Author: Jess Harter

Barro’s Pizza, a family-owned business with 47 Arizona locations, will open a new south Chandler pizzeria next Tuesday, Jan. 24, on the northeast corner of Alma School and Queen Creek. The new restaurant replaces its longtime location about a mile

Quench Taps & Tapas, an upscale-casual craft beer and wine bar with a small-plates menu, has opened near the northwest corner of Waddell and Litchfield Park in Surprise. The menu: Shareable items like charcuterie boards, bread baskets, hummus and crudité

Mici, a Denver-based chain of fast-casual pizza and pasta restaurants, has opened its second Arizona location on the northwest corner of Ellsworth and Riggs in Queen Creek. The menu: 16- and 10-inch pizzas, pastas, and salads. The history: Mici made

California-based microbrewery chain BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse has opened its fifth Valley location near the northwest corner of McDowell and Bullard in Goodyear. The menu: A huge selection of salads, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, tacos, and other entrees. BJ’s brews

Decadent Macaron, a locally owned bakery specializing in French macarons, has opened a second location at Verde at Cooley Station, a new development on the southwest corner of Recker and Williams Field in Gilbert. But the bakery also announced it

Brunch concept Hash Kitchen, perhaps best-known for its build-your-own Bloody Marys, has opened its sixth Valley location in Peoria’s P83 Entertainment District. The menu: Popular dishes include Cannoli Donuts, Hangover Hash, Tiramisu French Toast, and Chicken Tinga Frittata. The bar

The Craftsman Cocktails & Kitchen, a creative but comfortable neighborhood restaurant in north Scottsdale, has opened its second location in the former Cotton & Copper space on the northeast corner of Rural and Warner in south Tempe. The background: The Craftsman

Casa de Mambo, a Dominican quick-serve restaurant, has opened in the former Ike’s Love and Sandwiches space near the southeast corner of Alma School and Southern in Mesa. The menu: Popular dishes include braised chicken, roasted chicken, braised beef steak,

Buck & Rider, a 7-year-old seafood and steak restaurant in Arcadia, has opened a second location at the Shops at Chauncey Ranch on the southeast corner of Scottsdale and Mayo in north Scottsdale. The menu: Daily raw bar, sushi and

World of Sourdough, a Houston-based chain of soup and sandwich eateries, has opened its third Valley location in the Sprouts shopping center on the northeast corner of Alma School and Queen Creek in south Chandler. The menu: 17 sandwiches, soups

Smoking Tiger, a new Korean BBQ restaurant from the owners of Hodori, has opened in the former Ah-So Japanese space on the northeast corner of Gilbert and Baseline in Mesa. The menu: Steak (including wagyu), pork, intestine, and seafood cooked

Sneakybird, a new fast-casual oven-grilled chicken concept from former Native Grill & Wings CEO Daniel Chaon, has debuted on the northeast corner of Frank Lloyd Wright and the 101 in north Scottsdale. The menu: Chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, and chicken

Angie’s Lobster, the new drive-through concept from the founders of Salad and Go, has opened its third location on the southwest corner of 19th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak in north Phoenix. The menu: The signature items are $9.99 Maine lobster

Carolina’s Mexican Food, a Valley favorite for more than 50 years, has opened its sixth location near the northwest corner of 59th Avenue and Greenway Road in Glendale. The menu: Burros, tacos, enchiladas, tamales, and tostadas. Carolina’s is best-known for

Source, a new ‘‘fast-fine dining’’ Mediterranean restaurant, bakery, and market, soft-opens at 11 a.m. today at Epicenter at Agritopia on the northwest corner of Higley and Ray in Gilbert. Who: Source is a joint project of Thai Chili 2 Go

Salad World, a new fast-casual build-your-own-salad concept, soft-opens at 10 a.m. today in the Safeway center on the northwest corner of Cactus and 83rd Avenue in Peoria. The menu: Diners can design their own salads (or wraps) from more than

Taproom-120, a retro movie-themed craft beer bar and bottle shop, opens at 4 p.m. today next to Mattress Firm on the northwest corner of Power and the 202 in southeast Gilbert. Grand opening weekend: The three-day celebration includes the release

Piccolo Virtù, a second spinoff of owner-chef Gio Osso’s acclaimed Virtù Honest Craft, has opened in the former Nonna Urban Eatery space on the northwest corner of Main and Brown in Old Town Scottsdale. The menu: Shareable small plates, crudo dishes,

Old Town Ski Lodge, a new mini-concept from Square One Concepts, has opened on the upper level of its Wasted Grain nightclub in Old Town Scottsdale. The concept: Decorated as a comforting winter ski lodge, the hideaway offers drinks such

Texas-based Torchy’s Tacos, which made its Arizona debut in Phoenix in June, opens its third local location at 10 a.m. today in Queen Creek Marketplace on the southwest corner of Ellsworth Loop and Riggs. Menu highlights: 14 creative specialty tacos and

Chicago-based Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria opens its eighth Valley location – and its third full-service restaurant and bar – at 4 p.m. today at Tempe Marketplace. It’s the pizzeria’s fourth straight opening in the East Valley, following carryout/delivery locations in Mesa and

Flower Child, Sam Fox’s fast-casual health-focused concept, has opened its sixth Valley location at The Shoppes at Casa Paloma on the southeast corner of I-10 and Ray in west Chandler. The menu: Salads, bowls, entrées, wraps, and sides, nearly all

California-based chain Ike’s Love & Sandwiches has opened its 12th Valley location in the Fry’s shopping center on the northeast corner of Ellsworth and Riggs in Queen Creek. The menu: More than 800 sandwiches, many named for celebrities, featuring its

The Brass Tap, a Florida-based chain of craft beer bars, has returned to the Valley after a three-week absence with a new location on the southwest corner of Williams Field and Recker in Gilbert. The menu: Pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, tacos,

Pitch, an Italian restaurant launched in Nebraska 15 years ago, has opened its second Valley location on the northwest corner of Hayden and the 101 in north Scottsdale. The menu: Coal-fired pizzas and handmade pastas are the focus, but the

Ah-Wok-Tukee Asian Cuisine, a new wok restaurant, has opened next to Anytime Fitness on the northeast corner of Chandler and Desert Hills Parkway in Ahwatukee. The menu: Americanized Chinese wok dishes, including orange chicken, sweet and sour pork, General’s chicken,

The Green Woodpecker, a new beer hall concept from the founders of Gadzooks Enchiladas & Soup, has opened at Park Central on the west side of Central about a quarter-mile north of Thomas in midtown Phoenix. Who’s behind it: Phoenix

Texas-based chain Whataburger has soft-opened its ninth East Valley location next to Dutch Bros. Coffee near the southeast corner of Power and Ray in southeast Mesa. Limited service: Only the drive-through is open; the dining room will open and delivery

First Watch, a Florida-based breakfast and brunch concept, has opened its 10th Valley location on the northwest corner of Signal Butte and U.S. 60 in east Mesa. The menu: Omelets, pancakes, waffles, salads, sandwiches, and more. Open: 7 a.m.-2:30

Tipsy Chicken, an Asian fusion bar specializing in Korean fried chicken, has opened next to H Mart on the southeast corner of Dobson and Main in west Mesa. The menu: Korean fried chicken and Asian-inspired street foods. Open: 5-11

Tucson-based fast-food chain Eegee’s opens its fifth Valley location today on the southwest corner of Bell and I-17 in north Phoenix. The menu: Sub sandwiches, chicken tenders, fries, salads, and eegees (its signature frozen fruit drinks). The space: The 2,300-square-foot restaurant

Original ChopShop, a health-focused fast-casual concept, opens its ninth Valley restaurant today at Dana Park on the northwest corner of Val Vista and Baseline in Mesa. The menu: Chopped salads, protein bowls, sandwiches, superfruit bowls, protein shakes, and pressed juices.

Sip Fresh, a California-based juice bar concept, has opened its first Arizona location on the second floor of Arrowhead Towne Center on the northeast corner of Bell and the 101 in Glendale. The menu: Fruit drinks, teas, lemonades, smoothies, and

Sin Muerte, a new vegetarian concept from the Instrumental Hospitality Group, has opened next to Matt’s Big Breakfast on the southeast corner of First Street and Garfield in downtown Phoenix. IHG opened its first restaurant, Belly Kitchen & Bar, in

After a couple of soft-opening sessions over the weekend and a ribbon-cutting at 4 p.m. today, Hundred Mile Brewing officially opens its doors at 11 a.m. Wednesday on the southwest corner of Scottsdale and the 202 in Tempe. The space:

The Vig, a local group of popular neighborhood hangouts, has opened its fifth location in the former Ladera Taverna y Cocina space on Central just south of Dunlap in north central Phoenix. The Vig is part of the Genuine Concepts

Fratelli la Bufala, a pizzeria chain based in Naples, Italy, has opened its second U.S. franchise on the southeast corner of  Hayden and McCormick Parkway in central Scottsdale. The first U.S. franchise opened in Miami Beach, Fla., in 2005. Fratelli

Oregon-based Black Rock Coffee opens its sixth Mesa location – and 28th in Arizona – at 5 a.m. Friday on the northwest corner of U.S. 60 and Signal Butte. The menu: Coffees, teas, smoothies, energy drinks, and fresh-baked pastries. $2 drink

Jimmy & Joe’s Pizzeria launches its third location today in the Gilbert Gateway Towne Center on the southwest corner of Power and the 202 in southeast Gilbert. The menu: Besides New York-style pizzas with a choice of 30-plus toppings, the menu

SnapBack Pizza, a bricks-and-mortar location by former mobile pizzaiolo Ryan Moreno, has replaced the Grand Avenue Pizza Co., which closed in May after eight years on the southeast corner of Grand and Fillmore in downtown Phoenix. Moreno worked at Grand

Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey, an acclaimed sushi bar in Palm Springs, Calif., has opened a second location near the northwest corner of Indian School and Seventh Avenue in Phoenix’s Melrose District. The history: Chef-owner Engin Onural opened his first restaurant,

Utah-based Black Rifle Coffee Company, which made its Arizona debut last month in east Phoenix, has launched a second location on the northeast corner of Power and Ray in southeast Mesa. The history: Black Rifle was founded in 2014 by

Miel de Agave, a modern Mexican restaurant and event space, has opened in the former La Flor de Calabaza space on the northeast corner of First Street and Pierce in downtown Phoenix. Menu highlights: Watermelon salad, arrachera skirt steak, octopus

Lebanese Palace, a Middle Eastern restaurant, has opened in the former Teakwoods Tavern space on the southeast corner of Ray and Kyrene in west Chandler. The menu: Shawarma, kabobs, gyros, falafel, baba ghannouji, tabouli, hummus, and more. Open: 11 a.m.-9:30

Pink Panda Boba Company, the latest example in the recent trend of eateries opening inside gas station convenience stores, has launched inside the Chevron on the southwest corner of Cooper and Ray in Chandler. The menu: Milk teas, fruit teas,

Modern Oyster Bar Chophouse, which closed June 2 after three years in central Scottsdale, has reopened in the former Charleston’s building on the northeast corner of Scottsdale and Frank Lloyd Wright in north Scottsdale. Modern is the brainchild of veteran

Shea Cheese, the Valley’s only dedicated cheese store, has opened near the northeast corner of Shea and 32nd Street in north Phoenix. Owners Jenny Zink and her husband, Izaak Myers, offer a rotating selection of 70-80 cheeses. About 80% of