Category: Awards & Accolades

🍹 The Valley’s cocktail scene is getting some well-deserved national love. The Tales of the Cocktail Foundation has announced its 2026 Spirited Awards Regional Top 10 Honorees for the U.S. West – and five Phoenix spots made the cut, chosen

🥇 Arizona’s recent James Beard Awards momentum came to a halt Tuesday when the foundation announced its 2026 finalists – and none are from Arizona. The snub comes after a strong showing in the semifinal round earlier this year, when

🥢 Little Szechuan, a longtime Tempe favorite just west of downtown, is celebrating a major milestone this week. On Thursday, the beloved Chinese restaurant marks its 50th anniversary, a half-century run that has made it a fixture for local residents,

🏆 The 12th annual Foodist Awards, organized by the Arizona Restaurant Association, were held Monday night at Warehouse 215 in Phoenix. Here are this year’s winners, as selected by a panel of industry experts: Food Pioneer: Gio Osso, Virtu Honest

🏆 At the 18th annual Devour Culinary Classic held over the weekend at the Desert Botanical Garden with more than 100 of Arizona’s top chefs and makers showcasing their food and drinks. Best of Show went to Carcara in downtown

🏅 Six Valley chefs have been named semifinalists for Best Chef Southwest in the 2026 James Beard Awards, the culinary world’s version of the Oscars: Roberto Centeno from Espiritu in Mesa; TJ Culp from Progress in Phoenix; Armando Hernandez and

What a difference a year makes. Last year’s version of this annual roundup began: “To be honest, 2024 wasn’t a banner year for new restaurants in the Valley.” In contrast, 2025 delivered one of the strongest waves of new restaurant

👩🏽‍🍳 Congrats to Lom Wong owner Yotaka Martin, who has been named one of the country’s top 10 new chefs by Food & Wine. It’s the second major honor this year for Martin, who won the James Beard Award for

🥧 Chandler bakery Quiches & Pies has been named one of nine “Best Places for Pie in the West” by AAA’s travel magazine Via. The shop, which Cuisine & Wine Bistro owners Máiréad and Fabrice Buschtetz opened last November, was

Congrats to Little Rituals, which was named Best U.S. Hotel Bar at The Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, the Oscars of the bar industry, Thursday night in New Orleans. The category recognizes a ‘‘U.S. hotel bar that offers the best

🍕 Craft 64 is the best pizzeria in Arizona – and the 26th-best in the country – according to 50 Top Pizza, a well-regarded organization that unveiled its annual ranking of the Top 50 Pizzerias in the U.S. Tuesday night

🍍 Chris Bianco, Wren & Wolf, and Course Restaurant were among the honorees Monday night at the 11th annual Foodist Awards sponsored by the Arizona Restaurant Association. Bianco, best-known for his iconic Pizzeria Bianco, received this year’s Food Pioneer Award, given

🏅 Two Valley chefs are finalists for 2025 James Beard Awards, the restaurant industry’s equivalent of the Oscars. Crystal Kass (left) of Southwest restaurant Valentine in Phoenix is one of five finalists for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker. It’s the

🍖 Phoenix’s Little Miss BBQ has been invited to participate in the first-ever Lone Star Smokeout, a boutique barbecue and country music festival May 2-4 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The new event, from the team behind Chicago’s popular

🥇 Arizona has 15 semifinalists for 2025 James Beard Awards, the food and beverage industry’s version of the Oscars. Best Chef Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK): Jose Contreras, Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen, Tucson Donald Hawk, Valentine, Phoenix Stephen Jones, The Larder

🍹 Phoenix had three finalists in the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, one of the industry’s top honors for bars and bartenders, but came up short Thursday night at the awards ceremony in New Orleans. Valley finalists: Century Grand, which

Craft 64 and Pomo are the best pizzerias in Arizona, according to 50 Top Pizza. But the big news out of the well-respected organization’s latest Top 50 Pizzerias in the U.S. is who didn’t make it. Phoenix’s iconic Pizzeria Bianco,

🍷 Wine Spectator has released its annual Restaurant Awards honoring 3,700-plus establishments worldwide for excellence in their wine programs. The awards, which began in 1981, have three levels. Four restaurants – two in California and two in Europe – received