Author: Jess Harter

🥞 South Chandler’s breakfast scene just got a little sweeter. Original Pancake House has opened in the former home of Egg N’ Joe on the southwest corner of Arizona and Ocotillo. It marks the brand’s second Valley location, joining the

🥚 The team behind downtown Phoenix’s Ramen Kagawa has opened Kagawa Guys in southeast Mesa, a sister spot leaning into Japanese comfort food beyond the bowl. It’s located on the southwest corner of Dobson and Guadalupe. The star of the

🥪 Several months ago I told you it was coming, and now it’s here. Let’s Toast has opened its first brick-and-mortar store at Uptown Plaza in Phoenix. The husband-and-wife team of Sumin Kim and Sean Atkinson have graduated from one

🍲 Kaos Hospitality, the team behind the splashy Three Thirty Three at Tempe’s Watermark, has opened hot pot concept 212° Shabu Shabu at the development on the southwest corner of the Loop 202 and Scottsdale Road. Named for the boiling

🌶️ After quietly closing its doors in early 2025, Frank & Lupe’s – a New Mexican comfort-food institution that’s been feeding Old Town Scottsdale since 1995 – is officially back. Under the care of new owner Piero Aviles, the restaurant

🥗 Sweetgreen launches its third Arizona outpost today on the northwest corner of Tatum and Shea in Paradise Valley. The 2,300-square-foot spot serves the chain’s signature salads, warm bowls, and proteins, including the Harvest Bowl, Miso Glazed Salmon, and limited-time

🫐 The corner of Mojave and Central in south Phoenix sat dark for 18 months after Aryze Breakfast Eatery closed in October 2024, but now the space is getting a fresh start. The team behind EZBachi, the Valley’s first hibachi

🌭 Ted’s Hot Dogs – a fourth-generation, Buffalo-born institution that’s been charcoal-grilling hot dogs since 1927 – is throwing open the doors of its brand-new Chandler location this weekend, and they’re making it a party nearly a decade in the

🍜 Udon Shin, the Tokyo ramen shop famous for lines that wrap around the block, is opening its first U.S. location at noon Saturday inside Mesa’s Mekong Plaza on the southwest corner of Main and Dobson. They’re bringing over everything

🌶️ Local fast-casual concept Thai Chili 2Go – known for fresh, made-to-order dishes, bold flavors, and customizable spice levels (no microwaves, ever) – opens its 19th location today at Asante Marketplace on the northwest corner of Pinnacle Peak and 163rd

✈️ Eggroll Xpress has soft-opened on the southeast corner of Elliot and McClintock in south Tempe, and the airport-themed concept is as fun to experience as it is to eat. The conceit is committed: think TSA lines, flight attendant service,

🍣 Northeast Phoenix’s High Street just got a lot more interesting. Kanoki, a sushi and cocktails bar, has opened in the Desert Ridge corridor, and the menu makes a strong first impression. The format is temaki-forward, with handrolls ranging from