Culinary Gangster
Audio By Carbonatix
In case you haven’t heard, today’s Mill Avenue is not your parents’ Mill Avenue. Depending on when you were in college, it may not be yours either.
Extra-grungy dive bars, blah big-box eateries and spots that rely on cheap Bud Light-and-wings deals have been replaced by higher-end dining establishments, chic lounges and restaurants that aim to be destinations rather than a sustenance detour.
Downtown Tempe’s dining evolution continues. A celebrity-chef-driven restaurant connected to a speakeasy is now open. A crowd-pleasing scratch burger joint, a popular local ice cream shop, a noted arcade bar and the latest concept from the owners of a much-lauded Thai restaurant are on their way.
Here’s what’s new and coming soon to downtown Tempe.
Sara Crocker
Roman God of Fire
Now open
52 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe
This hotly anticipated, show-stopping offering from Pretty Decent Concepts made its splashy debut at the end of July.
The renowned hospitality group’s first ground-up build at the northeast corner of Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway flaunts a menu developed by celebrity chef Scott Conant. The kitchen focuses on regional dishes from ancient Rome, spanning handmade pasta, wood-fired Roman pizza and steaks prepared with fennel-aleppo spice. The cocktail menu features fun twists on tradition as well as creative variations of the negroni and spritz.
Decor that exudes ancient Rome’s art and architecture, with custom, towering statues, pushes the theatrical envelope. Marble-topped tables shine in the sophisticated, low-lit dining space.
Through food and visuals, Pretty Decent Concepts co-founder and ASU alum Teddy Myers says Roman God of Fire aims to tell a story through the lens of a Roman soldier of centuries’ past. That tale juxtaposes vice and virtue.
The restaurant represents virtue. An upcoming adjacent speakeasy embodies vice.
Provided by Pretty Decent Concepts
Mea Culpa
Opening Sept. 25
52 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe
Guests who enter Mea Culpa, the speakeasy connected to Roman God of Fire, will have to go through a “confessional moment” to get in, Myers says. This is among the thoughtful touches promised throughout the modern cocktail bar that serve as nods to Italy’s Catholic roots.
Menu details are still being shored up, but all those who enter can expect light bites that are completely different from what’s on Roman God of Fire’s menu. Look for a DJ spinning tunes on Fridays and Saturdays.
Culinary Gangster
Opening on Aug. 27
501 S. Mill Ave., Tempe
The third location of this burger utopia will soon unleash its lineup of multi-tiered burgers embellished with an array of gooey, spicy and finger-licking-worthy toppings in the heart of Mill Avenue.
Culinary Gangster has roots in Chicago, where it started out as a popular burger food truck before moving to the Valley. This Tempe restaurant, located below Varsity Tavern on the southeast corner of Mill Avenue and Fifth Street, joins sister spots in Scottsdale and downtown Phoenix.
In addition to the beefy handhelds, the menu offers quinoa bowls, salads, wraps, all-day breakfast and fries topped with bacon, cheddar and sriracha.
Line Design
Carmen
Opening in late September-early October
640 S. Mill Ave., Tempe
After multiple delays, this long-awaited Mexican coast-inspired concept by veteran restaurateur and ASU alum Julian Wright is scheduled to open its doors on the southwest corner of Mill Avenue and Sixth Street this fall.
Carmen aims to transport guests to the tropics with tiki huts, bamboo, tropical flora and open-air dining and bar areas. The menu will feature Asian-fusion tacos and small plates with seafood or meat. An extensive lineup of agave-based spirits and cocktails will provide perfect pairings.
Unnamed Glai Baan concept
Opening in October
34 E. Seventh St., Tempe
Cat Bunnag and Dan Robinson, the owners of the beloved and acclaimed Glai Baan plan to open their new concept in the historic Gov. Benjamin B. Moeur House and Hatton Hall this fall.
Not much is known about the restaurant that will be located just off of Mill Avenue on the corner of Seventh Street and Myrtle Avenue, except that it will be different from their current hotspot in central Phoenix.
For years, hungry patrons have queued up for a coveted seat to savor the classic Thai street food, noodles, rice dishes, soups and petite plates churned out by Bunnag, who is from Thailand.
Provided by Novel Ice Cream
Novel Ice Cream
Opening in October
113 E. Seventh St., Tempe
This popular ice cream shop will introduce its signature Dough Melt – a warm glazed doughnut stuffed with handcrafted ice cream and crunchy cereal toppings – to a new audience when it opens its doors in Tempe.
The parlor will start scooping in the bungalow that was home to longtime Tempe favorite House of Tricks. The house now sits ⅕-mile away from the building’s original spot, from which it was moved a year ago in an effort to preserve the historic home amid new development.
Now located on Fifth Street south of Forest Avenue, it will be Novel Ice Cream’s fourth Valley location. Patrons can choose from about a dozen rotating flavors and stroll up to the walk-up window to place their orders for a cup, cone or even a flight of five flavors.
Sara Crocker
Phantom Fox Beer Co. and Goat and Ram
Opens on Oct. 8
525 S. Mill Ave., Tempe
The tried-and-true duo of beer and pizza will fuel a second location of the popular downtown Mesa brewery-meets-pie shop, Phantom Fox Beer Co. and Goat and Ram,
The pizza pub is moving into the former Illegal Pete’s on Mill Avenue near Fifth Street with an opening slated for October. There, 20 taps will be filled with Phantom Fox’s brews as well as pours from its downtown Mesa neighbor Cider Corps. Expanded offerings include cocktails, wings and loaded fries inspired by the pizza menu.
In addition to pizza and local craft brews, Mill Avenue diners will discover outdoor seating space with plenty of screens to keep up with gameday action.
RePUBLic
Opening this Fall
607 S. Mill Ave., Tempe
A new concept by C.A.S.A. bar creator Scott Price, RePUBLic will be an Irish sports bar with a neighborhood pub vibe. The new spot will be located adjacent to the recently expanded C.A.S.A., taking over the spaces previously occupied by Zuma Grill and Mill Cue Club near Sixth Street.
Among the venue’s furnishings are pool tables from Mill Cue Club, an homage to the pool bar that was a Mill Avenue staple for 25 years.
Slab City Bar & Grill
Opening: TBD
26 E. University Drive, Tempe
Bar proprietor Scott Price is far from done with his downtown Tempe ventures. His Slab City Bar & Grill will move into the former Shady Park spot on University Drive, just east of Mill Avenue. Patrons can expect high-end burgers and steaks cooked in 100% beef tallow. Thirst-quenchers will include beer, wine and cocktails.
Benjamin Leatherman
Level 1 Arcade Bar
Opening: TBD
4 E. University Drive, Tempe
Level 1 Arcade Bar will bring its trademark combination of vintage arcade games, pinball machines and good-times vibe to Tempe’s most iconic intersection.
The opening date has yet to be announced, but an Aug. 10 post on its social media pages touted “bringing the Level 1 experience to Tempe.” That includes a full kitchen churning out burgers, tacos and munchies like deep-fried Oreos and Twinkies. There will be 20 draft beers, 22 signature cocktails and wines by the glass and bottle.
The 5,000-square-foot space on the northeast corner of Mill Avenue and University Drive was previously home to Pita Jungle, which closed in 2025 after nearly 10 years.
