Author: Jess Harter

🔥🍨 Fabio On Fire Panini & Gelateria, a spinoff of  owner-chef Fabio Ceschetti’s popular Fabio on Fire, has opened on the southeast corner of Happy Valley and Lake Pleasant Parkway in Peoria. The space: The 1,500-square-foot space, formerly home to

The Hub Grill & Bar, a popular east Mesa sports bar whose original location has been closed since a fire on New Year’s Eve 2020, finally reopens at 11 a.m. Wednesday on the northeast corner of Sossaman and Baseline. The

🥞 Fluffy Cakes, a husband-and-wife-run eatery specializing in Japanese souffle pancakes, has opened at the food court at Chandler Fashion Center. The space: A stand-alone kiosk at the food court entrance near the Crayola Experience. The food: Unlike traditional pancakes, Japanese pancakes

Cooperhead Bistro, a neighborhood Italian restaurant and bar, has opened on the southwest corner of Tatum and Bell in Paradise Valley. The space: Formerly home to Pizza Lucci, which closed earlier this year, and, before that, Italian restaurant Luccicare. The

Prep & Pastry, one of Tucson’s most popular brunch destinations, continues to make inroads into the Valley with the opening of its fourth restaurant in downtown Gilbert. The space: The ground floor, formerly home to The Brass Tap, in the

🌯 Rito’s Mexican Food, a group of family-run restaurants known for its green chile burritos, has opened its fourth location in the former Matta’s space at Mesa Riverview on the southeast corner of the Loop 202 and Dobson in Mesa. The

🐓 Legendary Memphis-based chain Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken has opened its fourth Valley location in the former Keegan’s Grill space on the southwest corner of Ray and 48th Street in Ahwatukee. The food: Hot and spicy chicken sold in

🍩 Outcast Doughnuts, a new concept from the owners of Level 1 Arcade Bar in downtown Gilbert, has opened on the northwest corner of Main and MacDonald in downtown Mesa. The menu: Outcast specializes in layered croissant doughnuts, of which

California-based Roll-Em-Up Taquitos, the nation’s first taquito-focused franchise, makes its Arizona debut today on the southeast corner of Arizona and Frye in downtown Chandler. The food: Roll-Em-Up offers five kinds of taquitos – braised shredded beef, seasoned ground beef, citrus-marinated chicken,

🍣 An ambitious new Japanese restaurant, Icho Izakaya Sushi & Grill, has soft-opened on the southeast corner of Broadway and Dobson in west Mesa. The food: 34 six-piece maki and eight-piece specialty rolls ($4-$20) and 24 sashimi selections  ($7-$17). Fish

🇹🇭 SKNY Pig, an Asian restaurant focused mostly on Thai dishes, has opened next to the Asiana Market on the northwest corner of Union Hills and 43rd Avenue in Glendale. The food: Soups (ranging from tom yum to pho), curries

Los Angeles-based Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf opened its eighth Valley location at 5 a.m. today on the northwest corner of 90th Street and Via Linda in Scottsdale. The space: The new full-service location has a drive-through. The menu: Coffee,

Ghett Yo Wings, a new sibling of Ghett Yo Taco in Chandler, will open its second Valley location at 10:30 a.m. Saturday on the northeast corner of Ironwood and Ocotillo in San Tan Valley. The history: Ghett Yo Wings made

Sizzling House, an Asian restaurant specializing in ramen and sizzling plates, has opened at Mekong Plaza on the southeast corner of Main and Dobson in west Mesa. The food: Seven ramen bases range from $13.99-$23.99 with additions for an extra

🌮 Texas-based Torchy’s Tacos, which made its Arizona debut in Phoenix last June, opens its fourth Valley location Wednesday near the northwest corner of Williams Field and Santan Village Parkway in Gilbert. The history: Torchy’s began as an Austin, Texas,

🔥 California-based Gen Korean BBQ House, which made its Arizona debut at Tempe Marketplace in 2017, has opened a second Valley location at the 99 Ranch Market shopping center on the northeast corner of Dobson and Chandler in Chandler. The

Latha, a restaurant and bar that features dishes from Africa, the Caribbean, Brazil, and the southern U.S., has opened at Heritage Square near the northwest corner of Seventh Street and Washington in downtown Phoenix. The space: Located in the historic

Master Jianbing, a small eatery specializing in jianbing (Chinese street food crepes), has opened in the food court of Mekong Plaza on the southwest corner of Dobson and Main in west Mesa. The food: The menu offers 11 types of

Momma’s Soul Fish & Chicken, a family-run takeout-only soul food operation in San Tan Valley, has closed, but the St. Louis natives have opened a full-service restaurant on the northwest corner of 19th Avenue and Greenway in north Phoenix. The

Scottsdale-based Eggstasy, a breakfast and lunch concept that debuted in 2014, has opened its sixth Valley location on the southeast corner of Power and the Loop 202 in southeast Mesa. The food: The breakfast menu offers traditional items like omelets,

🍔 California-based quick-service chain The Habit Burger Grill has opened its first Surprise location – and its 17th in the Valley – on the southeast corner of the Loop 303 and Waddell. The food: 11 specialty burgers, chicken sandwiches, steak

🍪 CookieRush, a spinoff of local soda shop chain SodaRush, has opened its first location on the northwest corner of Gilbert and Chandler Heights in south Chandler. The concept: SodaRush, which has three Valley locations, won Phoenix Magazine’s award for

JL Smokehouse, regarded as one of Phoenix’s top barbecue joints, has opened a second location in the former Can’t Stop Smokin’ BBQ space on the northwest corner of Lindsay and University in east Mesa. The background: Pit master James ‘‘JL’’

🥩 Bourbon & Bones, a high-end steakhouse from Valley-based restaurant group Square One Concepts, launches its third location at 4 p.m. today at 83 Marketplace on the southeast corner of Happy Valley and 83rd Avenue in Peoria. The history: Square

Nad’s Chicken & Seafood, a fast-casual concept with Southern-style fried foods, has opened in the former Arizona Bread Company space on the southeast corner of Elliot and Kyrene in south Tempe. The food: Chicken wings and tenders, fried catfish, fried

Princess Pita, an off-shoot of Princess Pita Mediterranean Restaurant and Market in Mesa, has opened on the northeast corner of Priest and Washington in northwest Tempe. The background: For 17 years, Princess Pita has operated as a small deli and restaurant

Chickii, a new fast-casual concept specializing in Thai-style fried chicken, has opened at Arrowhead Ranch Center on the northwest corner of the Loop 101 and 59th Avenue in Glendale. The food: Panko-crusted chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, chicken wings, chicken rice

☕️ Oregon-based Black Rock Coffee, which made its Arizona debut in 2016, has opened its 32nd Grand Canyon State store on the southeast corner of Glendale and 75th Avenue in Glendale. The menu: Coffees, teas, smoothies, energy drinks, and fresh-baked pastries.

🍺 Goldwater Brewing, which launched in Old Town Scottsdale in 2015, has opened its third Valley taproom on the northeast corner of Priest and Ray in south Tempe. The space: The newly constructed building, located between McDonald’s and the Perfect

🌮 Tacos Chisco, a small Mexican eatery that debuted in Glendale last year, has opened a second location, Tacos Chisco Bar & Grill, on the northeast corner of Northern and 19th Avenue in north Phoenix. The food: Nine kinds of

The Trophy Bar, which calls itself ‘‘a car lover’s sports bar,’’ has opened at the Downtown Ocotillo development on Queen Creek, between Dobson and Price, in south Chandler. The space: The locally owned concept replaces the health-focused Cherish, which closed

Mijana, a 14-year-old Lebanese restaurant in Tempe, has opened a fast-casual spinoff, Mijana Express, on the southeast corner of 40th Street and Thunderbird in north central Phoenix. The food: An array of Mediterranean plates (shawarma, gyro, lamb shank), sandwiches, and

Daddy’s Chicken Shack, a fast-casual fried chicken concept launched in Southern California in 2018, makes its Arizona debut Thursday on Scottsdale Road, about a third of a mile north of Shea, in Scottsdale. The history: Husband-and-wife duo Pace Webb and

Dave & Buster’s, a national chain of arcade-themed sports bars, has opened its fourth Valley location next to Kohl’s at Queen Creek Marketplace on the southwest corner of Ellsworth Loop and Rittenhouse. The space: The 19,000-square-foot bar and restaurant includes

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, a Memphis-based chain that made its Arizona debut in downtown Mesa in 2021, has opened its third Valley location on 16th Street, about halfway between Indian School and Camelback, in uptown Phoenix. The food: Hot

Jinya Ramen Bar, a Los Angeles-based chain of contemporary Japanese restaurants that made its Arizona debut two years ago in downtown Chandler, has opened its second Valley location near the northwest corner of Central and Camelback in central Phoenix. The

California-based Nick the Greek, a chain of quick-service Mediterranean eateries, has made its Arizona debut at CityScape on the southwest corner of Central and Washington in downtown Phoenix. The space: Formerly was home to Pizza Studio, which closed in 2019.

🌮 Taqueria Factory, a family-run Mexican restaurant that debuted in Chandler last June, has opened a second location on the southwest corner of Alma School and Ocotillo in south Chandler. The space: Formerly the home of K-38 Beach Mex Cantina, which closed

Midwest Wings, an eatery specializing in chicken wings and tenders, has opened in the Kings Beer & Wine strip mall on the southeast corner of Thomas and Central in midtown Phoenix. The menu: Meaty wings are $9.49 for six, $17.49

🥧 Piefection, an independent pie shop with locations in northeast Mesa and central Scottsdale, celebrates the grand opening of its third location on the northwest corner of Chandler and Dobson in Chandler from 9 a.m.-1 p.m Saturday. The menu: More than 30 varieties

Los Angeles-based Spitz Mediterranean Street Food makes its Arizona debut at 11 a.m. today near the splash pad at Desert Ridge Marketplace on the northeast corner of Tatum and the Loop 101 in northeast Phoenix. The concept: Borrowing from street carts popular

Course, a modern American fine-dining restaurant offering prix fixe seasonal menus, opens at 5 p.m. today in the former Baked Bear space on the east side of the Harkins theaters on the northeast corner of Scottsdale and Shea in Scottsdale.

Brunch Problems, a breakfast and lunch eatery from Valley caterer and chef Jerome Greene, has opened in the former Switch space on the northeast corner of Central and Virginia in midtown Phoenix. The space: Switch occupied the space for more

K-Monster Chicken, a fast-casual Korean chicken concept, has opened inside the 99 Ranch Market on the northeast corner of Dobson and Chandler in Chandler. The menu: For the soft opening, $9.99 lunch boxes or $12.99 dinner boxes. You choose: The

Pocha 54, a Korean-style pub that offers soju and sake along with small plates of shareable food known as anju, has opened at High Street near the southwest corner of the Loop 101 and 56th Street in northeast Phoenix. The

Upscale neighborhood tavern The Vig launches its sixth Valley location today in Peoria’s Park West shopping center on the northwest corner of Northern and the Loop 101, about a mile-and-a-half north of the Arizona Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium. The food: