Restaurant inside Queen Creek Olive Mill reopens
'Agritainment' captures interest of Arizonans
Lars Jacoby
Arizona Business Gazette
Aug. 30, 2007 12:00 AM
The Queen Creek Olive Mill has opened for its new season with extended hours to dine among the olive trees.
Morning commuters can swing by del Piero at the Mill for an Italian-inspired breakfast. The restaurant, which opened late last season, still serves lunch and dinner.
"We are just hoping to capture the early-morning driver that goes by," owner Perry Rea said.
"We don't want to be a Starbucks, but (last season) people were knocking on our doors first thing in the morning, so why not?"
The change has gone well so far, despite little publicity for the new breakfast menu, said Alicia Popple, general manager and chef.
"It was actually pretty good our first day," Popple said. "Word is getting out."
All the menu items are Italian-inspired, and the lunch menu includes a variety of sandwiches, or panini, salads and desserts.
"It's delicious, especially the salad," said Gilbert resident Tina Landbo, who was eating lunch at the mill with her husband, George, recently.
"We stopped by several weeks ago, and they were closed, but a sign said they were opening . . . and we drove out," Landbo said.
Both agreed it was worth the drive.
Queen Creek Olive Mill closed for the season in June.
And if people are driving out to the mill for breakfast or lunch, Rea hopes they take advantage of the tours the mill offers.
Rea said the tour includes a trip to the small grove out front, where customers can also dine, to learn about olive fruit and go into the mill's clean room where olives are pressed to make the mill's own label of extra virgin olive oil.
"It's really become 'agritainment,' " Rea said.
"We really strive to educate people on the benefits of olives."
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