Beer enthusiasts who like their cold ones served up a side of boozy education might want to raise a glass: Two more World of Beer locations are headed to Arizona this fall. The six-year-old craft-beer-focused franchise — where servers go through 10 days of training to become beer experts –…

At the end of August, the Biltmore corridor will come up one spot short of a place to score adult libations: Sportsman’s Fine Wines & Spirits is shuttering. A combination wine bar and liquor boutique, Sportsman’s is known for its offerings of more than 3,000 brands of wine, an extensive…

“Chef’s Special.” Two words, if you’re a diner of the adventurous sort and happen to visit Lucky’s King Wah in Glendale, that are a good idea to remember. Not a single dish but an assortment of several, the Chef’s Special is more or less the Chinese restaurant’s off-the-cuff version of…

If you’re a diner of the adventurous sort and happen to visit Lucky’s King Wah in Glendale, it’s a good idea to remember the words “Chef’s Special.” Not a single dish but an assortment of several, the Chef’s Special is more or less the Chinese restaurant’s off-the-cuff version of omakase,…

German Osio’s at it again. The restaurateur, who opened Central Bistro in East Phoenix last November, and North Scottsdale’s Local Bistro in 2010, is planning to open his most ambitious venture yet this fall: a Mexican-Asian restaurant called Sumo Maya…

Arcadia’s Gaslight Square is already home to Crudo, chef Cullen Campbell’s place of modern Italian cuisine. And Beckett’s Table, where chef Justin Beckett serves seasonal American eating, is just a parking lot away. But come September, the bustling strip mall, at the corner of Indian School Road and 36th Street…

Welcome to Chow Bella’s Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. No matter whether you’re lounging poolside, at a party, or just need to cool down…

Fans of country music, Jack Daniel’s, and traditional Southern American eats in Peoria now can get a taste of all three at the newest Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. Named after the country star’s 2003 single, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill in Peoria, at…

Hitting up outdoor food markets, exploring restaurants, and breaking bread with those living in another country may sound like the stuff of a culinary travel show, but for Azucena Tovar, it’s real-life inspiration. Each year, the chef and owner of Los Sombreros, the nearly 20-year-old Mexican restaurant in South Scottsdale,…

Thirsty for a refreshment-focused movie you can watch on your own damn time? Three new films about cocktails, wine, and coffee (two documentaries and one comedy), have recently hit the On Demand circuit. So now you can follow the dreams of bartenders, learn about what it’s like to take the…

When Ricardo (Ricky) Celaya was a student at the University of Arizona, he was on his way to a career in the medical field. But after he graduated, and before signing up for more schooling, his visions of the future changed from stethoscopes to Sonoran hot dogs. “I love Sonoran…

Voltaire Restaurant, the 30-year-old fine-dining spot of classic French cuisine in North Scottsdale, is getting a makeover. In an letter to guests, owner/chef David Antonelli, who has been with Voltaire for almost 20 years, said: “January, February, and March are busy months for us, but we can’t survive on three…

Amy and Samy Bouzaglo, the Valley’s reigning king and queen of denial (and two more reasons the rest of the world can make fun of Arizona) are back in the news again. This week, the owners of the now-infamous Amy’s Baking Company in Scottsdale were interviewed by the Daily Mail…

Salut Kitchen Bar is a kind of Mill Avenue detox. About a mile and a half east of Tempe’s main drag, it’s a decidedly relaxing place — small enough to be considered snug but never erring on the side of compact. Some nights it feels like a post-party afterglow. And…

Salut Kitchen Bar is a kind of Mill Avenue detox, a comfortable, low-lit room where glasses of wine take the place of tequila shots, where an ironic ’80s tune never gets loud enough to drown out conversation, and where getting up close and personal with your neighbor at the bar…

When it comes to barbecue with the element of surprise, Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue in Cave Creek is bringing it on via pig — a chalkboard pig. Starting today, those looking for something different — very different — in the way of chef Bryan Dooley’s regular menu of top-notch ‘cue…

Welcome to Chow Bella’s Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Part of the fun of road trips is packing up the jalopy with food to…

Restaurateur Sam Fox’s reach into the dining world at the Biltmore Fashion Park is expanding. In addition to True Food Kitchen, his healthy eating concept, and the wine and burger bar Zinburger, Fox will be opening his third restaurant at the high-end shopping center later this year: the modern Mexican…

Summer in Phoenix isn’t just rough on restaurants; coffee houses struggle, too. And as of last week, one of them has permanently shut its doors. Citizen Espresso Bar, located on Central Avenue just south of Camelback, opened its doors last February in the former home of Lola Coffee. The java…

When business partners and friends Rick Mikulic and Marshall Roossin came up 2 Fat Guys Grilled Cheese as the name for their new food truck, subtlety wasn’t part of the equation. “Everybody likes grilled cheese,” Mikulic says, “and it’s a broad enough category to do a lot of different things…

Looks like Tempe’s main drag will be getting a taste of handcrafted Italian cuisine this month (and only this month), courtesy of Tony Andiario. The former executive chef of Quiessence, the venerable farm-to-table restaurant at The Farm at South Mountain, worked alongside friend and fellow chef Greg LaPrad before the…