Author: Jess Harter

Chao, the new Asian restaurant from the folks behind the just-closed Latitude Eight Thai Grill, opens this weekend on the northeast corner of Dobson and Germann in Chandler. The work-in-progress interior of Chao (pronounced “chow”) features clean lines and a

Confirming what many Latitude Eight fans have suspected, owner David Fliger says his acclaimed Thai restaurant in downtown Chandler officially has closed. But those who crave its Pad Thai, curries, and seafood entrees need not fret. Fliger is opening a

Georgia-based Mellow Mushroom has opened a new East Valley location in the former Rock Bottom Brewery building on Ray Road, just west of I-10, in Ahwatukee. The hippie-themed concept offers 16 specialty pizzas with monikers such as Kosmic Karma, Magical Mystery Tour,

Now we have a date: Dec. 16. That’s when World of Beer will open its long-awaited Gilbert location next to Barnes & Noble at San Tan Village. The 2,900-square-foot tavern will have 60 beers on tap and 500-plus in bottles.

Goodbye, BoomBozz Pizza & Taphouse. Hello, American Taphouse. The latter opens at 4 p.m. today in the building on Gilbert Road, a quarter-mile south of Warner, that BoomBozz, a Louisville-based chain, had occupied since December 2011. American Taphouse will host a

Some of Arizona’s best Vietnamese food is found in the East Valley. Think Saigon Pho, Pho Chandler, Pho Nhat, Khai Hoan, Pho Van, unPhogettable, Pho Thuan Thanh… So when my friends who grew up in that country and have worked

The southeast corner of McClintock and Elliot in Tempe is becoming quite the food-and-drink destination. The strip mall already houses Flanny’s craft beer bar, VinciTorio’s Italian restaurant, Yupha’s Thai Kitchen, and Mind Over Batter cupcake shop. Now they’ve been joined

With The Deli‘s recent decision to serve breakfast and lunch only, there’s been a dearth of noteworthy dinner options in Queen Creek. Stepping in to fill the void, however, is Buddyz, a Chicago-style pizzeria, which has taken over the former

Isabel’s Amor, the new Mexican concept from the family behind the local Someburros chain, opens today on the northwest corner of Val Vista and Williams Field in Gilbert. Named after the Vasquez family’s late matriarch, the 2,200-square-foot restaurant features a cozy

Sporting one of the wordiest restaurant names I’ve seen, Julia’s Joint Mesquite Mexican Grill & Burger Shop has opened on Arizona Avenue, just north of Warner, in Chandler. It takes over the stand-along building that was home to short-lived Flameburger (I’m

Gilbert residents have a new bar and grill to check out: Copper Still Moonshine Grill opens at 11 a.m. today on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Williams Field. The 3,840-square-foot interior is almost evenly split between a bar area,

The Main Event, an entertainment mega-complex, opens today about a quarter-mile north and west of the intersection of Priest and Warner in south Tempe next month. The 55,000-square-foot venue, across the street from Ikea, offers activities for adults and children alike, including

Looks like Chick-fil-A isn’t the only national chain holding a grand opening Thursday in Tempe. Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, the largest BBQ chain in the country, opens its second East Valley location at 11 a.m. at College Avenue and Veterans Way, across

Looking around Isabel’s Amor – the bar with no top, the empty shelves, the table-less dining room – it’s hard to believe the East Valley’s newest Mexican restaurant will be open in a week. But owner Tim Vasquez insists the

The East Valley’s newest Chick-fil-A opens at Mill and University on Tempe on Thursday. On Wednesday, though, there’ll be a “First 100” giveaway. For the uninitiated, every time a new Chick-fil-A opens, the first 100 people in line at the

Ready for a Serious Slice, Ahwatukee pizza lovers? Jimmy & Joe’s Pizzeria, home of the Serious Slice, opens its third location today in the former Naked Pizza space in the Safeway center at 48th Street and Elliot. The pizzeria’s streamlined menu offers

This isn’t just any old pile of dirt. It’s the beginnings of the new Began’s Classic Italian Pizza. Classic Italian Pizza had survived (and thrived) since the ’90s despite its almost-hidden location in the aging Lake Country Village shopping center on Baseline, between