Author: Jess Harter

🍛 Indian Curry Bowls – a restaurant with two co-owners, one from northern India and the other from southern India – has opened on the southwest corner of Estrella Parkway and Elwood Street in Goodyear. The co-owners have resided in

🥖 Paris Banh Mi Cafe & Bakery, a Florida-based chain of Vietnamese sandwich and coffee shops, opens its second Arizona location today in Chandler. It takes over the former Barro’s Pizza space on the northwest corner of Alma School and

🍣 Silo, a year-old pop-up from the team behind The Larry and the now-closed Kaizen in Phoenix, has moved into its permanent space at the Hayden Ferry Lakeside office campus on the northeast corner of Mill Avenue and Rio Salado

🍩 Randy’s Donuts, the iconic Los Angeles doughnut shop featured in dozens of movies and TV shows, has opened its second Arizona location in Chandler. It’s located inside the new Pilot Travel Center on the southwest corner of 40th Street and

🌮 The Taco Spot, a fast-growing local chain launched by brothers Jorge and Jesus Ruiz out of a Chandler barbershop in 2020, has opened its 11th Valley location in Gilbert. It takes over the short-lived Taco H space on the

🍜 Vietnamese restaurant Camelback Pho has taken over the former PT Pho Express space on the northwest corner of Camelback Road and Seventh Avenue in uptown Phoenix. Besides nine kinds of pho, the menu features banh mi, vermicelli bowls, and

🍣 Ginza Sushi Fusion Cuisine, which recently closed after a five-year run in north Phoenix, has reopened in Gold Canyon in the far East Valley. It takes over the former Wahoo’s Restaurant & Bar building near the northeast corner of

🍳 Scottsdale-based Eggstasy, a breakfast and lunch concept that debuted in 2014, has opened its seventh Valley location at The Colony in uptown Phoenix. It takes over the space formerly home to Tucson-based Fuku Sushi (and, before that, Pure Sushi)

🍣 Sushiholic, a nine-year-old modern Japanese restaurant in Arcadia, has launched a second location at SkySong in south Scottsdale. It takes over the space formerly home to Bitters Cocktail Bar & Food on the southeast corner of Scottsdale and McDowell

🌮 Tradiciones Mexican Grill, a new restaurant from the owner of Tacos El Paisain Chandler, has opened in south Tempe. It takes over the just-closed Pronto space on the southwest corner of Rural and Guadalupe roads. The Restaurant Brokers facilitated

🍳 First Watch, the national chain of brunch restaurants, has launched its latest Valley location in Surprise. It’s located at the Village at Prasada on the northeast corner of the Loop 303 and Waddell Road. What’s on the menu? Omelets,

🐓 Louisana-based fast-food chain Raising Cane’s opens its newest Valley location at 8:40 a.m. Tuesday on the northeast corner of McKellips and Power roads in east Mesa. Entries will be accepted from 7:30-8:30 a.m. for an 8:40 drawing in which

🍔 Arizona Rebel Republic, a neighborhood bar and grill, has opened on the southeast corner of Warner and Mountain roads in southeast Mesa. It’s a sibling to the year-old Point 22 Tavern located at Ellsworth and Ray roads. What’s on

🍔 Longtime University of Arizona hangout Dirtbag’s, known for its signature ‘‘Dirtburgers’’ and creative shots, makes its Valley debut at 6 p.m. today in east Phoenix. The bar and grill has renovated the building formerly home to The Spot on the

🧋 Taiwan Mama, a year-old Taiwanese eatery and bubble tea shop in Tempe, has opened a second location in Deer Valley. It’s located on the northwest corner of Union Hills Drive and 10th Street in north Phoenix. What’s on the

🥙 The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, a Florida-based chain of counter-service restaurants, has opened its second Arizona location in southeast Gilbert. It’s located between Einstein Bros. Bagels and Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux in the Gilbert Gateway Towne Center on the southwest

🇹🇭 5 R Cha Thai & Pho has replaced Thai Basil on the southeast corner of Rural Road and Chandler Boulevard in west Chandler. It’s the second East Valley location for 5 R Cha, which also has one in northeast

🇹🇭 LeDu Thai is the latest addition to the Roosevelt Row district arts district in downtown Phoenix. It’s located behind Taco Chelo on the southeast corner of Roosevelt and Fifth streets. What’s on the menu? Southern Thai noodle, rice, and

🦞 Cajon Breakfast Joint, a restaurant specializing in Cajun and Creole dishes, has opened at Dobson Plaza in Chandler. It takes over the former Mommie Cakes space on the northwest corner of Dobson and Elliot roads. What’s on the menu?

🌮 Caramba, a family-run group of Mexican sit-down restaurants, has opened its sixth Valley location at The Citadelle in Glendale. The restaurant near the southwest corner of the Loop 101 and 59th Avenue is the fourth in Glendale, where Caramba

🌮 Family-run Latin American restaurant Anchiote Latin Cuisine has opened at Chandler Commons in Chandler. The former Saguaros Tacos Y Churros food truck takes over the strip-mall space formerly home to DEZ Burrito on the southwest corner of Ray and

🍕 Mobile pizza pop-up Otra Pizzeria has found a semi-permanent home at Spce Coffee in Phoenix. Spce will continue to operate during the day on the northwest corner of McDowell Road and 18th Street, then Otra will take over the

🍣 Simply Shroom, a cafe specializing in mushroom coffees and lattes, has opened on the southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and Marshall Way in Old Town Scottsdale. In a market segment dominated by masculine themes, owners Crystal Carroll and Sharmi

🍣 Japanese restaurant Yuzu Omakase has soft-opened for takeout and catering at Tatum Point in northeast Phoenix. It takes over the former Copperhead Bistro space in the Walmart-Petco center on the southwest corner of Bell Road and Tatum Boulevard. Yuzu

🌮 Valle Luna Lunatics, a smaller ”cantina” concept from the owners of Valle Luna Mexican restaurants, has made its debut in west Phoenix. It takes over the former Mi Familia Mexican Food space on the northeast corner of Happy Valley

☕️ Curate Cafe, a coffeehouse and brunch eatery from Curate Cuisine chef Joseph Lerner, has opened at Grayhawk Plaza in north Scottsdale. It takes over the space formerly home to The Yogurt Bar near the northeast corner of Scottsdale Road

🍺 OHSO Brewery has opened its sixth Valley restaurant at the Village at Prasada on the southeast corner of the Loop 303 and Waddell Road in Surprise. The building has a 5,000-square-foot interior with a 3,000-square-foot, dog-friendly patio. What’s on

🧆 Shawarmaati Mediterranean Grill, a Jordanian restaurant specializing in its namesake beef and chicken shawarma, has opened in southeast Gilbert. It takes over the former Green District space, next to Tikka Shack, near the southwest corner of Ray and Power

🦀 The Kickin Crab, a California-based chain of seafood boil restaurants that made its Arizona debut in Chandler last year, has launched a second Valley location in front of Mekong Plaza in west Mesa. It takes over the former Hooked

🍚 Mandarin Kitchen, a restaurant offering mostly Americanized Chinese dishes, has opened at Gateview Park on the southeast corner of Hayden and Indian Bend roads in central Scottsdale. What’s on the menu? Standard stir-fried entrees like kung pao chicken, beef and broccoli,

🥞 Cafe Hodgepodge, a quaint, family-run cafe, has opened in the Buckhorn Shopping Center on the northeast corner of Main Street and Recker Road in east Mesa. What’s on the menu? Comfort food such as omelets, pancakes, and biscuits and gravy for

🍨 Salt & Straw, a Portland-based artisan ice cream shop, makes its Arizona debut today with its first-ever scoop shop at Epicenter at Agritopia on the northwest corner of Higley and Ray in Gilbert. What’s on the menu? In addition to 13

🌮 Parachos Tacos y Tragos, an elevated taqueria and cocktail bar, has opened in the McDowell Mountain Marketplace on the southwest corner of Bell Road and Thompson Peak Parkway in north Scottsdale. What’s on the menu? Highlights include roasted sweet potato tacos, shrimp

🍜 One Pot, an Asian hot pot eatery where you can customize individual bowls, has opened on the southwest corner of Broadway and Dobson roads in west Mesa. What’s on the menu? The four soup options are sukiyaki (Japanese dashi, mirin, and soy

🥙 Arabella Grill & Wings, a fast-casual restaurant offering both Middle Eastern and American items, has opened on the northwest corner of  Chandler Boulevard and Kyrene Road in west Chandler. What’s on the menu? Chicken and beef shwarma, gyros, falafel, and build-your-own

🌮 El Carbon Mexican Eatery, a new open-fire concept from Valley restaurateur Danny Quinn, has opened at the Shops at Gainey Ranch on the northeast corner of Doubletree Ranch Road and Vaquero Drive in central Scottsdale. What’s on the menu? Seven kinds

🍔 The Spot Neighborhood Grill, a three-year-old American restaurant in north Scottsdale, has launched a second location on the northeast corner of Bell Road and 55th Avenue in Glendale. What’s on the menu? Burgers, sandwiches, and wings. Highlights include the Whiskey Bourbon

🌮 Just two weeks after closing its original location in Tempe, quick-casual concept Tacos & Craft has opened on the northwest corner of Northern and 91st avenues in Peoria. The background: The Tempe location near the northeast corner of Rural and Baseline

🌮 The Taco Spot, a fast-expanding local taqueria, has launched its 10th Valley location on the northeast corner of Central Avenue and Adams Street in downtown Phoenix. What’s on the menu? Birria tacos, birria quesadillas, birria vampiros, and birria ramen are the