Rosa’s taking over former Rancho de Tia Rosa, which is reopening nearby

It turns out residents of northeast Mesa didn’t lose a popular Mexican restaurant. They’re gaining one.

Rosa’s Mexican Grill, which has thrived on the northwest corner of Mesa and University since 1991, is opening a second location – it’s taking over the recently closed Rancho de Tia Rosa on McKellips between Lindsay and Val Vista.

It’s déjà vu for longtime East Valley diners, who may remember Dennis and Lizbeth Sirrine originally opened Rosa’s and ran it for the first eight years before selling it to open Rancho de Tia Rosa.

Now, current Rosa’s owners Jim and Karma Gifford are taking over the former Rancho complex, which consists of a sit-down restaurant that was closed by a fire earlier this year and a stand-alone taqueria (pictured above) that closed in October.

I’m told the taqueria will re-open as soon as next week, with the sit-down restaurant to follow next year.

Meanwhile, just to make things more confusing, the Sirrines are opening another Rancho de Tia Rosa (sign pictured) nearby on the northeast corner of Greenfield and Brown (between Mountainside Fitness and Epic Salon) in early 2015.

The Sirrines also have a Rancho de Tia Rosa at Higley and Guadalupe in Gilbert.