Sometimes a change in scenery can be a good thing. It can change your outlook on life or just make your day better. Leaving the usual college environment and escaping to a different city for a few hours can make a huge difference. Whether the trip takes you to Glendale, Scottsdale or Gilbert, here are a few restaurants you shouldn't miss.
Photo by Shelby Hyde1. Rehab Burger Therapy
7210 East 2nd Street Scottsdale, Ariz. 85251
Monday – Tuesday: 11 a.m. – 9p.m.
Wednesday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Need a break from everyday life? Want to escape the desert heat and transport yourself to a beach-like atmosphere? Want to indulge yourself in a burger with friends?
Rehab Burger Therapy does just that.
An environment where surfers are riding waves on the television, bicycles are hanging from the ceiling, surfboards are hung from the cool-blue and light-green walls and relaxing music plays throughout the restaurant.
“Rehab Burger Therapy was founded on the idea that everyone deserves a break from the daily grind,” according to the Rehab Burger Therapy’s website.
It was designed by three friends who were trying to find the “good o’l day’s vibe."
The idea dawned on them one day when they were having a barbeque together and looking back at the good times they shared. One of them realized it was “therapeutic” while the other enjoyed a burger and the third put it all together, according to the website. They opened Rehab Burger on May 29, 2012, in hopes that others could take a break from life and relax while eating a burger.
Rehab Burger Therapy offers many extravagant burgers ranging from the PBJ and Bacon burger to the Backyard BBQ burger and much more.
So the next time the stress of college is weighing you down, take a trip to Rehab Burger Therapy and eat your stress away.
Photo by Shelby Hyde2. The Coffee Shop
3000 East Ray Road Gilbert, Ariz. 85296
Sunday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Monday – Thursday: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Birds are chirping as conversations over coffee ensue.
The patio is filled with a mix of wrought-iron tables and wicker patio furniture surrounded by greenery.
From the outside looking in, the line is long as folks decide what meal to consume. The choices range from coffees to teas and waffles to sandwiches.
On the inside, the backdrop behind the cash register is the menu written on the wall in chalk.
Of those menu choices is a warm, crisp golden-brown waffle topped with whipped cream and fresh berries, which compliments nicely with a vanilla-chai-tea latte.
According to their website, The Coffee Shop’s specialty lies in their freshly brewed coffee beverages.
Just to the side of the cash register, there is a display of the different pastries offered.
According to their website, the owners of The Coffee Shop are the Cuff and Flowers families. From those families, Jessica Cuff and Jenna Flowers appeared on the show Cupcake Wars in 2010.
Amongst these pastries on display, are vegan cupcakes from Cruelty Free Cupcakes, according to the website.
The Coffee Shop in Gilbert provides a casual-yet-contemporary feel with its brick walls, wooden accents and assortment of tables and chairs.
Toward the back of the coffee shop, there is a small, light-blue room complete with red-leather sofas, distressed, tan chairs as well as black-leather chairs. The area is slightly quieter than the rest of the coffee shop.
This may not always be the ideal place to study because of the array of people, but they do have free Wi-Fi.
It may be quaint, but it is not always quiet at this coffee shop.
So whether you come for an early morning breakfast or a Sunday brunch, this place creates a close-knit environment perfect for catching up with family and friends.
Photo by Shelby Hyde3. Joe’s Farm Grill
3000 East Ray Road Gilbert, Ariz. 85296
8 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily
The lunch crowd continues to pile in as the line is out the door on a warm Saturday afternoon.
Folks are perusing the menu as they wait to order at the window.
Joe’s Farm Grill has a menu consisting of typical American foods such as burgers, salads and fries.
“At Joe’s Farm Grill, we focus on common foods done uncommonly well and served quickly," according to their website.
There are a variety of places to sit including picnic benches under the trees or bright-blue tables paired with bright-green chairs just outside the restaurant. As for indoors, there are many gray, square tables with bright-green chairs to choose from.
Among the array of choices on the menu, Joe’s Farm Grill provides a historical background of the restaurant and its owners.
Joe’s Farm Grill was birthed from the Johnston family home built in 1966. According to the story, the restaurant was designed to be the centerpiece of Agritopia.
“We decided to keep the 60’s era look and change it to a mid-century modern design of a ‘burger stand’, while making sure that we took the greatest advantage of the peaceful setting created by the large trees," according to the website.
The unique combination of the 60s and modern look create a homey environment perfect for a quick bite to eat or a casual dine-in with friends.
Photo by Shelby Hyde4. Saddle Ranch Chop House
9375 West Coyotes Boulevard Glendale, Ariz. 85305
Monday – Friday: 11 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Saturday – Sunday: 9 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Rock 'n’ roll music and country décor may not be a combination that quickly comes to mind, but at this restaurant it is an everyday occurrence.
The outside of the building is complete with wooden panels, wagon wheels and wooden barrels.
This country-western theme is not only limited to the outside, but also seamlessly flows to the inside. However, there is an added twist of rock 'n’ roll music playing throughout the restaurant.
The inside consists of a large, mechanical bull to the right of the entrance. The walls are covered with a variety of signs including, “Close friends are folks who share the same tooth pick” and “There was never a horse that couldn’t be rode.”
Saddle Ranch Chop House is “bringing a little piece of Hollywood straight to you,” according to the restaurant’s menu.
They serve a variety of foods ranging from pancakes to steaks. According to their website, every Tuesday is all-you-can-eat ribs from 6 -11 p.m. A few of their specialties include BBQ Baby Back Ribs, a Thai Peanut Crunch salad and a Steak Sandwich.
Because Saddle Ranch Chop House provides a plethora of choices there is a little something for everyone.
So whether you choose to eat a Caesar salad or jumbo garlic shrimp, this place provides a unique combination of rock 'n’ roll and country-western.
These restaurants have much to offer and are good to keep in mind for an upcoming day trip. However, the choice is yours. Which restaurant will you choose to experience on your next day trip?
Reach the writer at shyde1@asu.edu or via Twitter @ShelbyHyde.
