The Best Restaurants and Bars in Mesa

List
Written By Chris Hall

Where: The area north of the 60, east of the 101, and closed in by the 202.

Mesa is somehow the 36th biggest city in the US. Bigger than Miami. Bigger than Atlanta. Bigger than Kansas City. That clearly doesn’t account for metro areas—Mesa doesn’t even have its own metro area—but the stat is still crazy nonetheless. So when you’re looking at food in Mesa, you can’t just look at it like it’s another suburb. Mesa is humongous, and has a downtown that dwarfs pretty much every downtown in the area but Phoenix itself. The problem is that Mesa seems to perpetually be in a state of economic revitalization, and city planning (or lack thereof) has left huge areas without anything but chains and drive-thrus. Things seem to be turning around though. Downtown is pretty cool these days, the area around Mekong Plaza is the closest thing Phoenix has to a true Asian district, and the light rail system is connecting everything together quite nicely. The fanciest of folk still might find the cool parts of Mesa a little seedy, but for everyone else, it’s quickly becoming one of the more interesting destinations in the Valley.

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Coffee / Carbs • Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner • Drinks

Coffee / Carbs

Bakery / 4 YUMPOINTS

1. Proof Bread

Proof isn’t really a place to sit down and get breakfast (it’s just a bakery counter and a giant prep space for their operation) , but if you’re just looking to grab a bite and see the sites, there’s no better spot. Most people probably end up with a croissant or a cinnamon roll (everything’s sourdough, so the flavors are unique), but the best thing in the world is their rosemary twist. It’s a long, slightly crispy croissant with the perfect amount of salt. I get one every time I’m in downtown, even if I’m not hungry.

Coffee Shop

2. Pair Cupworks

Inside of Cider Corps, before the bar operation opens for the day, Pair is churning out some of the best coffee in the Valley. And the spot—which certainly isn’t your typical coffee shop aesthetic—is kind of perfect for a sleepy morning. The music is good, the place is cavernous, and the natural light shining through makes for the best of mornings.

Breakfast

Sandwich Shop / 4 Yumpoints

1.Worth Takeaway

Why would anyone in the world go to Worth Takeaway for anything other than lunch? Well, lemme tell you. It’s because their other meals are just as good (including their Monday supper service… it’s great). For breakfast, you should either get the Croque Madame or the Cali Burrito, filled with carne asada and their incredible French fries. Also, get a Paloma while you’re at it. In fact, get a Paloma every time you see one. That’s a Hall of Yum rule.

Lunch

Taco Shop / 9 Yumpoints

1. Tacos Chiwas

Tacos Chiwas doesn’t make fancy tacos, per se. They aren’t piled high with toppings that’ll end up running down your hand, and there’s no fusion dishes trying to revolutionize the form. Instead, Tacos Chiwas makes simple tacos that are delicious and approachable. And the food scene in Phoenix thinks they’re the best, including Bacanora chef Rene Andrade, who says, “everything they make is very, very, very good and always very consistent.”

Chinese / 3 Yumpoints

2. Happy Baos

Whenever I go to a good Chinese restaurant, my favorite dishes are almost always dumplings and baos. Sure, I like a noodle dish as much as the next guy, and everyone likes a hearty protein, but there’s something magical about little pockets of one-bite goodness. For people like me, Happy Baos always hits the spot. Phoenix New Times has given them the Best Dumplings award for 2022 and 2023, and AZ Central says the xiao long bao are “about as close to the peak as Phoenix has ever gotten.”

Dinner

Mexican / 5 Yumpoints

1. Espiritu

Right now, Bacanora in downtown Phoenix is the hottest restaurant around. Espiritu isn’t Bacanora, but it’s owned by the same team plus chef Roberto Centeno, who is churning out meals that are definitely in the same ballpark of deliciousness (he was a 2024 James Beard semifinalist for Emerging Chef). This menu has a little more seafood and goes way harder on the cocktails (enough to be featured as one of AZ Central’s 25 best bars in Metro Phoenix) than Bacanora, but if you’ve been to both, you’ll feel the similarities right away.

Pizza / 3 Yumpoints

2. Myke’s Pizza

I don’t know if this is a hot take or not, but after Pizzeria Bianco, I think Myke’s makes the best pizza in Phoenix. It’s kind of hidden away inside of Cider Corps, so if you’ve never heard of it, I won’t hold it against you. Most mags say to get the tomato pie or the salami with the hot honey, but I say go for whatever the special is that day. Leave it up to the pizza gods. The Instagram page says peach season’s coming up—sounds weird on pizza, but I trust them.

Drinks

Cider / 8 Yumpoints

1. Cider Corps

Cider Corps houses two of the spots above (Pair Cupworks and Myke’s Pizza), but most people go for the cider (I think?). I’m not usually a cider guy—the ones at the store are way too sweet—but Cider Corps process apparently removes most of the sugar, and it makes a difference. Aside from the cider though, the space is pretty wild (and quite large). Some people might be turned off by the over-the-top military patriotism, but they somehow do it in a way that doesn’t feel political, if you catch my drift. It’s bold, for sure, but also feels like a comfortable hangout.

Beer / 5 Yumpoints

2. Chupacabra Taproom

Chupacabra is one of those places that screams neighborhood bar. Not a crappy neighborhood bar though—Chupacabra is decidedly cool. It’s only 900 sq. ft., but in that tiny space they have 32 beers on draft, some outdoor space for overflow, occasional live bands/DJs on the roof, and food trucks rolling by to keep people fed. If you’re a beer drinker, this is one of the better hangout spots in the Valley.

Chris Hall
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