Arizona Spring Restaurant Week is just around the corner, the 10-day event during which bargain-seeking diners come out in droves to restaurants all over the city and state. Overall, there a lot of yawn-inducing menus on this year’s list, but I’ve found a few that could be genuinely interesting –…
Add this to the reasons your Starbucks barista secretly hates you: barista elbow. Apparently, making complicated lattes and other coffee drinks is more than just annoying (what’s so bad about regular coffee?); it also can be bad for your health. An increasing number of coffee shop employees are developing elbow,…
It turns out the third time was not the charm for Arizona’s only James Beard Award finalist this year. The annual culinary awards were held Monday night at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City. Much to the disappointment of many Arizonans, chef Kevin Binkley…
The Oscars of the food world will take place today in New York City when the James Beard Foundation honors the country’s best food and beverage professionals at the 24th annual James Beard Awards. The event will take place at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center and will…
“The West’s Most Western Town” will lose one of its most famous Western-themed destinations when the decades-old Pinnacle Peak Patio closes its doors for good. The restaurant, which opened in 1957, began as a general store but has grown into a popular tourist destination, known for its “no necktie policy”…
Joe’s Real BBQ Wednesday, May 7 Every year Joe’s Real BBQ takes a day to thank customers for their support in the best way a restaurant can: by offering free food. This year that day is Wednesday, May 7 and during the day the restaurant expects to serve some 5,000…
Chris McKinley Chef, co-owner The Local www.iamthelocal.com If you’ve been to The Local, then chances are you’ve already seen chef Chris McKinley. He’s usually in the open kitchen, sporting some unexpected item of clothing, like bright red pants or fancy-looking shoes or a newsboy hat. It’s also not uncommon to…
What? You didn’t realize it was Cinco de Mayo until this very moment? Well, you’re probably going to be craving tacos about right . . . now. And you’re in luck, because there are a few places around town where you can cash in on taco deals today. Oh, and…
Okay, so we don’t have a Chinatown in Phoenix. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find delicious and authentic Chinese food here. You just have to know where to look. Some of the city’s best Cantonese restaurants might be hiding in plain sight, and if you’re on the hunt for…
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…
I have a new reason for looking forward to Saturday nights and it has nothing to do with drinking large amounts of wine or watching movies with my dog (although those are also very plausible Saturday night plans). It’s because a few weeks ago I found Taco Mich, a not-so-great…
It’s been almost a month since we told you the well-loved Phoenix taco spot, Tacos Atoyac, closed its doors indefinitely without giving notice or reason to its loyal following. We were far from the only ones saddened to hear the news, which makes us all the happier to be able…
I ate a lot of ramen and Chinese food this month (check out our Ultimate Ramen Battle and Best Chinese Restaurants list to read about that) but somehow still managed to get to quite of few other types of restaurants as well. Some of the best things I ate and…
Governor Jan Brewer signed Senate Bill 1397, nicknamed the “Liquor Omnibus” bill, into law on Wednesday, and though you might not realize it yet, the new law could directly impact you — particularly if you like to drink craft beer. That’s because one of the biggest changes the bill will…
Chandler Greek Festival Friday, May 2 This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Chandler will host the spring Taste of Greece Festival with three days of food, dance, and fun. The event will feature live entertainment on all three days and plenty of Greek food including stuffed grape leaves and the sweet,…
Well, it seems a few other people have realized that we need food and drink festivals to get us through the doldrums of summer because this week we got news of two new beer festivals, both of which will launch this summer — and even better yet, both will be…
If you’ve been around long enough to remember Gregory’s World Bistro — it closed in 2004 — then you probably won’t be surprised to hear that Tuesday night’s dinner at The Gladly, which featured chef Gregory Casale, was a sold out event. To a whole generation of today’s tops chefs…
There’s a new wine bar in town — specifically, in the Ahwatukee Foothills neighborhood. Brought to you by the folks behind the area’s Loco Patron, Unwined Cafe aims to be the neighborhood’s go-to spot for drinks and dinner. Located in a shopping center on the northeast corner of Chandler Boulevard…
We won’t get into the questionable historical significance of the 5th of May in Mexican culture, because if we’re being honest, we’re just using it an excuse to have one too many margaritas on an otherwise completely average Monday. So if you will also be partaking in some Cinco de…
Doughnut lovers, get excited because Maryland-based doughnut chain, Fractured Prune Doughnuts, is now open in Chandler. The doughnut shop allows you to choose from more than a dozen different glazes and toppings so you can build your own doughnut creation. Think marshmallow glaze and graham cracker topping or maple glaze…
It’s been almost exactly a year since longtime Valley chef Eddie Matney last made headlines for something besides his cooking. This time, it’s because the chef’s five-year-old Scottsdale restaurant, Eddie’s House, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in order to settle a claim with the Arizona Department of Revenue, Phoenix…
Fox’s hit television show featuring celebu-chef Gordon Ramsay, restaurateur and winemaker Joe Bastianich, and Michelin-starred chef Graham Elliot will return for its fifth season in May. The show, which searches for the country’s best home cooks, will feature 30 contestants from 14 states competing to win the title of MasterChef,…
