3 New East Mesa Food Spots That Actually Bring Something Different

East Mesa is quietly getting some really good food options, and these three caught my attention because they actually bring something different to the area.

If you live over here, you know we aren't exactly short on restaurants.

But we do have a lot of the same things.

Chains. Fast casual. Drive-thrus. Restaurants you can find in pretty much every other part of the East Valley.

So when I saw what was opening around East Gate Plaza, I paid attention.

One is already open, two are coming soon, and all three give East Mesa something we really don't have much of yet.

Here are the three I'd put on your radar.

Zeitouna

Zeitouna is already open, and this is probably the one that immediately feels the most different for East Mesa.

It's a sit-down Middle Eastern restaurant focused on Levantine and Mesopotamian flavors, with grilled meats, shareable plates and a menu that feels like somewhere you'd actually go for dinner rather than just grabbing something quickly on the way home.

And I think that's an important distinction.

East Mesa has added a ton of fast-casual food over the years, but we still don't have nearly as many locally interesting sit-down restaurants as some other parts of the East Valley.

Zeitouna gives the area something a little different. It's somewhere you could go for a date night, meet friends for dinner or take someone visiting from out of town.

That's the type of restaurant I think East Mesa could use more of.

EggBred

Right across the way, EggBred is coming soon, and this one is going after breakfast in a completely different way.

Their specialty is craft breakfast sandwiches made with fresh eggs and Japanese-style milk buns, with options like fried chicken and chorizo, plus house-made sauces.

Basically, breakfast that feels a little less...predictable.

And I'm here for it.

We have plenty of traditional breakfast restaurants around the East Valley, but concepts like this give people another reason to actually seek a place out instead of simply choosing whichever breakfast spot happens to be closest.

I'm especially curious to see how this one does once it opens.

Syrup & Salt

This might be the sleeper of the three.

Syrup & Salt is a fully halal American diner serving the kind of food you'd expect from a classic comfort-food spot, but with a twist you don't see very often in this part of the Valley.

Think chicken and waffles, burgers, cheesesteaks, pancakes, steak and eggs and beef bacon.

I think this concept could appeal to a much wider audience than people initially realize.

Obviously, having a fully halal diner gives families who specifically seek halal dining another option. But even if that's not something you normally think about when choosing a restaurant, the menu itself is approachable enough that almost anyone could find something they want.

That's what makes this one particularly interesting to me.

Why This Little Cluster Stands Out

Individually, three restaurants opening around one shopping center isn't exactly earth-shattering news.

It's what they represent that I find interesting.

East Mesa is growing quickly, and we're finally starting to see more businesses respond to the type of population that's already here.

People don't just want another drive-thru.

They want good date-night restaurants.

Interesting breakfast spots.

Independent and regional concepts.

Different cuisines.

Places they can recommend when someone asks, “Where should we eat in East Mesa?”

For years, I think Gilbert and Chandler had a much easier answer to that question.

East Mesa is starting to catch up.

East Mesa Has Plenty of Chains. These Aren't That.

I'm not anti-chain restaurant. Some of them are popular for a reason, and there are plenty I go to myself.

But when an area is growing as quickly as East Mesa, you want some personality mixed in too.

That's what I like about these three.

Zeitouna brings a true sit-down Middle Eastern dining experience.

EggBred is bringing a more creative take on breakfast.

Syrup & Salt is introducing a fully halal American diner concept.

Three restaurants. Three completely different reasons to go.

And none of them feel like something we already have ten versions of nearby.

The Bigger East Mesa Story

If you've followed me for a while, you know I spend a lot of time talking about what's being built around East Mesa.

New homes get most of the attention, but restaurants, retail and entertainment are a huge part of what actually changes how an area feels to live in.

We're seeing that happen in several pockets right now.

East Mesa isn't suddenly going to turn into Scottsdale's restaurant scene overnight, and I don't think it needs to.

But the more we start seeing concepts like these choose East Mesa, the more interesting the area becomes for the people who already live here.

And personally, that's the kind of growth I like seeing.

If you've tried Zeitouna already, or you get to EggBred or Syrup & Salt once they open, send me a message and tell me what you think.

I'm always looking for the East Mesa spots that are actually worth adding to the list.