Author: Jess Harter

🤠 Not My First Rodeo, a country-western bar and restaurant, has opened in Old Town Scottsdale. It takes over the former Geisha a Go Go space near the northwest corner of Scottsdale and Sixth Avenue. The menu features burgers, sandwiches, canned

🍽️ Flour & Thyme, chef Ivan Jacobo’s sibling concept to his fine-dining Anhelo, has opened in Anhelo’s former space at the Orpheum Lofts on the northwest corner of First Avenue and Adams in downtown Phoenix. (Anhelo is in the process of moving

🐐 Flavor Eatery & Lounge, an American-Caribbean fusion restaurant, has opened in downtown Tempe. It takes over the space formerly home to short-lived Ted’s Refreshments at Hayden Square near the northwest corner of Mill and Fourth Street. Before Ted’s, it

🥟 Kofu Dumpling House, a restaurant specializing in dishes from northeast China, has opened in west Mesa. It takes over the former Wenyu Hot Pot space in front of the recently closed AZ International Marketplace on the northeast corner of

🍝 Saint Pasta, a popular Italian food truck that left its brick-and-mortar home at The Pemberton in 2022, opens a new bricks-and-mortar restaurant Wednesday in downtown Phoenix. It takes over the space briefly home to The Pairing Room and, before that,

🌺 Buy one meal and get another free Wednesday when Ono Hawaiian BBQ opens its seventh Valley restaurant on the northwest corner of I-10 and 67th Avenue in west Phoenix. The grand opening celebration also will feature Hawaiian dancers, a

🍕 Johnny T’s Brooklyn Pizzeria has opened in the former Andiamo Pizzeria space on the northwest corner of Scottsdale and Shea in central Scottsdale. Andiamo opened in February and quickly became a viral sensation. It temporarily closed in May to expand and

🍕 Russo’s New York Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen, an international chain based in Houston, has made its Arizona debut at Cannon Beach in southeast Mesa. The new surf park is located on the southeast corner of Power and Warner. It

🌮 Blanco Reserva, an elevated version of Fox Restaurant Concepts’ Blanco Cocina & Cantina, has opened at PV, the $2 billion redevelopment of the former Paradise Valley Mall on the northwest corner of Cactus and Tatum in northeast Phoenix. It’s

🌮 Moe’s Southwest Grill, a fast-casual chain of Mexican restaurants with a Southwest twist, returns to Arizona on Friday with a new location at Pebble Creek Marketplace on the southwest corner of McDowell and Pebble Creek Parkway in Goodyear. The Atlanta-based

  🍜 Sorimmara, a South Korea-based chain specializing in malatang, has opened its second Arizona location at the Fry’s shopping center on the southwest corner of Gilbert and Baseline in Gilbert. Malatang is a Chinese soup featuring the numbing spice

🌯 Burritoholics, a fast-casual Mexican concept from the owner of the former El Zocalo Mexican Grille in downtown Chandler, has opened in downtown Mesa. It’s located near the northwest corner of Main and Robson between Worth Takeaway and Oro Brewing.

🍣 Nozomi Sushi House, a Japanese restaurant offering sushi, ramen, and more, has opened on the northeast corner of Alma School and Chandler Heights in south Chandler. It takes over the strip-mall space formerly home to D’Vine Gourmet, which moved

🍔 Haymaker, an all-day breakfast, burgers, and barbecue concept, reopens its north Peoria restaurant at 7 a.m. Tuesday across the street from its original space. It’s now located in the new Sunrise Promenade on the southeast corner of Happy Valley

🐓 Dave’s Hot Chicken, a Los Angeles-based fast-casual chain specializing in Nashville-style hot chicken, has opened its third Valley location at GSQ, the new downtown square in Goodyear. Dave’s menu offers chicken tenders (alone or in a sandwich) with a choice

🍣 Three Thirty Three, the long-awaited flagship restaurant at The Watermark development overlooking Tempe Town Lake, officially opens to the public today. The high-end Asian-inspired concept focuses on wood-fired creations and sushi; signature dishes include wagyu with foie gras and

🥃 Trevor’s Liquor’s has opened its fourth Valley store on the southwest corner of Tatum and Paradise Village Parkway as the latest addition to PV, the $2 billion redevelopment of the former Paradise Valley Mall in northeast Phoenix. Besides an incredible selection

🍺 12 West Brewing has opened its third Valley location – a taproom in the recently vacated Whining Pig space on the northwest corner of I-10 and Ray in Ahwatukee. The craft brewery’s popular beers include its flagship Zona pilsner, Blap!Blap! wheat beer,

☘️ R.T. O’Sullivan’s, an Irish-themed sports grill that’s been serving Valley fans for 31 years, opens its third location at 11 a.m. today in north Phoenix. It takes over the former Gallagher’s on the east side of 16th Street about a

🍜 Kungfu Noodles, a well-regarded Chinese restaurant formerly known as Kungfu Ramen before closing for several months of upgrades, has reopened on the southeast corner of Broadway and McClintock in Tempe. The restaurant originally debuted in 2020, specializing in Chinese

🍝 Élephante, an upscale coastal Italian restaurant, opens at 4 p.m. today at Scottsdale Fashion Square. The concept from the Wish You Were Here restaurant group debuted in Santa Monica, Calif., in 2018. The Scottsdale location, which takes over the

🍕 Giovanna’s Pizza, a family-run Italian restaurant specializing in New York-style pizzas, has opened on the southeast corner of Mountain View and Via Linda in central Scottsdale. It takes over the Mercado at Scottsdale Ranch strip-mall space formerly home to

In no particular order: 🌮 Velvet Taco: Dallas-based chain’s first Arizona location offers more than 20 globally inspired tacos in Old Town Scottsdale. (see story) 🇮🇳 Curries Indian Cuisine & Bar: Popular Yuma restaurant’s second location boasts nearly 50 kinds of

🍝 American Way Pasta, a sit-down Italian restaurant featuring a variety of freshly made pastas, has opened in the Safeway plaza on the southwest corner of Elliot and 48th Street in Ahwatukee. It takes over the space formerly home to

🥧 Quiches & Pies, a French bakery from the owners of French bistro Cuisine & Wine, has opened on the southeast corner of Alma School and Ray in Chandler. Owners Fabrice (pictured) and Mairead Buschtetz launched the bakery online last

🐓 Sneakybird, a local fast-casual concept featuring oven-grilled chicken, has made its West Valley debut at the Village at Prasada on the northeast corner of the Loop 303 and Waddell in Surprise. Former Native Grill & Wings CEO Daniel Chaon

🍺 The third time was the charm for Pedal Haus Brewery. After failing to meet two announced opening dates, its new biergarten concept finally launched over the weekend in downtown Mesa. The brewery’s fourth restaurant and taproom takes over the

🍷 Saint Urban, an elevated neighborhood wine bar from Valley restaurateur and chef Christopher Collins, has opened at McCormick Ranch in central Scottsdale. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Collins opened a French brasserie called St. Urban in uptown

🍝 La Zozzona, a new concept from acclaimed chef and restaurateur Richard Blais, has opened at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort near the northeast corner of Scottsdale and Doubletree Ranch roads. It’s the former ‘‘Top Chef: All-Stars’’ winner’s first Arizona restaurant.

🍣 Kodo Sushi & Sake, a Japanese eatery focused on sushi, sake, and Japanese beer, has opened a third Valley location, dubbed Kodo Sushi & Bar, in the former Umami BBQ & Sushi space on the southwest corner of Scottsdale and the 101

🍔 Bubba’s 33, a Kentucky-based restaurant and ‘‘garage bar’’ concept from the founders of Texas Roadhouse, has opened its second Valley location near the northwest corner of I-10 and Bullard in Goodyear. A wide-ranging menu includes burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, and steaks.

🫕 Bonnie’s Bread & Butter Co., a sit-down restaurant specializing in ‘‘sandwiches, brews, and fondue,’’ has opened in the De Leon Plaza on Arizona Avenue, a quarter-mile south of Ray, near downtown Chandler. Highlights of the diverse menu include cheese fondue

🤠 Rusty Buckle Saloon, a country music venue and scratch kitchen, has opened on the southwest corner of North Apache Trail and Idaho in Apache Junction. It’s the latest concept from DTC Sports Grille founder Mike Myers, who’s enlisted chef Mark Coakley

🇵🇪 Mr. Pio, an eatery specializing in Peruvian rotisserie chicken, has opened near the northwest corner of Thomas and 44th Street in east Phoenix’s Arcadia neighborhood. Diners can choose a quarter-chicken ($18 white meat/$15 dark) or half-chicken ($29 for either), both

🐓 Phoenix-based Angie’s Food Concepts – home to Angie’s Lobster, Angie’s Prime Grill, and Angie’s Burger – is introducing a fourth fast-food concept: Angie’s Chicken. The menu will feature $3.99 fried chicken sandwiches and $3.49 three-piece chicken tenders (antibiotic- and hormone-free) with a choice of

🍕 Vero’s Chicago Pizza has opened its second Chandler restaurant – its eighth overall in the Valley – in front of Whole Foods on the southeast corner of the Loop 101 and Ray. The local chain debuted in 2013 in Queen

🍕 Your Pie, a Georgia-based chain of fast-casual pizzerias, has made its Valley debut at Pecan Lake, the new 12-acre indoor/outdoor entertainment center near the northwest corner of Riggs and Ellsworth in Queen Creek. The only other Arizona location is in

🍺 When Pedal Haus Brewery announced its new biergarten concept in downtown Mesa finally would open last Friday, it appeared to be the end of three-plus years of delays and false starts. Wrong. After holding a ‘‘friends and family’’ practice

🍺 Pedal Haus Brewery finally debuts its much-delayed biergarten concept today in downtown Mesa. The brewery’s fourth restaurant and taproom takes over the former Pit Stop auto body shop on the southwest corner of Main and Robson. The interior is just

✈️ Carry On, the much-anticipated 1960s-era airplane-inspired cocktail bar adjacent to sibling Wren & Wolf, takes flight tonight on the northwest corner of Central and Washington in downtown Phoenix. Much like an actual flight, you’ll need to book a ticket

🍎 The Kolache Cafe, an Ahwatukee bakery specializing in its namesake Czech pastries, soft-opens a second location today in Mesa. It takes over the space formerly home to Ike’s Love & Sandwiches near the northwest corner of Gilbert and Southern.

🥪 St. Louis-based Panera Bread opens its third Scottsdale cafe Thursday in the former Cousins Subs space in front ot the Hilton Home2 Suites near the southeast corner of Scottsdale and Thompson Peak. The first 100 customers after doors open at

🍝 Sorrento, a wood-fired Italian restaurant and bar, has opened in the Sprouts shopping plaza on the southeast corner of Scottsdale and Pinnacle Peak in north Scottsdale. It takes over the space formerly home to Copper Mule Kitchen & Bar.

🌮 Le Taco, a Mexican eatery and listening room, has opened in the former Little O’s space near the southeast corner of Seventh Avenue and McDowell in Phoenix. The menu offers 13 tacos, plus a few apps, salads, and desserts

🍕 Shy’s Pizza & Wings, a sports bar-ish pizzeria, has opened on the northeast corner of Gilbert and Guadalupe in Gilbert. It takes over the strip-mall space formerly home to Florigino’s Pizza & Pasta (which originally was named Floridino’s although

🏌️‍♂️The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess has reopened Toro, celebrity chef Richard Sandoval’s restaurant connected to the clubhouse at the TPC Scottsdale golf course. The resort had closed Toro over the summer for remodeling in an effort to attract more non-golfing diners.