Open for barely a year, Matta’s Cantina has become the new neighborhood hangout for residents near Ellsworth and Brown roads.
My husband and I checked it out on a Tuesday evening, not usually a busy night for restaurants, and it was quite full. Walking in the front door, you could immediately tell this is a comfortable, casual place that caters to the neighborhood. There was a lively mix of families and couples dining, and a crowded bar, with sports on the TVs, lots of chit-chat and patrons enjoying libations, appetizers and meals.
As soon as we sat down, a personable waitress brought us a basket of large, hearty corn chips and a generous bowl of spicy and very tasty hot sauce, which also is for sale at the restaurant and online.
This newest of Matta’s four Valley Mexican restaurants, Matta’s Cantina is owned by Peter and Gretchen Matta. This restaurant serves the same great West Texas-style, made-from-scratch Mexican food famous at all the other locations.
There are so many offerings on the menu, it was difficult to choose. We probably should have tried a few different things, but we both decided we wanted to order the shrimp and chili burritos. They came generously stuffed with lots of good-sized shrimp, strips of green chilies, onions and rice.
My husband ordered refried beans as his side, and I tried the papas fritas. Matta’s certainly doesn’t skimp on its portions. The burritos were large, and the sides covered half the plate. The yummy refried beans were smooth, creamy and covered with melted cheese. The papas fritas were bite-sized, triangular-shaped pieces of fresh-cut potatoes perfectly fried to a crunchy outside with a soft center. And even though they were so good, I couldn’t finish the whole serving.
We had both eaten so much, we hardly could think of dessert, but the waitress convinced us we should at least give the caramel-filled churros a try. They were delicious. I forced myself to eat two of the perfectly crunchy confections, complete with a creamy caramel inside and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. The contrast between the crunch outside and cream inside was a real treat.
Matta’s is a real family tradition, with Arizona roots dating back to 1953. So, it is no surprise Dominic Matta, son of Peter and Gretchen, works at the Cantina.
“We grew up in this neighborhood,” Dominic said, “and we still live close by. We’ve always had a dream to start a nice little neighborhood restaurant here, where nearby residents could come for a quick lunch, a relaxing dinner or just to chill and have a beer or margarita, while hanging out with their neighbors,” he continued. “We invite our snowbirds to check us out, and meet some of their year-round neighbors, too.”
Matta’s also offers Fiesta Hour specials, from 3 to 6 p.m. daily, with discounts on combo plates and drinks. They have a lot of tequila selections, too.
Matta’s is located at 1157 N. Ellsworth Road, on the southeast corner of Ellsworth and Brown roads. For more information and menus, visit mattas.com, or call (480) 354-7700.