish with a splash of the ocean. For a true feast, the BLU Shareable platter for four piles the table with a bounty of land and sea-juicy ribeye, buttery lobster tail, plump shrimp, and golden-crusted crab cakes-because some indulgences are best enjoyed together.
A TASTE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
Chef Claudio Urciuoli has a gift for making simplicity sing, and Source is a showcase for that talent. At this casual order-at-the counter restaurant and wine bar, Mediterranean flavors shine through in farm-fresh salads, grain bowls, flatbread sandwiches, and pizzas. Hummus, bright with chermoula and paired with za’atar-dusted flatbread, and nutty farro bowls tossed with white beans, tomato, cucumber, roasted peppers, and pumpkin seeds are just two of many standouts. Visit Romeo’s Euro Café and you’ll feel like you’ve stumbled onto a culinary secret. An inviting café attached to a gift shop, the Mediterranean-leaning menu roams from Greece to Italy. Crisp fritters stuffed with homemade gyro meat, feta, dill, spinach, and pine nuts appear on nearly every table before diners move on to crowd-pleasers such as saffron-infused paella, ravioli Bolognese, and shrimp Corfu.
Insiders also know to watch for their special wine dinners, which regularly sell out. With quality and creativity, Gilbert’s restaurants aren’t just feeding the city; they’re defining its culinary identity.
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