Category: Coming soon

🚧 The latest restaurant update on the new Vineyard Towne Center shopping center on the northwest corner of Gantzel and Combs in Queen Creek: Now open: Mr. Pickles Sandwiches, Chunk Cookies, Nektar Juice Bar, Wingstop. Opening this month: Over Easy

🌮 Taco Chelo, the popular taqueria on Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix, will open its long-awaited Tempe location on Friday, May 10, in the former Fractured Prune Doughnuts space on the northeast corner of College Avenue and Sixth Street. The

🚧 Industry Standard, a new neighborhood concept from Scapegoat Beer & Wine owner Mike Cheathem, will take over the soon-to-be-vacated Carly’s Bistro space on the northwest corner of Roosevelt and Second Street in downtown Phoenix. Carly’s Bistro announced last month

🧑🏿‍🍳 The Larder & The Delta, chef Stephen Jones’ well-regarded Southern restaurant that closed in October, will reopen in the soon-to-be-vacated Binkley’s space near the northwest corner of 24th Street and Osborn in midtown Phoenix. Binkley’s owners Kevin and Amy

🌮 The Mexicano, the Mexican concept launched by The Maggiore Group (Hash Kitchen, The Sicilian Butcher, The Rosticceria, etc.) in Phoenix in 2021, is opening a second location in front of Chandler Fashion Center. It’s taking over the building formerly home

🇬🇷 San Jose, Calif.-based chain Nick the Greek, which made its Arizona debut last year in downtown Phoenix, is preparing to open a second location in the Target plaza on the northeast corner of Gilbert and Germann in south Gilbert.

🍩 Randy’s Donuts, the iconic Los Angeles doughnut shop featured in dozens of movies and TV shows, will make its Arizona debut near the southeast corner of Seventh Street and Bethany Home in north central Phoenix. Famous for its 32-foot

🥢 Mott 32, one of world’s most acclaimed Chinese restaurants, will open its second U.S. location at the upcoming Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, the centerpiece of a master-planned community called The Palmeraie. Mott 32 was founded in Hong Kong and has

🍅 Sweet Tomatoes, a national chain of salad buffet restaurants that went bankrupt and closed all 97 of its locations – including seven in the Valley – in 2020, is planning a comeback under new owners. What we know so

🚧 Mark Tarbell, chef/owner of Tarbell’s and host of TV’s ‘‘Check Please! Arizona,’’ is partnering with the developer of Bond, formerly known as the Biltmore Commerce Center, to oversee its food and drink operations. Food & drink amenities The under-renovation

🍔 Ohio-based White Castle announced it will build its third Arizona restaurant on the northwest corner of I-10 and Bullard in Goodyear. The iconic fast-food chain made its Arizona debut in Scottsdale in 2019 and added a south Tempe location

🍕 An update on the Crust Simply Italian under construction in downtown Mesa, which I first wrote about in September: The 8,000-square-foot-plus Italian restaurant will be the largest of owner Michael Merendino’s six Valley locations (which include two Crust Pizzerias,

🥩 Kasai Japanese Steakhouse, a five-year-old restaurant in north Scottsdale, will open a second location next month at the Park West shopping center in Peoria. The 7,500-square-foot space on the northwest corner of Northern and the Loop 101 formerly was

🍲 Haidilao, China’s largest chain of hot pot restaurants, will make its Arizona debut next year at the Mekong Plaza on the southwest corner of Dobson and Main in west Mesa. Founded in Sichuan province 1994, the chain operates 1,400

🦞🥩🍔 It’s getting hard to keep up with the fast-growing new drive-through empire of Tony and Roushan Christofellis, who sold their popular chain Salad and Go in 2020. The couple launched Angie’s Lobster, offering $9.99 lobster meals, in 2021 and

🔥 Roberto Centeno, the James Beard Award semifinalist chef at Espiritu, and Armando Hernandez, the owner of Tacos Chiwas and Cocina Chiwas, are teaming up to open a new concept in Arcadia. Santo Arcadia, a grill-focused Mexican restaurant, is expected

🍣 Uchi, a Texas-based modern Japanese concept from James Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole, is scheduled to open its seventh U.S. location in the former Bandera space in Old Town Scottsdale by the end of this month. It will hold

🍝 Here’s the news Fazoli’s fans have been waiting to hear: The Italian-American fast-casual chain’s Mesa Riverview location is scheduled to open next Tuesday, Dec. 12. After a 14-year absence from Arizona, Fazoli’s returned in February with a location in

🇬🇧 Cornish Pasty Co., a Tempe-based chain that’s been introducing Valley diners to British pocket sandwiches since 2005, will open its eighth Valley location in Glendale this spring. It will join the second location of Simple Machine Brewing inside the historic Gaslight Building near

🚧 The Henry, Sam Fox’s upscale-casual New American eatery that debuted in Arcadia in 2013, is planning to open a second Valley location at at Uptown Plaza on the northeast corner of Central and Camelback. The Henry, which is expected

🍔 White Castle finally has announced the opening date – Tuesday, Nov. 28 – for the iconic burger joint’s second Arizona location near the northeast corner of I-10 and Warner in south Tempe. When White Castle made its Arizona debut in

🌮 Taco Chelo, a 5-year-old taqueria on Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix, is opening a second location on the northeast corner of College Avenue and Sixth Street in Tempe. The concept was created Valley restaurateur Aaron Chamberlain, chef Suny Santana, and

🍝 If you’ve been eagerly awaiting the opening of a Fazoli’s in the Valley that’s not behind a TSA checkpoint, you’re in luck… After a 14-year absence from Arizona, Fazoli’s returned in February with a location in Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport’s

🏨 The internationally inspired hotel, the first hotel from Valley restaurateur Sam Fox, is getting final touches on the northwest corner of 44th Street and Camelback in Phoenix. Four out of the five restaurants at The Global Ambassador also will

🏀 Big Chicken, the Las Vegas-based fast-casual chain co-founded by former NBA star, made its Arizona debut at ASU’s Mullett Arena in 2022 and added a downtown Gilbert location earlier this year. Steve Christensen, one of the chain’s local franchise

The celebrity chef’s second Phoenix location – which will feature burgers, sandwiches, and pizzas – was one of several leases approved by the Phoenix City Council. It will be located in the eighth concourse of Sky Harbor’s Terminal 4. Also

🥩 Angie’s Prime Grill, the new drive-through steakhouse concept from the founders of Salad and Go and Angie’s Lobster, will make a limited debut next Monday, Oct. 16, in north Phoenix. MXSW Insiders were among the first to learn about

🎳 OHSO Brewery is planning a new concept – a tapas-style restaurant with duckpin bowling and other games – next to its brewpub in downtown Gilbert. The space: The yet-to-be-named venue, which is still in the early planning stages, will

🍔 Bad Jimmy’s, a pop-up burger concept that regularly appears outside the Cobra Arcade Bar, is moving into the former home of Jamaican restaurant The Breadfruit & Rum Bar on the northeast corner of First Avenue and Pierce  in downtown

🍹 Bar Cena, a new cocktail and dining lounge, will replace the Vanilla Gorilla Tap Room & Bottle Shop next to Hush Public House near the northwest corner of Scottsdale and Thunderbird in north Scottsdale. The history: Chef Dom Ruggiero,

🍕🍺 Bottled Blonde, a 9-year-old casual Italian eatery in Old Town Scottsdale from Valley nightlife entrepreneurs Diane and Les Corieri, is planning a second location in the former Bergie’s Coffee Roast House space in downtown Gilbert. The space: An all-new

After two and a half years dealing with insurance issues, construction delays, and equipment shortages, The Hub Grill & Bar finally is ready to reopen its original location in east Mesa on Wednesday, June 21. The history: The large sports

Valley-based restaurateur Sam Fox – who will open his first hotel, The Global Ambassador, on the northwest corner of 44th Street and Camelback in Phoenix in mid-November – has unveiled the other four of its five restaurants: Le Âme: A

The Parlay Kitchen & Cocktails, which debuted in Chandler in 2019, will hold a hiring fair from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday at its new Scottsdale location on the southwest corner of the 101 and Via de Ventura. The grand opening

Stefano Fabbri, owner and chef of acclaimed Pomo Pizzeria, is launching Rosso Italian, a contemporary Italian restaurant with a modern twist, at CityScape in downtown Phoenix. The menu: Premium Italian entrees including pasta, pizza from Pomo, and crudo. Highlights include

Twin Peaks, a Dallas-based chain of sports bars, has announced its fifth Valley location will open March 6 on the southeast corner of the 101 and 31st Avenue in northwest Phoenix. The space: The former Claim Jumper Steakhouse & Bar building

Uchi, a Texas-based sushi concept from James Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole, will make its Arizona debut in the former Bandera space on the northeast corner of Scottsdale and First Avenue in Old Town Scottsdale. The history: Cole launched Uchi

Big Chicken, the fast-casual chicken concept founded by basketball star Shaquille O’Neal, is hiring for hourly and management positions for the February opening of its new restaurant in downtown Gilbert. How to apply: Interested candidates can apply online here. Did

Surf City Sandwich, which has locations in southeast Gilbert and Santa Cruz, Calif., announced its third will be at the new Cannon Beach surf park in southeast Mesa. The space: The new location in the 37-acre mixed-use development’s restaurant row

The Vig, a casual tavern from Genuine Concepts, is opening its sixth Valley location in the Park West shopping center in Peoria. The menu: Salads, sandwiches, tacos, and comfort-food entrees. The space: There will be four seating areas: A sun-lit