Menuism

🍕 The Italian eatery and grocer on the southeast corner of Higley and Brown is celebrating National Pizza Month.

From 5-7 p.m. this Friday, diners can indulge in as many slices of pizza as they want. The $20 price does not include drinks, tax, or tip. Reservations are required.

Dolce Vita lists the available pizzas as margherita, diavola, capicciosa, marinara, proscuitto, four formaggi, and more.

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🌶 La Ristra New Mexican Kitchen is offering several October specials at its restaurants in Gilbert and downtown Chandler:

• Pizza blanca ($13.99, pictured on left)
• New Mexican chipotle meatloaf ($15.99)
• White green chile shrimp relleno ($16.99)
• Chocolate churros ($10.99, right)
• Mango chamoy margarita ($11.49)
• Coconut jalapeño (infused) margarita ($9.50)
• Cucumber jalapeño (infused) margarita ($9.50)

The Gilbert location is back open on Mondays, when specials include $5 house margaritas, kids eat free, and extended happy hour during Monday Night Football.

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🦂 Recreo Cantina in downtown Chandler has introduced a new item to its drinks menu: The Recreo Scorpion Shot featuring a real edible scorpion.

‘‘This unconventional shot is not for the faint of heart, but those who embrace the experience will undoubtedly revel in the thrill that comes with each sip and each crunch,’’ the Mexican restaurant announced.

The shot of additive-free Tepozan Tequila, the scorpion, and the keepsake custom-made glass normally will be $25, but is on special during October for $19.

“With this new addition, we continue to create an atmosphere that encourages guests to embrace their exploratory side while enjoying the vibrant culture and craft of tequila all within an amazing setting,’’ Recreo general manager Schuyler Estes says.

So would you dare try The Recreo Scorpion Shot?

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🍕 Two Chicagoland favorites – Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria and Portillo’s – again have teamed up to offer a limited-time Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza.

The pizza features a buttery crust, plum tomatoes, and Wisconsin mozzarella, and is topped with Portillo’s Italian beef and a choice of sweet peppers or hot giardiniera.

Frozen pizzas can be ordered online here (two for $76.99!) or picked up (likely at a cheaper price) from the grab-and-go freezers at all Lou Malnati’s locations in the Valley.

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🇮🇹 Dolce Vita – an Italian eatery, grocer, and gelato shop on the southeast corner of Higley and Brown in northeast Mesa – has launched an aperitivo Italiano menu available 5-7 p.m. Thursdays.

An aperitivo, sometimes called an apericena, is an Italian tradition where diners enjoy a drink and light meal at the end of the workday but before dinner – similar to Americans’ happy hour.

For $15 per person, you can get one Italian drink (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) accompanied by a board filled with the chef’s choice of light finger foods, including cold cuts, cheeses, olives, and hot items from the kitchen.

“I wanted to bring an aperitivo to Phoenix so people can experience a custom that is so close to an Italian’s heart,” says Dolce Vita owner and chef Fabrizio Cali. “I’ve never seen anything like it in Arizona.’’

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☕️ Local roaster Press Coffee has teamed up with pastry chef Mark Chácon, owner of Cháconne Patisserie, to create a lineup of new pastries for four of its Valley locations.

Chácon was a semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef at last year’s James Beard Awards, the culinary world’s equivalent of the Oscars.

The new pastries include:

• Cheese Danish (pictured on left)
• Chocolate Croissant
• Pecan Sticky Bun (right)
• Glazed Cinnamon Brioche

See which Press locations have the new pastries here.

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💝 Serrano’s Mexican Restaurants is offering a trio of October specials at all four East Valley locations:

• Pink Out Margarita Sampler: A flight with house raspberry, strawberry, passionfruit strawberry, and watermelon margaritas ($9.99).
• Stephanie’s Stacked Enchiladas: Corn tortillas, black beans, and shredded chicken covered in tomatillo sauce and cheese. Served with choice of side of your choice ($12.99).
• Homemade Apple Crumble:  Served à la mode with caramel sauce and cinnamon sugar ($7.99).

The family-run restaurant group’s new fast-casual Tempe concept, Pronto, has these specials:

• Kapri Sun Margarita: House margarita served in a fun throwback drink container ($8).
• Stephanie’s Stacked Enchiladas ($9.99).
• Pink Fried Ice Cream: Cereal-fried ice cream ($4.99).

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a portion of the proceeds from this month’s specials will benefit local nonprofit Check for a Lump.

All five restaurants will hold a ‘‘Pink Out’’ on Saturday, Oct. 21, in honor of the late Stephanie Serrano, who lost a six-year battle with breast cancer in 2019.

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🥨🍔🍺 Wren Südhalle, the European-inspired beer hall that Wren House Brewing opened in Ahwatukee two weeks ago, has soft-launched its food menu:

• Haus frites: herb salt, haus saus, mustard ($6)
• Onion rings: roasted apple schmaltz, mustard ($8)
• Pretzel: brown butter, goat milk obatzda, mustard ($9)
• Pork rillettes: rye toat, mustard, pickles ($14)
• Lustige frites: pastrami, aged gouda, haus saus, cornichon ($15, pictured)
• Wren burger: two smashed beef patties, American cheese, onion, pickles, lettuce, mustard, haus saus ($12*)
• Brat burger: smashed beef patty, smashed bratwurst patty, gruyére, onion, picle, lettuce, mustard, haus sauce ($14*)
• Käse burger: smashed beef patty, smashed Käsekrainer patty, Alpenhorn, onion, pickles, lettuce, mustard, haus saus ($14*)
• Cheesey melt: American cheese, aged gruyére, Alpenhorn, goat milk obatzda, pickles, haus saus ($12*)
• (*add a side of frites or rings with haus saus for $4.)

A kids menu offers a burger and frites ($8) or cheesey melt with frites ($7).

The menu was created by James Beard-nominated chef Derek Christensen from Bacanora.

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