Author: Jess Harter

Enjoy free drinks from 5 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday when Oregon-based Black Rock Coffee celebrates the opening of its second Tempe location  – and 22nd in Arizona –  behind McDonald’s on the northeast corner of 56th Street and Ray.

Three years after making its Arizona debut in Glendale, Pennsylvania-based Bruster’s Real Ice Cream has launched its first East Valley location on the northeast corner of Arizona and Warner in Chandler. Bruster’s features 150 flavors of handcrafted ice cream, yogurt, Italian

Sottise, a modern French bistro and restaurant from chef TJ Culp and Esther Noh, the duo behind Restaurant Progress and The Montecito, opens Thursday in the historic Knipe House, a 112-year-old building on the southeast corner of Portland and Second

Chicago-based Lou Malnati’s has launched its sixth Valley location – an 1,800-square-foot space offering takeout and delivery only – on the northeast corner of Val Vista and Pecos in Gilbert. It’s the second East Valley location; the first opened at Mesa’s

Cinnaholic, a California-based chain of vegan cinnamon roll bakeries that made its Arizona debut in Gilbert in July, has opened a second Valley location on the northwest corner of the 101 and Via de Ventura in Scottsdale.

Santé, a high-end organic-focused restaurant and ‘‘grab-and-gourmet’’ marketplace from EVO founder Nick Neuman and longtime friend Nico Doniele, has opened in the former Brunch Cafe space near the northeast corner of Scottsdale and Greenway in north Scottsdale.

Shinko Sushi House, a Japanese restaurant specializing in sushi and ramen, has opened the former Perfect Pear space in the Foothills Park Plaza on the southeast corner of Chandler Boulevard and Desert Foothills Parkway in Ahwatukee.

The Genuine Concepts restaurant group announced it will close its 11-year-old The Vig Uptown on the northeast corner of 16th Street and Bethany Home in Phoenix on Sunday, Dec. 19. The space will be remodeled and reopened in February as

Tucson-based Eegee’s opens its second Valley restaurant (the first debuted in Gilbert in July) at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday on the northwest corner of U.S. 60 and Crismon in east Mesa. Every customer will get a free sticker, and the grand opening

Florida-based Another Broken Egg Cafe, a French-countryside-meets-the-Deep-South concept, has made its Arizona debut behind Sandbar Mexican Grill on the southwest corner of Williams Field and Santan Village Parkway in Gilbert.

Scottsdale-based Mesquite Fresh Street Mex, formerly known as Mr. Mesquite, will open its ninth Valley location – and its first drive-through-only location – on the southeast corner of Val Vista and Queen Creek in Gilbert in February.

Big news for Portillo’s fans who’ve been waiting for the Chicago-based fast-casual chain to open a second East Valley location: It has submitted a design review for a new restaurant to be built on the southeast corner of Williams Field and Santan

Lake Pleasant Brewing,  family-owned craft brewery that’s been in the works for five years, is expected to open in January on the southwest corner of 19th Avenue and Rose Garden in northwest Phoenix.

The Mexicano, a Mexico City-inspired concept from Valley restauranteur Joey Maggiore (whose family’s restaurant group is best known for Tomaso’s, The Sicilian Baker, and Hash Kitchen), opens today in the former Salty Sow space near Cactus and Tatum in Paradise

Queen Creek’s newest craft beer bar – BrüCo Taproom – has opened near the northeast corner of Power and Germann with 30 beers on tap plus wines by the glass. Plans call for a small food menu featuring pizza and

The Sugar Bar, a new hybrid concept combining a taproom with a candy store, has opened on the northwest corner of McQueen and Warner in Chandler. There are 29 beers and two wines on tap (plus many more in bottles

My Kitchen Chinese Cuisine, specializing in dishes like General Tso’s Chicken, Seafood King, and Walnut Shrimp, has opened in the year-old Fry’s Marketplace plaza on the southeast corner of Williams Field and Recker in southeast Gilbert.

Kasai Japanese Steakhouse, the 20-year-old north Scottsdale restaurant known as Sapporo before changing its name three years ago, plans to open a second location at the Park West shopping complex in Peoria by next fall.