We’re just a month into 2016, and we’ve already welcomed some great new restaurants to the Valley. And in case you’re worried whether metro Phoenix chefs and restaurateurs can sustain the pace, we’re here to reassure you. Over the next 11 months, we’ll see the openings of new restaurants from…
It may be early in the game to call it, but it seems 2016 is shaping up to be the year of the national burger chain. And, frankly, we’re not thrilled. Twenty-fifteen was arguably the year of the pizza joints — from local chains like Fired Pie and Eklectic Pie…
The Guilty Pleasure: Chex Mix Muddy Buddies Cookies and Cream Where to Get It: Grocery Stores Price: $2.98 What it Really Costs: A trip back to memory lane, longing for snack time at school (and probably some cavities) If you’ve never eaten Muddy Buddies (or Puppy Chow or any other…
Where: Corduroy When: Monday 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11:00 a.m. to midnight, Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Dish: Corduroy Salad with Katsu Chicken Price: $19.49 (including tax and tip) The Setting: With dark furnishings and brick walls, Corduroy has an air of richness about it that’s funked…
Historically, British food gets a bad rap in culinary circles, but Barmy Brit food truck owner and chef Neil Hughes says the reputation is unfounded. “Everyone says British food is so bad, but then Americans go about eating Velveeta cheese,” Hughes says. He’s setting out to change the perception of…
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…
There are three topics best avoided around the American dinner table if your wish is to eat in peace: politics, religion, and barbecue. Barbecue, among a certain set of avowed meat-eaters, has been known to set off meandering debates on the infinite number of ways to smoke and grill animal…
When it comes to words that have been co-opted and abused by those in the food and drink industry, “craft” lands pretty high on the list. But when Agritopia founder Joe Johnston talks about Barnone, a new development set to open later this year, he leaves no question about what “craftsmen”…
It’s not often the spotlight shines on the individuals whose endeavors in the world of food and beverage involve marketing instead of cooking. But Ty Largo, creative director and founder of Awe Collective, is as involved in the restaurant industry as any chef or general manager. Largo says the path…
The Guilty Pleasure: Adult milkshake Where to Get It: Relish Burger Bistro at The Phoenician Price: $14 What it Really Costs: A certain loss of innocence because you will never again be able to look at a carton of vanilla ice cream without being tempted to reach for the vodka. …
Phoenix ‘cue master Stacy Phipps has had his ups and downs when it comes to restaurant ownership. It’s been several years since we last heard from him — in 2013, he had just re-taken over his restaurant on Indian School Road after shuttering his barbecue stand in Sunnyslope. He’s since…
Between the ever-growing number of fad diets and increased knowledge about food sensitivities, it’s hard out there to be a chef. Diners are going gluten-free, meat-free, oil-free, and more, and as a result, metro Phoenix chefs have seen some pretty interesting special requests. These small but significant changes to a…
Where: Niccoli’s Deli When: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; open a half-day on Monday Dish: Italian sub Price: $9.73 (including tax and tip) The Setting: Niccoli’s Italian Deli (6102 North 16th Street) is part market and part eatery, similar to other lunch spots such as Luci’s Healthy Marketplace and…
The Guilty Pleasure: Pepperidge Farm Coffee Shop Cinnamon Bun Soft Baked Cookies Where to Get It: Grocery stores Price: $2.99 What It Really Costs: Any opposition to eating cookies with really long names for breakfast. All right, so, the Pepperidge Farm Coffee Shop Cinnamon Bun Soft Baked Cookies (from now…
Rumor has it that central Phoenix’s favorite English pub is undergoing a makeover. Social media has been abuzz with speculation that George & Dragon, located on Central Avenue between Camelback and Indian School Roads, is participating in the upcoming season of Spike TV’s Bar Rescue. Our calls to the bar and…
Are you a “fun, intelligent, outgoing, and high energy” individual with a passion for eating burgers and wearing “cool uniforms”? Because if so, then you might just be the perfect candidate for a job at Shake Shack. The New York-based burger chain is opening two locations in Arizona later this…
No, your eyes do not deceive you. And, no, you’re not the only one freaking out. We’ll admit we were pretty flustered when we first saw the sign posted at the counter at Pho Thanh, the popular Vietnamese restaurant at 1702 West Camelback Road in Phoenix. But according to both the…
Sophomore efforts are a tricky business, especially if you’re trying to make lightning strike twice. So when word got out early last year that the team behind Arcadia’s beloved Crudo was launching a second restaurant in Phoenix, the mounting anticipation — and high expectations — were palpable. Okra Cookhouse &…
The popular California-based burger chain In-N-Out Burger is getting ready to open a new location at the Camelback Colonnade in Central Phoenix. New Times confirmed with the general manager of the shopping complex that the fast-food burger joint will open on the east side of the mall, which is located on 20th Street…
Several years ago, a chef friend in Japan gave Mark Kondo his secret recipe for ramen. For Kondo, who had always had a passion for ramen, the gift would be life-changing. Now, he’s the owner and cook at the Valley’s first, and as far as we can tell, only ramen…
Jack Durant was a small-town gambler with loose ties to Vegas racketeers. He had a big, obstreperous personality; owned our city’s most successful restaurant; and was listed among the FBI’s most dangerous men in Phoenix. Jack liked women, eavesdropping on patrons of his restaurant bar, and golf. He might have seen…
The Guilty Pleasure: Tosti Elotes Where to Get It: La Carreta de Lily Price: $7.58 (large) What it Really Costs: A slight dip in your self-esteem because eating salty, gloppy food out of plastic bag is pretty much the opposite of sexy. Tosti Elotes probably won’t be the most elegant…
