A new year brought some new restaurants to metro Phoenix including a new concept from one of the city's best-loved chefs and four new restaurants at Westgate in Glendale. We also got a new location of Squid Ink Sushi, and a pizza spot that's bringing a taste of The Windy City to Gilbert.
Unfortunately, we also had to say good-bye to some our favorite spots. Most notably, we're sad to see Gallo Blanco at the Clarendon Hotel go, as well as Chandler's Barrelhouse American Kitchen and Cocktails.
See also: 2014 Restaurant Openings and Closings in Metro Phoenix
Openings
- Barrio Urbano, Phoenix
- Hot N' Juicy Crawfish, Glendale
- Fractured Prune, Glendale
- Crave Modern Waffle Sandwiches, Glendale
- Opa Life Greek Cafe, Glendale
- Squid Ink Sushi, Scottsdale
- Noble Eatery, Phoenix
- Zang Asian Bistro, Glendale
- Sanfratello's, Gilbert
- Gallo Blanco, Phoenix
- Barrelhouse American Kitchen & Cocktails, Chandler
- Chino Bandido, Chandler
- Bertie's Vintage, Arcadia
"Compared to the French-leaning cuisine you'll find at her famous Barrio Cafe and the simple fast-casual food she's putting out at Barrio Avion, the breakfast menu at Barrio Urbano really turns up the heat."
A second Valley location of Hot N' Juicy Crawfish will open its doors at Westgate this Friday. The Las Vegas-based restaurant chain specializes in boiled seafood covered in a selection of Cajun-style sauces.
The new dining destinations at Westgate include the third Valley location of Fractured Prune, a popular doughnut shop that first arrived in Chandler last April.
Called Crave Gourmet Waffle Sandwiches, this spot comes from the owner of Razzleberriez Frozen Yogurt and will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Look for a variety of sweet and savory options including waffle sandwiches, salads, sweet waffle desserts, and shakes.
Squid Ink Sushi, the locally-owned Japanese restaurant from chef and owner Schuyler Estes, will open a third location in Scottsdale today. The newest restaurant can be found at 7318 E. Shea Boulevard, on the northeast corner of Scottsdale and Shea.
One of our favorite bites had to be the smorgas ($9), an open-faced sandwich not unlike Danish smørrebrød. Urciuoli says this dish will often feature seafood, in this case pieces of King crab over a creamy layer of canellini beans with just a touch of paprika on Noble's nine grain bread.
Though Zang probably won't replace your favorite spot for authentic Chinese eats, this cozy Glendale spot delivers approachable food in generous proportions.
Despite what you might expect from a Chicago pizzeria, Sanfratello's signature product isn't a deep-dish pie but rather a thin-crust "party cut" (or square cut) pizza.
Closings
As much as we wished that the rumors surrounding the closure of Gallo Blanco at The Clarendon Hotel were part of a cruel joke, owners Doug and Denise Robson announced on Facebook on Saturday that the restaurant will, in fact, close at the end of the month.
According to a post on the restaurant's Facebook page, Barrelhouse Kitchen and Cocktails is now preparing to close its doors for good. The decision comes after the sudden departure of chef Stephan Germanaud, according to the post.
After 10 years in the East Valley neighborhood, Chino Bandido in Chandler closed its doors for good at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 31.
Since the fall of 2012, Bertie's Vintage has been serving kick-ass milkshakes and retro candy to the Arcadia neighborhood -- all while also offering a side dose of awesome vintage shopping. Part soda fountain, part candy shop, and part vintage store, Bertie's became a catch-all destination for diners and shoppers looking to get their retro fix.
Now, according to a post on the restaurant's Facebook page, Bertie's of Arcadia has closed its doors for good.
