Provided by Dynamite Beer Co.
Audio By Carbonatix
Independent Journalism in Phoenix Needs You
We need to raise $15,000 by August 9 to support the reporting our community depends on. Reader support keeps us independent and is playing a larger role in funding local journalism and shaping what comes next. If you believe independent local journalism matters, make a contribution today.
Summers are really difficult for Valley restaurants, and for some, this year’s slow season proved too much to weather. Around the Valley, local businesses have served their last meals, said their goodbyes and shut off the lights.
For some, it’s the end of decades of serving the Valley. Other spots hung on for just a few months.
These 17 metro Phoenix restaurants, coffee shops, taprooms and bars are now closed.
12 West Brewing Co.
Prominent downtown Mesa brewpub, 12 West Brewing Co., has closed. The company posted an announcement, explaining that the brewery has shut down for the summer, but that a new concept will take over the space. 12 West’s closure comes after the company drew controversy last year for hosting a racist comedy act. 12 West’s original location at Barnone and its production facility remain open.
Aftermarket
The Grand Avenue coffee shop and art gallery, Aftermarket, has closed after eight years. Tucked into an industrial space on McKinley Street, the unique concept was opened by local artist Gino Belassen. According to an Instagram post, the space was only intended to be an art studio. However, it evolved to show art and serve coffee from the local roaster and pop-up coffee cart, Caffio Espresso.
Provided by Arizona Stronghold Vineyards
Arizona Stronghold Vineyards
In Old Town Scottsdale, customers could sip wines from the Verde Valley at Arizona Stronghold’s tasting room. But after four years of serving tourists, locals and bachelorette parties, the tasting room has closed. The closure was strategic, the general manager explained, with the intention of better serving their wine club members. By closing the bar, the company can focus on hosting pop-up events at destinations around the Valley, bringing their wines to more members.
Bell’Italia
Cozy, retro Italian eatery Bell’Italia has served its final plates of pasta. The restaurant, located on the southeast corner of Chandler Boulevard and 48th Street, opened 24 years ago. Following a temporary closure, the restaurant has now permanently closed.
Provided by Big Marble Organics
Big Marble Organics
While Big Marble Organics didn’t have a physical location, the local soda maker was a staple at bars and restaurants all over town. But after six years, owner Dwayne Allen has shut down his award-winning drinks company. Allen started making ginger beer for his former restaurant, The Breadfruit & Rum Bar, before expanding to bring the cocktail mixer to a wider audience. The recent collapse of a distributor that was intended to help the company grow ended up doing the opposite. Big Marble Organics said goodbye at the end of June.
Corso Italia Restaurant & Market
The Scottsdale space that was home to an Italian restaurant and market combo has gone through another tenant. Gastromé opened in September 2022, bringing a full menu and a grocery store filled with imported goods to customers. When that closed in January 2023, a similar business moved in. Corso Italia Restaurant & Market opened in 2024, but suffered a similar fate. The business has now quietly shut down.
Cultivate at BOND
Cultivate, a concept from acclaimed Valley chef Mark Tarbell, was located inside BOND, an office complex and coworking space open to the public on Camelback Road. Cultivate was a multi-purpose bar that served a full coffee menu, along with cocktails and food.
Sara Crocker
Dynamite Beer Co.
The uptown Phoenix location of craft beer taproom Dynamite Beer Co. has closed after just over a year in business. The space, tucked in the back corner of Uptown Plaza, was formerly home to Huss Brewing Co. before Dynamite’s owner, a former manager at Huss, took over. The space won’t sit empty for long, however, as the Chandler beer bar The Sleepy Whale is set to move in. Dynamite Beer Co. has another location that remains open in Cave Creek.
Kobe Japanese Steakhouse
Kobe Japanese Steakhouse served diners in south Tempe for 22 years. In late June, it said goodbye. The hibachi-style spot was a go-to for celebrations, as chefs cooked and performed at tableside grills in front of excited customers. The restaurant served a mix of sushi rolls, grilled meats and fried rice dishes.
Lauren Cusimano
Native Grill & Wings
Two locations of Native Grill & Wings have closed. The Tempe location on Broadway Road and Dorsey Lane shuttered after nearly 50 years. The concept got its start in 1979 and had expanded throughout the Valley to include over 20 restaurants. In addition to the Tempe closure, another Native Grill has said its goodbyes. The Mesa location on Brown Road and Mesa Drive has closed.
Papa John’s
As part of a nationwide reduction, Papa John’s has closed four Arizona restaurants, including two locations in the Valley. Papa John’s on 16th Street and Glendale Avenue in Phoenix and the restaurant on Pima and Pinnacle Peak roads in Scottsdale have shuttered. The other Arizona closures are in Bullhead City and Tucson.
Tacos Don Hector
Glendale taqueria Tacos Don Hector has permanently shuttered. The restaurant, located on Olive Avenue just east of 51st Avenue, originally started as a pop-up before operating as a food truck, and finally as a brick-and-mortar eatery. The owners shared the news on social media, explaining that they sold the business and closed Tacos Don Hector.
Thai Lotus
A family-owned Thai restaurant on 19th Avenue just north of Glendale Avenue served classic Thai curry dishes, noodles and fried snacks for 15 years. Due to the sale of its building, the restaurant closed in mid-June.
Provided by Twist Hot Chicken
Twist Hot Chicken
The Tempe location of Twist Hot Chicken has closed after roughly six months in business. The company’s original Peoria restaurant, which launched in 2022, remains open. Twist is known for its Nashville-style hot chicken, wide selection of dipping sauces and its vegan menu. In Tempe, it served customers on Elliot Road just west of Hardy Drive.
Willie’s Taco Joint
Sandwiched between Chase Field and Mortgage Matchup Center, Willie’s Taco Joint was a mainstay for grabbing a bite before attending a downtown event. But recently, fans have noticed that the spot has gone dark. According to an announcement on the cantina’s website, the lease ended, leaving Willie’s in search of a new home.
Zinque
The turnover at Scottsdale Fashion Square continues with the closure of Zinque. The French-inspired bistro served small plates and an all-day menu at the mall. It beat the latest rush of restaurants opening in the luxury wing, making its debut in 2020. Flashy new spots continue to move in, while others, such as the recently shuttered Francine and now Zinque, move out.
Zipps Sports Grill
Zipps Sports Grill has made plenty of headlines this year, after the 15 locations of the local chain were the scene of ICE raids and subsequent protests in late January. The company temporarily closed all of its restaurants following the raids before gradually reopening each location. But now, the sports bar on Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard in Scottsdale has shut down.
