Get ready, seafood lovers. Next week, Crab & Mermaid Fish House will open its doors to the public, bringing oyster shooters, tuna poke, and crab cakes to Old Town Scottsdale. The restaurant, which is located at 4218 North Scottsdale Road, comes from Square One Concepts, the same folks behind Cold Beer…
We’re in the thick of food festival season, Phoenix. And while local diners are busy discovering new restaurants and wines and learning more about the Valley food scene, local chefs and restaurant owners are spending hours prepping special dishes in hopes of attracting new customers. Participating in these large-scale food events…
The Coronado neighborhood in midtown Phoenix is perhaps best known for its collection of well-preserved historic properties — a patchwork of cozy desert bungalows, red-brick English Tudors and Spanish Colonials, many lovingly restored and outfitted with artful yard installations and urban gardens. And while the greater Coronado neighborhood may be a…
It’s been more than a decade since Arizona chef Kevin Binkley of Binkley’s Restaurant in Cave Creek first popped up on the James Beard awards list of semifinalists in the Best Chef Southwest category. And for the last four years, Binkley has also made what’s often called the “short list,”…
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…
Come May, Central Phoenix diners with a new destination for diner and drinks when Stock & Stable and Honor Among Thieves open their doors to the public. The restaurant and speakeasy come from a team of well-known local food and beverage pros — including Clever Koi chef and co-owner Jared…
It’s been about four months since we told you James Beard award-winning pizziaolo Chris Bianco would be opening a second restaurant at Town & Country in Phoenix. At the time, he told us he planned for the new spot to be smaller and more pasta-focused than his other restaurants, but…
We’ve already explored some of North and West Phoenix’s best Eastern European markets and restaurants. Now, we put another neighborhood’s culinary culture under the microscope: the stretch of Ethiopian restaurants, cafes, and markets in Central Phoenix between Indian School and McDowell roads. Here are our three favorites: A T Oasis…
Futuro, a recent addition to Phoenix’s growing coffee scene, is located in downtown Phoenix inside the new location of Palabra Collective at 909 N. 1st Street. The space is open and bright, with crisp white walls, concrete floors, and mid-century furniture in the lounge area. Behind the bar stands barista Bill Kennedy,…
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…
We already declared that 2016 is the year of the burger chain here in metro Phoenix, and it appears we’ve been proven right yet again. National build-your-own burger chain Burger Theory will open a new location tomorrow, Saturday, March 12. This is the chain’s first location in Arizona, and the…
The next time you find yourself in downtown Phoenix with hankering for a hot tamale and a cold cup of horchata, try heading to the southeast corner of 2nd Street and Taylor. That’s where you’ll (probably) find the Viva Tamales food cart serving handmade tamales, chips and salsa, hortchata, and…
Every year the Scottsdale League for the Arts recognizes some of the top professionals in the local food and beverage industry with an induction into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame. This year, the awards feature five new categories, including Best Upcoming Chef, Brewery of the Year, Winemaker of the…
Want your favorite local chef, restaurant, or dessert to get some much deserved recognition? Then you might want get to clicking, because nominations for the Arizona Restaurant Association’s annual Foodist Awards are open now. The awards will recognize winners in 13 categories and look to showcase “the most amazing tastes,…
In the years before the Metro Light Rail became a fixture in downtown Phoenix, before Cityscape and other high-rise projects began to reshape the city skyline, charting the downtown food scene was not exactly a formidable task. In those days, the roster of downtown dining options amounted to not much…
Like poke? No, we’re not talking about the creepy flirting tool Facebook created a few years ago. We’re talking about poke, the Hawaiian raw fish salad. (And it’s pronounced “pok-eh,” in case you were wondering.) Well, if the answer is yes, then we’ve got some good news. California-based restaurant…
The Guilty Pleasure: Hangover Fries Where to Get It: RnR Restaurant & Bar Price: $9.00 What it Really Costs: The unavoidable feeling of self-loathing that comes after you have turned your stomach into a temporary human grease trap. Old-school drinking lore suggests that, after a night of too many beers and cocktails, the…
Heads up, Aussie expats. A new bakery and restaurant is opening soon in Scottsdale, and its owners hope to bring traditional Australian eats to the Valley including meat pies, pasties, and more. Called The Great Australian Bakery, the new restaurant is located at 7217 East Main Street in Scottsdale, right…
An interest in visual art led Tony Chanthavong first to a career in radiology, and now to ice shaving. Seems unlikely, but it’s hard to argue with the success of Snoh, one of the Valley’s most popular dessert destinations. Founded and operated by owner Chanthavong, Snoh offers a variety of…
From the popular French Grocery to a golf club in Sun City to a popular spot for tortas, a handful of local food outlets violated the county’s health code last month. And the violations themselves ran the gamut, too, from hand washing problems to temperature issues and more. Check our…
New York Times dining critic Pete Wells caused quite a stir at the beginning of the year when he wrote a scathing review of Thomas Keller’s New York City fine dining institution, Per Se. Wells did not mince words. He described one dish as “appealing as bong water.” But more…
West Valley residents, Chompie’s is coming for you. Yesterday, the local restaurant company announced plans to open a fifth location in the Arrowhead Towne Center, 7700 West Arrowhead Towne Center, later this spring. The first Chompie’s restaurant, known for serving New York-style deli fare, opened at 32nd Street and Shea Boulevard 37…
