Christmas? Nah. Arizona Beer Week is the most wonderful time of the year, and it kicks off Saturday, February 15, with the 14th Annual Arizona Strong Beer Festival, a showcase of the best (and most alcoholic) brews available in the state. This year, about 120 breweries will pour more than…
It’s got to be tough for gluten-free diners to have to watch their brunch companions dig into pancakes, waffles, and biscuits and gravy while they stick to eggs, bacon, and a mimosa (or two, to ease the pain). Well, suffer no longer gluten-freers because Jewel’s Bakery and Cafe in Phoenix…
There’s no kidding about kidding, it’s serious business. Does give birth to one and two kids in one kidding — and so, it’s all hands on deck at The Simple Farm, where kidding season lasts from mid-January through February. Eventually, the little ladies born will assist in making the milk…
Take one step inside the newly built Whole Foods Market near the intersection of Camelback and 20th Street and it’s easy to see that the natural foods industry has come a long way in the past two decades. The store is a gleaming beacon for healthful eaters and lovers of…
There are plenty of places in the Valley crafting delicate French macarons, and the popularity of these sweet little sandwich-like confections has been on the rise for years. But few places other than Le Napoleon bakery in West Phoenix offer 18 different flavors every day along with all manner of…
For years, Chakra 4 has been a hidden treasure for healthy and vegan diners. The restaurant is located in Town & Country Shopping Center, which recently benefited from the addition of a new Whole Foods Market and several restaurants. Soon the tea shop, herbal store, and restaurant will join the…
The results are in, and a Valley resident will be one of four Applebee’s fans featured in the restaurant chain’s new digital commercial. In December and January, folks were asked to submit Vine videos with the hashtag “BeeFamous.” From all the submitted videos of people making “their most unbelievable reactions,”…
The Spot: The Greene House 15024 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale 480-889-9494 www.foxrc.com/restaurants/the-green-house…
Do you know a member of the military who recently has come home and wants to surprise someone he or she hasn’t seen yet? If so, listen up because chef/owner David Antonelli wants to help organize a Valentine’s Day dinner surprise…
The Guilty Pleasure: New limited-edition Oreo flavors. Where To Get It: Your favorite grocery store. Price: About $3 a box. What it Really Costs: Can you resist the thought of cookie dough flavor Oreos? I have to admit, the folks at Nabisco know what they’re doing with marketing the century-old…
On Monday, two California-based Hispanic retailers reached an agreement in U.S. Bankruptcy Court to acquire Phoenix-based Pro’s Ranch Markets. The Pro’s Ranch Market chain includes seven stores in Arizona, two in New Mexico, and two in Texas. As we told you in June, the family-owned company filed for Chapter 11…
This is part two of our interview with Sasha Raj, owner of 24 Carrots in Tempe. The Arizona State University graduate started 24 Carrots as a juice bar more than five years ago and since has grown the business into a full restaurant and bakery. On Monday, she dished on…
Somewhere along the way, Phoenix became a pizza town. New York has its thin crust and Chicago’s got deep dish, but authentic, locally sourced Neapolitan-style pizza has become a readily available staple in the Phoenix dining world. There’s Pizzeria Bianco, of course, but others, like Nook, Cibo, Pomo, and The…
When it comes to finding love, we at Chow Bella aren’t asking for much. All we need is someone to make us sweet pastries in the morning, a three-course candlelit dinner in the evening, and the occasional brunch on Sundays. Basically, we want to date a chef. Someone who can…
You’ve still got time to lock in a Valentine’s Day reservation if you haven’t already. In order to quell the wrath of your significant other, try taking OpenTable or Nara’s suggestions on where to dine to inspire that loving feeling. OpenTable recently released its top 100 romantic restaurants, four of…
Halfway through a recent meal at the Brooklyn Cafe, I turned to my guest and asked, “Is this food as good as I think it is?” I hadn’t been expecting greatness. The Brooklyn Cafe is the new name of a restaurant previously known as Voltaire, which had been in the…
Beer: Duchesse de Bourgogne Brewery: Brouwerij Verhaeghe Style: Flemish Red Ale ABV: 6.2 percent Because they tend to get me in big trouble both personally and professionally, I try to avoid making sweeping generalizations about the opposite sex. So it’s at great peril that I start off this week’s review…
The fifth annual Devour Bartending Competition on Sunday sought to showcase some of the Valley’s best bartenders and their creative cocktails, and we certainly had some unique ones. Although the competition portion only spanned 10 minutes, the two hours of milling and mingling at Crescent Ballroom with ounce-and-a-half cocktails in…
Tempe residents won’t have to go far to find fresh, local produce year-round thanks to a new farmers market that will launch next month. The Tempe Community Market will be held on Sunday mornings year-round at 620 North Mill Avenue, under the Mill Avenue bridge…
My perfect alone time is at the end of the day, in bed with a glass of wine and Instagram. There are so many amazing pastry chefs, bakeries, and home bakers out there creating gorgeous product and uploading pictures to be scrolled through and drooled over. It is one of…
Sadhana “Sasha” Raj 24 Carrots Chef, owner 480-753-4411 www.24carrotsjuice.com…
Crudo Tuesday, February 11 Chef Cullen Campbell’s Crudo will host a four-course, wine-paired Olive Oil Dinner showcasing the variety of flavors and culinary uses for extra virgin olive oil. Each of the courses is designed to highlight a different Italian region and a signature olive oil. The menu includes ahi…
