Trying to prioritize healthy eating? Just looking for a unique, fresh meal? The newly opened Flower Child is the place for you.

Flower Child is one of the newest Sam Fox Concepts restaurants to come to Gilbert; other restaurants in the family are Culinary Dropout and North Italia (which is just next door). This restaurant is not the first of its kind, however, as the first location was opened in Phoenix in 2014.

Their tagline is “Healthy Food for a Happy World,” and their menu boasts a wide variety of vegetarian, vegan, paleo, and gluten free options, all delicious, fresh, and relatively healthy. Flower Child offers everything from salads,  bowls, and wraps, to plates with chicken, salmon, steak, shrimp, and tofu.

Prices range from $6 to $7 for appetizers and from $8.95 to $15.50 for entrees. Although it tends to be more pricey than a restaurant like Panera, it’s worth it for a unique experience and fresher food.

In my last few visits, I have tried both the Chicken Enchiladas and the Salmon. Additionally, I sampled sides such as Sweet Corn and Quinoa, Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese, Smashed Gold Potato, and Roasted Butternut Squash.

Chicken Enchiladas

The chicken in the enchiladas had a good, traditional pollo asado taste. This was wrapped in a crispy corn tortilla, and topped generously with melted cheese. The only downside was that there seemed to be more cabbage and cilantro garnish than beans and corn. Overall, it was a great dish and I would try it again.

Salmon

The salmon was well seasoned, had a good crust, and did everything it needed to do to be great. When it comes to salmon, restaurants tend to be a little stingy but there was a generous portion for the price.

Corn and Quinoa

This side tends to be very polarizing. It’s good at first, but about halfway through eating, you kind of get sick of it. It has a very unique flavor and texture. Does contain greek yogurt so not a great dairy free option.

Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese

The pasta is good for what it is, however, I’m not. fan of white cheddar. The cheese is too sharp for the traditional cozy mac and cheese flavor, which was only enhanced by the grana padano (similar to parmesan).

Smashed Gold Potato

The potatoes are a 10/10, perfectly seasoned and loaded with garlic. The potatoes have a great texture, not too smooth, but also not too chunky.

Roasted Butternut Squash

The dish is dynamic with apple, puffed rice, goji berry, and chestnut. It’s the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and tart. The texture of the tender squash, crisp apple, and crunchy chestnut play very well off of each other.

The restaurant itself has a really great atmosphere. The interior is green and white with lots of natural lighting. It’s a step above casual dining, making it perfect for family dinners, celebrations, and even lunch/dinner dates.

There’s a glass partition between the kitchen and dining room which means patrons can see exactly what’s happening. This also enhances the sense of transparency between chef and consumer that the restaurant has created.

Located on the corner of Williams Field and Santan Village Parkway, the restaurant is open 11am-9pm daily. They offer dine-in, to-go, and curbside pickup.