Author: Jess Harter

Traffic around Higley and the U.S. 60 is likely to get even busier in 2022 with Oregon-based Dutch Bros. Coffee building its fifth Gilbert location just north of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.

Recreo – a new venue featuring two lively bars, seven globally inspired culinary concepts, and a live music stage – is scheduled to open next month in the former El Zocalo Mexican Grille on San Marcos Place in downtown Chandler.

Get a pop-up preview of Pork on a Fork‘s soon-to-open Chandler location when the north Phoenix barbecue joint brings its food truck to the former Carl’s Jr. building near the southwest corner of Alma School and Warner from 5-8 p.m.

Salt Tacos y Tequila, a 5-year-old modern Mexican restaurant and bar at Westgate in Glendale, announced it will open its second location Friday in the former Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que space at SanTan Village shopping center in Gilbert.

K-38 Beach Mex Cantina, the Mexican eatery that had a soft opening last week on the southwest corner of Alma School and Ocotillo in south Chandler, postponed its official launch Tuesday at the last minute due to ‘‘staffing issues.’’ No

Colorado-based Ziggi’s Coffee, which has two locations in Chandler, is opening two more Arizona stores on the southwest corner of Apache and Terrace in Tempe and the southeast corner of Sossaman and Guadalupe in southeast Mesa.

The father-and-daughter team behind the Cup of Joey food truck, which offers coffee and Aussie bites, is opening a bricks-and-mortar restaurant called Australian Cafe in early 2022 on the southeast corner of Ellsworth and Brown in northeast Mesa.

K-38 Beach Mex Cantina, a Mexican eatery inspired by street food vendors and taquerias in Baja California and boasting what it describes as a ‘‘world-class margarita program,’’ has opened on the southwest corner of Alma School and Ocotillo in south Chandler.

The founders of East Valley-based Salad and Go are co-launching new drive-through concept Angie’s Lobster featuring $9.99 lobster meals with fries and a drink. The first of five announced locations will open Nov. 30 on the southeast corner of Baseline and

Food and wine industry vets Pat Jasmin and Chris French have opened Far Away Wine & Provisions, a 30-seat wine bar and retail shop that also serves food, on the southwest corner of Indian School and 32nd Street in Phoenix.

Bussara “Nina” Irwin, the original owner of  the now-closed Cha Da Thai in Scottsdale, has opened a new Cha Da Thai in the former Noodles Ranch space on the southeast corner of Scottsdale and Thomas in Scottsdale.

El Jefe Tacos & Sushi, an 18-month-old hybrid restaurant in Tempe, will open a second location in the former Qdoba space on the southeast corner of Chandler and 48th Street in Ahwatukee.

Bottle & Bean, a new local coffeehouse and wine bar concept, is taking over the former Press Coffee space at the Downtown Ocotillo development on Queen Creek between Dobson and Price in south Chandler.

Bap and Chicken, a popular Korean fried chicken eatery in St. Paul, Minn., has opened a second location in the former Habit Burger Grill on the southwest corner of Ray and 54th Street in west Chandler.

The Union Jack, a British pub that took over the former Skeptical Chymist Irish Pub in north Scottsdale in August, is opening a second location at Dana Park on the northwest corner of Val Vista and Baseline in Mesa.

Babbo Italian Eatery, a family-owned local chain of Italian restaurants, has opened its eighth Valley location on the southwest corner of McDowell and PebbleCreek in Goodyear.

Oakberry Açaí Bowls & Smoothies, a Brazil-based chain that made its Arizona debut this summer at the Biltmore in Phoenix, is opening two more Valley locations – at SanTan Village in Gilbert and the Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix.

Brunch Snob, a breakfast and lunch eatery with a bar, is coming to the former Irish Hare space on the southwest corner of Elliot and 48 Street in Ahwatukee in mid-December.