For years, Wright has created staple spots along Tempe’s Mill Avenue and throughout downtown Phoneix’s Roosevelt Row. Some of his current businesses include Pedal Haus Brewery, Sake Haus and Luckys Indoor Outdoor. Soon, the two Valley dining and entertainment hubs will have even more concepts from the prolific restaurateur.
Early next year, Wright plans to open a coastal Mexican restaurant and bar called Carmen Cantina in Tempe’s CenterPoint on Mill. And just off of Roosevelt Row on Second Street, Wright has tiki bar Tropic Thunder in the works.
Carmen Cantina takes its culinary and aesthetic inspiration from the Yucatan Peninsula.
Fork & Dagger Hospitality
Coastal Mexico comes to Tempe
Building restaurants and bars in Tempe is always a bit of a homecoming for Wright, a graduate of Arizona State University. But Carmen Cantina, a concept initially planned to be called Jaguar Cantina, is even more familiar. Wright ran Canteen Modern Tequila Bar in the downtown Tempe space from 2010 to 2013. Most recently, the location was home to Anoche Cantina, which closed in November 2023.
“It’s a marquee location in Tempe,” Wright says.
Though Wright has worked in the space before, he says Carmen Cantina will be “significantly different” from his previous concept and will take inspiration from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
“It’s a nod to Playa del Carmen, which is close to Tulum, and a place that I visit frequently,” Wright says of the inspiration for the name and menu.
The food options are still being developed, but Wright says they will lean heavily on coastal and tropical flavors. The format will be similar to tapas, he explains, with smaller plates meant for sharing.
To drink, agave-based spirits will be a feature, including at least six different styles of margaritas.
The space is large, with approximately 4,600 square feet inside and 3,500 square feet outside, spanning two patios. It will be transformed into a tropical oasis with bamboo millwork, tiki torches, tropical greenery and even sand on the back patio.
And, Wright isn’t the only notable restaurateur taking on a project in CenterPoint on Mill, which is located on Mill Avenue and University Drive. Pretty Decent Concepts, the team behind luxe restaurant Wren & Wolf and cocktail lounge Trophy Room, is also opening a new restaurant and bar in the multi-building shopping and dining center. It's all a win for diners in Tempe, Wright says.
“I think Mill Avenue is going to finally catch up in the food and beverage scene,” he says.
Wright has teamed up with Wesley James to design the downtown tiki bar Tropic Thunder.
Fork & Dagger Hospitality
‘Dive bar with tiki vibes’ coming to Roosevelt Row
Meanwhile, Wright has a tiki bar in the works just off Roosevelt Row, one block from a cluster of the restaurateur’s other downtown spots – Pedal Haus, Sake Haus and Kahvi Coffee.Wright describes the forthcoming Tropic Thunder as a “dive bar with tiki vibes.”
“It’s a playful twist on tiki in that it’s got a little bit of a punk rock vibe to it,” he says.
To accomplish that aesthetic, Wright has again partnered with Wesley James, who designed Wright’s dual bar concept in Tempe, Devil’s Hideaway and Idle Hands, along with other Valley bars Century Grand and UnderTow. Renderings show carved tiki totem poles, a neon tiger sign, pin-up girl posters that glow under a blacklight and animal print stools.
Wright says the aim is to be a neighborhood bar that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It will be an intimate, walk-in-only spot that will seat just under 50 people. The drinks at the bar will be geared toward dive and tiki staples.
“Like a proper dive bar, you can get a beer and a shot of whiskey if you want, but we will have a selection of about 16 proper, classic tiki drinks,” Wright says.
Both Tropic Thunder and Carmen Cantina are anticipated to open in early 2025.
