11 scrumptious stops along Mesa’s Fresh Foodie Trail

These 11+ stops along Mesa’s Fresh Foodie Trail lead you to delicious farm-fresh produce and farm-to-table eats.

“Let’s hit the trail!” Typically resulting in lacing up those sneakers, this phrase may provide a great deal of dismay to those of us who prefer the more lackadaisical things in life.

Fortunately, the trail we’re talking about right now does not require sneakers, spandex, or an inhaler to try to keep up with that ridiculously fit, outdoorsy friend of yours. Nope. This trail is all about good eating, taking the desert out of “food desert,” and adding the taste to taste buds. It’s called Mesa’s Fresh Foodie Trail.

Fresh Foodie Trail

To understand this trail, you must first understand what a foodie is. A foodie is a person who loves good food, first and foremost. They are also people who love fresh ingredients, unique ingredients, or at least cleverly combined ingredients. Most foodies know a thing or two about clean eating, and adding that with a touch of flavor will have a foodie raving on whatever platform they have access to.

Mesa’s Fresh Foodie Trail is known as the gourmet gateway to greater Phoenix as it offers culinary creations fresh from the farm; farm fresh produce; education about cooking, urban growing, and more; and an ever-evolving menu meant to leave you full, satisfied, yet coming back for more. Phoenix may not have sprung taxpayer dollars to join the ranks of Michelin Stars, but the farmers and chefs here on the trail prove that you don’t need national recognition to be the best around.

So leave those sneakers at home–unless you want to wear them–and get ready for the culinary trail of your foodie-heart dreams. This trail includes 11 stops, but you can start wherever you feel drawn!

1. Agritopia

3000 E. Ray Road, Gilbert

Originally a family homestead, Agritopia comprises 160 acres that grow produce for several restaurants open to the public. Eleven of those acres form an intentional community that includes markets, restaurants, bars, coffee stops, and gathering spaces for the general public. A visit to Agritopia is a visit to a week’s worth of eats and a visit to find inspiration for urban farming.

The original Johnson Family formed the “Arizona Urban Agricultural Foundation to educate the community, promote urban farming, and honor the agricultural tradition.” Agritopia still proudly represents this foundation across its 11 community acres, honoring roots and tradition while simultaneously bringing inspiration and new health to its patrons. Plus, Joe’s Farm Grill has been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Step in Guy Fieri’s footsteps for a day! 

2. Freeman Farms Corn Patch

945 N. Center St, Mesa

Seasonal alert! This urban farm is only open from around Memorial Day until July 4, but it is worth the wait. Open for generations, this family-owned-and-operated experience allows you to enjoy seasonal farm-fresh produce, beehives for fresh honey, and a fun geocache.

Adding this to your list of spring and summer stops can only yield flavorful, healthy home meals with a reduced carbon footprint. 

3. Inspire Farms

206 E. Main St, Mesa

Are you interested in the homesteading life? Do you want or already own chickens? What about ducks and rabbits? Do you prefer natural, farm-fresh ingredients for your body care AND cooking? If you answered yes to any of these questions (or all), Inspire Farms has your back.

From livestock to feed to pantry staples to natural-ingredient body care, this stop is important to the Fresh Foodie Trail as it empowers people to lean into the wholesome farm-inspired lifestyle. It also allows your animals to participate in the good eats as Inspire Farms sells feed for livestock, cats, and dogs. Yum! 

4. Jalapeño Bucks

3434 N. Val Vista Drive, Mesa

Warning: Do not read about Jalapeno Bucks on an empty stomach. If you have an empty stomach, save yourself some gurgles and just get in the car and go on over.

Open Tuesday through Saturday, Jalapeno Bucks serves “Arizona style” BBQ, burritos, homemade salsas, and show-stopping barbecue sauces. Their barbecue is fire-roasted on racks, and it is so good that they have their own category: New Wave Mexican Soul Food.

Across the street sits B&B Farms, which is home to Mesa’s original citrus grove, dating back to 1915! If you plan your visit(s) correctly, you can fill up on delicious food first and then stock up on citrus for home. Foodie dream unlocked. 

5. Proof Bread

125 W. Main St, Mesa

With gluten sensitivity on the rise (thanks to the milling process popularized during the Industrial Revolution), sourdough has found itself as a star that caters to the masses with its gentler nutrition structure. In fact, Proof Bread of the Mesa Foodies Trail offers baked goods made only from sourdough. They take it a step further than that by adding in their own locally grown Rouge de Bordeaux wheat that they mill in-house at the Shea location.

So, if you love bread and baked goods but can’t (or can) handle the discomfort of modern wheat, Proof Bread is the foodie stop for you. 

6. Queen Creek Olive Mill

25062 S. Meridian Road, Queen Creek

The Queen Creek Olive Mill is a foodie’s dream. Simply parking allows you to see orchards of olive trees reaching for the sky. Entering the building reveals shelves stocked full of fresh-pressed olive oil and other drool-worthy kitchen additions. And then there is the line. The long line leads to the tantalizing taste that is a farm-to-table kitchen, complete with sandwiches, soups, coffee, and more. 

With all of this (plus classes!), the Olive Mill is a destination that will have you coming back for more. In fact, just last night, I drizzled their Meyer lemon-infused olive oil over some fresh-made orzo, and just this morning, I used their chili olive oil to enhance some eggs—two discoveries brought into my home when my husband was working on an art collaboration of Olive Mill X Abstrakt. I’m not exactly sad that it is almost time to go back and restock. See you there!

7. Schnepf Farms

24610 S. Rittenhouse Road, Queen Creek

Sun shining, birds chirping, shovels and rakes clanking. If you have never woken up on a farm, here is your chance! Schnepf Farms, featuring the Cozy Peach, provides a glamping experience with a cozy trailer complete with basic amenities. 

While this in itself is a worthwhile experience, waking up at Schnepf Farms means immediately heading to their Bakery & Country Store Cafe for a delicious breakfast—accessible with a bike, drive, or a short walk around the farm. Even if you aren’t the overnight type, Schnepf Farms hosts events, like the Pumpkin and Chili Party in October and Upick opportunities in the spring. Yet another foodie dream. 

8. Steadfast Farm

5111 S. Inspirian Pkwy, Mesa

A 2-acre bio-intensive market farm, Steadfast Farm has produce, eggs, and a coffee shop meant to fuel the foodie soul year-round. With seasonality in mind, their shop can include fresh-cut flowers, lettuces, root veggies, romanesco, melons, broccoli, and more. Year-round staples include eggs, honey, and other local goods such as bread, pickles, and dairy.

Steadfast Farm is one way to have all of the fresh food benefits of a homestead while living in an urbanized area. 

9. True Garden Urban Farm

5949 E. University Drive, Mesa 

This urban farm in Mesa uses aeroponics as a growing method; that means no soil, giving the “clean” of clean eating a whole new meaning. This has become an increasingly viable option for gardening with limited urbanized space, and True Garden is here to teach you how to do it! They offer online and in-person classes, tours for groups of 10 or more, seedlings meant to adapt to this way of growing, and an on-site shop where you can taste the anything-but-dirty produce. A huge plus of this growing strategy means access to a variety of produce year-round! 

10. Vertuccio Farms

4011 S. Power Road, Mesa

“Farm Friendly Family Fun” is Vertuccio Farms’ alliterative motto. Growing since 1979, this farm has become a proud community staple, providing seasonal events, produce, and lasting memories that can inspire future generations of Arizona foodies.

Depending on the time of year, this stop can include a fall festival, a Christmas encounter, sunflower days, Easter egg hunts, or Upick adventures. They also have a farm stand on site where you can purchase fresh, seasonal produce to nourish your taste buds. 

11. The Windmill Winery

1140 W. Butte Ave, Florence

The Windmill Winery will have you wondering whether or not you somehow managed to transport to Napa wine country in an afternoon. With amazing event space doused with clean wood, luscious greenery, and beautiful trees, it is hard to imagine that you are even in the desert. That is, until you try their wine made from grapes that thrive in the desert terrain. Varietals include classics and unconventionals such as Zinfandel, Cabernet, Pinot Grigio, Pinotage, Alicante Bouschet, and Barbera.

Whether for wine or a wedding, Windmill Winery is a wonderful stop along this trail. 

Bonus stops

Other farm-fresh dining and buying stops that use produce found on the trail include Belly Kitchen & Bar, Espiritu, Garage-East, Intentional Foods, Joyride Taco House, Liberty Market, Main Street Harvest, Myke’s Pizza, Source, The Uprooted Kitchen, What’s Crackin’ Cafe, and Worth Takeaway. 

Mesa’s Foodie Trail traverses through some of the finest farms and farm dining experiences available in the Grand Canyon State. Reasons to experience this trail might include wanting to buy locally, a longing to eat cleaner, a desire to know your farmer, or just a love of good food! Whatever the reason, the Mesa Foodie Trail is always a tasty idea. 

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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