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Laveen BBQ brings back pit-cooked barbecue, extends hours

🍖 For the 73rd year, the Laveen BBQ brings together neighbors, small businesses, artisans and more to celebrate the region’s rural roots and serve up some of Arizona’s very best barbecue. “We are one of the largest all-volunteer community festivals

Pita Jungle founders introduce Feta Cowboy in south Tempe

🥙 Feta Cowboy, a new concept from the founders of Pita Jungle, has opened on the northeast corner of McClintock and Warner in south Tempe. The counter-service restaurant, which takes over a strip-mall corner space formerly home to CoreLife Eatery,

Novus Place in Tempe welcomes Valley’s 8th Flower Child

🌼 Flower Child, a fast-casual healthy concept, opens its eighth Valley location today at Novus Place, the new entertainment district near the northwest corner of University and Rural on the east side of ASU’s Tempe campus. The menu features salads

The Melt joins PV development in Phoenix for Arizona debut

🧀 The Melt, a San Francisco-based chain specializing in cheeseburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, and mac and cheese, has made its Arizona debut at PV, the redevelopment of the former Paradise Valley Mall on the northwest corner of Cactus and Tatum

Nick the Greek’s 2nd Valley location opens in south Gilbert

🇬🇷 San Jose, Calif.-based chain Nick the Greek, which made its Arizona debut in downtown Phoenix in 2023, has opened a second location in the Target plaza on the southeast corner of Gilbert and the Loop 202 in south Gilbert. The

Neon Spur dive bar saddles up on Tempe’s Mill Avenue

🤠 Neon Spur, a 1970s-themed western dive bar, has opened in the former Handlebar space near the northeast corner of Mill and Seventh Street in downtown Tempe. The bar is a joint venture by Clive Collective (Cala, Tell Your Friends)

Gadzooks Enchiladas & Soup closes Tempe & Chandler locations

🚫 Gadzooks Enchiladas & Soup, a local fast-casual concept offering a customizable menu of enchiladas, has closed its locations in downtown Tempe and downtown Chandler. The Tempe one, on University just west of Mill, opened in 2019. The Chandler one,

Tikka Shack launches 4th Valley restaurant in Chandler

🇮🇳 Tikka Shack, a Texas-based chain of fast-casual Indian restaurants, has opened its fourth Valley location in front of Whole Foods on the southeast corner of the Loop 101 and Ray in Chandler. It takes over the space formerly home

Hearsay and Perk Café open at renovated Esplanade in Phoenix

🥗 Hearsay Social Kitchen and Perks Café, two new concepts from Chicago-based Episcope Hospitality, have opened at the Esplanade on the southeast corner of 24th Street and Camelback in Phoenix. Episcope is helmed by David Morton, whose father Arnie Morton

Mimi Forno sibling A Modo Mio makes debut in northeast Mesa

🇮🇹 A Modo Mio Cucina Italiano, a family-run Italian restaurant, deli, bakery, and coffee shop, has opened on the southwest corner of Higley and Brown in northeast Mesa. It’s a sister concept to owner Domenico Cavallo’s celebrated Mimi Forno Italiano in Laveen. The

Top One Hot Pot & Asian Cuisine expands to south Chandler

🍜 Top One Hot Pot & Asian Cuisine, a well-regarded restaurant that opened in September at Superstition Springs in east Mesa, has launched a second location in south Chandler. The restaurant takes over the former Hong Kong Bistro space in the Bashas’ shopping

Tacos Chilango opens 3rd Valley location in south Phoenix

🌮 Tacos Chilango, a locally owned concept specializing in Mexico City street food, has opened its third location in the Legacy Village Plaza on the northwest corner of 24th Street and Baseline in downtown Phoenix. The menu features al carbon and

Espiritu sibling Main Burgers makes debut in downtown Mesa

🍔 Main Burgers, a new eatery from the team behind highly regarded Espiritu in downtown Mesa, has opened a few doors down in the former Subway building on the southeast corner of Main and Robson. The concept is another joint

Noble Ground Coffee closes all 8 of its AZ coffee shops

☕️ Noble Ground Coffee, a local group of coffee shops that debuted in 2023, has abruptly closed all eight of its locations without explanation. The concept, which was designed to raise money for charitable causes, had three cafes in Phoenix,

Dodo Bird Kitchen & Cocktails comes to life in south Scottsdale

🦤 Dodo Bird Kitchen & Cocktails, a locally owned gastropub inspired by ‘‘the distinctive charm and playful spirit’’ of the extinct bird, has opened on the southwest corner of Hayden and Thomas in south Scottsdale. The heart of the menu are

Steadfast Diner replaces The Handlebar Diner in southeast Mesa

👨‍🌾 Steadfast Diner has opened in the vintage red-and-white Valentine diner formerly home to The Handlebar Diner at the master-planned Eastmark community in southeast Mesa. The restaurant, located on the north side of Ray halfway between Ellsworth and Signal Butte,

The Kolache Cafe expands with 3rd East Valley location

🥯 The Kolache Cafe, a locally owned bakery specializing in its namesake Czech pastries, has opened its third location on the northwest corner of Alma School and Guadalupe in southwest Mesa. Owners Jose and Bebe Leal introduced their concept in Ahwatukee