ROADKRILL: ‘347 shrimp’ city’s most iconic food

Philadelphia has cheesesteaks. Chowder in Boston, crab cakes in Baltimore, po’boys in New Orleans and poutine in Montreal. 

But Maricopa doesn’t have a signature dish quite yet. Or do we? 

That’s what InMaricopa sought to figure out when asked our readers this week what food they believe says “Maricopa” best. 

One-third of voters said the roadside shrimp shack on State Route 347 at Riggs Road takes the cake. 

Justin Ekelman, owner of the well-known seafood source, told InMaricopa he’s out of commission but will “be back soon.” 

The second-most voted option was frybread, claiming one-fifth of votes.  

The Spicy John Wayne Roll from Say Sushi garnered 14% of votes. It was followed by the Maricopa Cheesesteak from The Roost, which collected 13% of votes. 

The two least popular options were BBQ steak (10%) and Mexican pizza (9%). 

To learn more about Ekelman and his seafood oasis in the desert, look our for our InMaricopa Restaurant Guide hitting the newsstands Jan. 1, 2024.