Much has changed since Dr. A.J. Chandler established his eponymous city in 1912. And yet he would surely still recognize his city’s downtown today.
By Leah LeMoine | Photography by Angelina Aragon
Much has changed since Dr. A.J. Chandler established his eponymous city in 1912. What began as an agrarian community teeming with cattle and ostriches is now a hub for Arizona’s “Silicon Desert,” flush with tech and manufacturing jobs. And yet Chandler himself would surely still recognize his city’s downtown today – despite population booms, evolving infrastructure and shifting boundaries, it maintains the spirit of the central park flanked by local businesses he designed at the turn of the century. The main difference: more coffee shops and wine bars.
3 Places to Eat
Peixoto Coffee
Julia Peixoto Peters takes her coffee sourcing beyond fair trade – she imports beans grown on her family farm in Brazil. After opening a second location in Gilbert in 2022, she’s sprucing up her Chandler flagship this summer in anticipation of its 10th anniversary in January 2025.
11 W. Boston St.
480-275-2843, peixotocoffee.com
Mingle + Graze
By day, this cheese shop and café is a lunch spot with sandwiches inspired by owners Mahfam Moeeni-Alarcon’s Persian heritage and Cristobal Alarcon’s Chilean roots.Thursday through Saturday, it boasts dinner, cocktails and wine. Reservations required.
48 San Marcos Pl.
480-726-2264, mingleandgraze.com
Maple House
The Hidden House, The Brickyard Downtown and Elliott’s Steakhouse have revolutionized the food scene in Chandler. Maple House is the latest from the team behind those hits, an all-day café that takes you from morning cappuccino to nightcap.
198 W. Boston St.
480-247-8727, maplehouseaz.com
3 Things To Do
Spin the Bottle
Brush up on your hosting skills with a class at this bottle shop, which stocks global wines and Arizona beers. Learn how to make the perfect charcuterie plate or how to pair drinks with your dinner party menu. Public and private workshops available.
105 W. Boston St.
480-590-3392, spinthebottleaz.com
Vision Gallery
Art permeates downtown Chandler, from murals and traffic control boxes designed by local artists to Chandler Center for the Arts and this not-for-profit gallery managed by the Chandler Cultural Foundation. Admission to exhibits like Cruising: The Lowrider Art Exhibit (through June 8) is always free.
10 E. Chicago St.
480-782-2695, visiongallery.org
d’Vine Gourmet
Locavores mourned when Sibley’s West, a shop selling only Arizona-made products, closed in 2021. Fortunately, this market offering scads of local goods quickly opened in its spot. Stock up on snacks and sundries and assemble a DIY Arizona gift basket.
72 S. San Marcos Pl.
480-275-5320, stores.dvinegourmet.com
Photo Op!
“Desert Nights” by Lauren Lee
Arizona’s state plant and bird – the saguaro and the cactus wren – are represented in this mural in the Downtown Breezeway, between Oregon Street and Arizona Avenue.
Overnight Option
The Stanley
“Adorable desert modernism” is the vibe at this vacation rental and event space, which includes three separate bungalows joined by a private courtyard, a spa, yard games and a selfie wall.
158 W. Boston St.
602-684-0205,
thestanleyaz.com
