Get a Taste of the Arizona Fresh Foodie Trail®

Ready to embark on a culinary adventure? The Arizona Fresh Foodie Trail® makes every bite something to savor. Discover the hidden gems and culinary hotspots that make this trail a must-visit for foodies visiting the area. Don't miss out on this gastronomic delight - read the full article now!

The Mesa area is vast, sprawling area that's developing with every passing second, even as you read this article. While I was there it was a unique experience to see the development and land and the area's ability to spread out and have space. Step out on the Fresh Foodie Trail and take a bite at a new adventure! 

Driving into Mesa

Drive to Mesa with your own car from wherever you are or you can opt to fly. Mesa visitors flying into Phoenix can easily rent a car from Hertz or Enterprise at the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport. Then you can explore Mesa, Queen Creek, and Gilbert as desired. You can pick up and drop off at the airport so you don't have to drive willy-nilly around town. 

San Diegans looking for a close trip can find a foodie haven in Mesa, Arizona. The flight from San Diego to Phoenix takes under 90 minutes, then it's a modest drive from Phoenix into Mesa. Mesa is similar to San Diego County in that it's spread out and covers a large area. You might go from Scottsdale, Mesa, Gilbert, or Queen Creek at any given point, just like you might have brunch at your favorite spot in Downtown San Diego, hike in Torrey Pines, and then drive up north to walk the pier in Oceanside.

Exploring the Arizona Fresh Foodie Trail 

Visit Mesa has a full brochure and information you can check out on their website.

Queen Creek Olive Mill

Address: 25062 S Meridian Rd, Queen Creek, AZ 85142

If you enjoy high-quality extra virgin olive oil, then you have to pay a visit to Queen Creek Olive Mill, a blossom-to-bottle agritourism destination in Queen Creek, Arizona. Queen Creek Olive Mill has a radiant rainbow of extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars that you can both sample and purchase. Take the Olive Oil 101 class while you're there to learn how the special process they use to make extra virgin olive oil and they'll also teach you how to correctly taste olive oil, which I found really interesting! 

Schnepf Farms

Take the family for peach picking at the Schnepf Farms peach orchards while in season during May. Visit in autumn for The Pumpkin & Chili Party, an epic fall festival.

The Cozy Peach at Schnepf Farms

Address: 22601 E Cloud Rd, Queen Creek, Arizona 85142

Schnepf Farms has been growing peaches for over 50 years, offering a 8 varieties of peaches to the Queen Creek area. Now Schnepf Farms added glamping in restored vintage trailers to its repertoire. Guests can camp in style in one of the trailers, each has its own theme and designated decor. 

Agritopia 

Agritopia is huge, it's quite impressive. The idea of Agritopia started back in the 1960s when the Johnston family purchased the land and built their home. They nurtured the farm into what it is today, a thriving hub that brings the community together. Agritopia has a residential portion, a farm, Joe's Farm Grill, a coffee shop aptly named The Coffee Shop, and Barnone, which houses a dozen local artisans. 

Barnone

Address: 3000 E Ray Rd, Gilbert, Arizona 85296

Barnone has a range of makers selling their work, from woodfire pizzas at Fire & Brimstone to ice cream at Cream of the Crop. I visited Garage-East for a wine tasting and their meat and cheese board. Sit around the table to chat at this bright wine bar. The wine tasting at Garage East has six wine tasters of your choice; they come in cool little test tubes. Take a moment to savor the art on the walls as you sip your wine.

Hayden Flour Mills at Sossaman Farms

Address: 19101 E Ocotillo Rd, Queen Creek, AZ 85142

Hayden Flour Mills is on a mission to bring the art of stone milling to the foreground. Tour the mill and learn more about the ancient and heritage grains. They have a pretty epic shop with items like purple barley berries, gazelle rye flour, pancake mix, emmer farro crackers, and more, so you can get a taste of ancient grains yourself. 

Cider Corps

Address: 31 S Robson Suite 103, Mesa, Arizona 85210

Cider Corps, a veteran-owned and family-operated business, has two taprooms in Mesa and Gilbert, Arizona where they sell craft cider and canned cider. Thirsty patrons can come to Cider Corps and order a taster flight to sample a few of their options like the Mango Foxtrot with mango and rosehip or the 40 Myke-Myke, a collab with Myke's Pizza made with honey, as well as ancho and arbol chiles for a spicy kick.

Jalapeño Bucks

Address: 3434 N Val Vista Dr, Mesa, Arizona 85213

People come to Jalapeño Bucks for the bbq and burritos. They have a bunch of burritos to pick from, whether you're into the Green Chili Shredded Beef, Red Chili Shredded Pork, or the Brisket, Bean, and Cheese.

True Garden Urban Farm 

Address: 5949 E University Dr, Mesa, AZ 85205

True Garden Urban Farm is the first and only facility of its kind in Phoenix where they grow living produce vertically without soil or rainfall. Only solar power and water are used. You can buy commercial or residential aeroponic tower farms, seedlings, or take a class to learn how it all works.

Proof Bread

Address: 125 W Main St, Mesa, Arizona 85201

Spare yourself the 11-hour flight to Paris. Instead, you can enjoy a delightful array of pastries from Proof Bread in Mesa, Arizona. So flaky and flavorful! Take a look at their website to learn more. 🥐

Other spots to check out:

The Orange Patch 

Address: 3565 N Gilbert Rd, Mesa, AZ 85213

Steadfast Farm at Eastmark 

Address: 5111 Inspirian Pkwy, Mesa, AZ 85212

Superstition Dairy Farms 

Address: 3440 S Hawes Rd, Mesa, AZ 85212

Vertuccio Farms

Address: 4011 S Power Rd, Mesa, AZ 85212

The Windmill Winery

Address: 1140 W Butte Ave #48, Florence, AZ 85132

Arizona's Fresh Foodie Trail allows travelers to try fresh food from local farms, locally grown produce, wine tasting, live music, agritourism attractions, and everything you need to have an enjoyable time in the Mesa area. Visit Mesa has loads of information on different eateries on the Fresh Foodie Trail so you don't have to spend hours researching destinations, what's there, and why it's good. 

If you're already based near Mesa and Scottsdale, then you might have time to pursue, taste, and get to know the nooks and crannies and morsels of the area. If you're a tourist or out-of-towner like myself, then save room because there are a lot of great places to check out. There's a lot to experience.