Fire & Brimstone is located in Gilbert, AZ inside of a building called Barnone, which is dubbed a “Craftsman Community.” Barnone itself is something special, and is on the cutting-edge of an evolution of the Arizona food and beverage scene.
This giant reinforced barn now houses several original concepts, not simply comprised of food and beverage businesses. All the residents at Barnone share the same philosophy of being locally focused and revolving around the well-being of the community.
Fire & Brimstone sits alongside other hotspots like The Uprooted Kitchen, which focuses on organic, plant-centric cuisine using fresh produce from the Farm at Agritopia (also on the property). Just around the corner is Garage East, a wine bar not bound to conventional methods and not afraid to experiment. 12 West Brewing even has a taproom space with a beer for everyone that is merely steps from the ordering stand at Fire & Brimstone. Then there is our feature, Fire and Brimstone. Much like its counterparts, Fire & Brimstone uses ingredients pulled straight from the Farm at Agritopia. It has a unique and inviting vibe, intentionally designed by owner James Johnston. If you recognize the last name Johnston, you need not be reminded of James’ father, Joe Johnston–the restaurateur mastermind behind such concepts like Joe’s Farm Grill, Joe’s Real BBQ, Liberty Market, and Topo in downtown Gilbert.
With Fire & Brimstone, James is making his own mark. James is embracing rustic cooking methods with an eclectic menu centered around a beautiful wood-fired oven. While you can order classics like sandwiches (try the ham and cheese) and salads, James shows off his true culinary skills with items like his Shakshouka. Fire & Brimstone’s take on this popular Middle Eastern dish features fried egg, a hearty tomato and pepper sauce, and a southwestern flair of jalapeno and cilantro. James’ pizza menu features classics like the triple cheese (shredded mozzarella, whipped ricotta, and parmesan) and also has some trendier pizzas like a BBQ chicken, buffalo chicken, and a baked potato pizza.
You will see James’s creativity and community spirit through his collaboration with a neighboring business of Barnone in the Romanoff pizza. This vegan pizza uses plant-based cheese and tempeh sausage from The Uprooted Kitchen immersed in a tomato sauce topped with roasted pepper and onion. James also has something special for especially adventurous folks, a dill pickle pizza! Appropriately named The Big Dill, this pizza has a garlic oil base, shredded mozzarella, ricotta, dill pickles, buttermilk dressing, and fresh dill.
Whether you enjoy the classics or want to go out on a limb and be bold, Fire & Brimstone will whip something for you, doing so with spectacular execution. The vibe and communal aspects of dining at Fire & Brimstone are an experience you will enjoy and want to revisit again!
Written by Steven Larson
Photography by Luke Irvin