Downtown Gilbert is one of my favorite places to spend a weekend morning. I was born in Norfolk, Nebraska and spent a good part of my childhood there. The small towns in the Midwest always had a quiet downtown area with brick buildings lining the street with a drug store, a bank, a bar, a thrift store, a diner and one (if any) stop light. Downtown Gilbert reminds me of that. It has kept its early 20th century feel while still attracting hundreds of people to modern restaurants and shops. On Saturday mornings there is a farmers market full of fresh local produce, teas and treats. The Gilbert water tower stands as a beacon and hovers over a splashy park that usually has small children running through tiny jets of water. Right across the street is Hale Theatre that produces year round plays and musicals performed by local actors.
The second stop in our Four Downtowns in 24 hours brought up to the Liberty Market. Liberty Market was originally a grocery store which opened in 1935. When the new owners (including Joe Johnson of Joe’s Real BBQ across the street and Joe’s Farm Grill on Higley and Ray) renovated the place and reopened in 2008, they kept much of the original architecture and style of the original market, even including the iconic neon sign you drive by while passing through Gilbert. Now, however, while they still sell some food and beverages in the original market area, Liberty Market is known for great food and great coffee.
For breakfast, they have some new twists on classics like the American Standard or the Demi Breakfast and some fresh selections like my favorite, the Salmon Plate, which is smoked lox on a bed of greens with bread crisps and olive tapenade. They also have a selection of pastries like bread pudding and scones. For lunch or dinner, you can choose the burger of the week or a wood-fired pizza or any number of soups, salads, sandwiches and amazing entrees.
We showed up a little early for lunch, so we sat at the E61 Coffee Bar while we waited and had some yummy espresso drinks. Besides a mean latte, the E61 has an item called Cortadito, which is a Cuban style espresso drink with foam and sugar, served as a tiny pair of drinks. Cute and tasty! What makes the E61 the best espresso bar in the Valley, by far, is the espresso machine, an E61 Faema. The Faema was produced in Italy and was one of the first true espresso machines manufactured that are still used today. This thing needs to be perfectly maintained and regularly calibrated so it makes the perfect pull of espresso every time. I dare any coffee drinker to come try an espresso drink at E61 in Liberty Market and not say it was the best cup of coffee in this continent!
For lunch we did get the burger of the week, which was a Red Beans and Rice Burger (which was a patty made of red beans and rice) which was served with homemade potato chips. Like everything else we have ever had here, it was delicious. Another quirky thing about the Liberty Market that you must check out are the bathrooms. They actually won New Times “Best Bathroom” in 2009. What is unusual about them is that the bathroom itself is unisex. There are a series of doors with both an “M” and a “W” on them. Each stall is a small room with a different music theme and recipes hand written on the walls by the restaurant owners. For more information on the bathrooms and this history of Liberty Market, check out their YouTube channel.
Next time you are strolling down Gilbert Road, swing inside Liberty Market. Take in the old fashioned feel while enjoying high quality food and drinks!
