Tempe mayor announces even more restaurants coming to Mill Avenue

Tempe Mayor Corey Woods briefed city officials, business owners and other attendees in his State of the City Address on Tuesday. Along with sharing the successes and plans for growth, the Mayor was equally focused on restaurant developments for 2026. 

A popular scratch kitchen burger joint, a local craft brewery and a new bar and billiards concept from a longtime Tempe bar owner will call Mill Avenue home in the upcoming year.

“Downtown Tempe is a very hot place to be and a lot of restaurateurs and bar owners are looking here for their next big location,” Woods told Phoenix New Times. “2026 is going to be very exciting for Mill Avenue and downtown Tempe.” 

Here’s what’s coming soon to Tempe.

Culinary Gangster

Burger haven Culinary Gangster will bring its signature specialty burgers and crinkle-cut fries to the southeast corner of Mill Avenue and Fifth Street, below Varsity Tavern. Depending on renovations, owner Ricky Raschillo hopes to open in March. If the updates take longer, he’ll wait out the summer and open in August. 

Culinary Gangster got its start in Chicago as a popular burger food truck, before landing in the Valley. Since then, it has become a brick-and-mortar destination with locations in Scottsdale and downtown Phoenix. 

In addition to Tempe, there are plans to open restaurants in Gilbert and Paradise Valley, as well as at Sky Harbor International Airport. 

Opening a spot in downtown Tempe was always an idea but the party district vibe stood in the way, says Raschillo, who owns Culinary Gangster with his son Rocco. 

But seeing the new wave of restaurants and hotels emerging over the last two years was enough to make the Raschillos take a serious look. 

“There are more upscale places that are family-driven,” Raschillo says. “It’s not just a drinking college town anymore.” 

Guests can expect a diverse menu that caters to every dietary need and allergy concern, with steps to ensure there is no cross-contamination among equipment. Healthy quinoa bowls, all-day breakfast and Sunday brunch are part of the lineup. 

“Our menu appeals to everyone and we’ll appeal to college kids, too,” Raschillo says. “We are excited to be joining the downtown community and being part of ASU. There’s nothing like being able to see the football stadium from your patio.” 

Phantom Fox Beer Co. and Goat and Ram

Phantom Fox Beer Co. will move into the former Illegal Pete’s space on Mill Avenue, just south of Fifth Street, and it’s bringing its in-house pizzeria, Goat and Ram. The dual concept’s opening is slated for March or April. 

The craft brewery recently celebrated its two-year anniversary in downtown Mesa. It emerged onto Woods’ radar when he was exploring potential restaurant tenants to fill the city-owned building. Wright and fellow Valley restaurateur Armando Hernandez both suggested reaching out to the owners of Phantom Fox.

Co-owner Trent Smith said there were no plans to expand into downtown Tempe. But Woods, combined with seeing what the area has evolved into, was persuasive.

“Mayor Corey Woods is great and such a big fan of our business,” Smith says. “It was really nice to be wanted like that.”

Patrons can expect 18 to 20 of the house beers on tap in addition to guest brews. A larger kitchen will accommodate an expanded food menu along with slices to cater to lunch crowds. 

Smith’s last experience of Mill Avenue was about 30 years ago during his college years. This new project brought him back, and over the last four months, he’s been impressed with how the district has grown up. 

“We’re really excited and we see the vision that the mayor is putting forth and what the city is doing,” Smith says. “What we’ve seen is really cool and to be part of it, we’re pumped and it’s going to be a good fit.” 

RePUBLic and C.A.S.A Expansion

A bar and grill with pool tables and a neighborhood vibe is getting ready to replace the former Zuma Grill and Mill Cue Club.

RePUBLic will be a new concept by C.A.S.A.  bar creator Scott Price. It will take over the spaces on Mill Avenue just south of Sixth Street. 

Price also has plans to expand his party-central destination C.A.S.A., which sits around the corner, to add dine-in and walk-up services. Both are projected to open in August 2026.

A new look for Mill Avenue

These new spots are the latest additions to the enviable and growing list of hotspots moving into the Mill Avenue district, with opening dates slated for next year.

Other new eateries coming soon include Novel Ice Cream, a new concept by the creators of Glai Baan, veteran restaurateur Julian Wright’s coastal-inspired Mexican restaurant Carmen, and Roman God of Fire from the team responsible for Wren & Wolf, Filthy Animal and Carry On. 

The recent influx of new, flashy and locally-loved restaurant brands reflects a goal that Woods, a proud foodie who lives downtown, had of enhancing and diversifying the Mill Avenue dining scene when he was elected in 2020. 

Efforts to streamline the process reduce the red tape that has stymied new businesses from opening in the past have been part of that plan put into motion by city officials. 

And Culinary Gangster owner Raschillo can attest to that.

“The mayor called the landlord and they went above and beyond in every way possible,” says Raschillo, a veteran restaurateur who has opened more than 20 concepts across the country. “I’ve never seen a better town or community willing to help get us open.” 

However, Woods maintains that the passion for bringing in new restaurants and bars is matched by the loyalty to longtime venues that have thrived in the area for decades, like Caffe Boa and The Chuckbox. The same goes for Pedal Haus Brewery and C.A.S.A., two spots with owners who have found success on Mill Avenue for years and are now opening new concepts. 

“We want to make sure we honor the food and beverage options that have been here. But we also want to welcome the newcomers and existing operators who are coming in with new and exciting places,” Woods says. “But the beneficiaries are the diverse population that lives, works and plays in this community who have the opportunity to take advantage of these exciting new establishments.”