Soft Drinks

Ranch Dressing-Flavored Soda Exists. Here's Where You Can Get It.

Because apparently people can't get enough mayonnaise-y goodness in their lives, ranch flavored soda is now a real thing. We can totally see why Lester's Fixins, a company known for creating such interesting soda flavors as chicken wing and bacon, would think people want this product. Remember the S ... More >>

Where to Eat and Drink -- and Buy Cowboy Boots -- in Hermosillo, Sonora (Part 2)

The problem with traveling to eat is that by 11 a.m., with terrible coffee, pastries, tortillas and seafood in my stomach, I was full to the point of wanting nothing more than a nap in an air-conditioned room. You know that sun that spreads out throughout the Valley of the Sun? That same sun focuses ... More >>

Judge Strikes Down NYC Soda Ban

A state Supreme Court Judge upended New York City's ban on some high-capacity sodas which was set to go into effect this Tuesday. Mayor Bloomberg, who championed the ban on some sodas over 16 ounces in size, was less than pleased and said that the judge had erred in his ruling. He also said that he ... More >>

Sun Up Brewery in Phoenix: Happy Hour Report Card

The Spot: Sun Up Brewery, 322 East Camelback Road, 602-279-8909, www.sunupbrewing.com See Also: - Fate Brewing Company: Happy Hour Report Card - Eleven Favorite Phoenix Beers - Uwe Boer of SunUp Brewing Co., the Jolliest Man in Brewing The Hours: Happy Hour is offered daily from 3 to 6 p.m.

Rocket Burger & Subs Offers Soda Heaven

The Guilty Pleasure: The Wall of Soda Where to Get It: Rocket Burger & Subs, 35th Ave and Cactus Price: $1.99 (or $9.95 for a six-pack) 
What It Really Costs: Go ahead and schedule that dentist visit now. Everyone has their preferred bad-for-you vice. Some people can't live without a pack of smok ... More >>

Citizen Public House in Scottsdale Plans to Unveil Carbonated, Bottled Cocktail on New Year's Eve

Fizzy cocktails are nothing new. The Tom Collins, gin and tonic, French 75, Champagne cocktail and good old rum and Coke have been tickling noses for decades, if not centuries. But these days, bartenders in New York and San Francisco are making house-carbonated cocktails, and to hear them tell it, ... More >>

Oh, My, Bertie's of Arcadia Is Retro-Riffic!

When a new spot opens in town, we can't wait to check it out -- and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that have just opened, sampling a few item ... More >>

"The Real Bears" Takes a Jab at the Coca-Cola Bears

Preempting Coca-Cola's polar bear themed holiday advertising campaign, the healthy eating advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest has launched a campaign aimed squarely at the lovable ambassadors of sugary delight. Their campaign called "The Real Bears," plays on the cute imagery of ... More >>

"James Dean" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's" Ice Cream Sodas at MacAlpine's

The Guilty Pleasure: Ice Cream Soda Where To Get It: MacAlpine's Soda Fountain, 7th Street and Oak How Much It Costs: $3.75 What It Really Costs: Possibly hundreds or thousands more. Depends on how much you like vintage furniture. I am a shameless fan of all things retro. My closet is crammed with ... More >>

The Quest For a Good Gin and Tonic

See Also: Last Call's Gin Primer, How to Drink It and Like It There I was behind the stick a few days ago. A guest ordered a gin and tonic. I whipped up one for him, he tasted it, and pronounced that it was a darn fine one. I shrugged my shoulders, and told him there's nothing to it. But that got m ... More >>

Product Review: Southern Comfort Bold Black Cherry

We never really had a problem with the original Southern Comfort. Sweet and interesting, the spiced liqueur served its purpose as the standard cola mixer, and even made its way into the occasional cocktail. Then they started coming out with new flavors, like lime and pepper, which confused us -- if ... More >>

Beyond Margaritas: More Great Tequila Drinks

This week, the mailbag fell open to reveal a message/question in a bottle: "Help! We stocked up on tequila for margarita season. Now we're already tired of margaritas and still have lots of tequila, what should I do with it?" Simple: Send it to your favorite booze blogger. Oh, you mean you want to ... More >>

Classic Pimm's Cup Makes a Comeback in Metro Phoenix

In this new series, Chow Bella blogger Nikki Buchanan shares what's hot right now -- and we're not talking about the temperature. Whether it's the latest trendy ingredient or the right dish for the season, she'll give you the backstory and where in town you can find it. It's official. Our five-mon ... More >>

Mojito Season Is Open!

It's that time of year when my thoughts turn away from warm, comforting Irish Coffees and Hot Buttered Rums. Balmy days like these call for a light, refreshing tipple. Few drinks can match the refreshing power of a personal favorite, the Mojito. Problem is, it's next to impossible to find a well-cra ... More >>

Spotted Donkey Cantina Concocts "The Cauldron" for Halloween

Not to be outdone by "The Undead" and "Brain Dead," two Halloween hooches offered up by Hula's Modern Tiki in Central Phoenix, the Spotted Donkey Cantina at el Pedregal, the North Scottsdale spot of Southwest-Mexican cuisine, has created a scary cocktail of their own, and they're calling it, "The Ca ... More >>

Talking Tonic with Rancho Pinot's Travis Nass

Image via Apartment Therapy Take a sip back in time with Rancho Pinot's gin and tonic featuring homemade tonic​When it comes to classic cocktail perfection, it's hard to beat the Gin and Tonic. Crisp, well-balanced and crystal clear, drop in a few ice cubes and a slice of lime, and you've g ... More >>

Carla Logan's Olive Tapanade

Kholood Eid​In the kitchen with: Carla Logan, aka Carly Making: olive tapenade It's a sweltering July afternoon, but inside Carly's Bistro it's dim and cool, with blinds drawn to filter out the light. And although we came during the lull between lunch and dinner, the owner's life is plenty ... More >>

Hot Fudge Root Beer Float Cupcakes: Consigliere to the Cupcake Mob

How Sweet It Is​Is there no getting out of the cupcake mob? "Every time I try to get out, they pull me back in." -- AHHHHH! CUPCAKE GODFATHER! As much as I'd like to pass this one up, I simply cannot. Seriously, a hot fudge root beer float cupcake? With root beer frosting? That's fizzy? Fizzy ... More >>

Make Your Own Harry Potter Butterbeer

Food alchemy: Trying to turn ordinary cream soda into butterbeer.​In honor of this Friday's release of the long-awaited Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, The Virgin found it fitting to try to recreate one of the most magically delicious-sounding libations from the film series: Butt ... More >>

Top Five Beers for the Road

Only one thing could improve this view -- ice cold beers ​Yes, you read that right. Beer for the road -- a.k.a. Road Sodas. Seriously, it's road trip season and what makes road trips more fun? Beer, duh. Okay before you freak out, we're not talking about drinking beer while operating a vehic ... More >>

Bernie Kantak's Pan-Seared Scallops with Roasted Corn Grits

Citizen Public House​Yesterday, we caught up with Chef Bernie Kantak of Citizen Public House in Old Town Scottsdale. Today, the busy chef shares a recipe for a dish that's currently on tap for Arizona Spring Restaurant Week.Pan seared scallops with roasted corn grits, snow pea greens and red rock ... More >>

Executed Murderer Eric King's Last Meal: Catfish, Collard Greens, and Corn Bread

Catfish, collard greens, and cornbread: yum.​If there's one good thing about getting executed, it's the food.Eric John King was put to death this morning for the 1989 murders of two men at a Phoenix convenience store -- but he didn't die hungry.According to the Arizona Department of Correcti ... More >>

Pop the Soda Shop Closes and Moves to Downtown Phoenix

​Pop the Soda shop was always the place where you could find those rare, nostalgic beverages that seem to pre-date beverage behemoths like Pepsi and Coke. Birch beer, sarsaparilla, Moxie, and countless kinds of cola filled the shelves of the longstanding store in South Scottsdale. Now t ... More >>

Rocket Burger & Subs' Sandwiches Go Down Easy with One of the Restaurant's More Than 200 Brands of Soda

Caffiend: Black-Eyed Duce

E. Groves​The Duce, a new shopping and dining compound in Central Phoenix, offers everything from retro cocktails in the bar area to vintage French military fatigues in the shopping center. But one of the coolest components of this hub is a soda stand run by Jeff Guarino, owner of Pop the Soda Sho ... More >>

Caffiend: X-Drinx Kosmic Kola

​When it comes to high-octane sodas, few brands can compare to Jolt cola, which generally packs more than twice the caffeine of supercharged pops like Mountain Dew. But one fairly new "energy cola," X-Drinx, comes pretty darn close to Jolt-power.A 12-ounce bottle of X-Drinx Kosmic Kola contains un ... More >>

7UP Fireworks Spectacular

Jack in the Box's 3 for $3 and the Battle for Economical Satisfaction

Behind the Bar: Tyler Christensen at Malee's Thai Bistro

​Not only is Tyler Christensen the bar manager at Malee's Thai Bistro, but he's also a musician, world traveler (where he picks up ingredients and ideas for drink creations) and public-transit advocate. Oh, and did we mention he started his own independent record label?One of Christensen's other p ... More >>

Top 5 Least Fattening Cocktails

fashiontribes.typepad.comOh to be drunk and skinny.​Last week we featured the Top 5 Cocktails That Will Make You Fat, so it's only fair to follow it up with what you may want to drink instead. Let's be frank: if you're trying to lose weight, you should probably stop drinking altogether; but ... More >>

Newsflash: You Have to Be Bitchy to Make it in Beverly Hills, in this week's "TV Dinner"

If TV has taught us anything about Beverly Hills, it's that it's full of super-rich, catty a-holes who are beautiful, own Chihuahuas, and are anti-Clampett. For once, can't somebody tell these folks where they can stick their Chanel? Hey, maybe someone on Food Network's new scripted reality show, P ... More >>

Laarks

Caffiend: Jolt Orange Blast

E. Groves​Since it was introduced in 1985, Jolt Cola's had a well-deserved reputation as one of the world's most caffeinated sodas, proudly standing by its motto of "All the sugar and twice the caffeine" -- at least until the cane sugar in the original recipe was replaced with high fructose corn s ... More >>

Pop Culture: Dry Soda (Lemongrass)

As I've mentioned a few times before, our tasting panel seems to loathe super-sweet sodas. In our last review, we made them get over it to appreciate Mountain Dew Voltage, a brilliant new Pepsi product. This week, we picked up something your dentist would like: Dry Soda's Lemongrass. With 50 calorie ... More >>

Pop Culture: Mountain Dew Voltage

I'm not sure when the last time I had a Mountain Dew was, but the last time I remember enjoying one was back when the brand's Code Red flavor came out. I have vivid memories of using the stuff to wash down Flamin' Hot Cheetos while listening to The Writing's On The Wall.The Pepsi brand has released ... More >>

Cherry 7UP with Antioxidants Reviewed

It seems like every product on the market nowadays has to make a nod toward either being "green" or being healthy, so it is that we get the new Cherry 7Up with antioxidants. Now, if you live in Arizona you probably don't suffer from a shortage of vitamin E, the antioxidant in this bottle, but it's ... More >>

Pop Culture: Coke, Pepsi and RC Face Off in Cherry Form

It's easy to forget now, when there are over a dozen flavors of Coca-Cola available, but a bottled cherry cola -- as opposed to the sort of cherry colas mixed up traditionally at drugstores and diners -- was once a revolution. Like you'd probably expect, Coke came up with it, Pepsi borrowed the idea ... More >>

Pop Culture: Peñafiel Strawberry

As I've written before, here in Phoenix we have amazing access to Mexican sodas - not to mention a store that sells nothing but soda - making this a truly great place to explore unusual soft drinks. Peñafiel Strawberry isn't quite an obscure soft drink, but it's not widely available stateside. I g ... More >>

Pop Culture: Faygo Goes Fancy

By Martin Cizmar Few sodas divide like Faygo. The Detroit soda is maligned by many because it’s cheap, super sweet and associated with Insane Clown Posse-loving Juggalos. On the other hand it’s beloved because it’s cheap, super sweet, and also associated with happy Midwestern childhoods sp ... More >>

Brew Review: Red Bull Cola

Agwa brews

The White Stripes

Icky Thump
(Warner Bros./WEA)

Punch Your Coworkers

Meet Cute

Dueling luncheonettes

BEST FRIED OKRA

Lil' Mama's Soul Cafe

Best Place For A First Date

Farrelli's Cinema Supper Club

Movie Madness

Grand reopening at the Valley Art Theatre

Dew Process

SECOND HELPINGS

FIZZIN' EXPEDITIONPOPPING QUESTIONS ABOUT MEXICAN COKE