The Best Restaurants in Gilbert Arizona from a Local (2024)
This guide to the best restaurants in Gilbert Arizona shares where to eat in Gilbert for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Gilbert Arizona is a suburb of Phoenix, and the place I call home. Gilbert is a great weekend destination of a girls trip, bachelorette trip, or romantic getaway.
There is year-round great weather, a lot of great things to do, and an adorable downtown area.
I’ve traveled to nearly 50 countries and over 25 states. When I’m home, I love to explore like a tourist. One of the biggest parts of this is searching for the best restaurants.
This Gilbert Arizona restaurant guide shares the best downtown Gilbert restaurants, other great places to eat in town, and tips for what to order. Whether you are a local or are visiting, this guide will make sure you eat great.
Some links on this blog are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through them. All opinions are my own, and I only recommend products and services I personally use and believe in. Thanks for your support!
The Best Restaurants in Gilbert Downtown
If you’re coming to Gilbert on vacation, you will likely spend most of your time downtown. Downtown has a ton of great stores and of course, restaurants.
Since there are so many options, it hard to decide where to eat. Below, I list the best restaurants in downtown Gilbert.
These are the places I’ve visited multiple times and will return many times more.
Best Brunch in Gilbert
Snooze AM Eatery
Cuisine: Classic Brunch | Location: Downtown
Best for: mimosas and eggs benedict
What to Order: Mmmimosa and the benny duo with any two eggs benedict choices
Reservations: Waitlist Available Via Yelp
Snooze is one of the best places for a classic brunch outing. It’s retro-70’s vibe makes it fun for a girl’s outing or a big group.
There are a ton of great brunch drinks on the menu, including unique mimosas. Their food menu is extensive and sure to have all of your favorites.
Liberty Market
Cuisine: Southwestern | Location: Downtown
Best for patio seating & baked goods
What to Order: Chorizo Sweet Potato Hash
Reservations: Open Table
The Liberty Market is a Gilbert staple, one of the oldest restaurants in downtown. The inside of the restaurant has a diner feel, with a large pastry case and pictures all along the walls.
The outdoor patio is great for the warmer months since it is fully covered with misters. Their southwest-take on classic brunch foods is also delicious.
Best Restaurants in Gilbert Arizona for Lunch
Zinburger
Cuisine: Burgers | Location: Downtown
Best for a family meal out
What to Order: California Burger Bowl or their Burger of the Month
Reservations: Open Table
Zinburger is great for a quick, family-friendly, lunch. Their menu mostly consists of burgers, but there are also great salads and appetizers.
Joe’s BBQ
Cuisine: Barbecue | Location: Downtown
Best for family-style sharing
What to Order: Meat Plate with Pulled Pork, Ribs, and Potato Salad
Reservations: None, counter service
Joe’s BBQ is a great option for takeout. The restaurant has counter service, with plenty of seating for dine-in. The food also travels well to take home with you.
They have all your BBQ favorites in a sandwich or a plate, with great sides. For a group, Joe’s offers affordable meal deals.
Topo
Cuisine: California Mexican | Location: Downtown
Best for big burritos & dessert
What to Order: Topo Loco Burrito and Prickly Pear Soft Serve
Reservations: None, counter service
You cannot miss Topo in downtown gilbert. The small building with a large beaver on top is sure to catch your attention. Topo always has a long (fast moving) line for their signature burritos and soft serve. The burritos are a great option for a quick lunch.
If you are nearby outside of a mealtime, be sure to stop by for an afternoon or evening treat. Their prickly pear soft serve is well-worth the stop.
Where to Eat Dinner in Gilbert AZ
Clever Koi
Cuisine: Asian Fusion | Location: Downtown
Best for Tuesday night deals
What to Order: Korean Cauliflower Steamed Bun and Pad Thai
Reservations: Open Table
There aren’t many Asian restaurants in Gilbert, but this is one of the best. The menu has a variety of dishes from a variety of Asian cuisines including Korean, Thai, and Chinese.
On Tuesday and Thursday, they have a great deal that includes two noodle dishes and either a bottle of wine or four cocktails for only $60.
Culinary Dropout
Cuisine: American | Location: Downtown
Best for a big group dinner
What to Order: Soft Pretzel with Fondue, Chicken Sandwich, Monkey Bread
Reservations: Open Table
Culinary Dropout is my go-to restaurant whenever we have family or friends visiting. Since they are on open table, it is super easy to snag a reservation.
The menu also has a wide variety of dishes that will appeal to almost anyone. My favorite thing about Culinary Dropout is the fun atmosphere and live music that gives the restaurant such a lively vibe.
Joyride Tacos
Cuisine: Mexican | Location: Downtown
Best for casual dinner & margs
What to Order: Fish Taco, Carne Asada Taco, Churros
Reservations: Waitlist via Yelp
Joyride is a common occurrence in our dinner rotation. I mean, its hard to beat tacos, churros, and margs. You really cannot go wrong with any of the margaritas or tacos.
For dinner, I recommend selecting three tacos as a good portion. Be sure to save room for their churros, which are some of the best I’ve ever had.
Best Happy Hour in Gilbert
Postino Wine Bar
Cuisine: Italian Inspired Small Plates | Location: Downtown
Best for a classy girls night
What to Order: Bruschetta Board and a Bottle of Wine
Reservations: None
Postino is great for a meetup with your girls for a fun happy hour. The entire menu is small bites that are great for sharing.
I highly recommend sharing a bruschetta board (or a couple) with your favorite flavors such as tomato, brie, goat cheese, or olives. In addition, Postino has an extensive wine list.
Dierks Bentley Whiskey Row
Cuisine: American | Location: Downtown
Best for live music
What to Order: Selection of Sliders and Frozen Blueberry Lemonade
Reservations: Open Table
Whiskey Row, a country bar owned by famous artist Dierks Bentley, has my favorite happy hour in Gilbert. One of the huge benefits is that it goes until 7 pm on weeknights, far longer than other restaurants.
In addition, they often have live music that completes the whole experience. The food is good, and there are a variety of options on the happy hour menu.
Unique Bars in Downtown Gilbert
White Rabbit
Best for fun drinks & atmosphere
The White Rabbit is a super cool speakeasy hidden in downtown Gilbert. The drinks are unique and tasty. Be sure to join their email list for the secret password before you visit.
OHSO Brewery
Best for dogs
OHSO is a brewery, restaurant, and dog park. The large outdoor area has a giant TV screen, fun games, and even a small dog park area. They have a comprehensive menu with burgers, tacos, and other great food. They also have a bunch of great beers on tap.
Sotol Modern Cocktail Kitchen
Best for rooftop views
Sotol is a rooftop bar and restaurant that overlooks Gilbert road. They serve great small plates and unique cocktails.
This place has an amazing atmosphere and is great for outdoor seating on warm Arizona nights.
Other Great Restaurants in Gilbert
Although most of the top restaurants in Gilbert are downtown, there are some other great options. These restaurants are often less crowded than the ones in downtown but are equally tasty.
The Coffee Shop
Cuisine: Cafe | Location: Agritopia
Best for quick breakfast
What to Order: Caramel Deluxe Latte and Indio Breakfast Sandwich
Reservations: None, counter service
Agritopia is a super cute neighborhood in Gilbert, and the Coffee shop is great for a casual breakfast and coffee. The small shop serves egg dishes, waffles, paninis, and lots of baked goods.
The baker at the coffee shop was on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, so be sure to try one when you visit.
Joe’s Farm Grill
Cuisine: American Diner | Location: Agritopia
Best for elevated burgers and shakes
What to Order: Gouda Garlic Bacon Burger Stack with a Fresh Strawberry Milkshake.
Reservations: None, counter service
Also, in Agritopia and also featured on food network, Joe’s Farm Grill is a great place for lunch in Gilbert. Guy Fieri featured this restaurant on diner’s drive ins and dives and showcased the unique and fresh burgers on the menu.
This restaurant serves elevated diner food and fantastic milkshakes. It also has a large outdoor patio to soak in the Arizona sun.
Humble Bistro
Cuisine: American & Italian | Location: South Gilbert
Best for weeknight date night
What to Order: Not so Humble Fries, Homemade Bolognese
Reservations: Open Table
Since it isn’t in the downtown Heritage District, Humble Bistro is a much quieter option for dinner in Gilbert. The restaurant feels like an Italian bistro, with dark wood and pictures along the walls and candlelit tables.
The menu features handmade pastas, unique flatbreads, and other delicious entrees. This is a bit of a hidden gem for locals, be sure to check it out.
Map of the Best Gilbert Restaurants
Summary of the Best Restaurants in Gilbert Arizona
Hungry yet? If you have made it this far in this guide to where to eat in Gilbert, you may be a bit overwhelmed.
If you are, here are my top choices for restaurants in every category. However, you cannot go wrong with anything I recommended above.
Breakfast: Snooze
Lunch: Joe’s Farm Grill
Dinner: Culinary Dropout
Drinks: White Rabbit
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