Wood Ranch picked Gilbert for its first restaurant outside California

Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill is planning its flagship Arizona restaurant at 2218 E. Williams Field Road. The chain runs 18 locations, all of them in California, so Gilbert would be its first outside the state. The menu runs to smoked brisket, pulled pork, ribs, grilled steaks, seafood and burgers; an Arizona menu has not been released. The company says it expects to open in early fall 2027 and has not set an exact date.