Visit Mesa | Downtown Mesa Food Itinerary
On Wednesday, April 14th, I had the pleasure of going on a walking Foodie Tour of Downtown Mesa, hosted by Visit Mesa! Downtown Mesa is absolutely thriving!
Jen Duff, City of Mesa Vice Mayor, describes the growth of Downtown Mesa to be “The beginning of being on fire. In 2022 [Downtown Mesa] will be going from ribbon cutting to ribbon cutting!” With new businesses opening such as Pedal Haus Brewery on the horizon, as well as being the longest historic stretch of Downtown in the Phoenix-area, Downtown Mesa truly is a beautiful culmination of ‘new’ and ‘old’.
First stop on the tour was Republica Empanada. Republica Empanada is the largest selection of South American-style empanadas in Arizona. True to its namesake, I tried different types of empanadas, including the Jalapeno Potato Popper and the Dizzy Fig (locally grown figs with South American-style Dulce de Leche). Both tasted delicious!
Next, we stopped at Desert Eagle Brewing Co. Desert Eagle Brewing Co. was the first brewery to open in Downtown Mesa back in 2011. The owner has been “a Mesa guy” since he was young and simply loves Mesa. Sporting Arizona pride, the logo even has a Copper Star to represent the state, and is the only brewery in the state that uses 100% whole hops. It makes a difference in their drinks!
Then, we popped over to Jarrod’s Coffee, Tea and Gallery. It was not my first time! On Friday and Saturday nights, they get live, local musicians to play. I’ve listened and admired the work by local artist (I’ve even picked up a few pieces for myself!) while enjoying a cup of coffee and a vegan dessert. That day I conversed with the owner, Jarrod Martinez, and ate ‘I-can’t-believe-this-is-vegan’ pink cake.
We swung by Main Street Harvest, Downtown Mesa’s Local Grocer. I absolutely love the smells of fresh bread in the morning, and I could taste the love that went into Proof Bread – from their popular almond desserts to pain au chocolat. Plus, there were colorful fresh flowers everywhere – who doesn’t love that?!
Our second-to-last stop for the night was at Cider Corps. Cider Corps not only carries sangria-flavored cider, but cider slushies, too! I enjoyed sipping my cider as the sun was setting. I even got to munch on the unique flavors of Myke’s Pizza: Pineapple (drizzled with honey!) and Potato Bacon (with aged Gouda!)
Final stop was 12 West Brewing. We were seated upstairs and I had nighttime views of Main St. of Downtown Mesa. Enjoy a craft beer here, or a cocktail that has a magic bubble you can pop! I personally love their Breakfast Burrito: pork belly, tots, and beer cheese – a breakfast lover’s dream!
There’s so much to explore in Downtown Mesa! Whether you are looking for a good drink or locally sourced food, Downtown Mesa has it all, and remains one of my favorite downtowns in The Valley.
