What’s the best reason to ride the light rail into downtown this weekend (or sweet-talk somebody into being your designated driver)? There are too many to choose from. Don Julio, Patron, Jose Cuervo, Milagro, Campo Azul . . . These brands and dozens more will be showcased at Tequilaaz, a…

I know, I know. A Japanese restaurant doing burgers? How weird is that? But for a dollar during happy hour, I doubt anyone’s complaining about Roka Akor’s newest dish. It’s a three-ounce prime beef “baby” burger, topped with heirloom tomatoes, red onion, avocado, wasabi, and some mystery seasoning that they’re…

Sometimes a scone and a killer latte are all you need to start the day on the right note, but sweets and caffeine aren’t always enough to fuel you through the morning. Wisely, the folks at Bomberos have figured this out, and are amping up their breakfast options beyond the…

What’s a fair price to pay for lunch at Geordie’s Restaurant & Lounge at the Wrigley Mansion? The question is more than just food for thought — it’s something you’ll actually need to figure out if you dine at the restaurant in the near future. Believe it. They’re letting customers…

Seems like lots of restaurants pick weird nights of the week to offer any freebies. But chef Vincent Guerithault — a semifinalist for a James Beard award this year! — knows that we really like to hit the town on Fridays and Saturdays, so he’s giving us extra incentive to swing by his…

What do you get when you take the see-and-be-seen vibe of AZ88, add the pulsating music and blinding white glamour of Asia de Cuba, and roll it all up in a futuristic sushi mat? You get Pure, the chic new Japanese fusion restaurant that fits perfectly between its two neighbors…

Want to play hooky from work this afternoon? Or get an early jump on the weekend this Friday? Check out the complimentary wine tastings at Village Wine Cellar, one of The Shops at Gainey Village in Scottsdale (8877 N. Scottsdale Rd.). They’re held from 1 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday…

I’m gonna pretend I’m Diana Vreeland today. Why don’t you…. load up on caffeine before you brave the bar crowds in search of green beer tonight? The folks at Dutch Bros. Coffee are giving away free 16-ounce coffee drinks between 4 and 5 p.m. today. Hit them up at 1037…

Alright, peeps. I know a lot of you hit up the big two-day culinary festival at Phoenix Art Museum this weekend, because I ran into so many of you when I stopped by on Sunday afternoon. What did you think of it? I thought it was a fun convergence of different…

The cover of the latest issue of Saveur — a drool-inducing photo of ribs, in all of their charred, meaty glory — really got me craving some barbecue. Oh, you want some too? Well lucky us, a brand-new barbecue joint is set to open by the end of this month. Located in Cave…

Change can be good. That seems to be the case for Poco, the Scottsdale Spanish restaurant formerly known as Imagine Spain (7000 E. Shea; 480-991-3170). When I checked out the place last fall (read my review), I liked the paella but couldn’t stand the soulless surroundings. I wrote, “Imagine Spain does have…

With last week’s abrupt closing of Palatte, I’ve heard several friends complain about the lack of breakfast options in Central Phoenix. But I guess the restaurant gods were listening, because I just found out about a brand-new spot that’s in the works: Two Hippies Breakfast Joint. It’s the latest brainchild of…

Frozen yogurt season is upon us, it seems. Did you see the coming week’s forecast? With highs in the high 80s? Seems like spring has already sprung and summer’s coming soon. The timing’s right for the brand-new Mojo Yogurt at Biltmore Fashion Park, now a week old.  Its sister location on Mill Avenue…

When I recently chatted with David Stone, one of the three owners of the upcoming Dos Diablos Mexican Restaurant in north Scottsdale, I couldn’t help but notice the blaring noise coming over the phone. I don’t even think I had to ask him where the heck he was before he…

It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for neat old buildings — especially ones that house restaurants — so imagine my delight when I discovered that somebody leased that far-out building in the middle of the Haus/Movies On Central/soon-to-be Lola Coffee strip (4700 N. Central). You know, the one with the…

I doubt I’m the first person to say this, but I’m certain I won’t be the last: First Street and Pierce has become the coolest corner in downtown Phoenix. It happened in a flash. A year ago, it was a culinary no man’s land (unless you count the Pizza Hut…

I have to ask myself, is there such a thing as a professional chicken wing eater? Because Native New Yorker is billing its Battle of the Bone as “Arizona’s only amateur wing eating contest.” No professionals allowed! (ha) Starting tonight at the Tempe restaurant, the contest will be held at a different Native…

If you’re familiar with The Splendid Table, which airs every Sunday on KJZZ, then host Lynne Rosetto Kasper might already be a favorite part of your weekends. With her soothing voice and encyclopedic knowledge of the culinary arts — not to mention her vivid way of describing food — she…

It happened as swiftly as dominoes fall. Just days after the late August closing of Katz Deli, a Phoenix institution on Central Avenue, Craig and Kris DeMarco snatched up the early ’60s building and got crackin’ on their plans to turn it into a second outpost of their popular wine bar,…

Here’s something you don’t see very often, if ever — a special event at the highly acclaimed Binkley’s. On Monday, March 23, the Cave Creek fine dining destination will be hosting a six-course winemaker dinner to showcase Frank Family Vineyards, a boutique winery in Napa Valley. AZ Wines Company’s Carefree location is also involved in…

Lola Tapas owner Daniel Wayne — who founded the ultra-hip Lux Coffeebar, then sold it and opened the tapas joint four years ago — is getting back into the coffee game. He tells me he just signed a lease on a 1200-square-foot space on Central Avenue, just south of Camelback (4700 N…

I got word last night that Palatte, the popular downtown brunch spot known for its eclectic menu and relaxed historic-house setting, just closed yesterday. Supposedly the restaurant was still doing a bangin’ business on the weekends, when people would line up for frittatas, scrambled egg “mishmashes,” and roasted sweet potato pancakes,…