Best Latin American Restaurants in Mesa, Arizona

Mesa’s Mexican dining scene may command the spotlight, but the city’s Latin American food story stretches much farther south and east. Mesa restaurants and cafés serve Venezuelan arepas, Colombian comfort food, Dominican mofongo, Salvadoran pupusas, Brazilian barbecue, Costa Rican coffee and empanadas inspired by countries across Latin America. These cuisines share some ingredients, but they are not interchangeable. Corn, plantains, beans, rice, yuca and slow-cooked meats travel across borders, changing shape and character as they go. The result is a Mesa dining tour filled with crisp empanadas, sizzling meats and enough regional personality to make the word “Latin” feel wonderfully inadequate.

República Empanada: A Pan-Latin Mesa Original

Located in Downtown Mesa’s Southside Heights neighborhood, República Empanada specializes in South American-style savory empanadas. Its menu draws inspiration from countries and culinary traditions across Latin America, folding meats, vegetables, cheese and spices into golden pastry.

Start with the El Capitán, filled with ground beef, potato, hard-boiled egg, green olives and golden raisins. The combination moves between savory, salty and gently sweet flavors in a single pocket of pastry. The Cubana offers an empanada interpretation of the Cuban sandwich, while vegetarian fillings make it easy to build a varied plate for the table.

Do not overlook dessert. A sweet empanada provides a fitting final chapter, especially when the table has agreed to share but everyone has privately reconsidered.

What to try: El Capitán, Cubana and a sweet empanada
Cuisine: Pan-Latin and South American-inspired
Location: 204 E. First Ave., Mesa

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Que Chevere: Venezuelan Arepas and Cachapas

Que Chevere began as a popular food truck before establishing a restaurant on Main Street in Downtown Mesa. Its Venezuelan menu introduces diners to arepas, cachapas, empanadas and traditional drinks.

Arepas are round corn cakes that are grilled, split and filled with combinations of meat, cheese, beans, avocado or plantains. Their crisp exterior and soft center make them an approachable introduction to Venezuelan food.

Cachapas offer a different expression of corn. These lightly sweet corn pancakes are folded around cheese or other fillings, balancing caramelized edges with a soft interior. Pair either dish with fresh juice or Malta Polar, a sweet nonalcoholic malt beverage popular in Venezuela.

What to try: A filled arepa, cachapa and fresh fruit juice
Cuisine: Venezuelan
Location: 142 W. Main St., Mesa

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Pura Vida Grinds: Costa Rican Coffee

Pura Vida Grinds brings Costa Rican coffee culture to Mesa through single-origin beans sourced directly from coffee farmers in Tarrazú, one of Costa Rica’s celebrated growing regions. The beans are harvested and roasted in Costa Rica before being shipped to Arizona.

Order a freshly brewed house coffee or a smooth cold brew to experience the beans with minimal distraction. Espresso drinks, teas and specialty beverages are also available, along with rotating snacks and products from Costa Rica.

The phrase pura vida translates literally to “pure life,” but in Costa Rica it expresses a broader feeling of gratitude, optimism and enjoying the moment. That spirit makes this welcoming café a natural morning stop on a Mesa tour of Latin American flavors. Visitors can also purchase Costa Rican coffee beans to continue the journey at home.

What to try: Costa Rican house coffee, cold brew and imported Costa Rican snacks
Cuisine: Costa Rican coffee and café culture
Location: 3820 E. Main St., Suite 9, Mesa

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Casa de Mambo: Dominican Recipes in the Desert

Casa de Mambo brings the food of the Dominican Republic to Mesa through family recipes passed from one generation to the next. Plantains appear throughout the menu, transformed into dishes with distinctly Dominican textures and flavors.

Try the mofongo de camarones, made with fried green plantains mashed with garlic and topped with garlic shrimp. Mangú tres golpes takes another path, pairing mashed green plantains with sautéed onions, fried Dominican salami, fried cheese and eggs.

On Sundays, Casa de Mambo serves sancocho while supplies last. This hearty Dominican stew combines slow-simmered meats with plantains, yuca, yautía and vegetables, accompanied by rice and avocado. It is the sort of dish that tastes less like a menu selection and more like being invited into someone’s home.

What to try: Mofongo de camarones, mangú tres golpes or Sunday sancocho
Cuisine: Dominican
Location: 1130 W. Grove Ave., Suite 110, Mesa

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Rodizio Grill: Brazilian Steakhouse Dining

Rodizio Grill introduces Mesa diners to the Brazilian steakhouse tradition. Servers bring rotisserie-grilled meats directly to the table and carve portions throughout the meal, allowing guests to sample several preparations at their own pace.

The full rodizio experience includes grilled meats alongside Brazilian sides, salads, fruit and vegetables. The restaurant describes much of its dining experience as gluten-free, but guests with allergies or celiac disease should confirm current ingredients and preparation practices directly with staff.

Rodizio works particularly well for celebrations and groups because the meal unfolds gradually. Reservations are recommended, especially for larger parties.

What to try: The full rodizio experience and grilled pineapple
Cuisine: Brazilian steakhouse
Location: 1840 S. Val Vista Drive, Mesa

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FAQs

What Latin American cuisines can I find in Mesa besides Mexican food?

Mesa has restaurants and cafés serving Venezuelan, Colombian, Dominican, Salvadoran, Brazilian, Costa Rican and pan-Latin specialties. Representative dishes and drinks include arepas, empanadas, mofongo, pupusas, bandeja paisa, Brazilian rotisserie-grilled meats and Costa Rican coffee.

Where can I find Venezuelan food in Mesa?

Que Chevere in Downtown Mesa serves Venezuelan arepas, cachapas, empanadas, fruit juices and Malta Polar.

Where can I find Colombian food in Mesa?

La Tiendita on Main Street combines a Colombian restaurant with a small market. Its menu includes Colombian empanadas, arepas, bandeja paisa, plantains and tropical fruit drinks.

Where can I find Dominican food in Mesa?

Casa de Mambo serves Dominican family recipes such as mofongo, mangú, chicharrones de pollo, tostones and Sunday sancocho.

Where can I find pupusas in Mesa?

Salvadoreño Restaurant serves pupusas filled with cheese, beans, pork, loroco, vegetables and other ingredients. Vegetarian and vegan combinations are available.

Where can I find Costa Rican coffee in Mesa?

Pura Vida Grinds serves coffee made with single-origin beans sourced directly from farmers in Tarrazú, Costa Rica. Visitors can order house coffee, cold brew or an espresso drink and purchase Costa Rican beans to take home.

What is the difference between an arepa and a pupusa?

An arepa is a corn cake commonly associated with Venezuela and Colombia. It may be split and filled or served alongside a meal. A Salvadoran pupusa is generally stuffed before it is cooked and served with curtido and salsa.

Are all Caribbean cuisines considered Latin American?

No. Spanish-speaking Caribbean countries such as the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Cuba are generally included within Latin America. Caribbean countries with different linguistic and cultural histories, including Jamaica, should be identified separately rather than placed under one broad label.