New year, new restaurants? Apparently. It’s been a big month for openings in Phoenix, when we’ve been gifted with two new noodle spots wrapped in one, another Matt’s Big Breakfast in the Biltmore neighborhood, and an intriguing speakeasy (keep that one on the down-low). We also said goodbye to a…

Despite a rough few months for the national burrito behemoth Chipotle, metro Phoenix health inspectors think there’s nothing to worry about at local restaurants. In October, the restaurant chain sickened customers  in nine states with E. coli, and though we now know the outbreak affected at least 50 people, we still…

As the year came to an end, almost a dozen restaurants in the metro Phoenix area received a failing grade on county health inspections. From cans of non-refrigerated condensed milk to plain old dirty kitchens, these restaurant infractions might have you thinking twice before dining out.  Here are the 11…

New spots for coffee, cocktails, and even Colombian hot dogs—metro Phoenix, you were lucky last month. December saw the openings of new bars like Dirty Martini and the Bee’s Knees. We also said goodbye to Tempe ramen spot Umami and a place for craft beer in Scottsdale.  Openings Street Coffee,…

For three years, the Gilbert Food Truck Court has been held every Friday night at 385 N. Gilbert Road in the city’s Heritage District. The event tonight, however, will be the last at that location. The move to a new locale isn’t by choice. Instead, organizers say they’re being pushed out…

Bare hands, food temperature issues, organic matter, and more — it’s time to check out which restaurants in the Valley didn’t do so well in inspections by the county health department. This month saw a lot of chain restaurants including Zipp’s, El Pollo Loco, and Village Inn earn a “D”…

Call it a chain reaction. From a new zpizza to a new Scooptacular, the Valley is crazy about chains this month — and we’re not talking about Olive Garden. This month, we also said hello a shiny new Pita Jungle and goodbye to the original restaurant on Apache Boulevard.  Openings…

Same truck, new name.  The food truck formerly known as Luncha Libre will now be called United Lunchadores Street Gourmet, according to the restaurant’s owner. The agreement to change the name came after a cease and desist letter from Lucha Libre taco shop in San Diego.  “It came back to just…

Next week, millions of Americans will sit down to full tables for a Thanksgiving feast. But for some Arizonans, that won’t be possible without donations to Valley food banks. St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix is about 5,000 turkeys short of its annual goal this year, says Jerry Brown, spokesman…

Deirdre Pain admits she’s a storyteller. The owner of Malee’s Thai Bistro in Old Town Scottsdale thinks it might be because she’s Irish, but we think it has something to do with the sheer amount of stories she has to tell.  Take, for example, how she recounts the first month…

Oh, repeat offenders. This month marks the fourth time in two years Los Rubios in Gilbert appears on our “D” list for health inspection violations. It’s also the second time this year that Samarkand Restaurant in Phoenix appeared on the list. From gray debris to gloves, this month’s violations run the…

Cornish Pasty Co.’s George Jacobs sums up his problem with beard nets succinctly: “I don’t like them. They’re itchy.” Jacobs can thank the federal Food and Drug Administration for the accessory. In metro Phoenix, Maricopa County’s Environmental Services Department complies with the FDA’s Food Code, which states: “FOOD EMPLOYEES shall…

Last month was a celebration for pizza lovers, and a letdown for chicken and waffle enthusiasts. Queen Creek residents have a shorter commuter to their nearest pizza cookie, while Jorge’s Chicken and Waffles shuttered its doors after a less than a year in business. La Grande Orange Hospitality’s newest seafood…

The owner of Paz Cantina confirmed that the restaurant’s current building will be demolished, and that the restaurant will close in a little over a week, on Sunday, November 8. Alliance Residential is reportedly planning a commercial and residential project on the northeast corner of Third and Roosevelt streets, in…

It’s the second month in a row that a total of 16 restaurants in the Valley scored a ‘D’ from the county health inspector, a higher number than usual for our monthly list. The newly opened Crust location in downtown Chandler made the list, as did Cafe Tranquilo at the…

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…

September was a big month for restaurants in Tempe, with three openings and one closing. Anyone looking for food in Tempe can now find burritos at Sun Devil Stadium, European food on South Mill, and more. On the flip side, Revival closed in downtown Tempe after a whirlwind run.  Openings…

While classic Phoenix restaurant La Pinata is almost ready to move to a new location on 7th Avenue, the owners say they won’t be able to bring the restaurant’s iconic sign to the new home.   Roseann Schulz, one of the restaurant’s owners, says the city of Phoenix denied an…

“La Cruda” might be slang in Spanish for hangover, but the owners of newly-opened Clamatos La Cruda on 32nd Street and Thomas Road in Phoenix claim you can enjoy a clamato at their shop in any state of mind. And though you may think a clamato is simply clam broth…