The East Valley—Gilbert in particular— has plenty of good restaurants, but it’s definitely lacking ones that are nice. Date night nice. Let’s spend a lot of money on your birthday nice. Shimogamo is that. When you go to Shimogamo, you kind of feel like you’re somewhere important. It’s not the fanciest place in town, but it’s very elegant.

First & Last is billed as a nice restaurant for nice people. Or maybe it’s just nice food for nice people. Either way, it works. The food is broadly Italian—although the place doesn’t necessarily feel culturally Italian—and the vibe is very put together. It’s not “nice” per se, but nice enough to go for a business lunch or a casual date. I think “smart” is the word I’m going for.