If youโre looking for a reliable, consistently good East Valley restaurant that nails the food, the service, and the atmosphere, this North Italia Mesa Review is exactly what you need. North Italia quickly became a spot I genuinely love in the Mesa/Gilbert area. Itโs a true farm-to-table restaurant where most dishes are made in house, and you can taste the difference in every bite.
Iโve been to the Gilbert location (they have several in Arizona), and the vibe is that perfect mix of stylish, warm, and buzzy. Modern Italian without being stuffy. Cozy enough that you can sit with a cocktail forever, but nice enough that you can also bring your parents or go on a date. It works for brunch with friends, date night, family dinner, or the โI need something good tonightโ kind of night. Their brunch is incredible, their dinner is even better, and my personal must-orders never change: the White Truffle Garlic Bread (house-made ricotta, mozzarella, grana padano, and fresh herbs), the Italian Farm Salad with that oregano vinaigrette that will absolutely change your life, and the Strozzapreti pasta, where I always swap the chicken for the short rib because it turns the already-creamy mix of roasted mushrooms, spinach, parmesan cream, and toasted pine nuts into pure magic.
If youโre planning a bigger Arizona itinerary around your meal (highly recommend), check out my guide to A Weekend in Tucson: Desert Views, Saguaro Magic & Seriously Good Eats for more foodie inspiration.
The first time I walked into North Italia, I immediately understood why people talk about it like itโs a lifestyle choice. The lighting is warm, the kitchen is open, the bar is always busy (in a good way), and the patio is basically made for perfect-weather days.
It has that โyes, carbs are happeningโ feeling. The โweโre ordering dessert, right?โ feeling. Relaxed but still special. Not trying too hard, but very much delivering.
Letโs get straight to the point.
My table always starts with the White Truffle Garlic Bread. Always. The combo of house-made ricotta, mozzarella, grana padano, and fresh herbs is ridiculous in the best way. If you go and donโt order thisโฆ I donโt know how to help you.
Next: the Italian Farm Salad. I know โ talking about a salad at an Italian place sounds unnecessary. But this one is loaded: salami, speck, provolone, pepperoncini, olive, heirloom cherry tomato, cucumber, pickled red onion, piquillo pepper, herb breadcrumb, and that oregano vinaigrette. Itโs a full meal and somehow still addicting.
The Strozzapreti pasta is my forever favorite. The menu lists it with herb-roasted chicken, roasted mushroom, spinach, parmesan cream, and toasted pine nut โ and itโs great that way โ but swapping the chicken for the short rib takes it to another level. If pasta isnโt your thing (cannot relate), the Burrata with warm ciabatta, the Meatballs, the classic Margherita pizza, and the Bolognese are all solid.
They rotate seasonal dishes too, and when they had that strawberry orange panna cotta, I absolutely thought about ordering more than one.
Hereโs the truth: this place fills up fast. Reservations are a very good idea during peak hours, the patio is great when the weather cooperates, and the service is consistently excellent. Whether youโre a local or visiting the East Valley, North Italia in Gilbert is one of those restaurants you can count on to be good every single time.
If youโre planning a bigger Phoenix-to-Tucson adventure, learn more in my post about Best Places to Stay in Tucson โ it pairs perfectly with a food-focused trip.
Their brunch is so good that choosing between brunch and dinner is impossible. You shouldnโt choose. You should go to both.
Expect lemon ricotta pancakes, baked eggs, good cocktails, and all the prosciutto-cheese-carb combinations you could hope for. If you go and donโt order at least one bread or one cheesy item, Iโm just going to assume you accidentally read the wrong menu.
Dinner is where North Italia really shines. Between the warm lighting, the clinking glasses, and the steady stream of dishes floating by that make you lean over and whisper, โWait โ what did they order?โ, the whole experience just feels special.
Itโs the perfect pre-movie dinner. The perfect I-just-got-a-promotion dinner. The perfect โitโs Tuesday but I want to feel aliveโ dinner.
Mid-meal tip: if you want to explore even more great stops during your Arizona trip, check out my Phoenix to Tucson Road Trip Itinerary for ideas you can easily add before or after your meal.
I meanโฆ yes. Absolutely yes. Iโve eaten my way through the East Valley, and North Italia stays at the very top of my list. Whether youโre going all-in on pasta, treating yourself to a cozy brunch, or simply looking for a guaranteed great meal, youโll find it here. And if you do the short-rib swap on the Strozzapreti, please report back so we can collectively celebrate.
Amsterdam has a way of making you feel like you need to see everything, and then rewarding you most when you slow down anyway. The museums and canal cruises are worth it, but so is just wandering neighborhoods, eating whatever looks good, and sitting along the canals with a grilled cheese and nowhere to be.
First-time visitor guide is on the blog. Link in bio. ๐ท
#travelling #travel #amsterdam #visitamsterdam #traveleurope
10 stops. One very full day. Zero regrets. Amsterdam has one of the best food scenes Iโve experienced anywhere in Europe, but the honest caveat is that some of the viral spots come with lines that will genuinely test your character. I skipped a few. I regret nothing.
Hereโs what actually made the cut on my self-guided Amsterdam food tour:
Fresh stroopwafels at Hans Egstorf: made right in front of you, warm caramel, no line. This one won.
Lourens cookie croissant: flaky outside, gooey chocolate inside. Did not share.
Cafรฉ Winkel 43 apple pie: one of the rare viral places that fully lives up to the hype.
Davieโs Amsterdam for the Lelie sandwich: pastrami, pickles, marbled bread. Deceptively simple. Absolutely excellent.
De Kaaskamer to end the day: 400+ cheeses, grilled cheese with what they call ketchup (itโs not ketchup, and itโs better), and bunker cheese aged in underground military bunkers.
The full route covers 10 stops through Jordaan, the 9 Streets, the canal district, and the flower market area with a Google Map included so you can just follow along.
Full guide with every stop, tips for beating the lines, and what Iโd skip vs. do again | link in bio.
#amsterdam #visitamsterdam #netherlands #travel #visitnetherlands #traveleurope
Thereโs a version of Gatlinburg thatโs all fudge shops and tourist crowds, and then thereโs the version that actually makes you want to come back.
Hereโs everything worth doing downtown, in the order Iโd do it: ๐๏ธ
โจ Start at @gatlinburgskypark before the crowds hit
โจ Walk the strip mid-morning when itโs still manageable
โจ @googooclusters stop (see my post from Tuesday: donโt skip it)
โจ Dinner at one of the local spots off the main drag
โจ Wander back out at night when the lights are on and it gets actually pretty
This isnโt your overscheduled Smoky Mountain itinerary. Itโs more of a โhereโs what Iโd actually do if I had one solid dayโ kind of list.
Full downtown Gatlinburg guide linked in bio. ๐
If someone told me Iโd spend five hours at SkyPark, I would not have believed them. And yet. ๐
Gatlinburg SkyPark sits above the strip and itโs one of those places that looks like a quick stop on paper and turns into most of your afternoon. The SkyBridge alone is worth it โ longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America, and yes, you will look down.
โจ SkyBridge (longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America)
โจ SkyLift ride up with views of the Smokies
โจ Walking trails with mountain views in every direction
โจ Way less crowded than downtown
Fair warning: if heights genuinely freak you out, the bridge might not be your thing. The rest of the park is still 100% worth it. Full guide with tickets, tips, and what to skip linked in bio. ๐
I walked into Goo Goo Cluster in downtown Gatlinburg thinking Iโd spend five minutes and leave with a small piece of candy. I was wrong on both counts. ๐
You build your own chocolate cluster at a kiosk: caramel, sea salt, pretzels, cocoa pebbles, you name it, and then watch them make it right in front of you. The whole thing takes about 15 minutes and costs $15.
The caveat? This is not a snack. This is a full-size brick of chocolate that I was still eating two days later.
If youโre already walking the Gatlinburg strip, this is an easy yes. Especially if you have absolutely no self-control around caramel. (Asking for a friend.) Full experience breakdown linked in bio. ๐
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