MESA, AZ (AZFamily)—Head to Mesa, and you’ll find homemade recipes that have stood the test of time mixed with modern dishes and gluten-free Mexican food.
The Guadalupe on Main opened in September of last year after a fire in 2020 led to an ownership change and a revamped, open interior.
While introducing some new dishes and drinks, The Guadalupe on Main also pays homage to those who came before.
The son of the previous owner, Jhomeny Ramos, is the head chef. He’s taken 30 years of recipes and infused them with vibrant, Jalisco-inspired flavors.
For example, he purees corn and adds fresh lime juice to make his favorite dish.
“I make a really good birria-braised short rib over a Mexican risotto, Mexican Elote risotto. It seems to be quite a hit,” Ramos said.
The name of the restaurant is also a tribute to its history. “His [Ramos] grandmother was named Guadalupe and that’s where most of the recipes came from,” Michael Schreir, owner of The Guadalupe on Main, said.
Schreier credits the hard-working staff for the restaurant’s success.
He says many of them are friends and family of the previous owners, including co-owner Alysia Gratton. She worked for the restaurant before and helped design the new space when it was rebuilt in 2023.
Gratton picked out many decorations you’ll see on the walls from local stores around Arizona, giving the restaurant a southwestern vibe. Some of the artwork is also from Mexico.
You can also find a picture of Grandma Guadalupe on the bookshelf by the bar.
Schreir says that creating a gluten-friendly and gluten-free restaurant came by accident but is a welcome change.
Some staples of Mexican cuisine are already gluten-free by nature, like corn, beans, rice and meat. However, things like flour tortillas and shared workspaces can affect people who are allergic to gluten.
Schreir says the previous owners were already using gluten-free flour for some dishes, but new customers encouraged them to continue offering more gluten-free Mexican favorites.
Everything is made from scratch, in-house, including the thick, gluten-free corn tortillas served with the delicious queso fundido.
“We took certain precautions like with deep fryers and separate sides of the grill, and we were able to really make this gluten-free community feel safe, and they really appreciate it and have brought our business to a new level for us,” Schreir said.
If you’re looking for a sweet treat, do yourself a favor and order the churros and chocolate.
The mini churros are coated in cinnamon and sugar and served with a rich chocolate sauce that almost tastes like caramel. It feels luxurious to eat them. They’re also gluten free.
The Guadalupe has also revamped its drink menu, offering dozens of choices of beer, wine, and handcrafted cocktails.
The most popular blend is called the Dealer’s Choice, where the bartenders use your favorite flavors to make a custom drink in a fun, often thrifted, glass. That can range from fruity and sweet to spirit-forward, smoked drinks.
Any cocktail can be made into a mocktail as well.
Schreir and The Guadalupe’s bar manager, Seth, both have extensive experience mixing drinks.
Seth will be competing at this year’s “Last Slinger Standing,” a live cocktail-making competition. He was chosen among 64 statewide entries to compete on Monday, March 3.
The Guadalupe also brings in live music on the weekends. On Saturdays, it’s upbeat.
“For Saturday nights, he’s a one-man band. He’s got a little harmonica, he’s got a tambourine on one foot, a drum on another foot,” Schreir said.
Sunday night features more relaxed music.
Schreir emphasizes that the restaurant is successful because of everyone involved.
“It’s been a really good friend and team effort to help bring this place to life,” Schreir said.
He hopes it can be a destination for those who want to feel like they aren’t in Mesa for a while.
The Guadalupe on Main
Location: 1526 East Main Street, Mesa, Arizona 85203
Hours:
- Wednesday- Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Friday – Saturday from 11 a.m. To 11 p.m.
- Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Monday-Tuesday: Closed
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