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Up for an adventure? Look no further than the Olive Mill in Queen Creek. Yes, it is a stretch for most people living in the valley but the drive on a Saturday or Sunday is quick with no real traffic. Plus, once you hear what they offer you’ll only be thinking about the food and drink all the way there.
Arriving at the Olive Mill you’ll park in front of a large building just off a dirt road alongside some farm land (already feeling far away from the city). As you walk around you’ll be greeted by a busy patio with misters, music and people enjoying their meals with a bottle of wine or some fresh lemonade. The whole patio lined with olive trees just relaxes you immediately and it feels a bit like Europe. Before we went in, we decided to walk the olive grove and sit on some of the benches provided. It was calming sitting underneath the shade of olive trees and not hearing the usual buzz of traffic or sirens, but I had my mind on food as always and those people with wine were making me jealous.
Stepping inside the main building you’re greeted with another distraction before you can get to the counter to order food: wine, olive oils and a large number of tapenades with samples. Anytime I see samples my feet move themselves in that direction (Costco being my favorite store for this very reason). They had all kinds of tapenades to try with ingredients like artichokes, Asiago cheese, jalapeños and other local items. They had olives stuffed with oregano and feta and others with jalapeños and Mexican lime. You can easily spend 10 minutes just browsing the store and trying items. They also have staff walking around to answer questions or tell you a little more about each item.
However, we finally made it to the counter and I ordered their Kalamata sandwich which was picked by Chef Beau MacMillan on Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate. After all, it’s not often you get to try something featured on the show. The Kalamata had Italian and kalamata salami, capicola, herb roasted tomatoes, provolone, red onions, greens and a balsamic herb spread on a grilled baguette. It was delicious and even more enjoyable on the patio with some lemonade and the misters hitting my back. Becky went with the Frantoio, a grilled panini with mozzarella, tomatoes, pesto and a balsamic reduction that looked good too.
Other than sandwiches, the menu has a very impressive offering of salads, bruschettas, antipastos and dessert. They even have a great selection of beer, bottled and on draft. Basically they have everything to make you happy you drove out to Queen Creek. I would definitely suggest making the trip out on the weekend sometime but make sure you bring some friends to share a good bottle of wine with too.
Tip: The Olive Mill offers tours of the grounds for just $5 where you can see and learn a bit more.
http://queencreekolivemill.com/
25062 S. Meridian Road
Queen Creek, AZ 85242