Author: Jess Harter

 Grand Avenue Pizza Co., which closed last June in downtown Phoenix and was replaced by SnapBack Pizzeria, reopens at 8 p.m. tonight in a new, much larger space about eight miles away near Glendale and Grand avenues in Glendale. The building

Oregon-based Black Rock Coffee Bar will celebrate the opening of its 31st Arizona store – and sixth in Scottsdale – by selling $2 medium drinks at the new store all day Friday. The store is in the Safeway shopping center on the

 Popstroke, a golf-entertainment venue designed by Tiger Woods’ TGR Design, opens today just west of Dave & Buster’s and the AMC theaters at Westgate in Glendale. In addition to two 18-hole putting courses, the not-just-for-golfers venue has a full-service open-air restaurant and an

 Matsuri Izakaya on Mill, a Japanese street food restaurant and tapas bar, has opened in the former La Bocca Urban Pizzeria & Wine Bar space near the northeast corner of Mill and Seventh Street in downtown Tempe. It’s part of

Ohio-based Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams celebrates the grand opening of its first Arizona store at 7 p.m. tonight on the southwest corner of Fifth Avenue and Marshall Way in Old Town Scottsdale. The store will be giving out free scoops

California-born Mr. Pickle’s Sandwich Shops, which made its Arizona debut last month in central Scottsdale, has opened a second location on the west corner of Raintree and Frank Lloyd Wright in north Scottsdale. The menu features hot and cold sandwiches

 Tequila Cocina & Cantina – a restaurant and cocktail bar specializing in dishes from the town of Tequila in Mexico’s western state of Jalisco (known for its production of the famous spirit) – has opened on the southwest corner of Camelback and Seventh

After a 14-year absence from the Valley, Italian-American fast-casual chain Fazoli’s has opened a location at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. It’s situated between gates B6 and B13, next to OHSO Brewery, in Terminal 4. Open from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Mesa-based Kind

 Arboleda, an elevated Mediterranean concept, has opened in the former Kona Grill space at Scottsdale Quarter on the southeast corner of Scottsdale and the Greenway Hayden Loop in north Scottsdale. Arboleda’s menu is inspired by the cuisine traditionally served along

 Acqua di Mare, an upscale Mediterranean restaurant offering tableside cooking, has opened on the southwest corner of Boston and Oregon – next to West Alley BBQ and across the street from Pedal Haus Brewery – in downtown Chandler. Owner/chef Nikola Hristov’s menu leans

 Angie’s Lobster, the new drive-through concept from the founders of Salad and Go, finally has opened its long-delayed bricks-and-mortar location on the southeast corner of Baseline and Hardy in south Tempe. The menu features warm and chilled lobster rolls for just

 Rosso Italian, a new contemporary Italian restaurant from Pomo Pizzeria owner/chef Stefano Fabbri, has soft-opened at CityScape in downtown Phoenix. The upscale eatery takes over the 5,000-square-foot space formerly home to The Strand Urban Italian. Open for lunch and dinner daily.

 Hamburguesas Y Cervezas, a Mexican-inspired burger and beer restaurant, has opened on the ground floor of the Union @ Roosevelt apartments on the southwest corner of Roosevelt and First Avenue in downtown Phoenix. The menu also offers appetizers, salads, and tortas.

 Pizza Factory, a California-based chain with Arizona locations in Williams, Payson, and Show Low, has opened a Valley location on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Southern in Mesa. The menu features hand-tossed pizzas, pastas, and sandwiches. An all-you-can-eat buffet

 Desert Pony Tavern, a Southwest-inspired gastropub with open-air seating and views of the McDowell Mountains, has opened at the Hilton North on the northwest corner of Hayden and the 101 in north Scottsdale. A $25 breakfast buffet is offered from

 Matt’s Big Breakfast, a downtown Phoenix institution since 2004, has opened its fifth Valley location (not counting a concession at Sky Harbor Airport) at Epicenter on the northwest corner of Higley and Ray in Gilbert. The no-frills menu features cage-free

 Crust Brothers Pizza, a 2-year-old independent pizzeria in central Scottsdale, has opened a second location on the northwest corner of Baseline and McClintock in south Tempe. Ohio natives Eddie and Mark Miller make what they call ‘‘Midwest-style’’ square-cut pies that

Country Griddle, a family-run brunch restaurant, has opened in the former Samurai Asian Bistro space on the northwest corner of Van Buren and Dysart in Goodyear. The menu includes several Hawaiian breakfast faves, such as banana pancakes, loco moco

The Palms Mediterranean Kitchen, a fast-casual restaurant that makes its own pita in-house, has opened on the southeast corner of Northern and 12th Street in north central Phoenix. The menu offers the typical favorites like gyros , shawarma, falafel, and

Traditional dishes such as chicken tikka masala, lamb vindaloo, dal makhani, and bone-in goat curry are menu highlights at Maya’s Kitchen, a small, family-run Indian restaurant that just opened on the northwest corner of Bell and 30th Street in north

Colorado-based chain Noodles & Company has opened its fourth Valley location in the former Five Guys space on the northeast corner of Scottsdale and Shea in central Scottsdale. The fast-casual restaurant offers international and American noodle dishes – including its

Dino and Robert Brescia, the brothers who owned Our Gang Cafe for 25 years, have launched OG Pizza near the southwest corner of 32nd Street and Shea in Phoenix. All pizzas are 18 inches and for takeout only, and only cash is accepted. There

Attention, vegans! Dos Pink Tacos opens at 11 a.m. today in the space that was home to short-lived Mexican seafood restaurant Ay, Chebela near the southeast corner of Roosevelt and Seventh Street in downtown Phoenix. The concept, which operated out of the Tempe Food Court until

Brave KBBQ, an all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue restaurant, has  soft-opened on the southwest corner of McClintock and Broadway (map) in Tempe. The menu: Appetizers, beef, pork, chicken, seafood, lamb, and sides. The price: $17.95 lunch from noon-3 p.m. weekdays. $27.95

Cocina Chiwas, a new concept from the owners of Chiwas Tacos, soft-opens at 5 p.m. today at Culdesac, a car-free neighborhood on Apache, between McClintock and Price, in Tempe. The menu: Chihuahuan-style tacos, wood-fired quesadillas, and Mexican pizzas. Full menu still

If you think the new Dunkin’ Donuts on the southwest corner of Power and Baseline looks a little unusual, it’s not your imagination. The just-opened location is the first in Arizona built from a repurposed shipping container. The company says using the containers

Dirty Dough, founded by an ASU student who began baking cookies in his Tempe apartment, has opened its second Valley location next to the AMC Theatres at Desert Ridge Marketplace in north Phoenix. The menu: A variety of gourmet cookies

Trophy Room, a new immersive cocktail bar that doesn’t allow cellphones or cameras, opened Monday night behind its big brother, fine-dining restaurant Wren & Wolf, in downtown Phoenix. The concept: While Wren & Wolf is decorated with animal-themed paintings,

California-based Give Me Sum, a delivery-only dim sum concept, has expanded its Arizona footprint to Chandler and Goodyear. The menu: Dim sum dishes of assorted steamed dumplings and bao buns, including non-traditional offerings such as loaded fries. The concept: Give Me

Chilte, a much-anticipated Mexican restaurant from Valley chef Lawrence “L.T.” Smith and his fiancée, Aseret Arroyo, soft-opens at 5 p.m. today at the just-restored Egyptian Motor Hotel on Grand Avenue in downtown Phoenix. Menu highlights: Chef’s choice tacos, chocolate aguachile,

Papago Brewing, one of Arizona’s most influential craft beer taprooms until its closure in 2017, begins its second life at 3 p.m. today at Mesa Riverview. The history: Papago was founded in 2001 as a bottle shop, home-brew supply store,

How much would you pay for a great burger? Then Burger, a speakeasy-style eatery with craft burgers and cocktails that just opened on the northwest corner of Glendale and 91st Avenue in Glendale, may test your limit. The highlight of

Pop Pot & Tea, a California-based chain of Taiwanese hot pot and tea shops, has soft-opened in the Lee Lee International Supermarket plaza on the northeast corner of Dobson and Warner in Chandler. The space: The former China Magic Noodle

Tatemados Tacos al Carbon, a taco shop specializing in meats grilled over mesquite charcoal, has opened in the Su Casa Shopping Center on the northeast corner of Thomas and 59th Avenue in west Phoenix. The location: The former Mariscos Ensenada

Mochinut, a Los Angeles-based chain that offers mochi doughnuts and Korean rice flour hot dogs, has opened its third Valley location inside the 99 Ranch Market on the northeast corner of Chandler and Dobson in Chandler. The space: In the

DEZ Burrito Company, a Valley food truck that shut down last August, has reopened as a bricks-and-mortar restaurant on the southwest corner of Cooper and Ray in Chandler. The space: The former Central Pop gourmet popcorn strip-mall space next to

Cartel Roasting Co., the Tempe-born craft single-origin coffee roaster, has opened its eighth Valley location at Desert Ridge Marketplace in northeast Phoenix. The space: Between Slices and Cold Stine Creamery in The District. The menu: Coffee, espresso, tea, breakfast burritos,

Great American Cookies, a Los Angeles-based chain offering gourmet cookies and brownies, has made its Arizona debut at the Tanger Outlets on the southeast corner of Glendale and the 101 in Glendale. The space: The former Nestle Toll House Cafe

The Sandwich Spot, a California-based chain that also has locations in Nevada and Texas, has made its Arizona debut on the southeast corner of 12th Street and Glendale in north Phoenix. The space: The former end-cap home of Fleur de

Tacos Chilango, an authentic Mexico City-style taqueria in Avondale, has opened a second location on the southeast corner of Indian School and Jackrabbit Trail in Buckeye. The space: Next to Ebb & Flow Coffee in Verrado. The menu: Tacos, quesadillas,

SunSet Wine Bistro, a new wine bar from former Salut Kitchen Bar owner Romain Lauro, has opened on the southeast corner of Scottsdale and Doubletree Ranch in central Scottsdale. The space: It takes over the 1,513-square-foot space that formerly housed

Federal American Grill, a refined-but-not-stuffy restaurant with four locations in the Houston area, has opened its first out-of-state location on the southwest corner of Scottsdale and the 101 in northeast Phoenix. The space: It takes over the 7,600-square-foot building that formerly

The Liar’s Club, the third creative cocktail concept in downtown Phoenix from the team behind Baby Boy and Khla, has opened on the southwest corner of Central and Monroe. The space: It takes over the former Downtown Deli space between Valley Bar

Knockout Cafe, a hybrid of a sandwich shop and a Thai restaurant, has opened in the former Knuckle Sandwiches space on the southeast corner of Elliott and Kyrene in south Tempe. The owners formerly operated Thai Time Kitchen in Mesa.

California-born Mr. Pickle’s Sandwich Shops has opened the first of six planned Arizona locations in the next 18 months on the northeast corner of Scottsdale and Shea in central Scottsdale. The menu: Hot and cold sandwiches on 10 types of