Pretty Much Everything You Need to Know About Channel Eight's Check, Please! Arizona Festival at CityScape

One of the Valley's most popular local food shows is hitting the road -- specifically the streets of downtown Phoenix. See also: - Go lb. salt Launches Salt Education Series in Gilbert This Spring - Mark Tarbell, Beau MacMillan, & Barbara Fenzl to Team Up with Childsplay on April 13...

By Laura Hahnefeld

March 28, 2013

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One of the Valley's most popular local food shows is hitting the road -- specifically the streets of downtown Phoenix.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 28, at downtown's CityScape, Check, Please! Arizona, KAET Channel 8's restaurant-review series hosted by James Beard Award-winning chef Robert McGrath, will host a food event aptly named Eight's Check, Please! Arizona Festival.

Since we first told you about the event in February, New Times has become a sponsor and some new information has been added.

Here's pretty much everything you need to know.

The event will showcase eats from 36 of the 117 restaurants previously featured on Check, Please! Arizona. In addition, there will be craft beer and wine, cooking demonstrations, and a James Beard Award winners' panel (subject: Phoenix as an emerging culinary destination) moderated by McGrath and chef Christopher Gross of Christopher's Restaurant and Crush Lounge. Gross will also be lending a hand at one of the event's wine seminars.

Plus, fans of the show will have a chance to create an audition tape at the festival.

Here are the independent restaurants scheduled to participate: - Tarbell's - Petite Maison - Tuck Shop - Lon's at the Hermosa - Phoenix City Grille - Vogue Bistro - Coup Des Tartes - Eddie's House - MacAlpine's - Flancer's - Pittsburgh Willy's - AZ Bread Co. - Havana Café - America's Taco Shop - Mrs. Whites Golden Rule Café - Pomegranate Café - Thee Pitt's "Again" - Haus Murphy's German Restaurant - Shugrue's Hillside Grill - Cornish Pasty - Betty's Nosh

To purchase tickets, go to the Check, Please! Arizona website. General admission is $60 and includes food as well as wine and beer sampling. VIP tickets are $100 and include a James Beard Award winners' private chef seminar, exclusive wine tastings, early entry to the festival 30 minutes before general admission, and VIP valet parking.

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