Pro's Ranch Market: Contents of a Fiesta Under One Roof

By Alex Rodriguez Fri., Jul. 27 2012 at 8:30 AM

Alex Rodriguez

You can get goodies like these and much more at Pro's.

Hey, readers, get ready. We're putting new meaning into the term "street food." For Chow Bella's latest mission -- "Eating 16th Street" -- we've employed a young woman who's literally eaten her way around the world. Alex Rodriguez has eaten borscht in Moscow, steak in Buenos Aires and a "life-changing panna cotta" in Bra, a small town in the Piemonte region of Italy. Now we've set her palate loose on Central Phoenix's 16th Street. Rodriguez will try it all, from Jefferson Street north to Thomas Road -- and report back, place by place.

View a complete slideshow of A Visual Tour Through Pro's Ranch Market.

The Place: Pro's Ranch Market
The Food: Mexican grocery store and hot food counter
The Backstory: Chain of large Mexican-style indoor markets owned by an Italian family -- with seven locations in greater Phoenix, one of which is on la calle 16.
The Price: Groceries are comparable in price to a traditional store; Breakfast cost up to $3.49, lunch combos up to $5.99, tortas up to $5.99.

Pro's Ranch Market may very well be the sole reason I question why I didn't come to Phoenix sooner. Miami, where I live, has great grocery stores. We have a southeast chain called Publix - and I used to think you could get anything I wanted there. Til I visited Pro's.

Earlier this week, we stopped by Ranch Market to get a feel for the place. Pfft. Wait, who am I kidding? I'm there almost every day. Guilty as charged.

When we visited to take photos the other day, we were stopped by security and told that photography was not allowed inside the market, "We don't want anyone stealing [our] idea," the guard told me. I managed to give him my card, to show him I was legitimate, but still, I was sent to the corporate office to speak to a higher-up. I felt like an outlaw -- I just wanted to take some photos. Barbara Poggi, the Project Administrator of Pro's satellite corporate and regional office, explained that they're strict due to brand theft. "We like to control what's going around about the store," she said.

That makes sense, Ms. Poggi. If I was a brand thief, I'd want to steal Pro's market idea too.

In any case, the market, which takes up almost the entire block on the northeast corner of 16th street and Roosevelt, embodies "awesome."

Alex Rodriguez

I like to think of the entrance as "The Pearly Gates".

You'll have to pinch yourself as you walk in. The inside of Pro's looks like a piñata exploded.

Alex Rodriguez

Put on your party hats!

Of course, there's a whole lot more to Pro's than piñata candy.

Location Info

Venue

Map

Pro's Ranch Market

1602 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, AZ

Category: Restaurant

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Eating 16th Street, Pro's Ranch Market

We Recommend

william.novak

Alex, am I missing it or did you not go to "Tradiciones"? The sit down eatery attached to Pro's?

It's pretty good in my humble opinion, we took a buddy there for his bachelor party. Which was an odd choice considering there were at least 2 quinceanera's going on at the same time. But the people there are warm and friendly, patient with Spanish limited gringo's like me and the food is fresh and good.

Liliana Araiza

The music is so loud it feels like I'm at a quinceañera.

Warren Klofkorn

I just love these Mexican supermarkets.

Manuel Marquez

First time I was at the market, I felt like I had left the country. Fun.

Sindi

Cute rendition of the map but where is the North arrow?

Why are all the restaurants that have been visited all Mexican? I am waiting to hear of some of the better American restaurants on the journey on 16th St.

I could care less for Mexican food. YUK!!!!!

Show me some good restaurants with GOOD food like meat loaf, pot roast, pork and sauerkraut, broasted chicken, pot pies, etc. You know, the type of food that our parents and grandparents cooked. The old home style recipes. Now that is what I call FOOD. Find me a restaurant on 16th that has a menu like that.

ARodWrites communitymanager

@Sindi Hi Sindi, my Eating 16th Street series is based on Latin cuisine. Here is the intro to the series:

Hey readers, get ready. We're putting new meaning into the term "street food." For Chow Bella's latest mission -- "Eating 16th Street" -- we've employed a young woman who's literally eaten her way around the world. Alex Rodriguez has eaten borscht in Moscow, steak in Buenos Aires and a "life-changing panna cotta" in Bra, a small town in the Piemonte region of Italy. As a contributor to our sister blog in Miami, Short Order, Rodriguez has covered it all, but has focused mainly on Latin food, particularly Cuban, though she's fond of Peruvian and Nicaraguan as well. So what better palate to set loose on Central Phoenix's 16th Street -- the storied, muraled stretch that's home to everything Latin from a James Beard winner to that candy store (a.k.a. dulceria) you've always wondered about. Rodriguez will try it all, from Jefferson Street north to Thomas Road -- and report back, place by place.

I'll have my editor take a look at your idea of finding Traditional American restaurants around here. Maybe someone else can take on that series.

Thanks for your input!

-A