Author: Jess Harter

Local New York-style deli chain Chompie’s has opened its fifth – and largest – location on the northeast corner of Cactus and 32nd Street in north Phoenix for fast-casual service at its cafe and deli counters, with its dining room

California-based Ono Hawaiian BBQ, known for its island-inspired plate lunches, has opened its 10th Valley location – and third in the East Valley – in the former Arby’s near the northwest corner of Rural and Ray in south Tempe.

Lucky Lou’s American Kitchen, an all-day concept that will be a sibling to the East Valley’s three Lucky Lou’s American Grills, is scheduled to debut in spring 2022 at Dana Park on the northwest corner of Val Vista and Baseline

Rusty Taco, a Dallas-born chain of Tex-Mex fast-food restaurants, plans to open its third Arizona location in March 2022 on the southeast corner of Seventh Street and Forest (about a block north of The Chuckbox) near downtown Tempe.

K-38 Beach Mex Cantina, a Mexican restaurant and bar inspired by a stretch of Baja Highway 1 in Baja California, is expected to open this month next to Black Rock Coffee Bar on the southwest corner of Alma School and

Niro’s House Mediterranean Kitchen, which had its soft opening several weeks ago on the southeast corner of Val Vista and Southern in east Mesa, celebrates its grand opening Tuesday, Nov. 2, by giving away free gyro or chicken shawarma wraps

Oregon-based Thirsty Lion Gastropub will launch its fifth – and largest – Arizona location with a 9,800-square-foot, two-story restaurant next to the Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale by December 2022.

Casanova Bros. Pizza & Pasta, a Gilbert favorite on the northeast corner of Val Vista and Guadalupe for 14 years, has decided to close permanently in the wake of the death of co-owner Mike Casanova from covid-19 in August.

Cava, a Washington, D.C.-based Mediterranean fast-casual chain that bought Zoës Kitchen in 2018, is converting the Zoës on the southeast corner of Camelback and 16th Street in Phoenix into Arizona’s first Cava.

Texas-based fast-food chain Whataburger is building its fifth East Valley location near the southeast corner of Gilbert and Queen Creek in south Chandler.

The Parlour Room, a red-lit cocktail lounge that’s a sibling of neighboring concept The White Rabbit Cocktail Bar in the basement courtyard level of the Heritage Building in downtown Gilbert, makes its debut at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Shaved ice shop Tropical Sno announced it will close its bricks-and-mortar location on the southwest corner of 48th Street and Elliot in Ahwatukee at the end of November, but will continue to operate its popular food truck.

Get a free salad or wrap with the purchase of a breakfast burro (see details) from 6:30-10:30 a.m. Friday to celebrate the opening of Salad and Go‘s newest Valley location on the southeast corner of Crismon and Southern in east

Shawarma Factory, a Mediterranean and Middle East to-go restaurant, has taken over the former Shawarma Corner space on the southeast corner of College and Veterans Way – across the street from Sun Devil Stadium – in Tempe.

Original ChopShop, which MXSW reported last January was taking over the former California Pizza Kitchen at Dana Park on the northwest corner of Val Vista and Baseline in Mesa, is expected to open next month.

Meet Fresh, an international chain of Taiwanese dessert shops, has made its Arizona debut in the new 99 Ranch Market on the northeast corner of Dobson and Chandler in Chandler.

Tacos Calafia, a former Peoria food truck specializing in Tijuana-style tacos, has opened its fifth bricks-and-mortar location on the northeast corner of Bell and 16th Street in north Phoenix.

Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, a Chicago-based chain of Napa-inspired ‘‘upscale casual’’ wine bars, will build its third Valley location just north of the recently opened North Italia and Flower Child on the northwest corner of Santan Village Parkway and

Thai Chili 2 Go, an East Valley-based chain of to-go Thai eateries, has opened its 12th location – and second in Scottsdale – in the Edge shopping center on the northeast corner of the Loop 101 and 90th Street.

Netta Cheta’s on Mill, a new breakfast-and-lunch concept from the owners of Tempe sports bar Final Round, is scheduled to open next month in the former Eatza Pizza space on the northwest corner of Mill and Southern in Tempe.

Fast-expanding Maskadores Taco Shop, a local chain of Mexican wrestling (lucha libre) themed eateries, has opened its 18th Valley location on the southeast corner of the Loop 101 and Cave Creek Road in north Phoenix.

Barrio Cosita, a new fast-casual Mexican concept from the owners of Barrio Queen, has debuted on the northeast corner of the Loop 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard in north Scottsdale.

Poke & Ramen – a family-run eatery specializing in … well, you can pretty much guess – has opened in the former Sushi Kee space on the southeast corner of Main and Power in east Mesa.

Chandler sports bar Third Base, which closed in June after losing its lease at Dobson and Ray, is reopening in the former Rick’s Pub & Grub space on the northeast corner of Rural and Ray.

Japanese restaurant Shinko Sushi House is moving into the former Perfect Pear space in the Foothills Park Plaza on the southeast corner of Chandler Boulevard and Desert Foothills Parkway in Ahwatukee.

Kazu Ramen, an eatery specializing in the Japanese noodle soups, is coming to the At Home strip mall on the southwest corner of Williams Field and Santan Village Parkway in Gilbert this winter.

Slangin’ Birdz, a Los Angeles-based concept specializing on Nashville hot chicken, is coming to the former Fatburger/U.S. Fries space on the southwest corner of Mill and Fourth in downtown Tempe.

Zona Cantina + Cocina, a family-friendly Mexican restaurant offering ‘‘a modern take on traditional Mexican fare,’’ is coming to the short-lived El Autentico space on the southeast corner of McKellips and Alta Mesa in northeast Mesa.

Florida-based I Heart Mac & Cheese, which made its Arizona debut in Tempe in April, opens it second Valley location Wednesday on the southwest corner of Scottsdale and Bell in north Scottsdale.

Wingstop, a Texas-based chain of aviation-themed restaurants specializing in chicken wings, has opened its 17th Valley location on the southeast corner of the 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright in north Scottsdale.

Haldi Indian Cuisine, a well-regarded 3-year-old restaurant in Surprise, has launched a second location in the former Rogue Tomato space on the southeast corner of Union Hills and 59th Avenue in Glendale.

El Fogón Taqueria in the Chandler Fashion Center food court is moving into the former Uno Mas Cantina space on the southeast corner of Chandler Boulevard and Desert Foothills Parkway in Ahwatukee.

Twisted Chef Cantina – a sports bar offering burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and pastas – has opened in the former Panda Libre (later known as Kung Pow) building on the southwest corner of Gilbert and Guadalupe in Gilbert.

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

Fly Bye, the new Detroit-stye pan pizza and chicken ‘‘ghost kitchen’’ concept Sam Fox launched in December out of The Yard in central Phoenix, is opening a second location at Desert Ridge Marketplace in northeast Phoenix next summer.

Badlands Bar & Grill, an all-day American comfort food restaurant that’s a sibling concept to Chicago restaurant Dakota 94, is taking over the former Tres space on the west side of Price, about a quarter-mile south of Guadalupe, in Tempe.

Crust Simply Italian, an Italian restaurant in Scottsdale and downtown Chandler, is planning to open a third location on the southwest corner of Williams Field and Recker in Gilbert. The new location, expected to open by next summer, also will

Someburros, a local chain of family-run fast-casual Mexican restaurants, will open its 12th location Friday in the Eastmark community near the southwest corner of Signal Butte and Guadalupe in southeast Mesa.

Two days after opening its fifth Valley location in Cave Creek, Fat Willy’s Family Sports Grill will launch its sixth location Wednesday in the former Teakwoods Tavern & Grill space on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Williams Field in

Buzzed Bull Creamery, a Cincinnati-based chain that infuses alcohol into ice cream using liquid nitrogen, will make its Arizona debut this month in the former Creamistry space at the Scottsdale Waterfront on Marshall Way just north of the canal. The

Freely Taproom & Kitchen, which was called Fremont Taproom & Kitchen until a last-minute name change, has opened on the northwest corner of McClintock and Warner in south Tempe. Who’s behind it? Paul Gillingwater, who worked nearly a decade at

Blue 32 Sports Grill, a locally owned group of popular sports bars, has opened its fourth East Valley location on the northwest corner of Gilbert and McKellips in north Mesa. The menu: Sandwiches, burgers, flatbread pizzas, and comfort-food entrees like

D’Vine Gourmet, a shop specializing in Arizona food products, wines, and other locally made gifts, has opened in the former Sibley’s West gift shop space near the northwest corner of San Marcos and Boston in downtown Chandler. Cuisine & Wine

Confirming one of the worst-kept secrets in Ahwatukee, The Hub Grill & Bar announced the sports bar is taking over the recently closed Mellow Mushroom pizzeria on the southwest corner of I-10 and Ray for its third location. The menu:

Yasuo Sushi & Tapas, a casual Japanese restaurant from the owners of Phoenix’s Sushiholic, is coming near the northwest corner of Hayden and Via de Ventura in Scottsdale. The menu: Sushi and Japanese tapas. Projected opening: November 2021.

The Red Chickz, a fast-casual Nashville hot chicken restaurant with a single location in downtown Los Angeles, has announced plans to open 85 franchises in four states, including 10 in Arizona. The menu: Chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, chicken wings, chicken

Tucson-based quick-service restaurant Eegee’s is opening its second Valley location on the northwest corner of U.S. 60 and Crismon in east Mesa. The menu: Grinders (subs), fries, salads, and its signature frozen fruit drinks. Other Valley locations: The Valley’s first Eegee’s

Flower Child, Valley-based restaurateur Sam Fox’s healthy dining concept, opens its newest location Tuesday on the northwest corner of Santan Village Parkway and Williams Field at SanTan Village in Gilbert. The menu: Salads, bowls, and wraps featuring farm-fresh ingredients. (Pictured:

Thompson 105, a wood-fired grill and cocktail bar, is coming to McDowell Mountain Ranch Road, east of Thompson Peak Parkway, in north Scottsdale. The space: It’s taking over the former Twisted Lizard, which closed during the covid-19 pandemic. The menu:

Uniq Burger, a new concept specializing in plant-based burgers, is coming near the northwest corner of Hayden and McDowell in south Scottsdale. The menu: Burgers made with 100% plant-based ingredients. Projected opening: Fall 2021.

Copper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, a Chicago-based chain of Napa-inspired ‘‘upscale casual’’ wine bars, officially opens its second Valley location Monday in front of Chandler Fashion Center. The menu: Steak, seafood, chicken, pastas, burgers, sandwiches, and more. More than three

Mici Handcrafted Italian, a Denver-based fast-casual concept, has signed a deal to open 30 franchise locations in the Valley. The menu: Pizza, pasta, and gelato. The chain: Mici, which was founded in 2004 by siblings Jeff, Michael, and Kim Miceli,

The Idaho-based Crave Hospitality Group is building a 15,000-square-foot collective of virtual kitchens, otherwise known as ghost kitchens, on the southwest corner of Cooper and Yeager just north of Chandler Municipal Airport. The concept: Several restaurant concepts are housed in

Lido, a European-inspired lakeside restaurant and private events center, has opened in The Lakes – on Lakeshore, the half-miler between Rural and McClintock, just south of Baseline – in south Tempe. The space: Formerly home to The Watershed and, before

Arkansas-based fast-food chain Slim Chickens is taking another stab at the Arizona market after reaching an agreement to open 32 locations in this state. The menu: Chicken sandwiches, wraps, tenders, and wings. Sides include fries, fried okra, fried pickles, and fried

Morning Squeeze, a locally owned breakfast-and-lunch concept in downtown Tempe and Old Town Scottsdale, has opened a third location on the northwest corner of First Street and Washington in downtown Phoenix. The space: 3,400 square feet with a wrap-around patio,

Fu Belly, a family-run Vietnamese restaurant, has opened in the former Swaddee Thai Cuisine space on the southwest corner of Rural and Ray in west Chandler. The menu: Rice bowls, fried rice, pad Thai, rice noodle bowls, stir-fried egg noodles,

Sushi Crush, a casual sushi restaurant, has opened in the Kierland Village Center on the southeast corner of Greenway and 64th Street in north Scottsdale. The menu: Sushi and some Korean dishes. Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday,

North Italia, Sam Fox’s modern Italian concept, will open its first East Valley location at 11 a.m. Wednesday on the northwest corner of Santan Village Parkway and Williams Field at SanTan Village in Gilbert. The space: North will share a

Electric Pickle, a new pickleball-themed entertainment complex concept, will make its national debut near the northeast corner of I-10 and Warner – just south of Main Event – in south Tempe. What is pickleball? Combining aspects of badminton, ping pong,

Bourbon & Bones, the high-end Scottsdale steakhouse and bar that just opened a second location at Gilbert’s SanTan Village, announced it will launch a third location next year in Peoria. The location: 83 Marketplace on the southeast corner of 83rd

Tabe-Mono Sushi & Shabu has replaced 14-year-old (and recently sold) Sushi Ken near the northwest corner of 44th Street and Chandler in Ahwatukee. The menu: Sushi, rice dishes, noodle dishes, and broths. Drink options include beer, sake, and wine. Open:

Ghost Donkey, a mezcal and tequila bar that debuted in New York City in 2016, will take over a portion of the never-opened Punch Bowl Social space on Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix. The history: Punch Bowl Social, a Denver-based

Ling’s Wok Shop, a new wok-centric concept from the team behind Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill, has opened on the east corner of Hayden and Thompson Peak Parkway in north Scottdale. The menu: Rice bowls, such as kung

Valley-based Press Coffee will opens its ninth location in the 200 EVB office building on the northeast corner of Second Street and Van Buren in downtown Phoenix. The menu: Besides a full range of coffee drinks, there will be breakfast

A pair of music-themed concepts – Sottise Sound Room, a modern French bistro, and Off The Record, an upstairs cocktail bar – are coming to the historic Knipe House on Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix. The team: Chef TJ Culp

The Union Jack, a British restaurant, has taken over the former Skeptical Chymist Irish Pub on the southwest corner of the 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright in north Scottsdale. The food: The breakfast menu, including a full English breakfast, is