If you’re 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. It’s a true farm-to-table restaurant where most dishes are made in house, and you can taste the difference in every bite.
I’ve 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 “I need something good tonight” 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 you’re 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 it’s 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 “yes, carbs are happening” feeling. The “we’re ordering dessert, right?” feeling. Relaxed but still special. Not trying too hard, but very much delivering.
Let’s 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 don’t order this… I don’t know how to help you.
Next: the Italian Farm Salad. I know — 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. It’s 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 — and it’s great that way — but swapping the chicken for the short rib takes it to another level. If pasta isn’t 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.
Here’s 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 you’re 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 you’re planning a bigger Phoenix-to-Tucson adventure, learn more in my post about Best Places to Stay in Tucson — it pairs perfectly with a food-focused trip.
Their brunch is so good that choosing between brunch and dinner is impossible. You shouldn’t 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 don’t order at least one bread or one cheesy item, I’m 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, “Wait — what did they order?”, the whole experience just feels special.
It’s the perfect pre-movie dinner. The perfect I-just-got-a-promotion dinner. The perfect “it’s Tuesday but I want to feel alive” 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 mean… yes. Absolutely yes. I’ve eaten my way through the East Valley, and North Italia stays at the very top of my list. Whether you’re going all-in on pasta, treating yourself to a cozy brunch, or simply looking for a guaranteed great meal, you’ll find it here. And if you do the short-rib swap on the Strozzapreti, please report back so we can collectively celebrate.
I ate chilaquiles while a Cessna taxied past the window, and that’s just a normal Tuesday breakfast in Sedona.
@mesa_grill_sedona sits right beside the Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout, so along with your food you get red rock views stretching in every direction and a front-row seat to tiny planes lifting off. Chef Mercer Mohr runs the kitchen, serving up Southwestern comfort food from breakfast through dinner, chilaquiles, elevated diner classics, burgers, steaks, seafood, all of it.
The view is what pulls people in the door, but the food actually holds its own. Good enough that this place stays packed with locals, not just tourists passing through on their way to the lookout. It also picked up the 2025 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice and OpenTable Diners’ Choice awards, so it’s not just me saying it.
Indoor seating if you want the AC, a pet-friendly patio if your dog’s along for the trip. Either way, get there before plane-spotting turns into a wait for a table.
Link in bio for the full Sedona breakfast roundup ✈️🌵
Confession: my newsletter is where the good stuff lives. Not the polished, edited-for-the-grid stuff, the “here’s the hole-in-the-wall I almost skipped” stuff, the packing lists I actually use, the “don’t book this hotel” warnings before you waste your money on them.
The newsletter is basically me texting you before a trip instead of after one. Sign up and you’ll be the first to know where I’m headed next, plus a few things I’ll never post here.
Link in bio if you want in. ✈️
Yes, it’s only July. Start planning anyway. Fall books faster than people expect, and a few of these destinations are worth getting ahead of. Here are five places worth putting on your radar right now.
Ireland: Cooler temps, moody skies, dramatic coastline fall was made for it. Tourist crowds drop, the green stays, and the whole country feels a little more like itself.
Great Smoky Mountains, TN/NC: Fall foliage in the Smokies is the real thing. The color peaks mid-October and the views from the ridgelines are hard to argue with. It’s also one of the most visited national parks in the country, so going on a weekday makes a real difference.
New York City: Fall is NYC at its best comfortable temps, the energy of the city shifting into a new season, and every neighborhood doing something worth showing up for. It’s also just a great walking city when it’s not brutally hot.
Japan: Fall foliage season is as good as spring cherry blossoms and somehow less talked about. The colors are dramatic, the temples and gardens are stunning, and it’s worth planning around peak dates by region.
Mystic, Connecticut: Small, walkable, genuinely charming Mystic in fall feels like exactly what a New England autumn is supposed to look like. Easy to pair with a broader New England road trip if you want to extend it.
Full guides linked in bio 🍂
There are two kinds of travelers: people who plan a trip and then figure out where to eat, and people who book a restaurant and then build the rest of the itinerary around it.I am the second kind. I will not apologize for this.
The reservation gets locked in first. The hotel search happens within the same 24 hours. The flights get compared around the restaurant’s hours of operation. The rest of the trip exists to fill the days before and after the table I actually came for.
If this sounds unhinged, I completely understand. It has also resulted in some of the best meals of my life, so I’m going to keep doing it.
Drop a 🍽️ if you plan your trips around food too.
Let’s talk about when to actually book that Dubai trip you’ve been pinning for two years. I get asked this constantly, so here’s the honest breakdown: October through April is your window. Anything outside that and you’re basically touring in a sauna!
October and November give you warm days and cooler nights, which is basically the sweet spot for wandering around without melting. December through February is peak season: gorgeous weather. March and April are the quiet insider pick, right before summer heat shows up and ruins everyone’s plans.
Saving this for later? That’s what it’s here for. Full breakdown linked in bio.
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
