Spaghetti-by-the-bucket concept coming to Ahwatukee next month

By the Bucket – a Payson restaurant that sells to-go spaghetti, just as its name says, by the bucket – is coming to the East Valley.

It’s opening its first Valley location in front of Safeway on the northeast corner of Chandler and Desert Foothills in Ahwatukee.

The menu includes family (1.5 pounds), middle (1 pound), and small (half-pound) buckets of spaghetti with marinara and garlic bread. Meatballs are an extra $1.50 apiece.

Meatball subs ($9) also are available.

Bret daCosta opened By the Bucket in 2018. He added a location in Pinetop last year and hopes to launch the Ahwatukee location in April.

He says franchise locations are planned for Tempe, Mesa, Queen Creek, and Apache Junction – all this year.