Gilbert Heritage District Gilbert Road, between Juniper Avenue and Elliot Road, Gilbert discovergilbert.com/heritagedistrict Once upon a time, the highways, roadways, and thoroughfares of metro Phoenix were aglow with neon lights. The popularity of the art form faded over the ensuing decades, but has experienced a resurgence in recent years. The historic Gilbert Heritage District embraced the idea with gusto, as more than 20 of the eateries and drinkeries that have debuted in the area since 2014 are adorned with neon ele- ments. Take a spin down Gilbert Road south of Juniper Avenue, and you’ll encoun- ter examples that are fun (Joe’s Real BBQ features animated letters flickering like wafting smoke), funky (the muscular rooster at Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles), or just plain gorgeous (Barrio Queen’s neon-accentuated Catrina). And don’t miss the handful of OG signs that are still around, like the one at Liberty Market dating back to 1958. Cruising this district is an illuminating experience. Sapiens Paleo Kitchen 10411 East McDowell Mountain Ranch Road, Scottsdale 480-771-5123 sapienskitchen.com Sapiens Paleo Kitchen is something of a hidden gem. The restaurant is housed in a plaza near McDowell Mountain Regional Park, an incredibly scenic part of northeast Scottsdale. It serves French cuisine on a 100-percent paleo menu — cool on its own — but also from a completely gluten-free menu, from a completely gluten-free kitchen. Here, you can order the Paleo Bread Platter for starters, the Sapiens Burger, Paleo Meatloaf, and the Sapiens Crème Brûlée — all dishes normally avoided by gluten-free diners. The entire menu is built differently (we’re looking at you, hot pink Paleo Dip), because the food here caters to those with specific dietary restrictions — by choice or otherwise. You won’t have to endure the annoying order- ing process of special requests and substi- tutions here. The staff gets it. EEEEE Verdura 5555 North Seventh Street, #108 602-283-5168 verduraphx.com Not being vegans ourselves, we were skep- tical the first time we accompanied a vegan friend to Verdura for lunch. We left believ- ers. It’s a cliche, but you barely miss the meat when chowing down on menu items like the hearty Rainbow Connection (a veggie sandwich with pesto “mayo” on No- ble Bread) or the spicy General Pow Cauli- flower with jasmine rice and Korean broccoli. Just make sure you save some room to split the Goth Waffle with your dining companion; we’ve written about this black waffle topped with berries, com- pote, and shaved coconut before, and we still rave about it every chance we get. And since we enjoy style and substance, we feel compelled to mention that the rock ’n’ roll- themed decor is just one more thing we love about Verdura. EEEEE Green New American Vegetarian 2022 North Seventh Street 602-258-1870 2240 North Scottsdale Road, #113, Tempe 480-941-9003 greenvegetarian.com Green’s “vegan comfort food for the masses” includes delicious and deceptively meaty plant-based versions of carnivorous classics like burgers, Buffalo wings, chees- esteaks, chili, and barbecue sandwiches — all so good most people can hardly believe they’re vegan. That’s the whole point. Green New American Vegetarian owner Damon Brasch wants to offer American classics that every family member can en- joy, including kids (there are faux chicken nuggets, a kids’ burger, and a mini “cheese” quesadilla on the menu). Samosas, smoth- ered fries, and crab puffs are among the sa- vory sides. Herbivores can get their food fixes, too, with Green’s variety of specialty salads and garden burritos. To satisfy a sweet tooth, pop over next door to the Phoenix location and peruse Nami’s menu of soy-based ice cream treats and vegan baked goods. 183 SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2021.C0M | BEST OF PHOENIX 2021 f o o d & dr O B E S T NE i N-LIGHT nk E ED DRIV B E S RES T GL U RT AN A T EN-FR U EE T B ES F T OR N V E G O ANN-V RES TA EG AN U S R AN T B ES T V E G AN RES T A U R AN T
