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Author: Jess Harter

Hawaiian plate lunch fave Loco Style Grindz reopens in west Mesa

If you miss the authentic Hawaiian plate lunches at Loco Style Grindz, which closed in April on Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix, you’ll be pleased to learn it has reopened just inside the AZ International Marketplace on the northeast corner of

China Magic Noodle House in Chandler closes after 12 years in business

China Magic Noodle House, a Chinese restaurant where you could watch through a window into the kitchen as your noodles are hand-pulled to order, has closed after 12 years next to the Lee Lee International Supermarket on the northeast corner of Dobson and Warner

Not Your Typical Deli launches weekly ‘pop-up’ in downtown Gilbert

Not Your Typical Deli, the popular sandwich shop that closed at Gilbert Town Square in May, has launched its weekly ‘‘pop-up’’ beneath the water tower in downtown Gilbert. The new venture, located in a small building behind The Farmhouse, opens at 5

Collins Bros. Chophouse opens at The Village at Hayden in Scottsdale

Collins Bros. Chophouse, the latest concept from Valley restaurateur and chef Christopher Collins, has opened inside The Village at Hayden on the northwest corner of Hayden and Via De Ventura in central Scottsdale. It replaces previous Collins concept Twisted Grove

Klondike discontinues iconic Choco Taco after nearly 40 years

Sad news for Choco Taco fans: Klondike announced it has discontinued the iconic chocolate-and-nut-coated ice cream treat, citing an unprecedented demand for the company’s other products. Choco Tacos were invented in 1983 by Philadelphia ice cream driver Alan Drazen, who claims

La Ristra brings back shark tacos for annual Shark Week

It’s Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, which means La Ristra New Mexican Kitchen in Gilbert and Chandler will be serving its annual blackened shark tacos on house-made blue corn tortillas (pictured, $15.99), as well as its Sharkarita cocktail made with blue Curaçao ($10), through

Korean BBQ restaurant Smoking Tiger taking over Ah-So space in Mesa

Smoking Tiger BBQ – which, unlike most Korean BBQ restaurants serves an à la carte menu instead of an all-you-can-eat one – is moving into the former Ah-So Teppanyaki & Sushi House of Japan, which closed last fall, on the northeast corner

Decadent Macaron to open 2nd location at Verde at Cooley Station in Gilbert

Chandler bakery Decadent Macaron is launching a second location at Verde at Cooley Station, a new mixed-use development on the southwest corner of Recker and Williams Field in Gilbert, in October. The store sells French macarons in more than 40 flavors, such as chocolate

Four Peaks Oktoberfest to return to Tempe Town Lake from Oct. 7-9

Four Peaks Oktoberfest will return to Tempe Town Lake from Friday, Oct. 7, through Sunday, Oct. 9. The outdoor festival will feature live music, food and drink, games, carnival rides, dancing, and a Weiner dog fashion show. General admission will

Tulum Modern Kitchen & Cocktails coming to Westgate in Glendale

Tulum Modern Kitchen & Cocktails, a New American concept that promises to source fresh ingredients from local farmers markets, plans to open by the end of this year at the Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale. It’s taking over the space that formerly was

Cook & Craft to open 3rd location at Verde at Cooley Station in Gilbert

Cook & Craft, a 2-year-old Scottsdale gastropub that recently opened a second location at High Street in northeast Phoenix, already is planning a third. It’s joining the slew of previously announced restaurants at Verde at Cooley Station, a mixed-use development on the

Alton Brown bringing ‘Beyond the Eats’ tour to Gammage on Dec. 18

Popular Food Network personality Alton Brown will bring his ‘‘Beyond the Eats’’ tour to ASU’s Gammage Auditorium in Tempe at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18. The approximately two-and-a-half-hour show will include cooking, comedy, music, and ‘‘potentially dangerous science stuff.’’ Tickets,

Avondale’s Tacos Chilango to launch 2nd location in Buckeye next month

Tacos Chilango, which opened in Avondale in 2020, is planning to launch a second location next month on the southeast corner of Indian School and 195th Avenue in Buckeye. Besides tacos, the highly rated Mexican restaurant serves burritos, quesadillas, tortas,

Middle Eastern grocery store Beirut Market opens in north Phoenix

Beirut Market, a Middle Eastern grocery store with a juice and dessert bar, has opened near the northeast corner of Cave Creek and the 101 in north Phoenix. The store offers produce, fruits, dairy, canned good, home goods, hookahs, bread,

Rusty Taco launches chain’s 3rd Valley location in downtown Tempe

Rusty Taco, a Dallas-born chain of Tex-Mex fast-food restaurants, has opened its third Arizona location on the southeast corner of Seventh Street and Forest (about a block north of The Chuckbox) in downtown Tempe. The chain made its Arizona debut

Uncle Bear’s opens 5th Grill & Tap location in north Scottsdale

Resurgent Uncle Bear’s Grill & Tap has opened its fifth restaurant in the former Tipsy Coyote space on the southwest corner of Scottsdale and Bell in north Scottsdale. The local chain, which debuted as Uncle Bear’s Bar & Grill in

Wicked Brews, Bites, & Spirits in Ahwatukee unveils new Brewer’s Den

Wicked Brews, Bites, & Spirits in Ahwatukee has unveiled its new Brewer’s Den, a banquet room and second bar that offers high-end spirits. The room, which is adjacent to the 20-month-old restaurant’s brewing equipment, can be booked for private events.

Zesty Zzeek’s Pizza & Wings opens 5th location in south Tempe

Zesty Zzeek’s Pizza & Wings, a family-owned group of East Valley pizzerias, has opened its fifth location on the southwest corner of McClintock and Warner in south Tempe. In addition to its 10- to 20-inch pizzas (which include gluten-free and

Oregano’s coming to North Gateway Village Core in north Phoenix

Oregano’s, the Scottsdale-based pizza bistro concept with 23 locations in Arizona and Colorado, announced it will open a new restaurant at North Gateway Village Core community on the southeast corner of I-17 and Dove Valley in north Phoenix. It will

Someburros to launch 1st West Valley location Saturday in Goodyear

Someburros, the family-run chain of fast-casual Mexican restaurants, opens its first West Valley location – and 14th overall – Saturday on the southwest corner of the Estrella Parkway and Van Buren in Goodyear. The menu offers 15 types of burritos,

Korean eatery Doshi Chicken & Cupbop coming to south Chandler

Doshi Chicken & Cupbop, a counter-service eatery specializing in Korean street food, is coming to the Safeway center on the northwest corner of Alma School and Chandler Heights in south Chandler. Owner Son Moon’s sister, Yumi, operates Sushi 101 in

Lola’s Tacos food truck soft-opens restaurant in north Phoenix

West Valley-based food truck Lola’s Tacos has soft-opened a bricks-and-mortar restaurant near the southeast corner of Seventh Street and Deer Valley in north Phoenix. The menu features tacos, burritos, and quesadillas for breakfast and lunch only on weekdays. The official

Angie’s Lobster drive-through concept buys its own Maine lobster wharf

Angie’s Lobster, the new drive-through concept from the founders of Salad & Go, isn’t scheduled to open its first construction-delayed bricks-and-mortar location until next month, but already has found a novel way to lower its food costs. The company, which

Real, Wild & Woody Indoor Beer Festival returns Aug. 6 in Mesa

After a two-year covid hiatus, the seventh annual Real, Wild & Woody, the Southwest’s largest indoor beer festival, will return Saturday, Aug. 6, at a new, larger venue – Bell Bank Park in southeast Mesa. The 21-and-over event showcases cask

Harbor Seafood Cajun House plans 3rd Valley location in Tempe

Harbor Seafood Cajun House, which debuted in Phoenix in 2020 and added a Mesa location last year, is opening a third restaurant on the northwest corner of Broadway and Hardy in Tempe. The strip-mall space formerly was home to Bamboo

AZ Wilderness releases annual Slurpee-inspired July 11th IPA on Monday

In its annual homage to 7-Eleven’s Free Slurpee Day, Arizona Wilderness Brewing releases the latest version of its Slurpee-inspired July 11th ale on Monday. The bright pink IPA, a collab with Florida’s Magnanimous Brewing, was brewed with dragonfruit, lactose, and

Houston’s is latest Nashville hot chicken concept coming to Valley

Houston’s Hot Chicken, a Las Vegas-based chain named for founder Houston Crosta, will make its Arizona debut in the former Burger Fi building on the southeast corner of University and Rural in Tempe. It joins a parade of Nashville-style chicken

Desert Eagle Brewing to close July 30 after 9+ years in downtown Mesa

Desert Eagle Brewing, Mesa’s first craft brewery, is permanently closing July 30 after nearly 10 years on downtown’s Main Street. No explanation was given for the impending closure. Jeff Bryant and Joe Campbell launched Desert Eagle as a taproom in

Bevvy closes in uptown Phoenix, but Scottsdale location still open

Bevvy, a 4-year-old restaurant and bar near the southwest corner of Seventh Street and Montebello in uptown Phoenix, has closed. No explanation has been given by Evening Entertainment Group, which also owns Sandbar, Bottled Blonde, RnR, and other concepts. The

Tucson-based Eegee’s to open 1st West Valley location Thursday

Tucson-based fast-food chain Eegee’s opens its fourth Valley location – and first in the West Valley –  Thursday on the northwest corner of Peoria and 35th Avenue in west Phoenix. A grand-opening celebration from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. will include music, activities,

Nebraska-based Pitch to launch 2nd Scottsdale location this fall

Pitch, an Italian restaurant launched in Nebraska 15 years ago, is opening its second Scottsdale location on the northwest corner of Hayden and the 101 in north Scottsdale. It joins a 5-year-old location on the northwest corner of Thomas and

Minnesota-based Nautical Bowls coming to Gilbert, Scottsdale & Tempe

Nautical Bowls, a Minnesota-based chain specializing in açai and other superfood bowls, will make its Arizona debut this fall at The View at Cascade Apartments near the southeast corner of Scottsdale and Mayo in north Scottsdale. Additional locations are scheduled

Sushi burrito and poke bowl concept Pokitrition expands to Glendale

Pokitrition, a locally owned group of sushi burrito and poke bowl eateries that debuted in Chandler in 2017, has soft-opened its fourth location next to Chipotle at Westgate in Glendale. Hours will be limited to 10:45 a.m.-3 p.m. through July

Prescott Brewing locked out, landlord claims non-payment of rent

If you’re among the many Valley residents heading to Prescott for the Fourth of July weekend, take note: Popular downtown hangout Prescott Brewing, one of Arizona’s oldest craft breweries, has closed. The brew pub’s doors on Gurley Street have been

AZ Wilderness releases ale honoring late Granite Mountain Hotshots

Gilbert-based Arizona Wilderness Brewing today released the 2022 version of its Smoked Apple Gose, a beer brewed annually to honor the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who lost their lives in the Yarnell Hill Fire on June 30, 2013. The sour

California-based Pokeworks makes Arizona debut in downtown Tempe

Pokeworks, a California-based chain of fast-casual poke eateries, has made its Arizona debut on the southeast corner of Seventh Street and Forest in downtown Tempe. The menu features a variety of build-your-own poke bowls, poke burritos, and poke salads, as

Taqueria Factory, offering quesabirrias & micheladas, opens in Chandler

Taqueria Factory, a family-run Mexican restaurant specializing in quesabirrias and micheladas, has opened on the southeast corner of Arizona and Ray in Chandler. Tacos, burros, and quesadillas come with a choice of al pastor pork (cooked on a trompo), carne

The Vig North Central to replace Ladera Taverna y Cocina in Phoenix

The Genuine Concepts restaurant group, which recently converted its The Vig Uptown location in Phoenix into a new flagship concept called The Genuine, is opening The Vig North Central this fall near the southeast corner of Central and Dunlap in

Denver-based Mici Handcrafted Italian makes AZ debut today in Gilbert

Denver-based Mici Handcrafted Italian, a fast-casual pizza and pasta concept, make its Arizona debut at 11 a.m. today next to the Majestic Neighborhood Cinema Grill and the Surf City Sandwich Shop near the southwest corner of Power and Ray in southeast

Pinetop-Lakeside eatery Mr. Zeke’s opens 2nd location in Gilbert

Mr. Zeke’s, a popular all-day restaurant in Pinetop-Lakeside, has opened a second location in the former B Gastrobar building near the northeast corner of McQueen and Warner in Gilbert. B Gastrobar was sold in April. Mr. Zeke’s comfort-food menu features

Macayo’s Mexican Food launches 9th Valley location in south Chandler

Macayo’s Mexican Food, a chain of sit-down restaurants founded in Phoenix in 1946, has opened its ninth Valley location near the northeast corner of Alma School and Queen Creek in south Chandler. The building formerly was home to Carrabba’s Italian

Texas-based Torchy’s Tacos officially makes AZ debut today in Phoenix

Texas-based Torchy’s Tacos, which had a soft-opening event Monday night, officially opens its doors at 10 a.m. today on the southwest corner of Camelback and 20th Street in Phoenix. Torchy’s offers a dozen specialty tacos, but the signature menu item is

Chicago-based Portillo’s planning 6th Valley location for Queen Creek

Chicago-based fast-casual chain Portillo’s has submitted a ‘‘pre-application’’ with the town of Queen Creek to build a 7,700-square-foot restaurant with a drive-through on the southeast corner of Ellsworth Loop and Walnut, just south of Queen Creek Road. Known for its Chicago-style

Feringhee Modern Indian Cuisine opens next to Chandler Fashion Center

Feringhee Modern Indian Cuisine, an 8,000-square-foot fine-dining restaurant from the owner of Pastries N Chaat and Saffron Indian Grocery N Kitchen, has opened next to Chompies on the southeast corner of Frye and Chandler Village just south of Chandler Fashion Center. The menu