Rio Mirage Cafe, a long-standing favorite for authentic Sonoran cuisine, is opening a new location in Goodyear.
The restaurant has just broken ground on a site at the crossroads of Estrella Parkway and Elliot Road, at 10047 S. Estrella Parkway, according to the Estrella Community website. The 9,000 square foot restaurant will offer panoramic views of the Estrella mountains. O’Brien Luxury Designs was tapped for the architecture, which blends Spanish Mission and Hacienda styles. The two-story restaurant will feature stonework, arches, Spanish tiles, and iron details. A grand bar will be the focal point of the restaurant, which will also have private dining areas. An opening date has not been announced.
Alex and Rachel Gomez opened the first Rio Mirage Cafe in 1999 and continue to operate the restaurants, which is now a family affair. Their daughter, Stephanie Mendoza, serves as vice president of operations.
The restaurant offers Sonoran-style dishes made with recipes handed down for generations using high quality ingredients, including freshly homemade flour tortillas. Its specialty is the Rio Mirage burrito, filled with a choice of grilled shrimp, fajita chicken, or fajita steak, sautéed with onions, fresh bell peppers, mushrooms, and roasted poblano peppers. The burrito is deep- fried, topped with spicy ranchero sauce Monterey Jack, cheddar and jalapeño cream cheese, and finished in the oven.
