The good news is that there were very few eateries that scored poorly on health inspections last month. In fact, we saw a lot of “A” ratings looking through the inspection list. Though many local spots have either kept high standards or cleaned up since their last health inspector visit,…
When it comes to Arizona landmarks, you can hardly ignore Monti’s La Casa Vieja. Located in the historic adobe Hayden House on Mill Avenue, the restaurant is not only the oldest eatery in Tempe, but also the oldest continually occupied building in metro Phoenix. The steakhouse been open since 1956…
October was a dramatic month for the Valley dining scene. We said good-bye to the short-lived but well-received downtown restaurant, The Local, and learned that we’d never see Eliot Wexler’s Noca open again. This week will be your last chance to dine at chef James Porter’s Petite Maison in Scottsdale;…
When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…
Jeffrey Amber Executive Chef Forge Pizza 2502 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix www.theforgepizza.com “I want it to be a pizza party,” says chef Jeffrey Amber of the three-week-old Forge Pizza Phoenix. “I want it to be fun.” The 1,500 square foot eatery is the third Forge Pizza location to come from…
I rave so often and so loudly about Tuck Shop, my friends believe I’m an investor in the popular restaurant. And I dine so frequently at Vovomeena, the staff and I are on a first-name basis. But I admit to having abandoned Astor House, a smallish eatery in the Coronado…
Last month Phoenix New Times celebrated the cream of the crop with our 36th annual Best of Phoenix edition. Here are our top picks for places to get dessert in metro Phoenix. Best Candy Store: Super Chunk Sweets and Treats Since opening late last year, Super Chunk Sweets and Treats…
As we told you earlier this summer, Tempe will soon be home to the second location of Sam Fox’s ambitious mutli-use complex called The Yard. Like the original Phoenix location, The Yard Tempe will include a new location of Fox’s Culinary Dropout restaurant and a few other local businesses. In…
If seeing the dark, empty space at 1011 North Third Street — you know, the space that used to be The Local — has been bumming you out, you’ll be happy to know it won’t be like that for long. A new modern taquería drawing talent from several local chefs…
There are a lot of reasons to love brunch. For starters, it’s an acceptable reason to drink before noon and secondly — well, actually, do you need another reason? North Scottsdale residents looking for a new place to get their brunch on can now head to The Standard, the market/bar/restaurant…
When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…
Dia de los Muertos Celebration Saturday, November 1 and Sunday, November 2 This weekend Barrio Queen Tequileria in Old Town Scottsdale will be offering a variety of dining and drinking specials in honor of Dia de Los Muertos. The restaurant and bar will have deals such as $10 Hibiscus Margaritas…
East Valley residents with a love for country music and southern eats will have quite a drive to get their fix now that Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill has closed at Mesa Riverview. The restaurant and bar is moving all the way up to North Phoenix, specifically…
I’ve been eating it my whole life. I know the truth. Filipino food isn’t sexy. There’s little glamor in a reddish-brown stew of bitter vegetables in garlicky shrimp paste sauce or a whole fried fish that stares at you unblinkingly as you separate bits of meat from its skeleton. This…
The Guilty Pleasure: Surge soda. Where to Get It: For now, exclusively on Amazon.com. Price: $14 for a 12-pack. What it Really Costs: New bigger cans mean even more empty calories per serving! If you are of a certain age, you may well remember Surge soda. It was Coca-Cola’s attempt…
The story of this simple but memorable dessert starts in 2004, when Dempsey was just starting her five-year stint as pastry chef for Cowboy Ciao.
In my humble (but correct) opinion, the quintessential carnival food is the corn dog. I know I can get a (barely passable) corn dog from a number of outlets around town, but there’s nothing like savoring a hand-dipped corn dog while basking in the lurid lights of the Arizona State…
Robert and Jessie Gall have named their oven Blue. Not everyone names their kitchen equipment, but Blue isn’t your ordinary oven. Should you get the chance to see Blue, which isn’t out of the realm of possibility because Focoso customers are often invited on board the food truck, you’ll instantly…
Considering that you can already buy Sriracha Pringles and Lay’s and even green Midori Sriracha, we guess we shouldn’t be that surprised to hear that some of our local food producers are also turning to the famous hot sauce for inspiration. After all, we’ve already written about how you can…
When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…
Phoenix Food Day Friday, October 24 Tomorrow you can head to Ceasar Chavez Plaza in downtown Phoenix to help celebrate healthy, sustainable, and affordable food at Phoenix Food Day. The free event will bring 50 exhibitors representing restaurants and local food groups to offer attendees food samples, nutrition information, gardening…
Earlier this summer, Tempe said goodbye to long-standing Mexican restaurant Mucho Gusto to make room for a new concept from well-known local chef Kelly Fletcher. After closing down for a month of renovations, the restaurant re-opened as The Revival, a neighborhood spot with an eclectic menu of internationally inspired fare…
