Author: Jess Harter

🌮 Tacos El Jefe, a family-run restaurant specializing in Mexico City-style street tacos, has opened on the northeast corner of 19th Avenue and Northern in north Phoenix. The concept is not related to El Jefe Tacos, which has two locations

🌮 Random AF Taqueria, a small counter-service Mexican eatery, has opened inside the North East Market liquor store near the southeast corner of 32nd Street and Thomas in Phoenix. Tacos, burros, and quesadillas come with a choice of carne asada,

🌮 Lujos Cocina Mexicana, a counter-service restaurant offering elevated Mexican food, has opened on the northeast corner of Val Vista and Elliot in Gilbert. It takes over the space formerly home to Hunberto’s Mexican Food. The interior has been redecorated

⚾️ Taiwan-based Taroko Sports – a baseball-focused family entertainment center with TVs and food and drink – has soft-opened its second U.S. location at Mesa Riverview. The 18,000-square-foot indoor complex features batting cages, pitching mounds, and computerized swing analyzers for

🫖 Gozen Kamicha, a Taiwan-based chain of Japanese matcha and boba cafes, has opened its first U.S. location on the northeast corner of Alma School and Warner in Chandler. In addition to matcha drinks, the menu offers a variety of

 Seven Brothers Burgers, a Hawaii-based chain started by seven brothers, has opened its third Valley location near SanTan Village on the northwest corner of the 202 and Santan Village Parkway in Gilbert. Launched in Oahu in 2009, Seven Brothers made

☕️ Cotta Nostra, a small shop offering high-quality espresso, matcha and tea lattes, has opened behind Walgreen’s on the northwest corner of Chandler and South Mountain Parkway in Ahwatukee. Owner Patrick Ohpark buys his coffee beans from Mesa-based Pair Cupworks,

🍛 Curry Corner, a longtime Tempe eatery offering Indian and Pakistani dishes, has launched a second location on the southwest corner of the 202 and Power in southeast Mesa. The Tempe location, originally called Copper Kettle Express, opened in 2000

🧀 The Melt, a San Francisco-based chain specializing in cheeseburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, and mac and cheese, has opened its second Valley location at Novus Place near the northwest corner of University and Rural in Tempe. The concept made its Arizona

🧋 HTeaO, a Texas-based chain of iced tea shops with drive-thrus, has made it Arizona debut at Westgate on the southwest corner of Glendale and 91st Avenue in Glendale. The menu offers more than two dozen flavors of sweetened and