Longtime Tempe breakfast spot reopens after closing in 2024 due to fire

PHOENIX — U.S. Egg is making its comeback. After a kitchen fire forced the longtime Tempe breakfast spot to shut its doors in October 2024, the restaurant is hosting a grand opening ceremony on Wednesday.

The restaurant is located near Baseline Road and Mill Avenue, which is three miles south of Arizona State University’s Tempe campus.

It now sports a full renovation, brand‑new equipment and a refreshed dining room ready to welcome regulars back in, according to U.S. Egg Chief Operating Officer George Gebran.

“It feels good to to be back and be better than ever,” Gebran told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Tuesday.

His family bought U.S. Egg’s Tempe location in 1991, when it was the restaurant’s only store. Since then, they’ve expanded with five additional locations across metro Phoenix.

What’s new at U.S. Egg in Tempe?

Gebran said the water heater fire started after-hours, when a member of a cleaning crew hired by the landlord left his tools in a place he shouldn’t have. An active fire investigation stretched on for months after the incident, and five insurance companies got involved.

Overall, the Gebran family invested $1.9 million to rebuild the original Tempe restaurant, stripping it down to the studs.

“Everything is brand-new, meaning ground-up, from even the electric wiring, the electric boxes. … All the plumbing got pulled,” Gebran added.

The kitchen now has a fully new stainless‑steel line and hood system, which was around $300,000 of the total cost.

In addition to new equipment, the restaurant also has a new roof, floors and trusses.

“The only thing that was left was the brick shelf of the building that was there originally,” Gebran said.

However, despite the fact that everything’s new, the classic look is the same.

“We felt like it was just perfect, and it felt great the way it was,” Gebran said. “So everything went back, but brand-new with fresh colors, fresh paintings, and we’ve gotten so much feedback from the guests, saying … ‘It still feels like home. It still feels like it used to.'”

Tempe Mayor Corey Woods will take part in Wednesday’s grand opening ceremony, along with several firefighters with the Tempe Fire Department who responded to tackle the kitchen blaze over a year ago.

What’s on the menu at U.S. Egg in Tempe?

The only thing that hasn’t changed is the menu, which is known for its protein pancakes, cornhusker breakfast, grilled omelets, mimosas and cocktails.

However, there are limited-time specials, including a $22.95 Forty Flight with champagne and cranmosa, as well as a $5.95 mocha with whipped cream, gold sprinkles and a chocolate rim.

“You know, being Phoenician, we’re living up to who we are,” Gebran said. “We’re rising from the ashes, from this fire. We had a chance to walk away and do a different location or start fresh somewhere else, but we wanted to rebuild what we had.”

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