Mesa

From World travel guide

Jump to: navigation, search

Mesa, population 440,000 (2004 est.), is Arizona's third-largest city, and is part of the Phoenix urban complex.

Unfortunately, Mesa, despite its size, is a near-nonentity. A benighted city council focuses on redevelopment of a dreary downtown that died 35 years ago; library service is woefully inadequate (3 branches for a city of nearly half a million); virtually nothing of interest to the tourist exists since Jack Adams' Alligator Farm closed. The Mormon Temple grounds are nice.

A decaying urban core features a decaying 1970's megamall whose time has come and gone, and the city's east side features what must be America's greatest assemblage of mobile homes.

The affluent portions of the city -- which are considerable -- constitute many square miles of cookie-cutter upscale homes. (You'd think they'd have run out of red roof tile and stucco by now.)

Like Gertrude Stein's Oakland, in Mesa there is no there there.

Contents

Get in

Get around

See

Do

Buy

Eat

  • Rosa's Mexican Grill,328 E University Dr, Mesa, AZ 85201; Tel. (480) 964-5451. The original Rosa's. Everything on the menu is excellent, a family favorite. Best shrimp tacos anywhere.
  • Ned's Krazy Sub, 1927 N Gilbert Rd, Mesa, AZ 85203; Tel. (480) 464-0033. Best subs in Mesa. Cant beat the lunch special. Try the Poorboy.
  • Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill, 1744 S Val Vista Dr, Mesa, AZ 85204; Tel. (480) 633-8226. Homemade tortillas, huge burritos, addicting taco salads with spicy avocado ranch dressing. Ahh the sweet pork.
  • Pete's Fish and Chips, 22 S. Mesa Dr., Mesa, AZ 85210; Tel. (480) 964-7242. Eight other locations in the Phoenix Valley. Forget the tartar sauce -- "Pete's special sauce" is to die for. Family owned and operated since 1947. Only cash is accepted. http://www.petesfishandchips.com/

Drink

Sleep

Get out

External links

This article is still a stub and needs your attention. Plunge forward and help it grow!

Personal tools
Destinations

Toolbox