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Why Locals Can’t Stop Talking About Don Guerra’s Barrio Bagel and Slice
TLDR
To some, Don Guerra is the baker behind Tucson’s beloved Barrio Bread. To others, he’s the James Beard Award–winning craftsman recognized as one of the best bakers in America. To his students, he’s still remembered as Mr. Guerra. And in Gilbert, families now know him through something even more approachable: a bagel with cream cheese, a slice of pizza after school, or a quick stop for coffee before work.
When Guerra opened Barrio Bagel and Slice with restaurant veteran Oren Molovinsky in April 2025, it wasn’t just a new project. It was the natural next step in his journey of blending heritage grains, community roots, and everyday food people love. Months later, the café has already found its rhythm in the East Valley.
Bread, Bagels, and a Mission That Sticks
For years, Guerra has been celebrated for his role in reviving White Sonora Wheat and for building a community-supported model of baking in Tucson. With Barrio Bagel and Slice, those same values now live in Gilbert. Every bagel, focaccia, and torta roll carries the same naturally leavened, heritage grain craftsmanship that made him a local legend.
But here, the focus is more than loaves of bread. The menu stretches from hearty sandwiches like the Italian layered with ham, mozzarella, and pesto, to salads, slices of pizza, and even berry-sweet specialty cold brews made in collaboration with Matador Coffee Roasting Co. Families drop in for weekend bagel runs. Commuters swing by for coffee and a pastry on the way to work. Teenagers claim slices after school. Slowly, the café has become part of Gilbert’s daily rhythm.
Guerra and Molovinsky: A Balance of Craft and Operations
Guerra may be the poet of flour, but his partner Oren Molovinsky helps keep the wheels turning. Together, they’ve created a space that balances artisan technique with fast-casual convenience. Customers can walk in and feel the soul of Guerra’s bread alongside the efficiency of a well-run restaurant.
The collaboration between Guerra and Molovinsky has allowed the concept to settle naturally into Gilbert’s daily life. Furthermore, mobile ordering has become part of how people experience the bakery. Parents order bagels before the school run, commuters swing by for coffee and breakfast without losing time, and families pick up their favorite breads with a quick tap on their phone. What started as a convenience has become part of people’s routines, making the bakery feel like a dependable stop in the middle of busy lives.
Carrying Tradition Forward
What makes Guerra’s work stand out is how deeply it’s tied to place. By working with Arizona farmers, nonprofits, and local partners, he has helped restore heritage grains while honoring the agricultural and cultural history of the Sonoran desert. That same spirit now infuses Barrio Bagel and Slice in Gilbert.
Barrio Bagel and Slice is not about introducing something new for the sake of it. It is about continuing traditions of grain, bread, and gathering, now shared through bagels, pizza, and coffee. In just a few months, it has become part of daily routines in Gilbert, showing how Guerra’s passion for bread naturally connects to community life.
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All Rights Reserved © Per Diem Subscription
All Rights Reserved © Per Diem Subscription
All Rights Reserved © Per Diem Subscription
All Rights Reserved © Per Diem Subscription
All Rights Reserved © Per Diem Subscription
All Rights Reserved © Per Diem Subscription
All Rights Reserved © Per Diem Subscription
All Rights Reserved © Per Diem Subscription
All Rights Reserved © Per Diem Subscription
All Rights Reserved © Per Diem Subscription
All Rights Reserved © Per Diem Subscription
All Rights Reserved © Per Diem Subscription
All Rights Reserved © Per Diem Subscription