We won’t judge you if the thought of having to stop by the local farmers market to get fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables just seems like too daunting of a task after a long day or week of work. We’ve been there. It just seems so much simpler to…
For the past three years, Tracey and Alex Chaker, owners of Gilbert-based Grizzly Foods, have been selling their homemade granola, balsamic vinegars, and Sticky Monkey Bun pastries in farmers markets throughout the Valley. In July, the husband-and-wife team expanded their business to include a restaurant and baked goods shop in…
Java hounds on the hunt for a coffee shop with a European edge may want to make note of Altitude Coffee Lab. Coming to the McCormick Ranch area in early September, Altitude Coffee Lab will feature an in-house roasting system, rare and exotic beans, and “a relaxed European-style atmosphere reminiscent…
One of my earliest food memories — when I was probably 3 or 4 — was oatmeal at the hospital daycare where my mother would drop my sister and me on the way to her early morning nursing shift. I remember her scratchy-crisp starched white uniform, a disoriented bleary-eyed feeling,…
Looks like Coup Des Tartes, the romantic French bistro in Phoenix, has turned what could have been the lamest landlord story of the year into one of new beginnings. In June, owner Ron Pacioni issued a press release stating the 17-year-old restaurant was being forced out of its former historic…
Malabar spinach might be the most amazing thing you’re not growing. Yes, really. Let’s start at the beginning. “Malabar spinach” isn’t even really a spinach, it’s a semi-succulent vine that just loves our hot Arizona summer. There are two main varieties, green-stemmed and the more popular red-stemmed…
Joining the sizzling, patty-filled meat sea of burger chains in the Valley (see: In-N-Out Burger, Habit Burger, Smashburger, Culver’s, etc.), a new contender, Burger 21, has announced plans to throw its hamburger hat into the western U.S. ring with its first Arizona restaurant in Chandler. The fast-casual franchise, founded in…
Welcome to Chow Bella’s Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Whether it’s a farmers market find, some local love at the grocery store, or a…
Whether it’s a bad breakup, a morning board meeting, or a late night of drinking, there are moments when doughnuts simply call to us. Try as we might, when this deep-fried fusion of sugar and dough speaks our name, nothing else will do — not muffins, not croissants, and sure…
This time of year, conversations at Chow Bella staff meetings tend to turn to who’s eaten what and where. With the summer travel season in full swing, we bring you Food Tours, our writers’ suggestions of what to eat and drink out of town. I keep meaning to travel around…
The Guilty Pleasure: Smothered Burrito Where To Get It: Taco Bell, locations nationwide Price: $2.99 (or $3.99 with steak or chicken) What It Really Costs: Dairy-induced heartburn. Of all the fast food items I’ve seen, few have had the rabid following of Taco Bell’s cult classic Enchirito. I never understood…
Chandler-ites who enjoy live music, comfort food, and craft beer might want to meet their new neighbors this week — interestingly enough, in the form of a bar and restaurant called Nabers. Celebrating with a grand opening at 11 a.m. this Friday, August 16, Nabers is located at 825 North…
Chef Aaron Chamberlin has brought in some extra firepower at St. Francis, his American restaurant (recently featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives) in Central Phoenix. Chamberlin, who also owns Phoenix Public Market Café in downtown Phoenix, has hired chef Jay Bogsinke (District American Kitchen, La Grande Orange, Chelsea’s Kitchen, Zinc…
For eight years, notable farm-to-table chef Greg LaPrad made Quiessence at the Farm at South Mountain a destination restaurant with an ever-changing menu of sophisticated, rustic fare. But this June, LaPrad said goodbye to his South Phoenix home, leaving to open his own restaurant, Overland Trout, in Sonoita, Arizona. That…
This is part two of our interview with the man behind the deep-fried barbecued eats of Hey Joe! Filipino Street Food. Today, chef and owner Brian Webb dishes on what’s really inside his new Filipino steamed buns and talks about the potential for Filipino food as a culinary trend. If…
The most opinionated person on the planet is not Simon Cowell, Sheriff Joe, the editor of this blog, or any number of insane Arizona politicians. It’s someone you and I see every day, who interacts with our children and is often our friend on Facebook. It’s the parent of school-aged…
Nothing says summer like the flavor of fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes, but you might not be expecting to eat the fruit-once-mistaken-for-a-vegetable for dessert. You can try an unusually sweet twist on the classic pairing of tomato soup and grilled cheese at Urban Cookies Bakeshop, available today through Sunday, August 18. The…
After seven years, The Gelato Spot, the family-owned Italian frozen treat chain, has made the decision to shutter its location at Scottsdale Road and Shea Boulevard in Scottsdale. The remaining four locations continue to operate and currently are showcasing a rotating selection of signature flavors from 12 Valley chefs through…
Brian Webb Chef/owner Hey Joe! Filipino Street Food www.heyjoetruck.com This is part one of our interview with Brian Webb of Hey Joe! Filipino Street Food. The food truck hit the streets right as the food truck craze took off in Phoenix and has been bringing the cuisine of the southeast…
In July, chef-owner David Antonelli announced he was giving Voltaire Restaurant, the 30-year-old fine-dining spot of classic French cuisine in North Scottsdale, a much-needed makeover. “January, February, and March are busy months for us, but we can’t survive on three months of activity,” Antonelli said in a heartfelt letter to…
The countdown to Best of Phoenix is on. Mark your calendar: This year’s issue will be on newsstands September 26. What better way to warm up than by asking some local “experts” to list their own personal bests? This week, Georganne Bryant of Frances and Smeeks shares her favorite spots…
The week ended on a sad note for us here at Chow Bella, when we received word that a beloved member of the Phoenix food community has fallen ill. Her name is Lisa Giungo, but you might know her simply as “Lisa G.,” and remember her namesake CenPho restaurant, Lisa…
