Author: Jess Harter

Romey’s Sandwich Bar, an artisan sandwich shop with a liquor license, has opened in the former Wild Elk Den space just east of the Hoosier Cafe on Warner, about a quarter-mile west of Arizona, in Chandler.

The Stillery, a Nashville-based restaurant and bar concept that made its Arizona debut in downtown Chandler last October, is opening a second Valley location this winter near the southwest corner of Happy Valley and 23rd Avenue in north Phoenix.

Terra Tempe Kitchen & Spirits, a modern American restaurant on the ground floor of The Westin Tempe, and Skysill Rooftop Lounge, the Valley’s highest rooftop bar, have opened on the northeast corner of Mill and Seventh Street.

KimThao’s Bakery & Food to Go, a family-owned Vietnamese restaurant offering rice rolls, banh mi, tofu, and snacks, has opened in on the northwest corner of Alma School and Warner in Chandler.

Dallas-based Look Dine-In Cinemas has opened in downtown Chandler, taking over the nine-screen Flix Brewhouse, which was closed by the covid-19 pandemic in 2020, on the southwest corner of Chandler and Arizona.

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, a legendary Memphis-based chain that made its Arizona debut in downtown Mesa in January, has opened a second Valley location on the southeast corner of Van Buren and Fourth Avenue in downtown Phoenix.

First & Last Kitchen+Bar is expected to open next month in the space formerly home to Rott n’ Grapes and its basement speakeasy Onyx on the northeast corner of Roosevelt and Third Street in downtown Phoenix.

Crawfish Cafe, a popular Houston-based Viet-Cajun crawfish and seafood concept, will make its Arizona debut early next year in front of the Mekong Supermarket on the southwest corner of Dobson and Main in west Mesa.

Florida-based I Heart Mac & Cheese‘s second Valley location on the southwest corner of Scottsdale and Bell in north Scottsdale – which MXSW reported in June – has announced it will open next Wednesday, Oct. 20.

Little Asia Cuisine, a restaurant offering sushi, ramen, Southeast Asian dishes, and Hawaiian plates, has opened in the strip mall on the northeast corner of Cactus and 43rd Avenue in Phoenix.

Famed Chicago-based chain Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, which made its East Valley debut at Mesa’s Dana Park in August, is building its sixth Valley location on the northeast corner of Val Vista and Pecos in Gilbert. Opening day TBA.

Mango Crazy, a California-based chain of Mexican street-food inspired eateries best known for its aguas frescas, will make its Arizona debut on the southeast corner of Arizona and Pecos in Chandler. Opening day TBA.

Although the official grand opening isn’t until Friday, Matt’s Big Breakfast, a locally owned group of popular breakfast-and-lunch eateries, has opened its fifth Valley location at Arrowhead Ranch on the southwest corner of 75th Avenue and Rose Garden in Glendale.

Valley-based Press Coffee opens its ninth location at 6:30 a.m. Friday in the 200 EVB office building on the northeast corner of Second Street and Van Buren in downtown Phoenix. You can get $1 drip coffee all weekend with proceeds donated

Someburros, a local chain of family-run fast-casual Mexican restaurants, opens its 12th location Friday near the southwest corner of Signal Butte and Guadalupe in southeast Mesa. There will be grand-opening giveaways all weekend.

Caldwell County BBQ owner Clay Caldwell is transforming his 2-year-old Clay Dawgs, a mesquite-fired hot dog shop on the northwest corner of Gilbert and Juniper in Gilbert, into a Tex-Mex concept called Caldwell County Mexi-Q. It’s expected to debut in