TV Restaurants

What Happened to Barrio Cafe After Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Season 17 Phoenix, Arizona Closed May 2024

Current status

Closed

As of October 2026, Barrio Cafe has closed — confirmed via 12news.com, May 2024.

What the source shows: News coverage confirms the original 16th Street Barrio Cafe closed in 2024, while the location the original listing matched is a separate, still-active airport concession. How we decide a status →

What happened after Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives? 2 episodes

Part 1 — Season 17, Episode 5 Aired

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives visited Barrio Cafe in the episode "Peppers, Pork and Poutine," aired 2013-05-20, highlighting chef Silvana Salcido Esparza's modern Mexican menu at her flagship Phoenix restaurant. Barrio Cafe operated as a sit-down Mexican restaurant at 2814 North 16th Street in Phoenix for more than two decades. According to 12News, Esparza closed the restaurant in May 2024 after 22 years in business, saying, "We're closing on a high note." Phoenix New Times reported in March 2024 that the closure had already been announced ahead of that final service. A separate Barrio Cafe-branded concession continues to operate at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, according to the airport's own website, but that location is run apart from Esparza's original 16th Street restaurant and does not represent it reopening.

Part 2 — Season 33, Episode 3 Aired

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives revisited Barrio Cafe in Phoenix for "Takeout: Global Comes Local" (aired 2020-09-11). According to flavortownusa.com, Guy Fieri's original 2013 visit featured the chiles en nogada, poblano peppers stuffed with chicken and topped with walnut cream sauce and pomegranate seeds, plus the cochinita pibil, a Yucatan pork dish marinated in achiote and citrus before slow-roasting. Dinersdriveinsdiveslocations.com lists the restaurant's original address as 2814 N 16th Street.

The episodes Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Episode 5
Aired
Title: Peppers, Pork and Poutine · What was featured: Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza's modern Mexican menu
Season 33, Episode 3
Aired
Title: Takeout: Global Comes Local · What was featured: Chiles en nogada and Yucatan-style cochinita pibil pulled pork
How Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives restaurants have fared: 27% closed →

Also in Season 17 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Season 17: 22 of 33 still open

All 13 Season 17 episodes →

Nearest open restaurants By distance from 2814 North 16th Street

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Before you go: Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources we checked 5 references

  1. 12news.com https://www.12news.com/article/life/food/barrio-cafe-mexican-restaurant-closing/75-85752e66-7074-4cf7-a86c-734992883167
  2. phoenixnewtimes.com https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/food-drink/iconic-phoenix-restaurant-barrio-cafe-is-closing-heres-what-we-know-18533169/
  3. skyharbor.com https://www.skyharbor.com/at-the-airport/food-drinks/barrio-cafe-428/
  4. flavortownusa.com https://www.flavortownusa.com/locations/640/barrio-cafe
  5. dinersdriveinsdiveslocations.com https://www.dinersdriveinsdiveslocations.com/barrio-cafe-arizona.html
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Record ddd-0600 · checked by Cal Marchetti.