Author: Jess Harter

🍔 Culinary Gangster, an award-winning eatery that debuted in Scottsdale in 2022, has launched a second location in downtown Phoenix. It’s moved into the space formerly home to Full Speed Chicken & Ribs, a short-lived fast-casual sibling of Little Miss BBQ,

🥯 Lydia’s Kitchen & Market, a brunch cafe serving American classics, has opened at The Frederick, a retail-and-restaurants complex on the southeast corner of 12th Street and Missouri in uptown Phoenix. The restaurant is a partnership between Jonathan Madrigal, owner

🍷 Tre Bicchieri, an Italian-style brunch and wine bar, has opened on the southeast corner of the 101 and 67th Avenue in Glendale. It takes over the space formerly home to Urban Agave in a deal negotiated by The Restaurant

🍔 Smoke & Grain, a newly renovated bar and grill, has opened inside Unlimited Ammo & Range, a luxury indoor gun club next to Topgolf on the southeast corner of Santan Village Parkway and Ray in Gilbert. The menu features

🌮 Birria’s Mexican Food & Bar has opened in the former Filiberto’s building near the northeast corner of Hayden and McDowell in south Scottsdale. The friendly, family-run restaurant offers tacos, burritos, tortas, quesadillas, and tostadas. Two dozen combo plates are

🥘 Guru’s Indian Kitchen, a modern Indian restaurant with a full bar, has opened at Cannon Beach on the southeast corner of Power and Warner in southeast Mesa. The menu offer eight house curries, tandoori chicken, sheesh kebabs, and paneer

🐓 ChikPop, a fried chicken sandwich concept from the creators of FishPop, is the latest to join the ever-changing lineup at Tempe Eats food hall on the southeast corner of Mill and Southern. Korean-born chef Joon Chang launched FishPop in

🍔 Seven Brothers Burgers, a Hawaii-based chain started by seven brothers, has launched its second Valley location on the southeast corner of Happy Valley and 83rd Avenue in Peoria. Launched in Oahu in 2009, Seven Brothers made its Arizona debut

Someburros, a family-owned Mexican fast-casual chain, has opened its 17th location – and its first in Buckeye – on the southwest corner of I-10 and Verrado Way. The menu offers crispy and soft tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, quesadillas, and, of course,

🥐 Paris Baguette, a South Korea-based chain of bakery cafes, has opened its fourth Valley location near the northwest corner of Chandler and the 101 in Chandler. The menu offers a wide variety of cakes, breads, croquettes, croissants, donuts, cookies,

🎵 Morning Jam, a new breakfast and lunch concept combining upbeat ’80s & ’90s tunes, retro-diner charm, and American comfort food, has opened in the former Brekky Brunch space on the southwest corner of Alma School and Germann in south Chandler.

🦀 LA Crab Shack, a concept offering Louisiana-style seafood boils, raw and char-grilled oysters, and frozen cocktails, has opened its third Valley location on the southeast corner of 48th Street and Ray in Ahwatukee. What makes LA Crab Shack special?

🥐 Café Bliss, a fast-casual eatery with a bustling coffee bar and a food menu crafted for both casual mornings and leisurely brunches, has opened on the southeast corner of Palisades and Avenue of the Fountain in Fountain Hills. The

🐓 Dave’s Hot Chicken, a Los Angeles-based chain with celebrity backers like Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, and Maria Shriver, has opened its fourth Valley location at Goodyear’s downtown GSQ district. Known for its customizable spice spectrum – from “No Spice” all the