🐓 Nashville Hot Chicken, a California-based chain with locations in six states, has made its Arizona debut in the Sprouts Farmers Market plaza on the northwest corner of McClintock and Southern in Tempe.
What’s on the menu? Nashville-style chicken tenders and sandwiches (seven heat levels and flavors), Nashville-style shrimp, fries, jalapeño poppers, and mac-and-cheese bites.
If you go
📌 Nashville Hot Chicken, 1628 E. Southern Ave., Tempe, 602-654-2138. Open 11 a.m.-midnight Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Friday-Saturday.
🌮 Taco Bell is rolling out a new summer treat: Churro Chillers. The milkshakes come in four flavors – Mexican Chocolate, Dulce de Leche Coffee, Wild Strawberry, and Sweet Vanilla – and are topped with cold foam and churro crumbles.
🍔 McDonald’s has shut down its new beverage-focused concept CosMc’s, which it launched in Illinois in December. The chain also announced higher menu prices slowed first-quarter sales, but plan to counter with increased marketing.
🐓 Who makes the best-tasting chicken nuggets? The website Eat This Not That taste-tested the most popular fast-food nuggets and top honors went to Chick-fil-A, which edged out runner-up Wendy’s.
🍔 What’s Arizona’s favorite fast-food restaurant? According to a recent survey by the website Finance Buzz (which used metrics like online searches and number of restaurants), it’s Jack in the Box (which also was No. 1 in Nevada).
🍔 Angie’s Burger, the latest concept from the owners of Angie’s Lobster and Angie’s Prime Grill, debuts at 10:30 a.m. today in the Angie’s Prime Grill building near the southwest corner of Central and Thomas in central Phoenix.
What’s on the menu?
Classic Burger: 8-ounce USDA prime steakhouse burger with lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, and a house-made burger sauce ($7.99).
Cheeseburger: With sharp cheddar cheese. ($8.99).
Bacon Cheeseburger: With sharp cheddar and bacon ($9.99).
Burger with Egg: Topped with over-medium egg ($9.99).
Make it a meal: Add fries and a drink (soda, lemonade, or iced tea) for $2.
The space: This location has indoor seating but no drive-through.
Did you know? Owners Tony and Roushan Christofellis also founded the popular drive-through concept Salad and Go, which they sold in 2020.
If you go
📌 Angie’s Burgers, 53 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix. Open 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.
☕️ Shaghf Cafe, a Dubai-based chain of Arabian coffee shops, has opened its first Arizona location (and just its third in the U.S.) in the former Pho Bamboo space on the northwest corner of Apache and Dorsey in Tempe.
What’s on the menu? Specialty coffees, hot and cold coffee drinks, frappucinos, carrot cake, banana cake, tiramisu tarts, brownies, and more.
If you go
📌 Shaghf Cafe, 1250 E. Apache Blvd. #116, Tempe, 480-590-4909. Open 8 a.m.-midnight Sunday-Thursday and 8 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday.
🍺 Brews Burger Joint, which opened in 2019 as the Valley’s first location of Wisconsin-based Mr. Brews Taphouse before going independent, has opened a second location.
It recently purchased Hop Central on the southwest corner of Rural and Ray and has converted it into Chandler’s second Brews Burger Joint.
What’s on the menu? 14 specialty burgers and 24 beers on tap.
If you go
📌 Brews Burger Joint, 5055 W. Ray Road #2, Chandler, 480-284-6320. Open 11 a.m .-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.
👨🍳 Stuffed Shells Spinachi and Garlic Chicken Pesto will be the entrees when Romeo’s Euro Cafe in downtown Gilbert holds its weekly ‘‘Taste of Romeo’s’’ dinner at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
The dinners, held in a private dining room, feature five courses selected from the restaurant’s regular menu.
This week’s courses
Spanaki Balls: Spinach, rice, and a blend of cheeses. Battered and deep-fried. Served with marinara.
Greek Salad: Tomato cucumber salad with onion, green peppers, and feta cheese tossed in olive oil and red wine vinegar. Garnished with Kalamata olives and pepperoncini.
Stuffed Shells Spinachi: Pasta shells stuffed with spinach and cheese blend then baked in marinara.
Garlic Chicken Pesto (pictured): Chicken breast sautéed with roasted garlic, pine nuts, and olive oil in a basil pesto cream. Served over linguini.
German Chocolate Brownie
Cost is $44 per person plus tax and tip. You can add five wine tastes for $10. RSVP: 480-962-4224.
🐓🐖 Full Speed Chicken & Ribs, the new concept from Little Miss BBQ owners Scott and Bekke Holmes, has soft-opened in the former Trapp Haus BBQ space on the southeast corner of Roosevelt and Fifth Street in downtown Phoenix.
What’s on the menu? Fried chicken thighs and tenders (Southern, medium hot, or hottie hot hot), pork ribs, chicken and pork sandwiches, buttermilk biscuits, pimento cheese and crackers, and strawberry shortcake biscuits.
Wet your whistle: The house beer is Full Speed Red Chili, a slightly spicy collaboration with Wren House Brewing. Cocktails include the Don’t Be a Chicken made with pineapple jalapeño tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and simple syrup.
The space: The 1,700-square-foot building has a small indoor dining area, a back patio, and a walk-up window for to-go orders.
If you go
📌 Full Speed, 513 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, 602-237-5292. Soft opening hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Closed Mondays.
