Author: Jess Harter

Rusty Taco, a Dallas-born chain of fast-food taco shops, makes its Arizona debut at 11 a.m. today on the southwest corner of Santan Village Parkway and Williams Field (map) near the SanTan Village shopping center in Gilbert. The concept was

Spinato’s Pizzeria in northeast Tempe reopens at 11 a.m. today at its new, much larger location on Rio Salado Parkway just west of the Loop 101 (map). The family-run pizzeria’s original industrial park location, about a block south and west,

Burgerim, one of the world’s fastest-growing burger chains, has opened its first Arizona restaurant on the northeast corner of the Santan Freeway and Gilbert in Gilbert (map). The restaurant, whose name means ‘‘many burgers’’ in Hebrew, sells burgers made with

Crème & Chocolats, the year-old dessert bistro at Mesa’s Dana Park, has opened a second location between BJ’s Brewhouse and The Old Spaghetti Factory (next to the Harkins theaters) behind Chandler Fashion Center (map). The French-inspired shop sells nine flavors of soft-serve ice

Bubble Noodle, a fast-casual Vietnamese noodle bar and boba tea shop, has opened southeast of Alma School and Southern – across from the former Fiesta Mall – in west Mesa (map). It takes over the former Fresh Millions Restaurant, which

Cherish Farm Fresh Eatery, a new healthy fast-casual concept, will have a quiet soft opening at 11 a.m. today, then celebrate its official grand opening Monday, Feb.11, in the Downtown Ocotillo development in south Chandler. The locally owned restaurant takes over

Goody’s Cafe, an all-day diner serving American comfort foods and Mexican favorites, has opened on the northeast corner of Dobson and Baseline (map) in southwest Mesa. The family-owned restaurant takes over the long-closed Coco’s Bakery & Restaurant. Goody’s breakfast menu focuses

Scramble, a locally owned chain of breakfast-and-lunch restaurants, has opened its first East Valley location near Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on the northwest corner of Lakeshore and Baseline in south Tempe. It’s the popular fast-casual concept’s fourth location, joining two in Phoenix

Happy Kitchen Chinese Restaurant, which offers a lengthy menu of Americanized Chinese dishes, has opened on the southwest corner of Power and Baseline in east Mesa. Popular stir-fry dishes, such as sweet and sour pork, kung pao beef, and cashew chicken,

Asian-Mexican fusion cuisine is a rarity, so when Chino Bandito closed its longtime Chandler location in 2014 you may have thought the East Valley would never see such a combination again. But you would have been wrong. Panda Libre Infused Restaurant

Don’t look now, but Maskadores Taco Shop seems to be quietly taking over the East Valley. The local chain of Mexican wrestling (lucha libre) themed eateries has opened its fifth East Valley location on the northwest corner of Dobson and Chandler Boulevard in

Hamachi Asian Bistro & Sushi is the latest restaurant to try its luck in the much-turned-over space behind Burger King on the northwest corner of Country Club and the U.S. 60 in Mesa. Previous occupants of the strip-mall space included

I’m a little behind schedule on this one: La Morena Mexican Food opened several weeks ago on the northeast corner of Gilbert and Guadalupe in Gilbert. It takes over the space that formerly was home to Thai restaurant Siam Orchid.

Word of Mouth Grill, a family-run catering service specializing in American barbecue and Argentine grilled meats, has opened a restaurant on the southwest corner of McClintock and Elliot in south Tempe. Owner Demetrious Matel has been catering barbecue in the Valley