Downtown Gilbert takes brunch seriously. Very seriously. Fortunately, Rosewood got the memo — and brought short ribs, stellar cocktails and a dangerously convenient cookie shop along for the ride. The best part? Rosewood + Bad Honey are still an undiscovered gem duo that you simply must run to try. Immediately. Put it at the top of your list.
Rosewood and its sweet-tooth accomplice, Bad Honey, recently opened in the former Lo-Lo’s space in downtown Gilbert’s Heritage District, where brunch is practically a competitive sport.
Executive chef Joshua Dul brings serious culinary cred, having worked with acclaimed chef Mark Tarbell and Valley favorite Buck & Rider. His approach? Keep brunch familiar, make it exceptional and let the food do the talking.
“We wanted to make it more casual, more familiar and what I like to refer to as ‘relateable,'” says Dul.
Despite hearing Gilbert diners wanted upscale and fancy, Dul discovered they prefer relaxed dining with familiar favorites and delicious twists.
Rosewood delivers with a focused menu, thoughtful cocktails and an elevated urban farmhouse aesthetic punctuated by music icons. Stylish without trying too hard.
“We want people to know they can come in and get really good food, and we don’t want to be pretentious and uppity,” says Dul. Mission accomplished.
A Hidden Gem: Your Next Brunch Obsession Awaits.
Like any brunch spot worth its salt — preferably on a glass rim — Rosewood knows cocktails are part of the assignment.
Three standouts: Ring Around the Frosé, Pink Paradiso and the exceptional New York Sour. Each was stellar, with serious bartender love. Naturally, a return visit is necessary. Strictly for quality control.
The uncomplicated Savory Side menu features The Classic, Rosewood Omelet, West Coast Benny, Avocado Toast, Biscuit Sunrise and Short Rib Burrito.
Avocado Toast gets an upgrade with smashed avocado, heirloom cherry tomatoes, pickled red onion and a sunny-side-up egg. Dul insists on Tribeca Oven bread because nobody wants premium toppings riding around on mediocre toast.
Then there’s the Rosewood Omelet. And this one deserves a moment.
Tender short rib, caramelized onions and tangy goat cheese meet sweet tomato jam in a beautiful brunch balancing act. An omelet worth obsessing over. And Gilbert brunch has officially arrived.
Bad to the Bone. Sweet to the Core.
Just when you’ve exercised admirable restraint, Bad Honey enters the picture. And there goes the willpower and your diet.
Bad Honey is the brainchild of Chandler Barber, whose husband, restaurateur Charles Barber Jr., affectionately calls her “Honey.” Already popular on social media for gigantic cookies, Barber created a walk-in destination for instant indulgence.
Her secret? Small batches, quality ingredients and a sprinkle of love. Just really good cookies that don’t believe in portion control.
On our visit, cases overflowed with pumpkin chocolate chip, lemon, sugar, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle and chocolate chip cookies, plus oatmeal whoopie pies.
Barber says she won’t judge if you devour an entire cookie before reaching your car. That’s our kind of judgment-free environment.
Bargain hunters can snag “Day Olds,” yesterday’s cookies packaged to go, buy two, get one free. Yesterday’s cookies at today’s discount? That’s not a consolation prize. That’s strategy.
Insider Takeaways
- Clean freak, culinary edition: Dul’s medical-industry upbringing inspired his meticulously maintained kitchen. Practically spotless enough for surgery. Almost.
- Serious chef cred, zero attitude: Experience with Mark Tarbell and Buck & Rider, minus the culinary theatrics.
- An omelet worth obsessing over: Short rib, caramelized onions, goat cheese and tomato jam. Breakfast eggs, upgraded.
- Cocktails aren’t an afterthought: Ring Around the Frosé, Pink Paradiso and the New York Sour deserve their own encore.
- There’s a real Honey behind Bad Honey: Chandler Barber’s nickname-inspired cookie shop serves oversized, small-batch indulgences.
- Yesterday’s cookies, today’s sweet deal: Bad Honey’s “Day Olds” are buy two, get one free. Because discounted giant cookies are even better.
Visit Rosewood for a full list of brunch, lunch and dinner menu options and visit Bad Honey for additional information.
