Author: Jess Harter

 Better Buzz Coffee, a San Diego-based chain that expanded into Arizona in last year, has opened its sixth Valley location in the new Vineyard Town Center on the northwest corner of Gantzel and Combs in Queen Creek. In addition to

Local fast-casual concept Forefathers Cheesesteaks has opened its fourth Valley location next to the AMC Mesa Grand 14 theaters on the southeast corner of Stapley and U.S. 60 in Mesa. Forefathers offers cheesesteaks – steak or chicken – with

Nothing Bundt Cakes, a Texas-based chain of specialty cake shops, has opened its 14th Valley location on the southeast corner of Happy Valley and Lake Pleasant Parkway in Peoria. Cakes come in 8- and 10-inch sizes (starting at $28.50),

Bits of Both, a locally owned brunch restaurant, has opened in the Safeway plaza on the southeast corner of Power and McKellips in northeast Mesa. Highlights of the breakfast menu include pancakes on a stick (two for $11), chorizo

Bar Capri, an Italian restaurant and bar from the owners of Freely Taproom & Kitchen, has opened in south Tempe. It takes over the space formerly home to Slim Thick Cafe – next door to Freely – on the

Curry Leaf, an Indian restaurant and market, soft-opens at 11 a.m. Thursday in south Chandler. It has moved into a former martial-arts studio space in the Bashas’ plaza on the northwest corner of Gilbert and Chandler Heights. It’s next

Strad Pizza, a car-themed concept from a popular YouTuber, has opened on the northwest corner of Scottsdale and Thunderbird in north Scottsdale. It’s a joint venture by car YouTuber James Stradman (pictured), who lives in Utah and has more

Gilbert-based Arizona Wilderness Brewing has opened its third brewpub on the historic Miracle Mile near downtown Phoenix. The 10,000-square-foot building on the northwest corner of McDowell and 15th Street formerly was home to multiple businesses, including a commercial florist,

Süss Pastries, a bakery specializing in European-style pastries with Sonoran flavors, has opened a storefront on the southeast corner of Seventh Avenue and Missouri in Phoenix. Launched by Jasmin Smith in 2018 out of her apartment kitchen, Süss (pronounced

 Better Buzz Coffee, a San Diego-based chain that expanded into Arizona in last year, has opened its fifth Valley location on the northeast corner of 107th Avenue and McDowell in Avondale. In addition to hot and cold coffee drinks, Better

 Don Guerra’s Barrio Bagel & Slice, a bakery and pizza slice drive-through from the James Beard Award-winning Tucson baker, has opened in Gilbert. The new concept takes over the former Sonic Drive-In just south of Arizona Wilderness Brewing near the southeast corner of

Handroll & Poke By Gohan, a small Japanese restaurant, has opened on the northwest corner of 91st Avenue and Glendale – just north of Westgate Entertainment District – in Glendale. The compact menu features four appetizers ($7-$11), nine specialty

Locally owned Mission Coffee & Tea has opened just north of Eggstasy and Kodo Sushi at the Watermark near the southwest corner of Gilbert and Germann in Chandler. The cafe sources its coffees and teas directly from growers around

ç California-based smoothie shop Juice It Up has made its Valley debut on the northwest corner of Rural and Ray in south Tempe. The menu offers 11 ‘‘classic’’ smoothies and 11 ‘‘specialty’’ ones. The latter include superfruit-infused, protein-infused, and

Sonoran wood-fired restaurant Glenrosa has opened at Grass Clippings Rolling Hills golf course and entertainment venue in north Tempe. The 5,800-square-foot restaurant is the final piece of a $15 million renovation of the longtime Rolling Hills, Arizona’s only night

Indibar, an elevated Indian restaurant fusing traditional Indian flavors with modern techniques, has opened in central Scottsdale. It takes over the former Rancho Pinot Grill space at the Lincoln Village shopping center on the southwest corner of Scottsdale and

 The Mexicano, the Maggiore Group concept that debuted in Paradise Valley in 2021, launches its second location at 4 p.m. today at Chandler Fashion Center. It takes over the former Majerle’s Sports Grill building (most recently the short-lived Howler’s Restaurant

The Henry, Sam Fox’s upscale-casual New American concept that debuted in Arcadia in 2013, officially opens its second Valley location today. The self-described ‘‘greatest neighborhood restaurant’’ was newly constructed on the northeast corner of Central and Camelback in uptown

 Bikanervala, a casual Indian restaurant and snack food chain based in Dehli, has made its Arizona debut in Chandler. The all-vegetarian concept has taken over the former Jimmy John’s space in front of the Walmart on the southeast corner of

 Word of Mouth Grill, a family-run barbecue restaurant in south Tempe, opens its second location today on the northeast corner of 48th Street and Ray in Ahwatukee. Owner Demetrious Makel launched Word of Mouth in 2011 as a catering service,

Pasta Love, an Italian takeout concept offering pastas and salads, has opened in north Phoenix. It’s moved into the former Dirty Dough space next to Mesquite Fresh Street Mex near the northeast corner of 19th Avenue and Happy Valley.

Jamie’s Bottle Shop, a wine bar and retail shop from Wrigley Mansion owner Jamie Hormel, has opened in Old Town Scottsdale. It takes over the former River Trading Post art gallery space near the southeast corner of Goldwater and

Tom’s Watch Bar, a Colorado-based chain of sports bars, has made its Arizona debut in downtown Phoenix just in time for the start of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ season. It takes over the former Hard Rock Cafe space (most recently

Shio Ramen & Crudo, a new concept from the owners of Sushiholic, has soft-opened on the ASU SkySong campus in south Scottsdale. It takes over the space formerly home to Clever Ramen, which closed last summer, on the southeast

Queen Creek Barbecue Co., a bricks-and-mortar restaurant from the owners of the Bama BBQ 4 Ever food truck, has opened in Queen Creek. It takes over the former OG’z Original Empanada Shop on the northwest corner of Ellsworth and

Moka & Co., a chain specializing in traditional Yemeni coffee, has made its Arizona debut in front of the Walmart on the southwest corner of Greenfield and the U.S. 60 in Mesa. Yemini coffee, made from beans cultivated on

California-based Kura Sushi, the country’s largest revolving sushi bar chain, has opened its third Valley location in north Scottsdale. It takes over the former Flo’s New Asian Cuisine at The Promenade on the southeast corner of Scottsdale and Frank

Mission BBQ, a Maryland-based chain dedicated to giving back to veterans, police, and firefighters, has made its Arizona debut near PV, the $2 billion redevelopment of the former Paradise Valley Mall in northeast Phoenix. The fast-casual restaurant is located

 Da Kitchin Grill, an all-day restaurant that’s been under construction since 2022, finally has soft-opened in Ahwatukee. The new concept from Charles Stewart, a former managing partner at Biscuits and Cactus Jack’s, takes over the former Trattoria D’Amico space on

California-based microbrewery chain BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse officially opens its sixth Valley location today in Queen Creek. It’s located in front of Costco in the new Queen Creek Crossing Plaza on the northwest corner of Ellsworth and Queen Creek.

 Sana Sana Cerveceria, a new craft brewery honoring the owners’ Mexican-American heritage, has soft-opened on Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix. It’s located near the southeast corner of Roosevelt and Fourth streets behind Modified Arts and just west of Greenwood Brewing and Il

 Ricemill, a new Asian-inspired fast-casual concept, is scheduled to open Saturday in downtown Phoenix. The 1,789-square-foot restaurant will be located at the Collier Center near the southeast corner of Second Street and Washington. Ricemill’s menu features chef-curated rice bowls like

Filthy Animal – the latest concept from Pretty Decent Concepts, the team behind Phoenix hot spots Wren & Wolf, Chico Malo, and Carry On – has soft-opened in downtown Tempe. The wood-fired restaurant and its soon-to-open sibling cocktail bar

Liquor Pig, a much-anticipated gastropub from industry veterans Scott Casey and Steve ‘‘Chops’’ Smith, officially opens at 4 p.m. Friday in Old Town Scottsdale. It takes over the small brick building near the southeast corner of Scottsdale and Fourth

Jolt N Bolt, an independent coffeehouse and cafe, has opened on the northeast corner of Recker and Guadalupe in Gilbert. Besides a full range of coffee drinks, the beverage options include smoothies, shakes, juices, and lemonade. All-day breakfast features

 Bad Jimmy’s, a pandemic-era burger pop-up that opened a bricks-and-mortar Phoenix restaurant in 2023, has launched a second location in Old Town Scottsdale. It takes over the former Starlite BBQ & Whiskey Bar on the northeast corner of Indian School and

Cali Tacos, a California-based chain of Mexican eateries, has opened its sixth Valley location on the southwest corner of Bethany Home and 75th Avenue in Glendale. The menu offers tacos on a choice of corn or flour tortillas ($2.49-$3.99),

Faava, a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant, opens today behind Chandler Fashion Center on the southeast corner of Chandler Village Drive and Frye. It’s situated next to fine-dining restaurant Feringhee Modern Indian Cuisine. Both are part of the Zest Hospitality Group.

Dos Victorias, a Mexican restaurant in Monterey, Calif., has opened a second location in the former Los Favoritos space on the southeast corner of Kyrene and Ray in west Chandler. The counter-service menu features 15 burritos (plus seven breakfast

The Pemberton, a popular outdoor food hall and entertainment venue in downtown Phoenix that closed last March, has reopened with a new look. The original concept, which opened in 2021, featured rotating food trucks, funky art displays and retail

 Title 9 Sports Grill, Phoenix’s first women-focused sports bar, has opened near the northeast corner of Indian School and Seventh Avenue in central Phoenix. It takes over the former Short Leash Hotdogs & Taproom, which closed in December. Title 9’s menu

 Blue Sushi Sake Grill, an Omaha, Neb.-based chain of Japanese restaurants focused on responsibly caught and humanely raised seafood, has opened its second Valley location at the Village at Prasada in Surprise. The concept from the Flagship Restaurant Group made

Dynamite Beer Company in Cave Creek has soft-opened a second location in uptown Phoenix. The taproom, bottle shop, and kitchen moved into the former Huss Brewing space on the northeast corner of Central and Camelback. Unlike Tempe-based Huss, Dynamite

 Miel de Agave, a two-year-old modern Mexican restaurant in downtown Phoenix, has opened a second location in downtown Chandler. It’s taken over the former Buqui Bichi space on the southeast corner of Arizona and Frye roads. The Mexico brewery’s first

George & Gather, an all-day New American restaurant, bar, and market, has soft-opened near the southwest corner of Washington and Frye in downtown Chandler. The 7,700-square-foot, Art Deco-inspired space includes an 80-seat dining room, an indoor-outdoor bar, and a

Torchy’s Tacos, which started as an Austin, Texas, food trailer in 2006, has opened its fifth Valley location at the Village at Prasada near the southeast corner of the Loop 303 and Waddell in Surprise. The menu includes 17

 Cheba Hut, the Valley-born chain of cannabis-themed sub shops, opens its 11th Arizona location today on the northwest corner of Shea and the Loop 101 in central Scottsdale. The 3,000-square-foot-plus end-cap space features a custom mural by Colorado artist Joshua

Chilaquiles Modern Kitchen, an eight-year-old Mexican brunch eatery in west Mesa, has opened a second location in east Mesa. The family-operated restaurant’s new location is at the Superstition Gateway West shopping mall on the southwest corner of U.S. 60

Artisan ice cream shop Sweet Republic has opened its fourth location near the southwest corner of Scottsdale and Second Street in Old Town Scottsdale. It takes over the space formerly home to Tom’s Incredible Ice Cream and, before that,