April recap: 6 notable restaurants & cafés now open in the Valley

April delivered a drive-thru first, a designer café, a long-awaited rooftop, a red-sauce revival, a New York street-food staple, and a farmers market darling finally with four walls. Here are six new places that should be on your radar:

Tikka Drive

80 W Warner Rd, Chandler

Arizona’s first drive-thru Indian restaurant, built on a promise of no freezers, no microwaves, no seed oils. Rahul Sahota – “the son” from Namaste in Scottsdale – uses five clay tandoor ovens imported from India and Punjabi family recipes. All meat is halal. Spice levels run from 1 to 5.

The Coach Coffee Shop

6800 N 95th Ave #300, Glendale (inside Tanger Outlets)

The handbag brand’s first Arizona, and first West Coast, café opened at Tanger Outlets with a custom Stumptown blend, a tiramisu latte, and a tabby cake shaped like the iconic purse. The line out the door on opening morning said everything.

Cielito

7117 E 3rd Ave, Scottsdale (rooftop of AC Hotel)

Sweeping views of Camelback Mountain plus a menu from Amangiri alum chef Shon Foster built around the coastal and highland flavors of northwest Mexico: aguachile, lamb with mezcal, rabbit and rattlesnake in mezcal cream. Cocktails lean on sotol and bacanora.

Tommy’s Way Pizza & Pasta

7132 E Becker Ln, Scottsdale

Prolific Scottsdale restaurateur Tommy Morano is back with red-sauce classics done right: baked ziti, chicken parm, linguini with clam sauce, and lasagna. Pizza runs from a $4 slice to an 18-inch Combo. There’s also a Breakfast Pizza, because apparently Tommy does what he wants.

Naz’s Halal Food

960 W University Dr, Tempe

The NYC street-food chain (pictured) – started as a food truck in 2009, now 60-plus locations nationwide – made its Arizona debut near ASU. Chicken, lamb, falafel, or fried fish over rice or in gyros, plus wings in seven flavors. A college neighborhood and this menu were made for each other.

Go Go Avocado

707 S Farmer Ave #125, Tempe

After years at the Uptown Phoenix and Gilbert farmers markets, this concept finally has a permanent home near downtown Tempe. Farm-sourced avocado toast variations, caprese bowls, ceremonial matcha, and organic coffee. The Blue Vanilla Cloud Matcha is already the fan favorite.