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Author: Jess Harter

Bob McClendon leaves lasting legacy on Arizona’s food scene

🚜 Bob McClendon wasn’t a prolific restaurateur or a celebrity chef. He wasn’t a social media influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers. But McClendon was a profoundly influential figure in Arizona ‘s food industry, a farmer whose life’s work

CC’s on Central transforms into lunch-focused Blue Plate Co.

🍗 Goodbye, CC’s on Central. Hello, Blue Plate Co. But no need for fans of Sharon Cunningham’s Southern and Cajun comfort food to panic. It’s just the latest reiteration of her midtown Phoenix restaurant located in an office building near

Greenwood Brewing to open taproom in downtown Chandler

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Golden Oak Barbecue & Taproom closes after dispute over smoke

🚫 Here’s a shocker: Golden Oak Barbecue & Taproom, one of my top 10 new restaurants of 2025, has permanently closed in downtown Phoenix after just three months. The move comes after a dispute with the neighboring Artisan Lofts on

New stewards, same soul: The Farish House moves forward

🍷 Ever since the sad passing of The Farish House founder and chef Lori Hassler after a five-year battle with ovarian cancer, I’ve been worried about the future of the restaurant, one of the true gems of downtown Phoenix’s dining

Popular Scottsdale pizzeria Johnny T’s shuts down after a year

🚫 Johnny T’s Brooklyn Pizzeria, one the top pizzerias in Scottsdale, has closed after a little more than a year. ‘‘Unfortunately Johnny Ts will not be reopening due to labor costs, higher costs of goods, and high rent,’’ it posted

Burros & Fries makes East Valley debut in Gilbert

🌯 California-based Burros & Fries has opened its third Valley location on the southeast corner of Higley and Guadalupe in Gilbert. As its name states, the fast-casual Mexican eatery specializes in burros and loaded fries – 28 varieties of the

The Mission brings elevated Latin cuisine to Epicenter in Gilbert

🥑 After a few ‘‘friends and family’’ sessions over the weekend, The Mission‘s third Valley location officially opens today in Gilbert. It takes over the former Belly space at Epicenter at Agritopia on the northwest corner of Higley and Ray.

Halal barbecue joint Sazas Pampered opens in east Phoenix

🍖 Sazas Pampered, a halal-certified barbecue restaurant, has opened in the old Hap’s Pit Barbecue strip-mall space on the southeast corner of Washington and 48th Street in east Phoenix. The signature menu item is beef brisket – smoked over cherry

Helluva Brewing in Chandler signs deal with Quail Distributing

🍺 You’ll soon see Helluva Brewing Company ales at restaurants, bars, and retail stores throughout the Valley thanks to the Chandler brewpub’s recent signing with Quail Distributing. Shawn and Lisa Shepard, along with brewmaster Steve Stone, founded Helluva on the northeast

6 months after fire, Si Señor finally reopens Wednesday in Chandler

🌶️ The question that readers have asked most frequently over the past few months is, ‘‘Is Si Señor in Chandler ever going to reopen?’’ We finally have an answer. The popular family-run New Mexican restaurant, which closed after an electrical

Mexican steakhouse Pistoleros Parrilla opens in Scottsdale

🥩 Pistoleros Parrilla, a two-story Mexican steakhouse from the owners of popular Boondocks Patio & Grill, has opened its doors on the southeast corner of Stetson and Civic Center Plaza in Old Town Scottsdale. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant with an open

Desert Roots Kitchen leaves brick & mortar to focus on meal boxes

🥕 Desert Roots Kitchen, the popular vegan cafe that serves globally inspired cuisine made from local ingredients, has closed its operation at Rainbow Bliss Botanicals in Tempe. The deli-style eatery had moved into the retail store last June after losing

La La Land Kind Cafe opens 2nd Valley location in Arcadia

☕️ La La Land Kind Cafe, a Dallas-based coffee concept that made its Arizona debut in December at Kierland Commons in Scottsdale, has opened a second Valley location on the northeast corner of Camelback and 44th Street in Phoenix’s Arcadia

Gilbert gets another (unrelated) cafe called The Nook

☕️ The Nook Cafe & Bakery, which describes itself as a ‘‘millennial nostalgic cafe,’’ has opened in the former Jolt N Bolt space on the southwest corner of Recker and Guadalupe in Gilbert. The menu features coffee drinks, pastries, and