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D’Vine Bistro & Wine Bar celebrates the fifth anniversary of its Chandler location with a Wine & Art Fest featuring wine tastings, craft beers, live music, and art exhibits Saturday. Small plates and BBQ will be available. There is no admission charge.
The Arizona chapter of Girls Pint Out, a national craft beer organization for women, will celebrate its second anniversary Thursday with a party at SunUp Brewing in Phoenix. The local group, which is free to join and hosts numerous beer-related
The Spot is offering $5 specials on its five most populat menu items today: The “Original” Spot Sandwich, Steak Sandwich (pictured on left), Chipotle Chicken Sandwich (right), BLT “Hits The Spot” Salad, and The Spot-On Combo Plate. The specials are available 11 a.m.
Greg Fretz of Phoenix Ale Brewery will be the featured guest at tonight’s weekly Friday Beer Class at Whole Foods Chandler. The brewer will stop by at 7 p.m. and have four of his beers on tap for sampling. The
I caught the tail end of “Stouts, Steaks & Pancakes,” a fundraiser for the Beer for Brains Foundation, at the Hungry Monk last night. A huge crowd ensured the prime rib and cold-aged ribeye were long gone by the time
The Hungry Monk Jim Lolli (pictured above) converted his two-year-old Buffalo Wings & Rings franchise in Chandler to The Hungry Monk in 2010, increasing the number of tap handles from 16 to 28. The beer list changes daily and usually leans toward IPAs, although
“Tremors,” the 1990 cult classic starring Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward, is the Monday Night Movie at SanTan Brewing. Get drink specials and free popcorn while reliving the glory of “graboids.” The film will be on SanTan’s seven HD screens
Hofbrau Munich, one of Munich’s oldest breweries, will be the subject of tonight’s Friday Beer Class at Whole Foods Chandler. Four of the German beers, including its seasonal Maibock, will be on tap. Taste all four for just $5. The class starts
The Hungry Monk is hosting what might be the coolest beer event of the month: Stouts, Steaks & Pancakes next Thursday, May 24. It’s a fundraiser for the Beer for Brains Foundation. Monk owner and stout aficionado Jim Lolli has
In all the hoopla of American Craft Beer Week, I can’t believe I forgot to mention the deal Ahwatukee cheese chop Wedge & Bottle has this week: Get a craft beer, an eighth-pound of cheese, and crackers for just $5. The
It looks like Arizona Wilderness Brewing won’t become Queen Creek’s first brewery after all. Instead, it may become the first in Gilbert. Those who have been following the nascent business’ tribulations know it had intended to open this summer at
The Ameri-CAN Canned Craft Beer Festival, which debuted last year in downtown Chandler, moves to bigger digs – the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall – Saturday. More than 150 different canned beers from 40-plus breweries will be available. Besides Chandler’s SanTan
South Tempe craft beer bar Flanny’s is adding more tap handles. Owner John Flanagan Sr. says he plans to put in another 10 taps – bringing his total to 32 – this year. Flanny’s will need them to accommodate its monthly series of
Kokopelli Winery in downtown Chandler hosts its ninth annual BBQ, Blues & Brews this weekend. The event runs 5-10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday. A special BBQ menu will feature items like beef brisket, barbecue chicken pasta, and barbecued
Saturday is the kickoff of Arizona’s Spring Restaurant Week, one of two weeks each year when restaurants offer special three-course menus for $20, $30 or $40. The promotion, which started in 2008 with great promise and excitement, seems to have
D’vine Bistro & Wine Bar will celebrate its fifth anniversary (and its new ownership) with a Wine & Arts Festival on Saturday, June 2. The event, which will run noon to 3 p.m., will feature more than 25 wines, craft
Newly opened Monsterland in downtown Mesa kicks off a new special today. From 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, the horror-themed bar and grill will offer a three-course meal paired with three Arizona beers. Today’s menu features: 1st course: Phoenix Ale
SanTan Brewing celebrates American Craft Beer Week with a different burger special every day this week: Today: Short Rib Burger ($12.75): Beef short rib with morel mushroom and pearl onion ragout on French bread served with waffle fries. Suggested beer
Liberty Market will host its monthly community dinner Monday, May 28, at the downtown Gilbert restaurant. The dinner’s theme will be “Memorial Day Gourmet Picnic,” celebrating both the beginning of summer and our military veterans. The five-course menu hasn’t been released, but
In celebration of American Craft Beer Week, a number of East Valley restaurants and bars are hosting special events this week, including: Today: Tucson IPA tasting at Papago Wednesday: Oskar Blues koozie night at Papago Thursday: Sierra Nevada tap takeover
Lumberyard IPA from Lumberyard Brewing Company won a gold medal at the Ameri”CAN”Canned Beer Festival competition Saturday. It was the second year in a row the Flagstaff brewery took the India pale ale category. Grand Canyon Brewing from Williams captured a pair
The Brew Bros. will be at Whole Foods Chandler‘s Friday Beer Class showing beer lovers how to vote for the Valley in the annual Beer City USA competition. (We’re currently trailing badly!) Sonoran Brewing will be on hand with a
Firestone Walker Brewing rep Jeff Prior will be at the Hungry Monk in Chandler today to tap a firkin of the Paso Robles, Calif., brewery’s cask-conditioned Union Jack IPA at 4 p.m. and a keg of its Russian imperial stout Parabola at 6
I got my first look at the under-construction World of Beer, which is opening in downtown Tempe this summer in the 100-year-old Tempe National Bank building on the northwest corner of Mill Avenue and Sixth Street, across the latter from Canteen Modern
Whole Foods Chandler will host a three-course beer dinner Thursday, May 24, with Knee Deep Brewing from Sacramento, Calif. 1st course: Spicy cilantro cheese dip infused with Hoptologist DIPA, served with a pretzel crostini 2nd course: Choice of pulled Pork sandwich smothered
The menu’s finally out for the Odell beer dinner Saturday, May 19, at the Handlebar Pub & Grill in Apache Junction: 1st course: Marinated heirloom tomato, eggplant, and baby bell pepper tartlet with shaved asparagus and micro greens (paired with Odell
Big-screen monsters are the subject of this month’s Monday Night Movie series at SanTan Brewing in downtown Chandler. Each Monday at 9 p.m., the brewpub turns down the lights and shows a film on all seven HD screens. Tonight’s feature
Sometimes it’s hard to think of Sierra Nevada as a craft brewer. After all, the California brewery is the sixth-largest in the United States. But it all started in 1979 when a pair of home brewers, Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi, decided
Big congrats to Four Peaks Brewing, which won three medals Saturday at the World Beer Cup in San Diego: Hop Knot won the gold medal in the American-Style Strong Pale Ale category SunBru won the gold medal in the German-Style
Ten rare Belgian strong ales and saisons will be on tap for tonight’s Friday Beer Class at Whole Foods Chandler. Cost is $5. The class, open to anyone 21 or over, starts at 7 p.m.
Beer dinners are becoming somewhat common in the East Valley, but here are a couple you may be especially interested in: On Wednesday, May 9, Keegan’s Chandler will host a dinner featuring beers from California’s Firestone Walker. Just 35 seats
Today’s specials at East Valley restaurants include: BoomBozz Taphouse: $1.99 root beer floats Fat Willy’s: $9.99 all-you-can-eat fish fry Hungry Monk: $3 margaritas; $3 house wine;Â $3 Captain Morgan Iguana Macks: $11.99 ($10.99 seniors) all-you-can-eat fish fry from 4-10 p.m. Uncle
A sampling of today’s weekly specials at East Valley restaurants and bars (available all day unless otherwise noted): Coach & Willie’s: Every pasta dish, from bacon-crusted mac ‘n’ cheese to lobster ravioli, Â is just $9.99 from 4-10 p.m. Hungry Monk:
Saturday is Cinco de Mayo. Here are some of the food and drink specials around the East Valley that day: Antars Sports Bistro: $5 specialty margaritas all day; music by DJ Nerd. BLD: $2 sangria; $5 premium tequila shots Cadillac
Firestone Walker Brewing‘s Dave Walker (pictured on right) has come to the East Valley so many times this year you’d might think he’s personally delivering every keg of DBA and Union Jack. Brother-in-law Adam Firestone, on the other hand, rarely is
D’Vine Bistro: This week’s $5 wine tasting will be combined with a networking event including members of the East Valley Small Business Administration and the Chandler Chamber of Commerce from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Whole Foods Chandler: This week’s $5 wine tasting
Porkopolis opened its doors this afternoon on the southeast corner of Arizona Avenue and the 202, becoming the third BBQ restaurant to open in Chandler in three weeks. Can’t Stop Smokin’ Bar-B-Q opened earlier today, three days earlier than scheduled.
Il Vinaio, which does a popular Beer & Donuts Pairing three times a year, is branching out. This Thursday, the downtown Mesa restaurant is doing a Beer & Cheese Pairing. For just $12, you get half-pints of three craft beers (Left Hand
The Spot, the small but notable eatery that opened three months ago on the northeast corner of Ray and Higley, starts its happy hour today. Enjoy $2 cans of SanTan Brewing beers from 4 to 7 p.m. every day, as
Nicole Erny – one of only four master cicerones in the world, and the only female one – will be hanging out Papago Brewing tonight. Generally speaking, cicerones are beer experts – the equivalent of sommeliers in the wine world. The
The Beer PHXation blog noticed the Arizona legislature temporarily suspended its typical crazy-ass pursuits last week to actually pass something worthwhile. Almost unnoticed, lawmakers amended Arizona statutes to allow bars and liquor stores to fill and sell growlers. A growler,
California’s Sierra Nevada Brewing is the subject of this week’s Friday Beer Class at Whole Foods Chandler. Several special Sierra Nevada beers will be on tap, and there’ll be plenty of swag. This week’s 7 p.m. class, open to anyone
Woody, Deschutes Brewing‘s traveling beer barrel, is in the Valley for a couple days. The portable pub’s schedule is kinda sketchy – you can follow its Twitter account for updates – but it will be serving beers in the parking
Spanakopita, saganaki, and dolmadakia are just a few of the dishes on the menu for this weekend’s three-day A Taste of Greece festival at St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church in Chandler. Inside, the menu will feature lamb shank ($14), Athenian chicken
It’s a big week for beer and wine dinners, including: On Tuesday, SanTan Brewing returns to Rita’s Kitchen at Camelback Inn for another beer dinner (menu). Cost is $49. On Wednesday, Public House Garage in Ahwatukee hosts an Oskar Blues beer
Lagunitas Brewing will be the subject of this week’s Friday Beer Class at The Watering Hole at Whole Foods Chandler. The northern California brewery will have five selections avaiable, including its Waldo Imperial IPA, Fusion VII IPA, and Cappuccino Stout.
Flanny’s in Tempe kicks off a series of monthly tap takeovers tonight. First up: Delaware-based Dogfish Head. Starting at 6 p.m., 16 DFH beers will be on tap: 60 Minute IPA, 90 Minute IPA, My Antonia, TaHenket, Immort Ale, Olde School Barley Wine, Fort, Hellhound On My Ale, Namaste, Burton
Andrew Zimmern, the host of the Travel Channel series “Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern” and “Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre World,” will be a featured guest at this weekend’s Great Arizona Picnic, the two-day culmination of the week-long Scottsdale Culinary Festival. Zimmern – who’s
Four Peaks Brewing, Arizona’s largest brewery, celebrates its 15th anniversary Saturday with Randomonium, an all-day festival of beer, food, and music at Tempe Beach Park. Along with Four Peaks’ lineup of well-known beers – such as Hop Knot, Kiltlifter, and
Tempe brewery Sleepy Dog begins the rollout of its new Monje Azul (Blue Monk) ale at, appropriately enough, Chandler’s Hungry Monk tonight. Monje Azul, which will be tapped at 5 p.m., is a blonde Belgian ale infused with pure blue
The Hungry Monk will play tribute to the late Pat Tillman by offering a special Red 42 Ale for a week starting this Saturday. The Chandler restaurant and craft beer bar will donate $1 from every pint to the Pat
Coffee will be the focus of Liberty Market‘s monthly community dinner, a five-course affair on Monday, April 30. The “Perked Up Dinner” menu: Stumptown “Hair Bender” espresso dusted sea scallops Salad of local, seasonal greens with green (unroasted) Ethiopian coffee
Confirming one of the worst-kept “secrets” in town, Old Chicago has announced it’s closing its location at Arizona Avenue and Ocotillo Road in Chandler at 10 p.m. Friday, April 21. The announcement came in an email to those on the restaurant’s
As if The Guess Who & Styx aren’t reason enough to attend Saturday’s annual Good Life Festival in San Tan Valley? But if you need more enticement, beer guru Chuck Noll from distributor World Class Beverages will be on hand
SanTan Brewing is the subject of Whole Foods Chandler‘s weekly Friday Beer Class. Join the guys and gals from the downtown Chandler brewery to learn more about their many beers, including HopShock IPA, nitrogenated Negro Nitron IPA, flagship Devil’s Ale
AZ Girls Pint Out is hosting its first wine-vs.-beer dinner at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 26, at My Wine Cellar in Ahwatukee. The women-only dinner features four food courses, each paired with a wine and a beer: 1st Course: Bruschetta
Garage Public House in Ahwatukee will host a five-course Oskar Blues beer dinner at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 25. The beers to be featured from the Lyon, Colo., brewery: Mama’s Little Yella Pils, Old Chub, G’Knight, Deviant Dales, and Ten
Downtown Mesa isn’t often associated with cutting-edge nightlife, but Monsterland is hoping to change that. In an era when America’s pop culture is being over-run by vampires and zombies, Monsterland – Arizona’s first horror-themed bar and grill – opens Friday
You don’t see a lot of beers from Shipyard Brewing Company on tap in the Valley. Tonight, though, the brewery from Portland, Maine, takes over Flanny’s in Tempe. Eight Shipyard beers will be on tap: XXXXIPA, Old Thumper ESB, Double
Smoke & Barrels, an annual cigar and microbrew tasting, will take place 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Fox Cigar Bar in Gilbert. The event will feature cigars by Perdomo, beers from Four Peaks, and food from Flancer’s. It’s the
Congrats to Arizona Wilderness Brewing Company, which reached its $40,000 Kickstarter goal with two days to spare. If you’re not familiar with Kickstarter, it’s a crowd-sourced fundraising tool. People pledge donations toward a proposed business, but only pay if the
Jesus of Suburbia has been sighted at SanTan Brewing:Â American Idiot Ale debuts today at the downtown Chandler brewery. Named for Green Day’s 2004 rock opera album, the limited-edition beer is an extra-hoppy version of SanTan’s flagship Devils Ale, according to
The Great Chandler BBQ War of 2012 has begun, with Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q firing the first shot. The Texas import just opened in a large, garage-like roadhouse on the northeast corner of I-10 and Chandler Boulevard. (Only about
Easter is one of the busiest brunch days of the year. Here are some of the special brunches in the Valley this Sunday. Reservations are required for most. Cork: A la carte menu includes Cork Benedict ($18), Italian-style omelets ($16), sweet
This is something East Valley wine lovers will want to check out: Whole Foods Chandler, already host of a popular Friday Night Beer Class, is launching a weekly Wine Night tonight, and it looks amazing. Enjoy a glass of wine (choice
Tempe eatery NY Boyz Subz & Wingz returns to defend its “King of Wings” title at Wingstock 2012 Saturday at Mesa Amphitheatre. Billed as “Where Music & Chicken Meat,” the 6-hour festival features live music and chicken wings. Other restaurants participating
Just four seats remain for Thursday’s Four Peaks Beer Dinner at D’Vine Bistro in Chandler. The 6 p.m. dinner features five courses by chef Ramon Rice paired with five beers from the Tempe brewery: Mussels sautéed with kale, onions, bacon
El Palacio reports some tickets still are available for Thursday’s SanTan Beer Dinner at the Chandler Mexican restaurant. The 6:30 p.m. dinner offers five courses: Prickly pear guacamole, spicy red chili popcorn, and a cilantro pesto shrimp with cilantro sour
The Spot in Gilbert is celebrating its two-month anniversary today by offering five of its most popular menu items for $5 apiece from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Located on the northeast corner of Ray and Higley, the pint-sized eatery
Lon Weatherson, brewmaster at recently opened College Street Brewhouse & Pub in Lake Havasu City, will be the featured guest at Whole Foods Chandler’s weekly beer class at 7 tonight. Weatherson will provide samples of six of his beers –
I feel hopeful, and a little sorry, for the Great American BBQ & Beer Festival. On one hand, the third-year event continues to grow. Organizers say a record 12,000 people attended Saturday’s eight-hour fest in downtown Chandler. On the other
The day has finally arrived: Postino East, the second spinoff of Arcadia’s popular wine cafe, opens at 11 a.m. today in downtown Gilbert. Located on the northwest corner of Gilbert and Page, Postino takes over the southern half of the
Earlier this week, I spotlighted a dozen of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the East Valley on Saturday. There are, of course, many other eateries offering specials. Here are 10 more to consider: • The Hungry Monk: The corned
Congrats to Joe’s Farm Grill, which has been nominated for induction into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame. The Gilbert burger stand’s competition for “Exceptional Establishment” is formidable. This year’s other nominees: Binkley’s in Cave Creek FnB in Scottsdale Barrio
If you can’t wait until Saturday’s Food Truck Round Up at Superstition Farm, you can sate your food-truck jones tonight when the southeast Mesa dairy hosts a Pop Up Pig Out. For $15, get all you can eat from four
Irish Republic: The party at the former Murphy’s Law is spilling across the street  into  A.J. Chandler Park. It’s a family-friendly affair from noon to 5 p.m. with bagpipers, Irish dancers, and games. After 5, it’s 21-and-over with music from Kung
“Breakfast for Dinner” is the theme of Liberty Market‘s next community dinner, which will be Monday, March 26, at the downtown Gilbert restaurant. The menu has yet to be finalized, but chef David Traina (pictured above talking to guests at
Fat Willy’s Family Sports Grill opens its fifth East Valley location today in Chandler, and is giving away free burgers to celebrate. Located in the former Red White & Brew space on the northwest corner of Gilbert and Chandler Heights
How many people can you cram into the Phoenix Art Museum’s sculpture garden before Devoured becomes overcrowded? The answer, apparently, is fewer than 2,500 – the attendance cap that organizers had put on the annual all-you-can-eat-and-drink festival and was reached
A crowd of nearly 2,000 people was “pigging out” – literally – during the first day of Devoured. Pork was the unofficial ingredient du jour from restaurants at Arizona’s premier culinary festival, an all-you-can-eat-and-drink affair held on a picture-perfect 70-degree
If you subscribe to the MXSW Weekend Guide, you already know about the top things going on this weekend. (If you don’t get that newsletter, you subscribe at the top of the left column of this page.) But there are
Coach & Willie’s in downtown Chandler has launched new happy hour food and drink deals. The $5 appetizers: Italian nachos, lettuce wraps, potato skins, fried chicken skewers, meatballs, prime rib sliders, Mediterranean vegetable dip, margherita flatbread, fried mozzarella caprese, and shrimp tostadas.
If you missed last night’s “Craft the Next Blue Moon” event at Papago, you have two more chances to sample and vote on the brewery’s fall seasonal prototypes – Blackberry Tart, Caramel Apple Spiced Ale and Dark Chocolate Bacon Porter. Your
My Wine Cellar & Bistro in Ahwatukee will host its first-ever beer dinner Tuesday, March 27, with downtown Chandler’s SanTan Brewing Co. In October, My Wine Cellar was bought by Zoya Vora-Shah (pictured), formerly a sales representative with Quail Distributing. Chef
Blue Moon is testing a trio of prototype fall seasonal ales at select bars across the country this month. The first of four Arizona samplings is 6 p.m. tonight at Papago Brewing. The beers: Caramel Apple Spiced Ale Blackberry Tart
I got the opportunity during Arizona Beer Week to have lunch with Dave Walker, who teamed up with his brother-in-law Adam Firestone to launch Firestone Walker Brewing Company in 1996. A native of Cornwall, England, Walker is a big fan
Wedge & Bottle in Ahwatukee is hosting a Beer & Cheese Pairing Class from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday. Participants will taste five different craft beers and pair them with five cheeses. Cost is $20 per person. RSVP: 480-704-1255.
After courting dozens of brewers over the past two years, downtown Mesa finally appears to have landed its first microbrewery. Joe Campbell and Jeff Bryant plan to open Desert Eagle Brewing Company this summer on the north side of Main
Sports are the theme of SanTan Brewing‘s weekly Monday Night Movies this month. The Chandler brewpub kicks off things with the baseball flick “The Sandlot” at 9 tonight. The rest of this month’s schedule: “Hoosiers” (March 12), “The Program” (March
Brewing beer is a male-dominated profession, but you might not know it based on recent events in the Valley. Last week, New Belgium brewer Lauren Salazar made several local appearances in conjunction with Arizona Beer Week. This weekend, Moylan’s brewer Denise
A record 264 beers will be available for sampling at the 24th annual Great Arizona Beer Festival at Tempe Town Lake on Saturday. More than 50 breweries from all over the country – plus a few from overseas – will
Arizona Beer Week concludes today. Here are some of today’s highlights: Brewing Up Hope Papago Brewing hosts an outdoor festival celebrating the camaraderie of the beer industry from noon to 4 p.m. Numerous breweries will be pouring specalty beers in honor of
Arizona Beer Week runs through Saturday. Here are some of today’s highlights: Shuffleboard Tournament Play shuffleboard at Papago Brewing with brewers and reps from several breweries from 4 -6 p.m., followed by an evening with New Belgium brewer Lauren Salazar from 6-8
Ra Sushi, known for its rockin’ happy hour 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, is expanding it. Four of its Valley locations – including all three in the East Valley – are starting a reverse happy hour 10 p.m.
Arizona Beer Week runs through Saturday. Here are some of today’s highlights: Bell’s Eccentric Cafe Bell’s Brewery from Kalamazoo, Mich., takes over The Hungry Monk in Chandler from 3 p.m. to close with a whopping 20 of its beers on tap, including
Arizona Beer Week runs through Saturday. Here are some of today’s highlights: Beer & Brewers Team Trivia Head to Flanny’s in south Tempe to compete in a beer trivia contest with representatives from some of your favorite breweries, such as Lagunitas,
Arizona Beer Week runs through Saturday. Here are some of today’s highlights: Oregon beer tasting Breweries from the Beaver State will be featured at Whole Foods Chandler‘s bar, aka The Watering Hole, from 6-9 p.m., including Deschutes (which will have Stoic &
Fritzs Footlong, a hot dog shop, has opened in the former Smokey’s Bar & Grill on the northwest corner of Main Street and Gilbert Road in Mesa. The menu features quarter-pound all-beef hot dogs, Polish dogs, bratwursts, spicy dogs, footlong
Recently opened BoomBozz Pizzeria & Taphouse in Gilbert is offering a special deal for Arizona Beer Week. Every day this week, it’s pairing one of its large specialty pizzas with two pints of Arizona craft beer for $20: Monday: D’Sienna
