Alongside the steady flow of traffic on State Route 347, new restaurants are always the topic du jour in Maricopa.

Want to know what’s cooking in the city? Here’s a glimpse at what might, and might not, be coming to the city’s dining scene.

On deck

Chilaquiles Mexican Kitchen
By the time this restaurant guide hits your mailbox, this popular East Valley Mexican breakfast spot will probably be serving hungry Maricopans its signature chilaquiles, quesabirria and molcajetes. Chilaquiles Mexican Kitchen took over the space of the former sports bar The Roost, which shuttered in December, and began remodeling shortly after.

La Michoacana
Shortly after the suite sign for La Michoacana Ice Cream Shop AZ went up in December, the sweet scent of aguas frescas and paletas began teasing our senses. Permits for interior improvements were granted in March, and since then, construction is ongoing.

Ono Hawaiian BBQ
A taste of the islands is coming to Maricopa with Ono Hawaiian BBQ’s first Pinal County location. The restaurant found a home in a long-vacant retail pad in Sonoran Creek Marketplace that was once slated for a Filiberto’s Mexican spot. The restaurant will open when interior construction is complete.

Simmering

Black Rock Coffee Bar
Maricopa’s thriving drive-thru coffee scene may soon welcome a bold new contender. Black Rock Coffee Bar has set its sights on a site beside the Sherwin-Williams paint store on John Wayne Parkway, filing pre-application paperwork in July. While construction has yet to begin, the plans hint at another caffeinated stop for the city’s on-the-go crowd.

Buffalo Wild Wings
Maricopans aren’t giving up hope for a Buffalo Wild Wings of their own. The last movement came in September 2024, when plans and paperwork were filed with the city. Since then, progress has been quiet — but the dream of game-day wings and big-screen action remains alive.

Burrito Express
A quick-service Mexican chain is planning a location inside the Circle K at Honeycutt and Porter roads. The timeline, however, remains a mystery. Construction plans landed with the city’s Development Services department in June, but for now, locals will have to wait to see when tacos hit the menu.

Farmer Boys
In February, the California-based drive-thru burger joint set its sights on Maricopa, aiming to serve up its signature “farm fresh” burgers on Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway at Stonegate Road. If the project moves forward, it will mark the chain’s third location in Arizona — and a new stop for locals craving a West Coast bite.

Orlie’s Taproom
With a wine bar already on the map, Maricopa’s next neighborhood wish list item might just be a cozy taproom. Orlie’s is aiming to be the city’s first. While pre-application paperwork for a spot in the planned Legacy on Porter hasn’t been filed, creator Jason Martin envisions opening the doors as early as 2026, pouring pints and creating a new gathering place for locals.

Panda Express
Joining the growing roster of restaurants in the Stonegate area, Panda Express is planning its second Maricopa location. The 2,700-square-foot drive-thru will showcase a pagoda-inspired exterior, blending cultural elements with a modern twist — a fresh look for a familiar favorite.

Someburros
The iconic Chandler-based Mexican restaurant first revealed plans early this year for a 3,500-square-foot location at Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway and Stonegate Road. Now, the vision is taking shape, with architectural, landscape and site plans currently under city review.

Wendy’s
The home of the Baconator is eyeing a second serving in Maricopa, this time along Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. Wendy’s submitted pre-application paperwork last year for the site once slated to become the city’s second Burger King, setting the stage for another fast-food favorite to join the lineup.

Zzeek’s Pizza
The Ahwatukee-based pizza parlor has taken two steps toward opening in Maricopa, submitting multiple rounds of pre-application paperwork for a site at Honeycutt and Whisker Roads, just south of Homestead. With rezoning approved, the project is primed for progress — though construction has yet to break ground.

Probably 86’d

Burger King
It looks like another fast-food giant took over the king’s location at 41980 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. While plans for the city’s second Burger King were first announced in 2021, franchise owner Tom Barnett last year said groundbreaking was delayed due to construction costs and labor issues. Now, a Wendy’s is slated for the address.

Filiberto’s
After years of hinting at a permanent location — first at Sonoran Creek Marketplace, then at Honeycutt and Whisker Roads — the odds of a Filiberto’s restaurant opening in Maricopa seem to be dwindling. Still, fans got a taste this June when a Fili-B’s branded food truck appeared near the historic water tower.

Read about all the restaurants in Maricopa in the 2025 Restaurant Guide in your September issue of InMaricopa.