Built on agricultural land in the area, Maryvale was created as a large community that included tract homes, schools, shopping malls, and cultural and community centers. This master plan provided a home base to the farm workers and military personnel that worked nearby.

The transition from farmland to a new community of young families and homeowners evolved in the mid 1970s and 80s following an expansion of Sky Harbor Airport that led to the displacement of the Golden Gate Barrio neighborhood. Golden Gate Barrio residents, primarily of Hispanic and Latin descent, were in need of a new place to put down roots. 

These new roots took shape and transformed Maryvale into a bustling neighborhood with an under-the-radar local food community that was created by its residents. Mexican food in the area is vast and represents regions from across the country. There are plenty of food gems that are as diverse as the palates and cravings of its community. In Maryvale, you will find plenty of family owned, mom and pop restaurants that are dishing up handed down family recipes, bustling tacos and tortas spots, carnicerias, food trucks and stands, Chinese take out, and Vietnamese noodle shops. There’s quite a bit of miles to cover to experience the depth of Maryvale’s food scene, and a wealth of local joints to try along the way.​

(If you’re a local food producer or artisan, farm, or restaurant in the Maryvale and would like to get listed, please complete the form here to get added to the directory.)