Hard to believe it’s been 20 years since Jeff Flancer opened his first restaurant on Main Street, now Gilbert Road, in Downtown Gilbert.
“I couldn’t have done it without my hard-working, committed and loyal staff who have been with me through the years,” said Jeff. “We all have the mission of serving our guests the best Rockin’ Your Taste Buds Gourmet Grub.”
“Back then, I never imagined how much Gilbert would grow up all around us,” Jeff said. “In April 2000, I had just sold my café in Santa Fe, and found this little restaurant building that had all the stuff I needed to bake my own bread and set up a casual dining establishment. With a little work, it was just perfect.”
With the growing population and popularity of Downtown Gilbert venues, Jeff totally remodeled the location about 10 years ago, giving it a hipper vibe. It was about the same time that Jeff decided to open his second location in Mesa on Higley Road, just south of McKellips Road.
Award-Winning Food
But what Flancer’s is most known for is the food. “We have a large menu of all the things people love to order out – sandwiches, burger, salads and appetizers, as well as beers, wine and mixed drinks. But what makes us different is that we have a unique gourmet twist on all our offerings,” said Jeff.
For instance, at Flancer’s you don’t just get a chicken sandwich. You get a prickly-pear-marinated chicken breast with melted provolone, lettuce and tomato, and homemade New Mexican green chile aioli on their own fresh-baked bread.
In fact, this sandwich, The Perfect Prickly Pear Chicken, won Best Sandwich in Phoenix and honorable mention as Best Sandwich in America, in a nationwide contest hosted by Restaurant Hospitality Magazine.
In addition, they even hold the interesting distinction of winning Best Use of Prickly Pear Fruit in an Entrée.
Flancer’s has also been awarded Best of Gilbert, Top Five Restaurants in Gilbert, Best Neighborhood Restaurant and a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. They were also featured as a favorite Mesa eatery on PBS Channel 8 TV’s Check, Please! Arizona, a popular dining review series.
Jeff, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York, utilizes the expertise of his more than 30 years in the food industry to create every scrumptious dish.
Flancer’s is open for inside dining but now that more people are dining at home, Jeff suggests ordering take-out of one of their Family Kits. There’s make-it-yourself (or not) Pizza Kit with all the fixings and a side, and three choices of pasta dinners, such as Baked Chipotle Pasta and garlic bread with Caesar salad, green salad or French onion soup.
Flancer’s has always done takeout and catering, and can deliver larger orders of individually packed sandwiches, burgers, salads and sides. “If you order off our website and pick up at the restaurant, it saves us both some money,” Jeff said.
Giving back
During his 20 years as a chef and restaurateur in the East Valley, Jeff has sponsored dozens of fund-raising events, such as pizza-eating contests, culinary contests and runs for such charities as Warfighter Sports, Jewish Family and Children’s Services and Sunshine Acres. All-in-all he has raised more than $393,000.
Legend of the Flancer Goat
And then there’s the myth and mystery of the Flancer Goat. Almost everyone who’s ever eaten at Flancer’s has probably heard The Legend of the Flancer Goat, a mythical creature who lived thousands of years ago in Southern Arizona, then a lush green land. With his voracious appetite for fresh, succulent and delicious food, the goat turned Arizona into a desert. Although some believe the Flancer goat to be extinct, many claim to have seen a flash of him while dining at Flancer’s.
So, join Jeff in celebrating 20 years by indulging in some great gourmet grub at Flancer’s.
Flancer’s is located in Mesa at 1902 N. Higley Road, (480) 396-0077. For menus, events and information, visit flancers.com or facebook.com/flancersmesa.