My name is Jess Harter, and Mouth by Southwest is my blog covering restaurants, bars, breweries, and other food-related businesses in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
A native North Dakotan, I first visited the Valley of the Sun on a family vacation in 1976. Most of the restaurants we ate at that trip, such as the legendary Monti’s La Casa Vieja, are no longer around. But a few, including Organ Stop Pizza, are still in business nearly a half-century later.
After graduating from college, I relocated to the Valley in 1987. For 27 years, I was a newspaper reporter and editor. My food & drink coverage has appeared in the Arizona Republic, East Valley Tribune, Phoenix Magazine, Phoenix New Times, and other publications.
In 2010, I launched Mouth by Southwest – MXSW for short. Although originally intended to be just a fun hobby, MXSW quickly turned into a full-time job. I’m the writer, photographer, ad salesman, marketing rep, social media specialist, accountant, and IT person.
More than two million people now visit MXSW each year for information about local restaurants, breweries, and bars.
