
Chandler AZ welcome sign
Photo provided by Metro Phoenix Alliance.
Diverse Mix of Local Dining
Downtown Ocotillo in Chandler has completed its long-awaited restaurant refresh. The mixed-use dining hub now showcases three new concepts from developer and restaurateur Spike Lawrence. Bonsai, Lucca Coastal Kitchen, and Lucca Living Room take the place of previous restaurants Rock Lobster, Sea & Smoke, and The Living Room respectively.
Lawrence led the transformation to elevate the destination’s culinary lineup and overall guest experience. The additions introduce a refined mix of concepts, ranging from modern Asian-inspired dining at Bonsai to coastal cuisine at Lucca Coastal Kitchen, along with a relaxed, lounge-style setting at Lucca Living Room. Together, the new venues reposition Downtown Ocotillo as a more dynamic and upscale dining and social destination in the Metro Phoenix East Valley.
Downtown Ocotillo’s long-drawn-out restaurant refresh is finally complete.
After one of the longest transitions in recent memory – the handoff quietly happened late last summer – south Chandler’s mixed-use dining destination officially has unveiled three new concepts from developer/restaurateur Spike Lawrence: Bonsai, Lucca Coastal Kitchen, and Lucca Living Room.
Bonsai replaces Rock Lobster with an elevated Japanese experience: fresh wild-caught sushi, tableside hot rock cooking, wagyu and omakase options, and a full sake and cocktail bar. It’s open, but a grand-opening celebration April 24 will include drink and food specials all day.
Lucca Coastal Kitchen, also open, steps into the old Sea & Smoke space with scratch-made Tuscan-inspired Italian – think house-made pappardelle bolognese, wood-fired grilled meats, and sustainably sourced seafood in a moody, intimate setting.
Rounding out the trio, Lucca Living Room – the spiritual successor to the beloved The Living Room – is opening later this month in the same space, updated with a new U-shaped bar, open pizza and pasta kitchen, and a late-night vibe built for live music and lingering.
All three are locally owned, Chandler-exclusive concepts. Worth the wait? Head to southeast corner of Price and Queen Creek and judge for yourself.
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About Mouth By Southwest
In 2010, Jess Harter launched Mouth by Southwest – MXSW for short. More than two million people now visit MXSW each year for information about local restaurants, breweries, and bars.















