Anyone else who grew up here remember Tri-City Mall that used to be near Dobson & Main Street, now where the light rail station is? It was like the old version of Arizona Mills Mall.
I remember when they tore down the building in 2016 and we were skeptical of what could revitalize the area.
Now, the area is considered Mesa’s Asian District and if you haven’t been on a family adventure to the Asian markets, restaurants and festivals hosted in this district, add it to your next family date night! (The timing is perfect, as with Chinese New Year on February 1, it’s the year of the tiger), it is a great culture lesson to explore with your kiddos as well!
XO,
Amy
So what’s there?
Asian District, Mesa, AZ comprises more than 70 Asian-themed restaurants, grocery stores and other service and retail businesses along a two-mile stretch on Dobson Road in West Mesa.
The Mayor said it best: “Mesa has a strong and very active Asian community and I am excited to see the Asian District come to life in west Mesa,” Mayor John Giles said. “This is the perfect place for people to gather, eat, shop and immerse themselves in the flavors and cultures of Asia.”
A family date itinerary
If you’re unsure what do actually do on an outing to the district, here’s a fun itinerary we recently did to explore the offerings!
- Kick off the day with boba at Boba Tree, who are known for their cheese foam teas and offer crazy toppings that older kids will have fun building their own drinks.
If this is totally new to you, AZCentral breaks down more of what to order here in a review of the tea shop!
- We went on a weekend where we needed groceries anyways, and exploring the AZ International Marketplace for super unique meat cuts, produce, special sauces/condiments and Asian candy was exciting to shop for.
Littler kiddos will be excited for the Asian candy options, while pre-teens/teens could get really into the crazy ramen options, or the Korean beauty products at H Mart.
- Get ready to cook your own meats at Manna BBQ, a Korean bbq restaurant that offers the traditional table top grill for families to cook their own meats. (Not as fun with a toddler, but older kids think this is so much fun!!).
- If you’re not into cooking your own meal, try pho at UnPHOgetable or the Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle
The hand drawn noodle restaurant offers lots of noodle-based dishes and is pretty basic inside, but offers delicious, warm noodle soups that are crowd pleasers for tots or pickier eaters. It’s also fun for kids to see the noodles actually being pulled by hand by the kitchen staff.
(If your kids are into trains, you could absolutely make this a light rail destination just for fun, if they haven’t ridden it before. You’d get off the train at the Sycamore Station, and know it is about half a mile of walking from the station platform to the shops and restaurants.)
Asian District Night Market
Mark your calendars for January 29 for a “foodie concert” through the Asian District, this will be a fun, free festival where families can sample their way through unique Asian eats and treats as a family date.
More information is on the Asian District’s website.
Here’s more about the District: https://youtu.be/4hUnYLD6gyE
