A new Mexican-themed cocktail bar called Jaguar Cantina is preparing to debut next year in downtown Tempe, located at 640 S Mill Ave B110.
The new concept will replace Anoche Cantina in the CenterPoint on Mill development, according to Phoenix Business Journal. The new 4,554-square-foot bar is expected to open in the first quarter of 2025, featuring two large patios, two outdoor bars, and plenty of agave-based cocktails and margaritas. This is the latest from restaurateur Julian Wright, known for opening Pedal Haus, Devil’s Hideaway, and more. Wright previously operated in this space between 2011 and 2013 with his Canteen Modern Tequila Bar.
“Eleven years later and doing another Mexican concept [in the space], it’s kind of fun,” Wright tells the Business Journal. “I own property and travel a lot to the Yucatan Peninsula. I love how, in Tulum, they’ll make do with the jungle and incorporate it into their concepts, whether it’s jungle plants, sand, or natural woods. That’s a bit of the inspiration.”
The upcoming Jaguar Cantina is part of a larger revitalization of downtown Tempe, specifically on Mill Avenue. Last year, Pretty Decent Concepts announced that it would build its fourth cocktail and creative restaurant concept in the former space belonging to PF Chang’s. The restaurant group behind Wren & Wolf expects to open the new 7,700-square-foot concept in the first quarter of 2025. This was the first lease signed by Wexford, which paid $60 million for the building in 2019. While Wright gets started on this new concept, he is putting on the finishing touches of a new location of Pedal Haus Brewery in downtown Mesa, set to open on September 26.
