Roundup: The Latest on To-Go Cocktails, Chandler Nixes Downtown Patios, and Shaq News

It’s Friday. We have five big bites of food and drink news to catch you up on the week’s events. Here comes your recap

Arizona May Bring Back To-Go Cocktails This Fall

This week, House Bill 2773 was passed by the Arizona legislature, granting restaurants (series 12 liquor license holders) and bars (series 6 and 7) throughout the state off-sale privileges of pre-made cocktails. Now, it’s up to Gov. Doug Ducey to sign the bill into law. As written, bars and liquor stores could start selling to-go drinks as soon as October 1. However, a restaurant can start selling cocktails to-go once it has leased that privilege from a bar or liquor store within the same county till 2025, at which point the process will change. Food orders must accompany a to-go cocktail at restaurants, but not at bars and liquor stores.

A Talk With AAPI Chefs This Monday

The Asian American Journalists Association-Arizona, in collaboration with the Asian Chamber of Commerce, is hosting a virtual talk called "Bulgogi to Bao: A Conversation with Arizona AAPI Chefs." In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, the online discussion will feature chefs and restaurant figures from area eateries like Happy Bao's, Pokitrition, The Stone Korean Tofu House, and Drunken Tiger — one of our Top 100 restaurants. Join via Zoom at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 24. Go here to register and get the link.

Rula Bula Is Going Out With a Bang

It was announced last month that Rula Bula Irish Pub and Restaurant would close on May 23 after 20 years at 401 South Mill Avenue. If you’ve ever spent time at this Irish pub and restaurant, you won't be surprised to know Rula Bula is throwing a major going-away party. The bagpipers will sound and the Guinness will flow starting at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 22, and 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 23. There’s also a GoFundMe set up to help raise funds for Rula Bula’s transition and to financially assist staff.

Shaq Joins the Alkaline Water Board

The Alkaline Water Company is just that: a company that sells alkaline water, which happens to be headquartered in Scottsdale. It was announced this week that basketball legend (and former Suns player, we haven’t forgotten) Shaquille O’Neal is joining the company’s board of advisors as a brand ambassador for Alkaline88, the company’s popular product that's a bottle of pH-balanced alkaline water spiked with electrolytes, minerals, etc. “Alkaline88 is an innovative product in the water category and I am so excited to partner with The Alkaline Water Company to help raise their game to new heights,” said Shaq in a press release. Find Alkaline88 in grocery stores, convenience stores, and online.

Extended Patios Are So Over in Downtown Chandler

The City of Chandler's City Council has decided to quit the "On the Street" outdoor dining program, which will forever go down in our memories as the time downtown Chandler restaurants (The Brickyard Downtown, Mingle + Graze, and SanTan Brewing Co.) offered parking lot patios to extend al fresco dining during COVID. While it was meant to be temporary, some spots like The Brickyard and Pedal Haus Brewery have been in support of making these outdoor spaces permanent. But it looks like those decks are on deck to be disassembled this summer.