All the new restaurants at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, from chimichangas to coffee

More people are flying through Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport than ever before.

Gateway Airport officials recently announced they counted 1.9 million passengers in the 2022-23 fiscal year that runs from July to June, a new record for the east Mesa airport.

Despite setbacks like the recent loss of Canadian routes, interest in the airport's domestic flights keeps things busy. Allegiant Air, which operates the vast majority of the airport's flights, just announced a new route to Portland, Oregon, that starts in November.

To keep up with that growth and add more services for passengers, several restaurant kiosks have opened and there's a terminal expansion in the works.

If it's been a while since you've flown from Mesa Gateway Airport, here's what's new and coming soon.

New Allegiant flights: Where you can go from Mesa Gateway

Open now: Macayo's Mexican Food

A local chain of Mexican restaurants with 10 locations in metro Phoenix, Macayo's Mexican Food has been a part of the region's culinary scene since its first location opened in 1946.

It's one of several Arizona restaurants, along with El Charro Cafe in Tucson, that claims to be where the chimichanga was invented when a burrito was dropped in a deep fryer. Macayo's serves its chimichangas topped with sour cream, pico de gallo and a chile relleno sauce. Macayo's menu also includes tacos, burritos and salads.

The Gateway Airport location opened in October 2022 near Gate 5 in the space formerly occupied by the Copper Plate Restaurant and Bar.

Open now: Infusion Coffee & Tea Crafters

Infusion Coffee & Tea Crafters has two Gateway Airport kiosks in addition to its two brick-and-mortar locations in Tempe and Queen Creek. One is near Gate 5 and the other is near baggage claim.

Coffee and tea options vary by location, but Infusion Coffee typically offers familiar drinks like espresso, americano, cappuccino and cold brew as well as specialties like SprO'J (a blend of espresso and orange juice) and Ginger Twist (cold brew blended with ginger, lemon and soda water).

The baggage-claim kiosk also offers retail items from Queen Creek Olive Mill, the agritourism destination where Infusion's Queen Creek store is located. Items for sale include bottles of its extra virgin, garlic-infused and Meyer lemon olive oils.

Coming soon: First Jet Market

First Jet Market, a concept from travel retailer Paradies Lagardère, is the first retailer confirmed for Mesa Gateway Airport's new terminal concourse that's expected to open in 2024.

The market is a locally sourced grab-and-go kiosk with prepared foods, coffee and convenience items. The food will come from chef Aaron Chamberlin, whose restaurants include Oak on Camelback (formerly known as St. Francis), Ghost Ranch and the now-closed Phoenix Public Market.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport: New places to eat and shop