Mesa, Arizona food guide: the Asian District and Dobson Road

Mesa is one of the biggest cities in Arizona, and it is easy to drive through without noticing how much of the Valley's best eating lies along a single road. Dobson Road, between Main Street and Broadway Road, has become one of the metro area's centers of Asian food, with restaurants, grocers, bakeries and shops serving Filipino, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and other communities. Here is how to use Mesa's Asian District: where to start, what to order and when to go.

Where is Mesa's Asian District?

The City of Mesa describes the main core of the district along Dobson Road between Main Street and Broadway Road, and says it has grown organically over the years instead of by plan. It has many restaurants, grocers and Asian specialty shops, and it keeps changing. Think of it as a long corridor of strip malls and plazas, not a single block, and plan to drive between stops.

What is Mekong Plaza?

Mekong Plaza, at the corner of Main Street and Dobson Road, is a shopping center with many restaurants and food stores. It is a good first stop because you can walk between several kitchens. Look for Vietnamese noodle soups and rice plates, bakeries, bubble tea, dessert shops and a grocery. A beef noodle soup from central Vietnam and broken rice plates with grilled pork are among the dishes reviewers mention. Parking lots are large but fill on weekends.

What can you eat on Dobson Road?

The corridor is wide, and the best approach is to choose by dish. For noodles, look for Vietnamese pho and bun, Chinese hand-pulled noodles and Korean cold noodles. For rice, there are Filipino plates, Vietnamese broken rice and Chinese barbecue. For grocery treats, the large Asian supermarkets sell fresh seafood, produce, snacks and prepared food, sometimes with a food court. Bakeries sell pandesal, bao, mooncakes and pastries. Start with one dish you know and add one you do not.

What are the night markets?

A guide to the district notes night markets held at various times of year, usually in the cooler months when the evenings are pleasant. Expect food stalls, dessert stands, music and crowds. Dates change, so check the city's event pages or the district's social pages. Bring cash for small vendors, wear comfortable shoes and arrive early for parking.

How do you handle the heat?

Mesa's summer afternoons are very hot, and many people eat outside the peak hours. Go for lunch or an early dinner and park in the shade if you can. Stay hydrated, and keep water in the car. In the winter and spring the weather is mild and ideal for outdoor events. Restaurants are air-conditioned, and the plazas have covered walkways.

When are the busiest times?

Weekend lunch and dinner are the busiest, especially on Sunday after church and during holiday weeks. Lunar New Year, Tet and Filipino holidays bring special menus and crowds. Weekday lunch is quieter, and many restaurants offer lunch specials. Some kitchens close one weekday, often Monday or Tuesday, and many close between lunch and dinner, so check hours before you drive.

What about downtown Mesa?

Downtown Mesa, around Main Street and the light rail line, has its own mix of restaurants, bars, a museum district and a growing nightlife. The Asian District is a short drive south and west. Combining the two in a day works well: breakfast or a coffee downtown, then Dobson Road for lunch. Light rail runs along Main Street, so you can reach downtown without a car from Tempe and Phoenix.

How do you order if the menu is unfamiliar?

Ask what the kitchen is best known for, and point to dishes at nearby tables. Many menus have photos. Start with one dish per person and add shared plates. Spice levels vary, and kitchens will often adjust on request. If you have allergies, say so clearly, since shrimp paste, fish sauce, peanuts and shellfish are common ingredients.

What about prices and tipping?

Prices in the Asian District are generally modest compared with the rest of the Valley. Arizona adds a transaction privilege tax to restaurant meals, so the check is higher than the menu price. A tip of 18 to 20 percent is customary for table service, and counters may have a tip jar.

How do you fit the Asian District into a day?

Start with a late breakfast or coffee, then walk Mekong Plaza for a noodle lunch. Browse an Asian supermarket for snacks, sauces and fresh produce, and stop at a bakery for something to carry home. In the late afternoon, drive downtown or to the nearby parks and return for an early dinner. Spread the eating over several hours instead of one big meal, and you will taste far more.

How do you remember what you tried?

A corridor with this many kitchens gives you a long list. Mosey is a food-first app where diners find places by dish, mood and neighborhood and rate what they actually ate. A rating for each bowl of noodles and each rice plate helps you remember what to order when you drive back down Dobson Road.

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