Foodies find nirvana at these Southeast Valley spots

• The Queen Creek Olive Mill showcases many local food vendors
• The Pork Shop in Queen Creek can create custom sausage recipes
• The Power Road Farmers Market in Mesa is hosting a Hatch chile festival in September

For self-proclaimed foodies like Debbie Forrestt and Victoria Margaritas, the Queen Creek Olive Mill is worth a drive to the "other side of the world."

The friends live in central and north Phoenix, respectively, and make the 100-mile round trip to the mill about twice a year. They stock up on olives, oils, pasta, vinegar and other supplies and get lunch while they are there.

"We both like to cook," Forrestt said. "We're not chefs or anything, but we are particular about food and what we present on the table. It's worth the drive because we live clear on the other side of the world from here."

Margaritas said she loves buying quality, local ingredients.

"It's not dead food that has traveled for days on a truck to get here," Margaritas said.

Southeast Valley foodies don't have to drive that far. There are plenty of spots in the area to indulge their passions, including specialty stores such as the Pork Shop, Lee Lee International Supermarket and the Farm at Agritopia.

The Southeast Valley is rich in what foodies crave, places such as the Queen Creek Olive Mill that feature local products.

"We call it our Partners in Passion program," Olive Mill General Manager Rob Holmes said. "We like to showcase local products."

The Queen Creek Olive Mill carries sausages made at the nearby Pork Shop; pasta and pizza dough made with flour from Hayden Flour Mill in Phoenix, which will be moving to Queen Creek this fall; Laura's Gourmet Granola, also made in Tempe; and Cerretta's chocolate from Glendale.

Bill Mohrweis, who runs Superstition Coffee at the Olive Mill, is a retired coffee buyer who used to sell freshly roasted coffee to the store. Olive Mill owners convinced him to set up his own shop.

"It's a good fit," Mohrweis said. "There are a lot of similarities between coffee beans and olives. We have a lot of things in common."

Bob Wielock appreciates the synergy that brought Mohrweis and his coffee to the Olive Mill. Wielock and his wife come to the mill about once a week from their home in Gilbert. They enjoy a cup of coffee and stock up on other items.

"We started coming here for the Olive Mill, but the coffee is great," Wielock said. "We love the atmosphere. Everybody is so pleasant."

Foodie favorites

The Queen Creek Olive Mill is not the only shop frequented by Southeast Valley foodies. Here are other favorites:

The Farm at Agritopia, 3000 E. Ray Road (between Higley and Greenfield roads), Gilbert: For foodies hungry for locally grown, organic produce. A former family farm has been converted into Agritopia, a mixed-use development that includes residences, community gardens, Joe's Farm Grill, the Coffee Shop and farmers markets on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings.

The farm stand is a 24-hour farmers market run on the honor system. The stand is in a large cooler on the property. Customers can pick up organic vegetables, fruits and eggs grown on-site and leave cash or a check in a drop box.

In the Farm's Community Supported Agriculture program, users pay in advance for eight weeks of seasonal vegetables and fruits. Would-be farmers can lease a 20-square-foot plot to grow produce and there are also "u-pick" opportunities.

Information:www.thefarmatagritopia.com, 480-988-1238.

Lee Lee International Supermarket, 2020 N. Dobson Road (at Warner Road), Chandler: Meng Truong started Lee Lee Oriental Supermarket in a Mesa storefront in 1990 to provide hard-to-find Asian food items. The store's selection grew along with its customer base until it was necessary to move to its 52,000-square-foot space in 1999.

The store is the anchor in a shopping plaza with a variety of businesses that cater to the area's Asian community. The supermarket has broadened its selection to include ethnic food items from throughout the world.

Lee Lee stocks more than 200,000 products from 30 countries, and the name has been changed to Lee Lee International Supermarket, online at least. The signs, on the buildings (there are also Lee Lee Supermarkets in Peoria and Tucson) haven't reflected the change.

Information:www.leeleesupermarket.com, 480-899-2887.

The Pork Shop, 3359 E. Combs Road, Queen Creek: For 33 years, the Pork Shop has catered to aficionados of bacon, sausages, ribs, chops and other porcine delights.

The shop has a massive smoker that churns out all sorts of sausages and prepared meats. During the holiday season, the shop's hams are in such demand that there is often a line extending into the parking lot. If you're looking for bologna, the shop has 10 varieties, including something called Kung Fu Bologna.

"That kind of happened by accident," the Pork Shop's Adrian Rodriguez said. "We mixed honey bologna with hot baloney and it turned out hot and sweet."

The Pork Shop makes special sausage blends for sale at specialty shops, including nearby Queen Creek Olive Mill. It sometimes re-creates recipes from customers. Some of those recipes wind up for sale on the store's shelves.

Information:www.theporkshopaz.com, 480-987-0101.

Power Road Farmers Market, 4011 S. Power Road (near Warner Road), Mesa: This farmers market features local produce, organic produce, hatch chiles and other products from local vendors.

Chile enthusiasts look forward to the Hatch Chile Festival on Saturday, Sept. 20, and Sunday, Sept. 21. The festival will include roasted chiles, fry bread and products from the stand's regular vendors.

Information:www.facebook.com/powerroadfarmersmarket, 480-497-0706.

Queen Creek Olive Mill, 25062 S. Meridian (at Rittenhouse Road), Queen Creek: The Olive Mill is a one-stop shop for foodies who create a home-cooked meal. Visitors choose from locally made products, including pastas, sauces, olive oils and breads. There is even a selection of wines from throughout the world.

Those wishing to grab a bite buy prepared sandwiches, snacks, meals and desserts at the on-site cafe.

The Olive Mill offers daily classes on olive oil and hosts a variety of events throughout the year.

Information:www.queencreekolivemill.com, 480-888-9290.