Author: Jess Harter

Valley-based YC’s Mongolian Grill, a build-your-own stir-fry concept, opens its third Valley location at 11 a.m. today near the northwest corner of the 101 and Raintree in north Scottsdale. The menu: Diners customize a bowl with veggies, rice, noodles, and

Loco J’s Tacos & Tequila, a polished Mexican restaurant with a full bar, has opened in the former Barro’s Pizza space on the northwest corner of Tatum and Dynamite in Cave Creek. The menu: Eight kinds of tacos, burritos, enchiladas,

Dave’s Hot Chicken, a Los Angeles-based fast-casual chain specializing in Nashville-style hot chicken, opens at 11 a.m. today in the former Burger King building on the southeast corner of Cooper and Baseline in Gilbert. Star power: The 5-year-old concept, which

Sprouts Farmers Market and Press Coffee, both based in Phoenix, are teaming up for the first-ever Press location inside a Sprouts store. The space: Located at the Sprouts on the southwest corner of Seventh Avenue and Osborn in Phoenix, it

Churro Nest, a Vietnamese-inspired dessert shop, has replaced the short-lived Churroholic, which had made its Arizona debut in May, at Tempe Marketplace. The menu: Churros, churro dogs, churro and ice cream, rice paper pizza, Crab Rangoon, fried skewers, rice puffs,

Sakura Sushi, a 5-year-old restaurant in Ahwatukee, has opened a second all-you-can-eat location next to Target on the northeast corner of U.S. 60 and Power in east Mesa. The menu: All-you-can-eat sushi is $18.99 at lunch and $26.99 at dinner.

Jefe’s Cantina, a Mexican eatery with a full bar, has replaced the short-lived Loco Amigo’s, which had moved into the former Burger IM building on the southeast corner of Price and Willis in south Chandler in May. The menu: Burritos,

Four restaurant brands were revealed Tuesday as concessionaires inside ASU’s new hockey arena, which opens this weekend, in Tempe: Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers, a Scottsdale-based concept with 13 Valley locations, the most recent at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix; Venezia’s

Lucky’s Pizza, which has been serving New York-style pies in Glendale since 1993, has opened a second location in the Bashas’ plaza on the northeast corner of Lake Pleasant Road and 99th Avenue in Peoria. The menu: Thin-crust and Sicilian

The Rec Pizza & Detroit Eats, a popular Michigander gathering place that closed in June, has reopened under new ownership on the northwest corner of Lake Pleasant Parkway and Beardsley in Peoria. The menu: Detroit-style rectangular pizzas, coney dogs, Better

Award-winning downtown Phoenix cocktail bar Undertow opens its second location at 4 p.m. today at Epicenter at Agritopia on the northwest corner of Higley and Ray in Gilbert. The space: With a hand-carved bar top and a figurehead salvaged from

Fire Tiger Dessert Cafe, an international chain with locations in Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, made its U.S. debut in the former Pho Winglee strip-mall space just south of H Mart near the southeast corner of Main and

Mochinut, a Los Angeles-based chain that made its Arizona debut in Tempe last year, has opened its second Valley location next to Lee Lee International Supermarket on the southwest corner of Cactus and 75th Avenue in Peoria. The menu: Mochi

Blue Corn Cafe & Bakery, a sister concept to acclaimed Hope’s Artisan Bread, has opened across from Murphy Park on the northeast corner of Glendale and 58th Avenue in downtown Glendale. The menu: Breads, breakfast sandwiches, quiches, parfaits, muffins, brownies,