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If you haven't had
the chance to visit Joe's Farm Grill in Gilbert, located at
3000 E. Ray Rd (Higley & Ray Rd) you really need to schedule
this on your calendar. This great find offers the "Best
Patio Dining" and is a treat for young & old.
Joe Johnston's retro-burger
stand is worth the drive and it's a real treat for the folks
in the Agritopia neighborhood. The Johnson family is not
new to the food business,
Joe's Real BBQ in downtown
Gilbert is a very popular place in it's own right that is
owned also by Joe, which he opened in 1998.
The Johnston
family bought the farm in 1960, cotton was the most important
crop. In the 90's cotton became less profitable and the
family grew mainly feed crops for dairy cattle, such as corn
and alfalfa.
The
Agritopia
subdivision
was all part of the
master plan when builder
Scott Homes broke ground in
2001 and developed the land for urban living. The original
home that now houses
Joe's Farm Grill is the same
house with the Johnston's resided and raised their family.
The dining room is the former family room with its fireplace.
The kitchen is where all of the bedrooms were located. The
home’s kitchen and dining room were taken out so we could
create the breezeway. The resulting butterfly roof and open
breezeway make for an airy patio that offers shade and
excellent views.
In the
planning of Agritopia, it was
always envisioned that a restaurant coupled to the urban farm
would be a major focal point for the project. Agritopia is a fairly new to Gilbert, a community that consists of housing, 12 acres of permanent urban farm, a school, parks (see Cosmo Dog Park) and of course the charming Joe's Farm Grill and
The Coffee Shop. All of these amenities are within walking distance of one another. It was also intended, from the start, that all of the homestead buildings
should be kept and remodeled and that the mature trees must be
preserved. This helped guide their redevelopment of the Johnston
home into Joe’s Farm Grill.
Did I mention they
take pride in the fact they strive for use of all
Organic products. You
see the bigger picture is that they use the closest 12 acres
for production of crops to use for the restaurant and coffee
shop. They grow a broad range of vegetables, herbs, and
flowers. Leaf crops and tomato crops.
The master
community plan that centers around it's agricultural roots is
definitely a hidden jewel as is the surrounding community
within walking distance or scooter ride as was the case when I
visited with another guest.
To see the homes
available in Agritopia please
click here to continue.
Five Star Review for Me! |
