Mesa is the third-largest city in Arizona, and its dining, shopping, and entertainment scene is changing in two very different places at once. In Downtown Mesa, Main Street is turning over restaurant spaces, adding new bars and cafes, and building a food hall that the city hopes will become a regional draw. In Southeast Mesa, a new retail core is taking shape around Eastmark and the State Route 24 corridor. For buyers deciding where to live, and for sellers describing their neighborhood, those changes are part of what makes a Mesa address attractive.
This guide covers what has opened, what is under construction, and how it connects to the neighborhoods around it. Mesa does not have a single marketplace, so the guide follows the city’s main retail corridors, from Downtown to Mesa Riverview to the fast-growing southeast. A quick note on timing: the details below come from local news reports, developer announcements, and the City of Mesa as of mid-October 2026. Projects that have not opened yet can change their dates, so treat anything listed as coming soon as planned rather than guaranteed.
Downtown Mesa’s Main Street Is Turning Over and Filling Back Up
Downtown Mesa has had a busy year. Several businesses have closed or changed hands, and new operators are moving into many of the same spaces, often reusing kitchens that were already built. City officials say the downtown already has about 50 restaurants, and the newest arrivals show what the next phase looks like.
| Downtown Spot | What to Expect | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 12 West | A restaurant and live entertainment venue near Main Street and Country Club Drive, in the former 12 West Brewing building, with a speakeasy called Jolie’s inside | Opened October 2, 2026 |
| Crust Simply Italian, The Nightingale, and Bombolino | An East Coast style Italian restaurant, a hidden speakeasy, and a coffee, gelato, and doughnut shop on the ground floor of The 233, a new Unscripted by Hyatt hotel on Main Street | Open since summer 2026 |
| Randizzle’s Burger Bar | A Valley food truck known for gourmet burgers and tacos, taking over the former Outcast Doughnuts space near Main Street and Macdonald | Reported lease signed, with an opening targeted for October |
| Sidewalk Coffee & Bagel Co. | A coffee and bagel shop at 21 W. Main Street that already has a Queen Creek location, replacing a pretzel shop | Opening date not yet announced |
| Main Street Market | A food hall at 111 W. Main Street designed to give seven local restaurant concepts their first brick-and-mortar space | Under construction, expected early 2027 |
Main Street Market is the project to watch. The roughly $6 million food hall is going into a former grocery building, and it is backed by the City of Mesa and run in partnership with Local First Arizona. Each of the seven restaurant hopefuls will receive a two-year lease and business counseling, and the city sees the hall as a new anchor for the downtown dining scene.
Not every downtown business stays open, and a year of closures along Main Street is a reminder to look at staying power and not only at announcements. What matters for homeowners is the direction of the district: more residents, more event traffic, and a city that is investing directly in the spaces where new restaurants can start.
When buyers tell me they are curious about Downtown Mesa, I suggest visiting on both an event night and an ordinary weekday evening. The light rail stop at Center and Main puts you close to the Mesa Arts Center, the library, and the Arizona Museum of Natural History, so you can see how much of downtown is reachable without driving.
Entertainment and Events Around Mesa
Downtown Mesa works as an entertainment district as much as a dining district, and the calendar gives residents plenty of reasons to stay close to home.
- Merry Main Street: A six-week holiday festival with a roughly 40-foot Christmas tree, a real ice rink of about 6,000 square feet, and more than 190,000 visitors in a recent year. The City of Mesa won a statewide award for the event, and it begins the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is November 27 this year.
- Mesa Arts Center: The city’s performing and visual arts campus on Main Street, which fills its calendar with holiday shows each December.
- Downtown Mesa Sunset Market: An evening market held on select Fridays at the Macdonald Street plaza, with local vendors and a community feel.
- Live music and nightlife: Stage 12 West adds a new live entertainment venue to the mix, joining speakeasies and bars that have opened along Main Street over the past year.
- Light rail access: The Valley Metro A Line runs through downtown, so residents and visitors can ride to events without parking.
Southeast Mesa Is Building a New Retail Core
While Downtown grows through reuse and small operators, Southeast Mesa is growing through new construction. The area around Eastmark, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, and the State Route 24 corridor has become one of the East Valley’s fastest-growing districts, and retail is catching up to the rooftops and employers.
A 163-acre development at the State Route 24 interchange at Signal Butte Road, with about 80 acres planned for an auto mall
The retail power center includes Walmart, 7 Brew, Taco Bell, Take 5 Oil Change, Zara Nail Bar, and PAC Dental as signed or planned tenants
Site work on the west side of Signal Butte Road was expected to wrap up by the third quarter of 2026, with room still available for more shops and drive-thru pads
The site sits next to Eastmark, which has more than 17,000 planned residential units
A $60 million, 17-acre center at Ellsworth and Elliot roads, north of Eastmark and near the Mesa tech corridor
Announced tenants include Starbucks, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Discount Tire, FitFX, WingSnob, Farmer Boys, Playa Bowls, Ono Hawaiian BBQ, and Kolache Cafe
A Cambria Hotel is planned as part of the project
The developer targeted completion in early 2026, so confirm the current opening status of any business you plan to visit
Other openings are on the way as well. Mahana Fresh, a health-focused fast-casual chain known for customizable bowls, plans its first Arizona restaurant at 943 S. Gilbert Road, and it is expected to open by the end of 2026. A Sprouts-anchored center called EastMarket was also approved for Ellsworth and Ray roads inside Eastmark.
Established Shopping and Dining Hubs Worth Knowing
New projects get the headlines, but Mesa’s established centers continue to anchor daily life, and some are adding fresh names of their own.
- Mesa Riverview: An open-air shopping and entertainment center at Dobson Road and the Loop 101, with Bass Pro Shops, Burlington, Ross, Boot Barn, a 16-screen cinema, and more than 30 dining options.
- Mekong Plaza and the Asian District: The hub of Mesa’s Asian dining and shopping at Main Street and Dobson Road. Udon Shin, a Tokyo noodle shop known for long lines, opened its first U.S. location here in May 2026.
- Superstition Springs Center: The enclosed mall at the US 60 and Power Road corridor, anchored by Dillard’s and JCPenney, with Ross, T.J. Maxx, and The Cheesecake Factory. It also offers a carousel and play areas for families, and its directory lists newer additions such as K-MOMO and Krazy Cajun Seafood and Hibachi.
How the Growth Connects to Mesa Neighborhoods
Mesa is a large city, and the projects above serve different parts of it. Knowing which area each one reaches helps you decide where the lifestyle you want and the home you want line up.
- Downtown and central Mesa: Buyers who want light rail, the Mesa Arts Center, and a growing Main Street dining scene close to home will look here, where historic neighborhoods sit near the new activity.
- Northwest Mesa near the Loop 101: Homes near Dobson Road and the Loop 101 are closest to Mesa Riverview and the Asian District, with quick access to Tempe and Chandler.
- East Mesa near the US 60: Neighborhoods around Power Road are served by Superstition Springs Center and the major shopping along the freeway.
- Southeast Mesa, Eastmark, and the Gateway area: New communities here sit near Destination at Gateway, East Gate Plaza, and a growing employment base. KTAR reports that the area is near major operations for Apple, Meta, Intel, Fujifilm, and several data center companies, and the airport is estimated to support more than 10,000 jobs.
What This Means If You Are Buying or Selling in Mesa
If you are buying, the new restaurants and shops are worth seeing in person, but they should be one factor among many. Visit at different times of day, check the drive from the homes you are considering, and remember that projects described as coming soon may open on a different schedule than announced. Make sure the home itself fits your budget and your needs before the amenities tip the decision.
If you are selling, nearby dining, shopping, and entertainment belong in your listing description when they are accurate and close by. Buyers increasingly search online with lifestyle in mind, and a clear explanation of what is within a short drive or a short light rail ride helps your listing stand out. Your agent can help you describe your location with specifics instead of general claims.
Working with an Agent Who Knows Mesa
Mesa changes block by block, and an agent who follows those changes can help you tell the difference between a rumor and a project that is actually moving forward. That local knowledge matters whether you are choosing a neighborhood, setting a price, or deciding how to present a home to buyers who are comparing it with others across the East Valley.
When you interview agents, ask how recently they have closed transactions in the part of Mesa you are considering and how they keep up with development in the city. Those answers will tell you more about their local expertise than any marketing brochure ever could.
Frequently Asked Questions
What new restaurants have opened in Downtown Mesa recently?
Stage 12 West, a restaurant and live entertainment venue in the former 12 West Brewing space near Main Street and Country Club Drive, opened on October 2, 2026, with a speakeasy called Jolie’s slated to open inside it on October 9. Crust Simply Italian opened this summer at 233 E. Main Street, joined by a hidden speakeasy called The Nightingale and a coffee, gelato, and doughnut shop called Bombolino. Randizzle’s Burger Bar and Sidewalk Coffee & Bagel Co. have also been reported as taking over existing Main Street spaces, though opening dates can change.
When will the Main Street Market food hall open in Downtown Mesa?
Main Street Market is under construction at 111 W. Main Street in a former grocery building and is expected to open in early 2027. The roughly $6 million project is a partnership between the City of Mesa and Local First Arizona, and it is designed to give seven local restaurant concepts their first brick-and-mortar space with two-year leases. As with any construction project, the opening date could shift.
What is being built at Destination at Gateway in Southeast Mesa?
Destination at Gateway is a 163-acre development at the State Route 24 interchange at Signal Butte Road. About 80 acres are planned for an auto mall, and the rest includes a retail power center with Walmart, 7 Brew, Taco Bell, Take 5 Oil Change, Zara Nail Bar, and PAC Dental signed or planned. The developer said site work on the west side of Signal Butte Road was expected to wrap up by the third quarter of 2026, and additional space is still available to lease.
What is East Gate Plaza in Mesa?
East Gate Plaza is a $60 million, 17-acre retail center at Ellsworth and Elliot roads, north of the Eastmark community. Confirmed tenants announced by the developer include Starbucks, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Discount Tire, FitFX, WingSnob, Senor Taco, Farmer Boys, Zeitouna, Fresh Monkee, Port of Subs, Ono Hawaiian BBQ, Playa Bowls, Hand & Stone Spa, and Kolache Cafe, along with a planned Cambria Hotel. The developer targeted completion in early 2026, so check each business for its current opening status.
What are the biggest annual events in Downtown Mesa?
Merry Main Street is the biggest, a six-week holiday festival with a roughly 40-foot Christmas tree, a real ice rink of about 6,000 square feet, and more than 190,000 visitors in a recent year. It begins the Friday after Thanksgiving, which falls on November 27 this year, so confirm details on the festival website. Mesa Arts Center also hosts holiday shows in December, and the Downtown Mesa Sunset Market brings an evening market to the area on select Fridays.
Do new restaurants and shopping increase home values in Mesa?
Not automatically. Dining, shopping, and entertainment are among the things buyers weigh when choosing a neighborhood, and convenient amenities can support demand, but home values depend on many factors, including price, condition, interest rates, and overall market activity. If you are curious how nearby development affects your own home, ask your agent for a comparative market analysis based on recent sales in your neighborhood.
👉 You can also check out this helpful video for a closer look at what Mesa, AZ has to offer:
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