Shocking news for northeast Mesa residents: Longtime popular Mexican restaurant Rancho de Tia Rosa is closing Saturday after a 13-year run.
Owners Dennis and Lizbeth Sirrine reportedly were unable to reach agreement on a new lease for the stand-alone building, walled patio, and next-door taqueria.
The only good news is the Sirrine family will continue to operate a spinoff Rancho de Tia Rosa that opened in 2010 at Higley and Guadalupe in Gilbert.
The Sirrines made their restaurant debut with Rosa’s Mexican Grill, named after Dennis’ grandmother, in 1991. The tiny eatery at Mesa and University in Mesa expanded four times before the Sirrines sold it in 1999.
In 2000, the family opened Rancho de Tia Rosa’s fast-casual taqueria on four acres of undeveloped land on McKellips, between Lindsay and Val Vista.
The following year, they launched the main sit-down restaurant next door. The elaborately decorated structure reflected Dennis Sirrine’s 15-year career of designing and building million-dollar homes.
The Sirrines announced an aggressive expansion plan in 2010 for additional sit-down Tia Rosas in Gilbert and Chandler, as well another taqueria at Gilbert.
The Chandler location closed after four months. The Gilbert taqueria closed after two years.
The Sirrines recently announced plans to open another taqueria in 2015, but the location has not been identified.
