Author: Jess Harter

Downtown Chandler, already home to an impressive collection of 20 or so restaurants surrounding A.J. Chandler Park, is getting even more. The city council just approved a proposal for a new development on the southwest corner of Arizona Avenue and

After a weekend of “friends and family” sessions, Boulders on Southern opens to the public at 11 a.m. Tuesday on the northeast corner of Alma School and Southern in Mesa. The bicycling- and rock-climbing-themed neighborhood bar and grill offers the

Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, a Denver-based chain of breakfast-and-lunch restaurants, opens its first East Valley location today on College and Sixth Street near downtown Tempe. The 3,500-square-foot eatery joins the recently opened Postino in the revamped Art Annex building. Snooze’s

After several days of friends and family sessions, Culinary Dropout has opened at The Yard Tempe at First Street and Farmer, just west of downtown. It’s Phoenix-based restaurateur Sam Fox’s fourth Culinary Dropout, joining others in Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Phoenix.

Tapacubo, a casual eatery offering Mexican street food, has opened at the new Graduate Hotel in Tempe. The 141-room boutique hotel debuted in September, replacing the former Twin Palms Hotel and IHOP restaurant near Gammage Auditorium at Mill and Apache. The Graduate

JC’s Steakhouse finally has passed the last of its inspections and will open Saturday in the former Cafe Posada building on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Ray in Gilbert. It’ll be the second Gilbert restaurant for Dennis Petty and

It turns out residents of northeast Mesa didn’t lose a popular Mexican restaurant. They’re gaining one. Rosa’s Mexican Grill, which has thrived on the northwest corner of Mesa and University since 1991, is opening a second location – it’s taking

Sir Veza’s Taco Garage, a Tucson-based fast-casual chain, has opened its first East Valley location in the back of Chandler Fashion Center. The garage-themed concept celebrates founder Raymon Flores’ love of muscle cars, motorcycles, and Mexican food. The menu features

Mill Avenue nightlife entrepreneur Julian Wright’s next new concept will be Pedal Haus, a bicycle-themed brewpub, opening in downtown Tempe in 2015. “This actually has been a dream of mine since college,” the ASU alum says. “I’ve always been a beer enthusiast.

Scottsdale favorite Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers is taking over the just-closed Uncle Bear’s on the northeast corner of Dobson and Germann in Chandler. CB&C debuted in north Scottsdale in 2011, and opened a second location in Old Town Scottsdale in

Chicago-based iCream Cafe, which allows customers to build customized frozen desserts, will make its Arizona debut Saturday at Mesa Riverview. Customers choose a base of ice cream, yogurt, or sorbet, than add other ingredients. An automated mixer uses liquid nitrogen to

“Gilbert doesn’t have a good steakhouse,” fourth-generation chef Dennis Petty says. “You can’t get a top-quality steak at a decent price.” Petty and his wife, Diana Blewer, hope to do something about that when they open JC’s Steakhouse on the

Passers-by might do a double take at the “Now Open – Phuket Thai” signs on the southwest corner of Arizona and Ocotillo in south Chandler. But it’s not someone’s idea of a joke. Phuket really is a place in Thailand, an