Category: Food & Drink News

The Brickyard Downtown in downtown Chandler reopens at 3 p.m. today for the first time since the tragic death of its beverage director last week. Bobby Kramer, 31, was killed last Wednesday by a wrong-way driver on I-10. He left behind

Horrible news: Bobby Kramer, beverage director at The Brickyard Downtown and The Hidden House in downtown Chandler, was killed early Wednesday by a wrong-way driver on I-10 near Chandler Boulevard. Police say Kramer was traveling in the westbound lane at

Downtown Mesa, which launched a special outdoor dining area called al Fresco off Main last month, begins offering free meal delivery and free live music for those outdoor diners Thursday. Located on MacDonald just north of Main, the half-block fenced

The Ahwatukee dining community is reeling after family-run Bell’ Italia Pizzeria announced Monday that owner and chef Mario Caputo had died unexpectedly. ‘‘Mario’s passion for food and family was well known,’’ the restaurant posted on social media. ‘‘He treated his

Salad and Go, the salads-and-wraps drive-through concept that began in Gilbert in 2013, has quickly grown to 25 locations. Today, however, it pulls off a first for the concept: It’s opening two new locations on the same day. The newest

Arizona state Rep. Jeff Weninger from Chandler has introduced a bill to allow restaurants and bars to sell to-go cocktails again, helping the struggling hospitality industry recover from the covid-19 pandemic. It would be similar in effect to Gov. Doug

Condolences to the family and friends of Tomaso Maggiore, the prolific Valley restaurateur and chef who lost his battle with lung cancer today at age 73. The Sicilian-born Maggiore launched more than 50 restaurants in Arizona and California, including The

Ghett Yo Taco, the 3-year-old taco shop in downtown Chandler, will close for several days of remodeling work starting Saturday. (If you’ve driven by this week, you may have noticed the extended patio and newly installed lawn.) The restaurant and

Aioli Gourmet Burgers has spun off a new business – Fresh Taste Meal Prep – that delivers fully cooked meals to your door while supporting local non-profits to feed the hungry. For every 10 meals purchased, FTMP will donate one meal

Arizonans must really love kolaches. The Kolache Cafe, which planned to launch its grand opening last weekend, instead was forced to close after being overwhelmed by customers. A soft opening began Jan. 8, and by the official grand opening last

Better late than never (thanks to covid-19), Cider Corps in downtown Mesa releases its seasonal fall pie ciders today. Six-packs are $20 and include two 12-ounce cans apiece of Pumpkin Pie, Peach Cobbler, and Cherry Crisp. Single cans also are

One of the Valley restaurant scene’s longest covid-19 closures ended Monday with the reopening of Ghost Ranch Southwest Modern Cuisine in south Tempe. The 2-year-old restaurant, which has been closed for six months, features several new faces, including executive chef David

The Hub Grill & Bar in east Mesa is closed indefinitely after what it called ‘‘a small fire’’ just before midnight Thursday. Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze but not before the sports bar on the northeast corner of

Freezer’s Ice House, a pool hall/sports bar/nightclub-ish concept that has struggled to define itself since opening in 2017 on the southeast corner of Mill and Broadway in Tempe, is transforming into a new concept: Mill’s Modern Social. What it means: Besides

In a tearful social media post, Charli Tarango Hopewell (pictured) announced she is selling her 5-year-old namesake restaurant and bar Good Time Charli’s in west Chandler. What’s changing: Apparently not much. According to Hopewell, the new owners will retain the

Bird Dog Produce, a new Valleywide produce delivery service, allows people to order customized boxes from a selection of 80-plus fruits and vegetables from farms across Arizona and beyond. Who’s behind it? The concept was launched by Andy Itule, the

Chandler-based Serrano’s Mexican Restaurants has temporarily closed its Tempe location at Rural and Guadalupe for a major renovation. The timeline: The restaurant is scheduled to reopen in early 2021. Try instead: The other four Serrano’s locations in the East Valley

A Taste of Greece, the twice-a-year Chandler festival sidelined by the pandemic, is selling some of its most popular Greek food items to go this week. Take-and-bake entrees: Pastitsio ($60 tray/$30 half-tray), moussaka ($60/$30), spanakopita ($36 for six portions), tsoureki

Cider Corps in downtown Mesa celebrates its third anniversary all week, starting with the reopening of its taproom Wednesday. Dine-in hours are 3-10 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, noon-10 p.m. Saturday, and noon-6 p.m. Sunday. This week’s anniversary festivities also will include the

A Maricopa County Superior Court judge has struck down a pandemic-related exemption allowing Arizona restaurants to sell liquor to go. For the moment, however, restaurants still are allowed the exemption while waiting to see if Gov. Doug Ducey appeals the