One such spot is Espiritu, a restaurant and bar that Eater just named one of 15 best new restaurants of 2022. The list covers eateries around the nation and Espiritu is the only Arizona location to make the cut.
Espiritu opened almost a year ago, on January 11. The small space is a Mexican seafood restaurant and cocktail bar with a long drinks list, and short food menu. Despite the limited menu, Eater argues that it "isn’t just a bar with great food, but a great restaurant."
And while Espritu is a new name for the Valley, the owners are no strangers. The restaurant was opened by the teams behind acclaimed spots Tacos Chiwas and Bacanora, both often seen in the national media themselves. Armando Hernandez co-owns the restaurant with Nadia Holguin, Rene Andrade and Roberto Centeno.
While they are grabbing national attention, the crew at Espiritu don't take themselves too seriously. Before diving into the menus, the website explains, "prepare yourself for a moderate to semi-decent cocktail experience." The drinks menu is split into sections including "Shooketh" and "Stirredeth" and while you can order a $20 Hiramasa Tostada, there's also a $12 grilled cheese.
Centeno's "live-fire skills" earned a shoutout in Eater and are essential to the restaurant's menu of Sonoran dishes. Seafood is shaken up with options like a lamb chop and a dry aged burger. Recently, Espiritu added brunch, with favorites like pozole and chilaquiles.
"It’s impossible not to get caught up in the casual spontaneity of Espiritu," Eater says, marking a sharp contrast to sister concept Bacanora, which is one of the most sought-after and hard-to-score reservations in town. However as the buzz around Espiritu grows, those few tables may become a little harder to snag.
Espiritu
123 West Main Street, MesaTuesday through Saturday 5 p.m. to midnight. Saturday and Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
480-398-8129
espiritumesa.com
