Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Pig & Pickle in Scottsdale: Happy Hour Report Card

The Spot: Pig & Pickle 2922 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale 480-990-1407 www.pigandpickle.com See Also: - Bink's Midtown in Phoenix: Happy Hour Report Card - Scottsdale's Pig & Pickle a Culinary Power to the People - Perk Eatery and Barrio Cafe Scheduled for Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in ... More >>

Perk Eatery and Barrio Cafe Scheduled for Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in May

In January, spiky-haired chef Guy Fieri spent time with six Valley restaurants for the 14th season of his popular Food Network show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. See also: - Amy's Baking Company in Scottsdale Is the Season Finale of Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay, Natch - Perk Eatery's Paul ... More >>

Top Five Phoenix Food Stories of the Week: St. Patrick's Day Edition

Every week, there's a cornucopia of Phoenix food news, features, and reviews to report here at Chow Bella. If you're like most people, you probably just don't have the time to get to all of it. So, here's a recap of some of the top stories from the week that you may have missed.

Matt Pool on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, His Last Meal on Earth, and What Most People Don't Know About Coffee

This is part two of my interview with Matt Pool, owner of Matt's Big Breakfast and Giant Coffee. If you missed part one, where Pool explains what he learned from Chris Bianco and defends Phoenix as a food town, read it here. See also: -- Chris Bianco's Italian Restaurant Gets a Facelift and We've G ... More >>

Matt Pool On Chris Bianco, Andreoli Italian Grocer and Phoenix as a Food Town

Matt Pool Matt's Big Breakfast 825 N. 1st Street, Phoenix 602-254-1074, mattsbigbreakfast.com Giant Coffee 1437 N. 1st Street, Phoenix 602-396-7215 See also: -- Chili Challenge: TexAZ Grill vs. Matt's Big Breakfast -- Matt's Big Breakfast: New, Bigger Location Now Open This is part one of my i ... More >>

11 Best Pizza Spots in Metro Phoenix

As a restaurant town, Phoenix still gets a bum rap: too many chains, too few ethnic, no restaurant-rich urban core, and no famous equivalent to Philly's cheesesteak or Chicago's hot dog to call our own. But there's one thing we do have in abundance, and it's great pizza. Seriously, we are a first-ra ... More >>

La Piazza Al Forno to Open Second Location Under New Name in Downtown Phoenix

La Piazza Al Forno, the Glendale pizza spot famous for its real-deal Neapolitan pizza, hit the big time after its appearance on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. In fact, the place has become so successful that chef-owner Justin Piazza plans to open a new location in downtown Phoenix no later than June o ... More >>

15 Metro Phoenix Restaurants to Visit During Spring Training 2013

Spring Training is almost upon us, which means winter is officially over and it's time to break out the shorts. This right here is the weather we Phoenicians live for, the reason we endure five hellish months of summer and severe cases of cabin fever . . . just for the few all-too-brief months of ba ... More >>

New Television Series Filming Three Valley Restaurants for Taco Wars (Oh, Canada!)

With all the television love Valley restaurants have been receiving lately, you can hardly get to a table without hitting your head on a boom mic. See also: - Set Your DVR to Stun: Kitchen Nightmares Candidate Amy's Baking Company Scheduled to Be on Check Please! Arizona - Guy Fieri Spends Time Wi ... More >>

Aaron May Opens Over Easy Locations in Mesa and Gilbert

When chef-restaurateur Aaron May and his partner-dad Brad opened the first Over Easy in 2007 in a former Taco Bell on 40th Street, they had an instant hit on their hands. Even though they'd added on a small shaded patio -- bigger than the restaurant's interior -- they still had long waits on the wee ... More >>

Top Five Phoenix Food Stories of the Week

Every week, there's a cornucopia of Phoenix food news, features, and reviews to report here at Chow Bella. If you're like most people, you probably just don't have the time to get to all of it. It's kind of like those burgers at Old Town Whiskey; it just won't all fit in your mouth ... or in this ca ... More >>

Perk Eatery's Pauline Martinez On What It's Like to Be on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

If the Valley restaurant scene seemed "off the chain" this week, blame it on restaurateur and Food Network host Guy Fieri. The spiky-haired chef was in town quietly filming six Valley restaurants for the 14th season of his popular show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. See also: Guy Fieri Spends Time W ... More >>

Guy Fieri Spends Time With Six Valley Restaurants for New Season of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives

Recently, Guy Fieri has been in the spotlight, thanks to Pete Wells utterly destroying his new Times Square restaurant, Guy's American Kitchen, in a New York Times review. But this week, the restaurateur and Food Network host has been quietly filming six Valley restaurants for the 14th season of hi ... More >>

Schnitzel Showdown: Haus Murphy's vs. Bavarian Point

It's October, which means Oktoberfest, which means we all have a semi-legit excuse for drinking copious amounts of beer and dancing the polka (sorry, there are no excuses for wearing dirndls or lederhosen). So it seems like a good time to re-visit two of the Valley's longest running German restauran ... More >>

Five Food/Farm-Related Kickstarter Projects in Arizona That Want Your Money

Kickstarter, the crowdfunding platform for creative pursuits ranging from a nano-satellite that lets you "tweet" from space to a comic book about a killer zombie monkey to Bike-In Theater, allows enterprising idea people to skip conventional means of project funding and go right to the folks that ma ... More >>

Chris Costantino of Cotstantino's Kitchen (Part Two)

Chef Talk this week has brought you into Costantino's Kitchen, where Chris Costantino is cooking up small, handmade batches of his Grandma Angie's Tomato Basil Sauce. On Monday, we talked about how he broke into the culinary world from his past corporate life, and got the scoop on the sauce that's ... More >>

Thee Pitts "Again" Does Pulled Turkey, Chicken, and Pork Sandwiches For Under $10

Shelby MooreThe Pork and Slaw sandwich with a side of roasted veggies.​Sometimes you sit down to eat at a diner on the far side of Glendale, order a pulled pork sandwich topped with slaw, finish it with a deep-fried Twinkie, and tell yourself the place would be a great addition to Diners, ... More >>

Matt's Big Breakfast vs. Over Easy: Omelet Onslaught

In this week's Battle of the Dishes, we're pitting two local breakfast giants against one another omelet-a-omelet. Matt's Big Breakfast and Over Easy are frequently named as top breakfast joints, and both of them were featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.

Top Six French Fry Fixes in Metro Phoenix

joesfarmgrill.com Joe knows his fries.  ​This is the list that needs no introduction -- except to say that we fully expect you to throw something hot and greasy at us when you see what we chose for Number 1. 6. Joe's Farm Grill The trifecta of fries at Joe's Farm Grill in Gilber ... More >>

Kimberly White of Mrs. White's Golden Rule Cafe Dies Too Young at 34

​Kimberly White, granddaughter of Mrs. White of Mrs. White's Golden Rule Cafe and brother of Larry White Jr. of LoLo's Chicken & Waffles, passed away Friday at the age of 34. "She was sweet, not an enemy in the world," her father, Larry White Sr., told me this afternoon. "Kimberly was t ... More >>

$10 Lunch at Los Taquitos

Megan Dobransky The exterior of Los Taquitos Grill in Ahwatukee.​Los Taquitos Grill's claim to fame is its appearance on the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," although you wouldn't know it by walking into the Mexican restaurant. The only nod to the fame is in the form of co ... More >>

Pie Fight: Pizza a Metro vs. La Piazza al Forno

Sauce. Cheese. Dough. Pizza-making might seem like a simple endeavor, but there are  dozens of factors that go into determining what makes a quality pie. Most are personal preference: wood fired versus oven baked; thin crust or deep dish. Hand tossing, sauce consistency and type of cheese also ... More >>

Matt's Big Breakfast Threatens to Flatten Joe's Diner Like a Pancake

A real pancake is a thing of beauty. Not Bisquick or the fast food version, but an honest-to-goodness made from scratch griddle cake filled with love and real buttermilk. Some people, like my earnest dining companion, grew up with these comfort food treats. Others of us were ... More >>

Joe's Farm Grill: Lunch $10 & Under

Joe's Farm Grill may be way the heck out in Gilbert, but it's definitely worth the hike, especially if you're into Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Joe's is the first in the list: A renovated farmhouse has a classic 1950's feel in a picturesque setting called Agritopia.

Austin Chantos: Olive and Ivy

Carol BlonderAustin Chantos​ Pastry Chef Austin Chantos grew up eating hearty midwestern meals in central Illinois. He still favors the flavors and kind of cooking his chef father provided for the family: biscuits with gravy and one- pot meals filled with meats, vegetables and potatoes. Austin gl ... More >>

Now Open: Los Taquitos

​There's a new, second location of Los Taquitos -- a brand recently acquired by JNK Concepts (Roka Akor, Bombay Spice, etc.) -- in a space at 16th Street and Glendale that previously housed San Gabriel Cafe, another South-of-the-Border spot that was owned by JNK. The original Ahwat ... More >>

Ten Things You Didn't Know About The Chuckbox

MasterChef, the American Idol of Cooking, Premieres This Tuesday -- Prepare for Stomach for "Funeral Potatoes"

This Tuesday on Fox, Mr. needs-a-nap chef Gordon Ramsay brings the world's biggest cooking competition to America with MasterChef. Featuring home cooks competing for $250,000 and the chance to publish their own cookbook, this American Idol of cooking shows doses out more drama than the wildly pop ... More >>

Cook Like an Iron Chef with Michael Symon Starts With Dissing The Food Network

​Iron Chef Michael Symon breaks out of Kitchen Stadium this Thursday with his new show on The Cooking Channel, Cook Like an Iron Chef. Symon, who owns Lola, Lolita, Bar Symon, and the B Spot restaurants in Northeast Ohio, as well as Roast in Detroit, says the show is for people who've watched ... More >>

Adam Richman, Host of Man v. Food Takes On Chompies, Los Reyes de la Torta, Alice Cooper's Big Unit, and Scottsdale Guilt This Wednesday on The Travel Channel

​This Wednesday, former All My Children actor and current host of Man v. Food, Adam Richman, travels to Phoenix to stop at Los Reyes de la Torta and Alice Cooperstown, before taking on the Ultimate Slider Challenge at Chompie's. The challenge, which will air Wednesday night at 9 p.m. on the Travel ... More >>

The Next Food Network Star: Let's Just Cut to The Finale, OK?

Unlike reality show cooking competitions in which it's all about the food and one bad dish can send a front-runner packing, The Next Food Network Star is more about on-air personality -- and that ain't anything that's gettin' fixed overnight. That said, this season looks pretty clear cut, so let's ... More >>

MasterChef With Gordon Ramsay, The American Idol of Cooking Shows, Coming to Fox in July

With no restaurant experience, a passion for cooking, and a dream of one day working as a professional chef, 50 just-like-us contestants will test their skills and palate in hopes of becoming the winner of MasterChef, the cooking competition show coming to Fox on July 29. Gordon Ramsay, the show's ... More >>

Hell's Kitchen Season 7 Opener: Continued Abuse, Crazy Contestants, and a (Yech!) Chef Ramsay Make-Out Session

Another Hell's Kitchen, another ride on the Chef Ramsay roller coaster. In last week's first episode, it didn't take long for Gordo to send food flying all over the kitchen, repeatedly kick defenseless stainless steel appliances, and shout out such gems as, "You're gonna blow someone's mind off!" ... More >>

Rito's Mexican Food: You Can't Fix What Isn't Broken

Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern in Arizona Is Made Even More Bizarre, Thanks to Confusing and Creepy Play-Date With Chris Bianco

​So last week, Andrew Zimmern goes on a quest for real Sonoran cuisine in Arizona on Bizarre Foods and hooks up with Chris Bianco, the wait-in-line-for-two-hours pizza guy of Pizzeria Bianco. Huh? What? Why? Were all the Mexican foodies in the Valley busy? Did Silvana Salcido Esparza, owner of Bar ... More >>

Hell's Kitchen Season 7: Meet the Cast, and What Andrew Zimmern's Doing in Arizona

Cast of Hell's Kitchen, Season 7 ​"Don't act like a cry baby!" "You (bleep) donkey!" "Get out!" Uplifting comments like these from Chef Gordon Ramsay are just a taste of what the 16 culinary contestants competing on Hell's Kitchen's seventh season, premiering Tuesday, June 1, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, w ... More >>

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Finale: Fizz-Out, Fat Rascal Flatts, and Weird-ass Montage

There, there, Jamie, at least you tried. You came up $20,000 short of your financial goal to keep fresh food on the plastic cafeteria trays of Huntington School's youth, some of the parents called bullshit on your healthy school lunches by sending more of their kids to school with bags of jelly be ... More >>

Local Eateries Featured in New TLC Series, Best Food Ever

Helen and Jan from Sweet Republic will soon be on TV, along with five other local food faves.​The Food Network has given a lot of love to Phoenix area restaurants over the past few years, but now another TV channel is about to showcase a slew of local food faves.TLC's new series, Best Food Ever, p ... More >>

Guy Fieri Is Too Crazy for All of Us, and This Week's Must-Watch Shows in "TV Dinner"

Looking for the latest in tasty television? Need to know the need-to-watch episodes of your favorite foodie shows? Chow Bella is here to help with reviews of the most delectable and dreadful, and a week-long, must-see schedule so you won't miss a thing. Whoa. Is NBC sure it wants Guy Fieri to host ... More >>

Women Call Bullshit on Dodge's "Man's Last Stand" Commercial, and Falling in Love with Marcela Valladolid, in "TV Dinner"

Looking for the latest in tasty television? Need to know the need-to-watch episodes of your favorite foodie shows? Chow Bella is here to help with reviews of the delectable and dreadful along with a handy, must-see schedule so you won't miss a thing. Wow, men sure have it tough with us masculinity- ... More >>

More Indie Breakfast Spots, Convenient Banh Mi, and Other Culinary Wishes for 2010

Battle of the Pecan Pie

In honor of the season, we figured this week's Battle of the Dishes should spotlight a treat we find on our own holiday dinner table every year. Pecan pie is a guilty pleasure -- thick, rich and chock full of enough calories to bust any "this year I'll stick to my diet over the holidays" ... More >>

Food Network Star Guy Fieri Heats up Mesa Arts Center

This past Friday evening, hundreds of Food Network fans crammed into the Mesa Arts Center for an evening of fast paced, rockin' fun at the Guy Fieri Road Show. This was the show's second to last performance on the 24-city tour (the last being Vegas, baby), so Guy pulled out all of the stop ... More >>

Guy Talk

Culinary star chats in Mesa

Food Network Star Guy Fieri Rock n' Rolls into Town

Food Network star Guy Fieri is taking his show -- and his rock and roll attitude -- on the road with The Guy Fieri Road Show, a 21-city tour that combines Guy's love of music and his passion for food. The tour will hit the Mesa Arts Center on Friday, December 18, with tickets ran ... More >>

Playing tour guide in Phoenix

The Food Network feasts at Joe's Farm Grill