Author: Jess Harter

Pizza to the Rescue, an Italian restaurant whose mission includes supporting a dog rescue, has opened on the southeast corner of Indian School and 26th Street in Phoenix. Geri Hormel, the founder of Almost There Rescue, opened the pizzeria

Stellar66, a Chinese restaurant and bar offering both authentic and Americanized dishes, has opened in the TownShip Plaza on the southwest corner of Gilbert and Baseline in Gilbert. What’s on the menu? The signature dish is Peking duck ($49.99

Ceviche 101, a counter-service seafood restaurant specializing in what it calls ‘‘Californian cuisine,’’ has opened just north of Westgate on the northwest corner of Glendale and 91st Avenue in Glendale. What’s on the menu? Ceviche tostadas ($12.95-$17.50), shrimp cocktails

Tempe restaurant and bar Boulders on Broadway, a 17-year fixture in the East Valley’s craft beer scene, is transforming into SaltFire Brewing Tap House. Boulders owner Erick Geryol says he and his wife, Rochelle, are partnering with their friend

The Pairing Room – a restaurant created by Doajo Hicks, the owner of Coronado Vineyards and Throne Brewing, to pair food with his wines and beers – has soft-opened on the northwest corner of Central and Portland in downtown

Moon Pie Pizza & Patio, an indoor-outdoor bar that specializes in tavern-style pizzas, has opened in the former Teddy’s Preserve space on the northeast corner of Central and Roosevelt in downtown Phoenix. What’s on the menu? Twelve-inch pizzas –

Honest – a global chain of sit-down vegetarian restaurants specializing in Indian street foods, including pizza – has opened its first Arizona location in the former Founding Fathers Kitchen space on the northwest corner of Alma School and Ray

Barley & Smoke, a 30-seat speakeasy from the owners of Peoria Artisan Brewery, has opened next to the brewpub on the southeast corner of Lake Pleasant Road and Lake Pleasant Parkway in Peoria. What’s on the menu? Highlights from

Sorimmara, a global chain of Korean mala eateries, has opened its third U.S. location in the food court of the 99 Ranch Market on the northeast corner of Chandler and Dobson in Chandler. Mala, a spicy sauce made with

 Nando’s Mexican Cafe, a sit-down restaurant with four East Valley locations, has opened its fifth in the Fry’s Marketplace shopping center on the northeast corner of John Wayne Parkway and Edison Road in Maricopa. Laurshan Construction did the build. What’s

Sweet Tomatoes, the national chain of salad buffet restaurants that went bankrupt and closed all 97 of its locations (including seven in the Valley) during the covid pandemic, has reopened a restaurant in Tucson. It’s the first opening in

Real Thai & Sushi, a restaurant specializing in Thai street food and Thai rolls, has opened at The Boulevard Surprise Pointe on the southeast corner of Litchfield and Waddell in Surprise. What’s on the menu? Appetizers ($5.95-$14.95), salads ($5-$17.95),

Empower Coffee Roasters, which Denise and Zach Gamza (pictured) launched in 2020 with a mission to empower women through education and opportunity, has opened a bricks-and-mortar cafe on the southeast corner of Southern and Gilbert in Mesa. What’s on

Zu Izakaya, an eight-year-old Tempe kitchen and bar offering Asian fusion cuisine and sushi, has opened a second location in the Sprouts shopping center on the northeast corner of Tatum and Cactus in northeast Phoenix. What’s on the menu?

Gelato Cimmino, a locally owned gelato shop that opened in Old Town Scottsdale in 2018, has launched its long-in-the-works second location on the northeast corner of Gilbert and Vaughn (just north of OHSO Brewery) in downtown Gilbert. Owner Mario

Number 1 Buffet, an all-you-eat Chinese restaurant, has opened at the Gateway Crossing shopping center on the northwest corner of I-10 and 99th Avenue in Avondale. What’s on the menu? A huge buffet of Chinese dishes (well, mostly Americanized

A Ma’s Kitchen & Pho, a family-run Vietnamese eatery focused on that country’s signature soup dish, has opened at the Chandler Ranch shopping center on the northeast corner of Chandler and Dobson in Chandler. What’s on the menu? Ten

Vintage XIV Wine Bar & Sports Lounge, a new elevated concept from the owners of The Draft Sports Grill in Mesa, has opened in the Paradise Village Center on the northeast corner of Tatum and Shea in northeast Phoenix.

Parlor Doughtnuts, a national chain founded in Evansville, Ind., in 2019, has made its Arizona debut on the northeast corner of University and Farmer in downtown Tempe. What’s on the menu? Large layered doughnuts ($3.65 apiece) in more than

Rolled Out Bakery, a husband-and-wife-owned bakery specializing in rolls, holds its grand opening Saturday inside Beanchain Coffee on the northeast corner of Alma School and Southern in west Mesa. What’s on the menu? Cinnamon rolls ($5.25), orange rolls ($5.25),

Corazón de Agave, a family-owned, refined Mexican sit-down restaurant and bar, has opened on the northeast corner of Bell and 40th Street in north Phoenix. What’s on the menu? Appetizers ($10-$32), salads ($12-$14), soups ($13-$17), tacos ($15-$18 for three),

Bloomy Kitchen, an Asian sit-down restaurant specializing in wok dishes and ramen, has taken over the short-lived Mimi Kitchen building on the northwest corner of Dobson and Guadalupe in southwest Mesa. What’s on the menu? Wok dishes include orange

Maple & Rye, a new all-day American concept from Westside Concepts (Haymaker, Copper & Sage, Cantina Gueros, etc.), has opened on the southeast corner of Clearview and Sunrise boulevards in The Grand resort-style community in Surprise. What’s on the

The Buzzed Goat, a 5-year-old locally owned coffee bar and taphouse in Ahwatukee, finally has opened a long-awaited second location on the southeast corner of McClintock and Southern (behind Boston Market) in Tempe. The new location, originally scheduled to

Shimogamo, the highly acclaimed Japanese restaurant in south Chandler, has launched a second location at SanTan Village shopping center on the northwest corner of Santan Village Parkway and Williams Field in Gilbert. Unlike the original, which opened in 2003

Devil’s Hideaway, the latest concept from Valley nightlife entrepreneur Julian Wright, has opened in the former Rula Bula Irish Pub space on the southeast corner of Mill Avenue and Fourth Street in downtown Tempe. Wright (Pedal Haus Brewery, Lucky’s

Tucson-based JA Ramen, which debuted in 2022, has opened its first Valley location – and sixth overall – on the southeast corner of Baseline and 59th Avenue in Laveen. What’s on the menu? Appetizers ($3-$14.49), salads ($9.40-$14.40), 13 kinds

Lush Café & Lounge, a chef-driven restaurant and live music venue, has opened in the former Fuddruckers building on the northwest corner of Elliot and Priest in south Tempe. What’s on the menu? The day menu features bakery items

Cielo Rojo, a new sibling concept to 22-year-old Mexican seafood restaurant Mariscos Playa Hermosa in Phoenix, has opened near the northeast corner of 16th Street and McDowell in Phoenix’s Coronado neighborhood. What’s on the menu? Most dishes on the

Maynard James Keenan, owner of The Merkin Vineyards and Caduceus Cellars, opens a new restaurant concept – Four 8 Fried Chicken by Four 8 Wineworks – today in Old Town Cottonwood. It takes over the space formerly occupied by

OHSO Brewery & Distillery launches its fifth Valley location today – along with the third location of its sibling concept Little O’s – on the east side of Central about halfway between Northern and Dunlap in north central Phoenix.

Silverlake Ramen,a very popular Los Angeles-based chain of fast-casual Asian restaurants, has soft-opened its first Arizona location at Cornerstone on the northeast corner of University and Rural in Tempe. What’s on the menu? Eight kinds of ramen ($17.99-$20.39), rice

Federico’s Mexican Food, a Phoenix-based chain of fast-casual restaurants, has opened its 29th Valley location on the southeast corner of Pebble Creek and Encanto in Goodyear. What’s on the menu? Burritos ($6.69-$14.49), tacos ($4.49-$6.69), enchiladas (two for $8.49), tortas

Taco Night & Tequila, a counter-service Mexican restaurant and bar, has opened in the former Chronic Tacos space on the southeast corner of Peoria and 31st Avenue in west Phoenix. What’s on the menu? Thirteen burritos ($6.99-$12.99), nine street

Mama Linda’s Italian Kitchen, a restaurant and bar offering classic Italian dishes and flatbread pizzas, has opened on the south side of Main Street, about halfway between Greenfield and Higley in east Mesa. What’s on the menu? Entrees such

Lola’s Liquors, a trendy cocktail bar with a small food menu, has opened next to Murphy’s Law Irish Pub near the northwest corner of San Marcos and Boston in downtown Chandler. It’s the latest concept from Liquid Sunshine Projects,

Pinche’s Tacos Al Carbon, a small counter-service taco shop, has opened in a strip mall on the northeast corner of Union Hills and Seventh Avenue in north Phoenix. What’s on the menu? Burritos ($10.99), tacos ($3.29), quesadillas ($2.99-$9.99), and

Backyard, an 8,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor bar and grill, opens today in the former Sandbar Mexican Grill building at Desert Ridge Marketplace in northeast Phoenix. Both Backyard and Sandbar are concepts from Scottsdale-based Evening Entertainment Group, which also includes Bottled Blonde,

Pho Ngoc, a family-owned Vietnamese restaurant, has opened in the Safeway shopping center on the northwest corner of Alma School and Chandler Heights in south Chandler. What’s on the menu? Appetizers ($6.99-$9.99), pho ($14.99-$15.99), stir fry dishes ($14.99), broken

After a covid-induced four-year delay, the Caesars Republic Scottsdale hotel opens today on the northeast corner of Goldwater and Highland on the north side of Scottsdale Fashion Square. The 11-story hotel has three restaurants – Luna by Giada, Pronto

Scottsdale-based Echo Coffee opens its second location Wednesday inside the Arizona Humane Society’s new state-of-the-art Rob & Melani Walton Papago Park Campus on the southwest corner of Van Buren and 55th Street in east Phoenix. Echo Coffee owner Rob

C&C Fresh-N-Tasty Subs, a small independent sandwich shop that describes itself as ‘‘the best thing since sliced bread,’’ has opened in the former Wide Daddy’s strip-mall space on the northwest corner of Lindsay and University in east Mesa. What’s

Mon Cheri, a female-focused champagne café and charcuterie bar, has opened in the former Arcadia Farms Cafe space near the northeast corner of Goldwater and First Avenue in Old Town Scottsdale. Arcadia Farms sold the longtime property in 2022

Hawaiian Bros. Island Grill, a quick-service chain actually based in Kansas City, Mo., opens its third Valley restaurant at 11 a.m. today on the northwest corner of Bell and 73rd Avenue in northwest Phoenix. What’s on the menu? Plate

Barrio Brewing Co., Arizona’s oldest brewery, has opened its second licensed location in the Valley at the Deer Valley Airport at Seventh Avenue and Deer Valley Road in north Phoenix. The brewery, which debuted in Tucson in 1991, has

Early Bird Vegan, a 100% vegan brunch eatery that opened in south Phoenix in 2020, has launched a second location in the lobby of the Sonoran University of Health Sciences medical office building on the northwest corner of the

Cafe Zupas, a Utah-based chain of soup-and-sandwich eateries, has opened its 11th Valley location near the southeast corner of Peoria and 35th Avenue in west Phoenix. What’s on the menu? Sandwiches (each comes with a chocolate-dipped strawberry), bowls, salads,