Author: Jess Harter

New York City-based Shake Shack finally arrives in the East Valley today with the opening of its newest location at SanTan Village on the northeast corner of SanTan Village Parkway and Williams Field in Gilbert. The first 100 people in

Truland Burgers & Greens, a Tucson concept featuring chopped salads and hormone- and antibiotic-free beef, opens its second location at 3 p.m. today on the northwest corner of Arizona and Buffalo in downtown Chandler. It joins the recently opened Flix

Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers, a Valley-based chain of neighborhood burger joints, has opened its 14th location on the southeast corner of 50th Street and Chandler in Ahwatukee. The menu offers 17 half-pound specialty burgers, as well as sandwiches, hot dogs,

Oregano’s Pizza Bistro has opened its 16th Valley location – and third in Scottsdale, the city where the concept was born in 1993 – on the southwest corner of the 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright in north Scottsdale. It takes

Josephine, a cozy restaurant and bar offering French-inspired ‘‘elevated yet approachable’’ cuisine, has opened in a century-old bungalow on the northwest corner of Third Street and Portland in downtown Phoenix. It’s located next to the new Cambria Hotel in the

Hot N Juicy Crawfish, a Las Vegas-based chain known for crawfish in a spice-laden sauce, has opened its third Valley location on the southwest corner of Scottsdale and the 101 in northeast Phoenix. The menu offers a variety of seafood,

Tempe’s College Bar & Grill, which lost its home across the street from Sun Devil Stadium last month, has reopened in a new space on Mill Avenue. The popular hangout for ASU sports fans has taken over the former House

Extreme Pizza, a California-based chain specializing in unusual pizza toppings, makes its Arizona debut today on the northeast corner of Higley and Southern in east Mesa. The 26 speciality pizzas, which range from 8 to 18 inches, include: Spice Route:

Taste of Peru, a restaurant specializing in (not surprisingly) Peruvian cuisine, has opened in the Safeway shopping center on the southwest corner of Alma School and Guadalupe in southwest Mesa. It takes over the space formerly home to the short-lived

Mythical Coffee, a coffee shop that roasts its own ethically selected beans, has opened in Gilbert Town Square west of Gilbert Road between Warner and Ray. It’s located in the east end of the strip mall directly behind Pei Wei

Rosa’s Mexican Grill, a popular Mesa restaurant for 29 years, has opened a second location on the northwest corner of Arizona and Elliot in Chandler. Rosa’s was founded by Dennis and Lizbeth Sirrine in 1991. The couple sold the restaurant

Breakfast Kitchen Bar, a 3-year-old breakfast and lunch concept at the Scottsdale Quarter, has opened a second location at Desert Ride Marketplace in northeast Phoenix. Besides decadent dishes like almond croissant French toast and shrimp scampi omelets, BKB also offers

Revolu Modern Taqueria & Bar, which debuted in Peoria in 2016, has opened a second location near the northwest corner of Seventh Street and Missouri in uptown Phoenix. It takes over the former Farm & Craft, which closed in May,

The Culinary Escape, an escape room-inspired restaurant and bar, has opened on Main Street, between Robson and Macdonald, in downtown Mesa. It takes over the space that was home to the short-lived Main Street Bar & Grill and, before that,

Dvina Modern Fare, a self-described ‘‘Italian progressive eatery,’’ has opened near the southwest corner of Roosevelt and Fifth Street on Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix. The stylish eatery focuses on pastas, paninis, and even Italian-influenced tacos (see menu). Dvina is

Bamboo Sushi, a Portland-based concept that bills itself as the world’s first certified sustainable sushi restaurant, has opened its first Arizona location at Biltmore Fashion Park in Phoenix. The Japanese restaurant takes over the former Paradise Bakery & Cafe space

Biscuits, an East Valley group of breakfast-and-lunch eateries, has opened its latest location behind McDonald’s on the southwest corner of Chandler Boulevard and Desert Hills Parkway in Ahwatukee. Other Biscuits are in Ahwatukee, Tempe, and Gilbert. The restaurants often are

Taco Ball Cantina, the fast-food giant’s new “urban” concept that serves alcohol, has opened near the northeast corner of Mill and Fifth in downtown Tempe. It takes over the space formerly home to Restaurant Mexico, which closed in August after

Gadzooks Enchiladas & Soup, the local fast-casual enchilada concept, has opened its fourth Valley location in downtown Chandler. It shares a small parking lot with The Sleepy Whale craft beer bar and bottle shop on the northwest corner of Arizona

12 West Brewing, which launched in 2016, finally opens its taproom and restaurant at its namesake location at 7 p.m. tonight in downtown Mesa. The two-story building at 12 W. Main St. is owned by Bryan McCormick, who built the

Frasher’s Tavern, a Scottsdale landmark for nearly 16 years before closing in 2015, has reopened on the northwest corner of Drinkwater and Indian School in Old Town Scottsdale. MXSW was the first to break the news about the St. Louis-style

Chicago’s Pizza With A Twist, a California-based chain that bills itself as the “home of the authentic Indian pizza,” has made its Arizona debut on the northeast corner of McClintock and Ray in west Chandler. The menu offers both Chicago-style

Crust Brothers Pizza, a family-owned Italian restaurant, has opened next to the Harkins movie theaters on the northeast corner of Scottsdale and Shea in Scottsdale. It takes over the space formerly home to Meatballz, which closed in June. Pizzas range

The Peppermill, a modern-day steakhouse with French and Asian influences, opens at 4 p.m. today on the southwest corner of McClintock and Elliot in south Tempe. The indie steakhouse is the brainchild of chef-owner Chad Thomas Bolar, who’s worked at

Tasty Pot, a national chain of traditional Taiwanese-style hot pot restaurants, has opened its first Arizona location in the Mekong Plaza on the southwest corner of Dobson and Main in west Mesa. The menu offers a dozen individual hot pots,

Barrel & Bushel, a rustic gastropub-style restaurant at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Phoenix, opens today on the southwest corner of Second Street and Monroe. It replaces the former Networks Bar & Grill as part of the hotel’s recent renovations.

After a soft opening on Christmas Eve, Level 1 Arcade Bar in downtown Gilbert holds its official grand opening with prize giveaways and raffles from noon-2 a.m. Friday. The two-story venue takes over the former Grubstak space that closed in

White Castle crowds are so October. The buzz this month is all about Jollibee. Back in October, MXSW was the first to break the news that the fast-food chain known as ‘‘the McDonald’s of the Philippines’’ would make its Arizona

Thirsty Lion Gastropub & Grill, a chain out of Oregon, has opened its fourth Arizona location at Desert Ridge Marketplace in northeast Phoenix. The menu offers 60-plus items such as sandwiches, burgers, mac ’n’ cheese, tacos, and steaks. (Pictured: Gastropub

Founding Fathers Kitchen, a restaurant and bar with a menu ranging from barbecue to sushi (pictured) to tacos, has opened in the former Angry Crab Shack space on northeast corner of Ranch Circle and Ray in Ahwatukee. Lunch and dinner

San Antonio-based Urban Bricks Pizza has made its Arizona debut on 48th Street between Broadway and Southern near Tempe Diablo Stadium. Unlike most fast-casual build-your-own pizza concepts, Urban Bricks offers delivery, a drive-through, and a full bar.

Duck Donuts, a national chain named for its original location in Duck, N.C., will make its Arizona debut at 8 a.m. Saturday on the southwest corner of Arizona and Ocotillo in south Chandler. Specialty doughnuts come in a variety of

Iconic Phoenix ice cream shop Mary Coyle Ol’ Fashion Ice Cream has reopened at the Tapestry on Central condominiums on the northwest corner of Central and Encanto. The business, which has occupied several different locations over its 68 years, closed

The long-delayed openings of The Sicilian Butcher and The Sicilian Baker in Chandler finally will happen at 11 a.m. today on the southwest corner of the Loop 101 and Frye. The Sicilian Butcher offers craft meatballs, house-made pastas, and charcuterie. The Sicilian

Over Easy, a Scottsdale-based breakfast and lunch concept, has opened its seventh Valley location in the Ancala Village shopping center on the southwest corner of Frank Lloyd Wright and Via Linda in north Scottsdale. It follows in the footsteps of

Mesa-based Angry Crab Shack cuts the ribbon on its eighth Valley location at 4 p.m. today near the northeast corner of 115th Avenue and Bell in Surprise. The restaurants specialize in seafood and boils with Asian and Cajun flavors. The

Original Thai Cuisine 2 Go, a locally owned Thai restaurant, has opened on the northwest corner of Dobson and Southern in west Mesa. It takes over the strip-mall space formerly home to Szechuan Express, which closed last month. The expansive

A-burrito, a locally owned quick-service Mexican restaurant, has opened on the southwest corner of Stapley and Main in central Mesa. The menu offers 10 different 8-inch burritos named for Arizona cities: The Phoenix (carne asada) The Mesa (char-grilled chicken) The

Cheba Hut, a national chain of cannabis-themed sandwich shops that began in Tempe, has opened its newest location downtown Chandler. The chain’s fourth East Valley location takes over the former Even Stevens sandwich shop on the southwest corner of Arizona

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, a Texas-based chain of fast-casual Mexican restaurants, has opened its second Arizona location at SanTan Village in Gilbert. It’s located next to the new HomeGoods on the northeast corner of SanTan Village Parkway and Williams Field. Fuzzy’s

There’s a semi-new face in downtown Chandler: Bourbon Jacks Bar & Grill has been sold and rechristened Bourbon Jacks American Tavern. The Western-style venue, which opened in 2012, serves American comfort foods with a Southern twist, such as fried green

Zesty Zzeek’s Pizza & Wings, a family-owned group of East Valley pizzerias, has opened its fourth location on the southwest corner of Arizona and Ocotillo in south Chandler. Pizza ranges from 10 to 20 inches and come in seven choices

Chauncey Social – the latest concept from the Evening Entertainment Group, the people behind Sandbar Mexican Grill, Stock & Stable, Bevvy, and others – has opened on Scottsdale Road just south of the Loop 101 in north Scottsdale. The menu,

Tocaya Organica, a California-based chain of fast-casual Mexican restaurants, has opened at the Esplanade near the southeast corner of 24th Street and Camelback in Phoenix. The concept offers salads, tacos, bowls, and burritos for lunch and dinner daily. It’s the

Uncle Bear’s Brewery has opened a second Mesa grill and taproom – its fourth in the East Valley – on the northwest corner of Greenfield and Southern. Owner Todd Carey debuted his first neighborhood sports bar in Gilbert in 2000,

Jin BBQ, a retro-themed Korean barbecue restaurant promising to take diners ‘‘back to ’90s Seoul,’’ has opened near the southeast corner of Dobson and Main in west Mesa. It takes over the former Yan Grill & Hot Pot, which closed

Pita Jungle, the local chain of Mediterranean-inspired eateries, opened its 23rd location today in the former Osteria space on the southeast corner of Alta Mesa and McKellips in northeast Mesa. It’s the third Pita Jungle in Mesa and the third