The Mission, the Scottsdale-born modern Latin restaurant from Chef Matt Carter, has officially arrived in the East Valley. The neighborhood favorite opened its third Valley location Monday at Epicenter at Agritopia in Gilbert, bringing its candle-lit dining rooms, agave-forward cocktails and signature tableside guacamole ritual to a new crowd. The debut expands a small Scottsdale-based portfolio and gives Gilbert another full-service dinner and weekend brunch option.
Located at 3150 E. Ray Road, Suite 180, The Mission is set to serve lunch and dinner daily, with weekend brunch on the way, according to Phoenix New Times. The restaurant’s site lists the Gilbert address and a reservations page, and notes that the brand also operates in Old Town Scottsdale and Kierland Commons via The Mission’s Gilbert page.
Design and seating
The new Gilbert space was designed by Mendil + Meyer and pairs an airy front dining room wrapped in curved windows with a darker, moodier bar area lit by crystal chandeliers and a Himalayan salt brick wall, ABC15 reports. The bar seats about 20 guests, two communal high-top tables add more room to linger over drinks and snacks, and a private dining room with audiovisual capabilities fits roughly 35 to 40 guests, per ABC15.
Menu and bar highlights
The Gilbert menu sticks closely to The Mission’s greatest hits. Diners will find duck carnitas empanadas, a chipotle Caesar salad, pozole, tacos on housemade corn tortillas and a chorizo porchetta cooked over a pecan and mesquite fueled grill, as detailed by Phoenix New Times. At the bar, margaritas, signature cocktails and flights of agave spirits are lined up to match the rich, smoky flavors coming off the grill.
Replacing Belly and joining the Epicenter roster
The Mission moves into the former Belly Kitchen & Bar space, after Belly closed its Epicenter location at the end of 2024. The change was reported last year, and The Mission is now listed among Epicenter’s tenants, according to Epicenter at Agritopia. The transition keeps the mixed-use development’s dining momentum going and gives Epicenter a full-service Latin option just ahead of the spring season…