Barrelhouse American Kitchen & Cocktails
Opened: March
Where: NW corner of Alma School & Warner in Chandler (map)
Food: New American (pictured:Â Sonoran shrimp & grits)
Comment: The most frequent question I get is, “Any good restaurants open lately?” For the past nine months, my answer has been, “Have you been to Barrelhouse?” Great food, great drinks, great happy hour. I only wish more people knew about Kenta Usuzawa’s gem.
Arizona Wilderness Brewing Company
Opened: August
Where: SE corner of Arizona & Guadalupe in Gilbert (map)
Food: Brew pub (pictured: cheeseburger & chips)
Comment: For almost a year, it seemed like Brett Dettler, Jon Buford, and Patrick Ware would never get Gilbert’s first brewery open. In the end, though, it was so worth the wait. The food menu is a work in progress, but the beers have been amazing since Day 1.
Salad and Go
Opened: February
Where:Â SE corner of Gilbert & Guadalupe in Gilbert (map)
Food: Salads & wraps (pictured: Santa Fe salad and non-fat yogurt milkshake)
Comment: Fed up with the unhealthy fast food options in their neighborhood, Roushan Cristofellis and her husband did something about it – opening the Valley’s first drive-through salad bar. It’s been so successful they’re now building another at Cooper & Warner.
Republica Empanada
Opened: June
Where:Â NE corner of Hibbert & First Avenue in Mesa (map)
Food: Latin American (pictured: empanadas)
Comment: Hand pies – aka hot pockets, empanadas, or pasties – are growing in popularity, and this downtown Mesa newcomer from Marco Meraz offers his grandmother’s Latin American version with a choice of more than two dozen different savory or sweet fillings.
AZ Food Crafters
Opened: January
Where:Â SE corner of Alma School & Ray in Chandler (map)
Food: Hand pies (pictured: spiced brown butter apple hand pies)
Comment: Did I mention hand pies are growing in popularity? So much so that Valley farmers market regulars Eddie Castillo and Mike Caliendo opened a bricks-and-mortar cafe to sell their pies, which come in more than a dozen varieties that change seasonally.
Pho Viet Nam
Opened: November
Where:Â Warner west of Arizona in Chandler (map)
Food: Vietnamese (pictured: pho with filet mignon)
Comment: My disappointment over the closure of the underrated Devil’s Kitchen in this space next to the longtime Hoosier Cafe ended with the prompt opening of this family-run eatery. If there’s better pho in entire Valley, I haven’t found it.
Chao
Opened: December
Where: NE corner of Dobson & Germann in Chandler (map)
Food: Asian (pictured: panang curry chicken)
Comment: David Fliger of now-closed Latitude Eight still offers the same great Thai food, but has added other Asian dishes (coming soon), an indoor-outdoor bar with happy hour from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., a private meeting room, and a 160-seat patio with a pair of fire pits.
Brooklyn V’s Pizza
Opened: October
Where: NE corner of Lindsay & Warner in Gilbert (map)
Food: Italian (pictured: margherita pizza)
Comment: Looking for authentic New York Italian food? Chef-owner Vito LoPiccolo was born in Sicily and served his delicious pizzas, pastas, and entrees at his own Staten Island restaurant for 12 years before moving to the Valley.
Salut Kitchen Bar
Opened: April
Where: University west of McClintock in Tempe (map)
Food:Â Mediterranean/American (pictured: roasted corn salad)
Comment: Gorgeous European-inspired ambiance, casual vibe, nice patio, tasty noshes, extensive wine list, decent prices – everything you’d expect from a place Cyprus-born owner Anastasios Tirkas “Taso” Salut bills as “Tempe’s neighborhood wine bar.”
Henry’s Taiwan Kitchen
Opened: August
Where:Â SE corner of Mill & Southern in Tempe (map)
Food: Taiwanese/Chinese (pictured: chicken with rice)
Comment: Henry Ku, whose Taiwanese restaurants have been Seattle faves for a decade, brings his freshly made soups, noodle dishes, and entrees to Arizona – along with his philosophy of large portions at inexpensive prices.
La Ristra New Mexican Kitchen
Opened: June
Where: Warner west of Lindsay in Gilbert (map)
Food: Mexican/Southwestern (pictured: bacon-wrapped shrimp)
Comment: A flight of margaritas, anyone? What better way to cool off your mouth after a meal of spicy Hatch chile-charged cuisine? From the chips and salsa to the green chile pork stew to the carne adovada ribs, it hurts so good.
Miu’s Cuisine
Opened: March
Where: NE corner of Price & Apache in Tempe (map)
Food: Chinese (pictured: bean thread noodle soup)
Comment:Â If you prefer authentic Chinese food to the Americanized version commonly found in this country, you need to check out the traditional Sichuan and Cantonese dishes at this Tempe gem. Warning:Â Sichuan peppercorns are very spicy!
Spokes on Southern
Opened: February
Where: Southern west of McClintock in Tempe (map)
Food: American (pictured: turkey-and-cranberry tacos & Four Peaks Pumpkin Porter)
Comment: The younger sibling of nearby Boulders on Broadway, this bicycle-themed grill pairs a nice selection of craft beers – 24 on tap – with crowd-pleasing Southwest fare like chile pepper burgers, turkey bacon enchiladas, and a variety of street tacos.
Hummus Xpress
Opened: January
Where: NE corner of Hardy & Broadway in Tempe (map)
Food: Mediterranean (pictured: pita with toppings)
Comment: “Mediterranean meets Chipotle” is an apt description for chef-owner Ahmed “Eddie” Hantas’ concept. Choose a bowl, plate, or pita and customize it with the meat, hummus, sauce, and toppings of your choice.
House of Brews
Opened: August
Where: SE corner of Cooper & Warner in Gilbert (map)
Food: American (pictured: HOB Burger)
Comment: It was an active year for HOB, which closed, reopened under new owners, closed again, and reopened yet again – this time under Glenn “Buzz” Bezuyen, who finally seems to have this restaurant and craft beer bar on the right track.
The Cutting Board Bakery & Cafe
Opened: September
Where: Power south of Baseline in Mesa (map)
Food: Vegan/vegetarian (pictured:Â Santa Monica French toast)
Comment: If your New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier, a visit to Sean and Krystal Macdonald’s eatery – which showcases meatless menu items made with organic ingredients, freshly squeezed juices, and locally roasted coffee – is a good start.
Detroit Coney Grill
Opened: August
Where: NE corner of Hardy & Broadway in Tempe (map)
Food: American (pictured: Detroit coney dogs)
Comment: Forget Fords, Chevrolets, Calvin Johnson, and Max Scherzer. The best thing to come out of Detroit in 2013 were the burgers, pitas, and, of course, the namesake Detroit coney dogs served at Dave Najor’s old-school burger joint.
H&H City Pizza
Opened: October
Where: SW corner of Arizona & Ocotillo in Chandler (map)
Food: Italian (pictured: egg & mushroom pizza)
Comment: Since when are eggs, sesame seeds, and strawberries considered pizza toppings? Marshall Reichert and Tyler Anderson’s wood-fired pizzas will please both traditional – and non-traditional – appetites.
Joyride Taco House
Opened: June
Where: NW corner of Gilbert & Page in Gilbert (map)
Food: Mexican (pictured: machaca burro)
Comment: Just when I thought nothing would ever succeed in the seemingly jinxed Mahogany Run building, Valley restaurateur Craig DeMarco brilliantly split it into two spaces – one for another ever-popular Postino and another for this new concept.
Huss Brewing Company
Opened: August
Where: Mineral west of Priest in Tempe (map)
Food: Taproom with food trucks
Comment: Former BJ’s brewer Jeff Huss has breathed new life into the long-closed Rio Salado Brewing building in south Tempe. Beside his own line of beers – including his just-released winter seasonal Rice Pudding Porter – he’s also brewing ales for Papago Brewing.
