At noon on any given day, Wildflower Bread Co. is packed. But at noon on the day after the Gilbert eatery’s grand opening, the place was positively swamped.

The spacious eatery — located on Baseline Road just west of Val Vista Drive — is the largest of Wildflower’s six Valley stores. And still, it was so busy I was forced to brave the heat on the patio along with a dozen other unlucky diners who couldn’t snag a table inside.

And on this afternoon, the colorful, airy cafe wasn’t just packed with people (mostly women, by the way; the usual noontime suit ’n’ tie set was nowhere to be seen). It was practically overflowing with strollers and high chairs. Yes, Wildflower is a great place for a bowl of soup or a cup of coffee; but — in Gilbert, at least — it also appears to be Baby Central. As for the food, it’s worth braving that maze of high chairs and the occasional screeching infant.

I’ve sampled many of Wildflower’s sandwiches and salads before at the Tempe store, so I opted for one of the new menu items, exclusive to the Gilbert location.

The emerald spinach salad ($6.99), piled high with Gorgonzola cheese, bacon, red onions, spicy pecans and a medley of oranges, strawberries and juicy red grapes is simply scrumptious. And while I admit I was wary of the merging of onions and berries — not to mention the Gorgonzola, one of the dairy case’s boldest residents — it proved to be a sweet ’n’ tangy combo. The various flavors were also tied together nicely by the homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

Undoubtedly the best of Wildflower’s leafy offerings (even tastier than my previous favorite, the Oriental chicken), the filling emerald — served with a generous hunk of fresh-baked bread —is truly the gem of this Gilbert cafe’s menu.

The verdict: OK, so Wildflower isn’t the quickest or cheapest deal going, but if you’ve got some time (and a kid or two), this is the place for you.

The value meal deal
Where: Wildflower Bread Co., 3245 E. Baseline Road, Gilbert,
What: Emerald spinach salad ($6.99)