Tirion Boan
Audio By Carbonatix
Chantico, the stylish modern Mexican restaurant on Camelback Road has quietly closed in uptown Phoenix “until further notice,” according to its social media. Out front, a Restaurant Brokers sign is visible, advertising the space as “available.”
The brainchild of chef and owner Walter Sterling, the restaurant opened near 11th Street amid the pandemic in October 2020. The cuisine took inspiration from Mexico City and was served in a well-designed space that felt like a visit to a resort, featuring rattan, sandy wood tones and greenery, as well as an expansive outdoor patio space.
The reason for the closure was not shared online and requests for comment were not returned. The restaurant’s voicemail notes that reservations are not currently being accepted and refers customers to an email address. The restaurant’s website is offline. Yelp and Google list Chantico as “temporarily closed.” An employee at Starlite BBQ, a sibling restaurant of Chantico, confirmed the closure.
Signs at the now-closed Chantico.
Sara Crocker
“Sorry we have closed until further notice,” a sign taped to a window of the restaurant reads in part.
A listing on Restaurant Brokers, which showcases restaurants and bars available for sale or lease, matches Chantico’s location. The entry describes a “high volume beautiful restaurant with real estate” with an asking price of $5.2 million.
“A fantastically beautiful, absolutely state-of-the-art facility that incorporates magnificent design features with a fantastic patio, awesome bar, contemporary decor, quality furnishings and the kind of kitchen most chefs can only dream about. This is the kind of truly unbelievable restaurant package that rarely comes around,” the listing says.
The large restaurant had many different seating areas where sipping a cocktail felt like a visit to a resort right along a busy stretch of Camelback Road.
Tirion Boan
Chantico was among Phoenix New Times’ best new restaurants of 2020 and received other accolades including Best Ceviche in 2022, Best Trendy Mexican Restaurant in 2021 and a top spot for guacamole. Chantico’s sibling restaurants include Scottsdale’s Starlite BBQ, midtown Phoenix’s Ocotillo and its backyard bar Sidecar Social Club.
Chantico is available to “continue with the current brand or take advantage of this spectacular facilities and location,” according to the Restaurant Broker’s listing, which also notes the location’s current annual revenues are $3.4 million.
“Serious and qualified inquiries only,” the entry says.
Chantico
1051 E. Camelback Road
