Things to do in Gilbert, Arizona: A Guide by Tuft & Needle

My name is Koral and I’m the Store Lead at Tuft & Needle’s Gilbert location.

I’ve lived in the Phoenix area for eight years now. I moved here from a small Arizona town (Northwest of Phoenix) to attend Arizona State University. Although I have spent the majority of my time here living in Tempe, I have been working in Gilbert for over a year at Tuft & Needle’s Heritage Square location.

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know this community since it was an area I hadn’t yet explored. Gilbert has a lot of history and it is the newest, hippest downtown spot in the Phoenix Metro area.

Things to do in Gilbert, AZ

Eat & Drink

Downtown Gilbert is full of a wide variety of restaurants and bars to choose from—all of which are delicious! No matter what mood you’re in, you can find anything from fresh guacamole made right at your table at Barrio Queen, or rich ramen and steamed pork buns at The Clever Koi—all within a quick walk from Tuft & Needle.

For a bite to eat, I’d recommend Joyride, Liberty Market, and Joe’s Farm Grill. Guy Fieri from Food Network actually featured Joe’s Farm & Grill on his show Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives!

On Tuesdays you can find our team at Joyride, where they host an awesome Taco Tuesday special, $2 tacos and $5 margaritas from 2PM-close. If you have never been to Liberty Market, make sure to make it your next lunch date spot. You are guaranteed to eat some great food and receive incredible service.

Hidden Gems

The Gilbert farmer’s market is the greatest hidden gem within the community. It is hosted nearly every Saturday morning and it is full of amazing local vendors and friendly faces. This market has really taken off in the past year so make sure to get there early to snag some of the delicious produce and home-grown flowers before they sell out. The market is full of families, dogs and people who are out enjoying their weekend!

Our favorite vendors:

Steadfast Farm Locally grown produce year round? Steadfast has some of the best crops and offers crop shares through their Community Supported Agriculture initiative.

Noble Bread We love Noble Bread at our Downtown Phoenix headquarters. Try the brioche buns or the semolina, or just stand near them and enjoy the smell of freshly-baked bread for a bit. We won’t judge.

Guacbox Potentially the cutest booth at the Farmer’s Market, Guacbox creates gourmet guacamole fresh every weekend. The Tajin Mango and Cilantro Pineapple are both amazing options to take home!

Gilbert is also home to some amazing parks. Cosmo Dog Park is recognized as the 4th Best Dog Park in the United States. Freestone Park is also located in Gilbert and has a ton of space to do just about anything including a playground, skatepark, picnic area, trails for biking and much more.

The Riparian Preserve is another hidden gem not far from the Heritage District. If you want to learn a little more about Arizona’s wildlife and ecology, this is the perfect place for scenic views and up-close education.

Must-sees

Hale Centre Theater is known as the longest running, privately owned theatre in America and is a must see while in Gilbert! This historic, intimate theatre space hosts a variety of shows like Annie, Sister Act and A Christmas Carol. A show at Hale will not disappoint!

Tourist traps

Food trucks are incredible and we all enjoy strolling from one delicious truck to the next every Friday night in downtown Gilbert, but the lines can get pretty long and the park gets pretty crowded. While not necessarily a “trap”, if you aren’t desperate to do it, you might want to skip on the Friday night food trucks.

Do it for the gram

Downtown Gilbert has a beautiful backdrop—the water tower. During sunset this view is definitely one to snag a photo of. Plus, there are some great murals around Gilbert including the colorful Zinburger mural on the corner of Vaughn & Gilbert Rd.

The Art House Gilbert also has an iconic mural for all Gilbert lovers, “You had me at Gilbert” which is located on the side of their building. You can also swing by for one of their classes or a Paint & Wine night!

And lastly, if you find yourself in Downtown Gilbert, swing by our Gilbert Tuft & Needle store and say hi!