Valley residents with an affinity for cheap beer and tequila shots will remember Dos Gringos as the Old Town Scottsdale bar with a party-friendly atmosphere and, at least until recently, a run-down facade. The bar and restaurant closed its doors last November after being purchased by Chicago-based Glass Half Full…
Where: The Main Ingredient Ale House & Cafe When: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday Dish: Charli 2na Price: $12.32 (including tax and tip) The Setting: The Main Ingredient Ale House & Cafe offers the same house-turned-restaurant vibe…
Tempe’s Cafe Lalibela has long been a destination for excellent Ethiopian cuisine. And if you’ve been paying attention, you may have noticed the local restaurant’s grab-and-go fare on the shelves at Valley Whole Foods stores. Now, owners Anibal and Salem Beyene are introducing something new: Market Lalibela, a 400-square-foot retail…
Longtime Valley residents and food lovers will likely know the name Alex Stratta. But for those who aren’t familiar, he’s kind of a big deal. The Top Chef (he’s appeared on both Iron Chef America and Top Chef Masters) won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest in 1998…
Chon Thai Food has been open for only about four months, but already the East Valley restaurant seems to be a neighborhood draw. At the height of a recent Saturday dinner service, a huddle of restless customers crowded around the host stand near the restaurant’s entrance, while a skeleton crew…
It was a short run for Short Leash Hot Dogs at 130 N. Central Avenue. After just a few months, the third location of the well-loved hot dog restaurant has shuttered. The owners made the announcement via a Facebook post on Monday afternoon. The restaurant opened in November 2015 and,…
New year, new restaurants? Apparently. It’s been a big month for openings in Phoenix, when we’ve been gifted with two new noodle spots wrapped in one, another Matt’s Big Breakfast in the Biltmore neighborhood, and an intriguing speakeasy (keep that one on the down-low). We also said goodbye to a…
It’s official. Shake Shack is taking over the Valley. The New York-based burger chain already announced plans to open two restaurants (one in Scottsdale and one in Phoenix) last year, and today, we’ve learned the company plans to open a third restaurant at Kierland Commons in Scottsdale. Located off Scottsdale…
The Guilty Pleasure: BBQ brisket “loaded” baked potato Where to Get It: The Loaded Potato Price: $11.50 (jumbo size) What it Really Costs: Only a few hundred Weight Watchers points, give or take. The Loaded Potato, which has been open for about a year now in south Phoenix, may be the…
The craft distillery game is not an easy one, but Rick Burch, owner and distiller at CaskWerks Distilling Co., is not daunted. Best known as the bassist of Jimmy Eat World, Burch has found another niche in the world of gin, whiskey, and liqueurs. While CraftWerks is still new, Burch…
We’re just a month into 2016, and we’ve already welcomed some great new restaurants to the Valley. And in case you’re worried whether metro Phoenix chefs and restaurateurs can sustain the pace, we’re here to reassure you. Over the next 11 months, we’ll see the openings of new restaurants from…
It may be early in the game to call it, but it seems 2016 is shaping up to be the year of the national burger chain. And, frankly, we’re not thrilled. Twenty-fifteen was arguably the year of the pizza joints — from local chains like Fired Pie and Eklectic Pie…
The Guilty Pleasure: Chex Mix Muddy Buddies Cookies and Cream Where to Get It: Grocery Stores Price: $2.98 What it Really Costs: A trip back to memory lane, longing for snack time at school (and probably some cavities) If you’ve never eaten Muddy Buddies (or Puppy Chow or any other…
Where: Corduroy When: Monday 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11:00 a.m. to midnight, Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Dish: Corduroy Salad with Katsu Chicken Price: $19.49 (including tax and tip) The Setting: With dark furnishings and brick walls, Corduroy has an air of richness about it that’s funked…
Historically, British food gets a bad rap in culinary circles, but Barmy Brit food truck owner and chef Neil Hughes says the reputation is unfounded. “Everyone says British food is so bad, but then Americans go about eating Velveeta cheese,” Hughes says. He’s setting out to change the perception of…
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…
There are three topics best avoided around the American dinner table if your wish is to eat in peace: politics, religion, and barbecue. Barbecue, among a certain set of avowed meat-eaters, has been known to set off meandering debates on the infinite number of ways to smoke and grill animal…
When it comes to words that have been co-opted and abused by those in the food and drink industry, “craft” lands pretty high on the list. But when Agritopia founder Joe Johnston talks about Barnone, a new development set to open later this year, he leaves no question about what “craftsmen”…
It’s not often the spotlight shines on the individuals whose endeavors in the world of food and beverage involve marketing instead of cooking. But Ty Largo, creative director and founder of Awe Collective, is as involved in the restaurant industry as any chef or general manager. Largo says the path…
The Guilty Pleasure: Adult milkshake Where to Get It: Relish Burger Bistro at The Phoenician Price: $14 What it Really Costs: A certain loss of innocence because you will never again be able to look at a carton of vanilla ice cream without being tempted to reach for the vodka. …
Phoenix ‘cue master Stacy Phipps has had his ups and downs when it comes to restaurant ownership. It’s been several years since we last heard from him — in 2013, he had just re-taken over his restaurant on Indian School Road after shuttering his barbecue stand in Sunnyslope. He’s since…
Between the ever-growing number of fad diets and increased knowledge about food sensitivities, it’s hard out there to be a chef. Diners are going gluten-free, meat-free, oil-free, and more, and as a result, metro Phoenix chefs have seen some pretty interesting special requests. These small but significant changes to a…
