Chris Malloy
Audio By Carbonatix
October was a busy month for Phoenix restaurant news, and not all of it was good. A handful of spots, both new and old, shuttered across the Valley. Some bars and restaurants consolidated their locations into a single space while other concepts quietly reached the end of their tenure. Here’s a look at the Valley’s recent restaurant closures.
Starlite BBQ, the Scottsdale smokehouse from the team at Ocotillo, has closed.
Jacob Tyler Dunn
Starlight BBQ
Starlight BBQ, a restaurant in Scottsdale from the group behind Ocotillo, has served its last ribs and brisket. The upscale restaurant, located on Miller and Indian School roads, served barbecue classics paired with craft cocktails in a modern space. It closed after six years of service.
La Cocina Economica Mexican Kitchen has closed its colorful restaurant on 16th Street.
Allison Young
La Cocina Economica
La Cocina Economica, a casual counter-service Mexican eatery on 16th Street just south of McDowell Road, has closed. The space, once decorated with colorful murals and signs, is now shuttered and boarded up.
Mr. Zeke’s
Based in the Pinetop-Lakeside area, Mr. Zeke’s expanded to the Valley in 2022. The company opened a restaurant on Warner Road and brought its home cooking to Gilbert. However, after over two years, the restaurant has closed. It served a large menu with breakfast, lunch and dinner options ranging from pancakes to burgers, sandwiches and pastas.
Arboleda
Located in the Scottsdale Quarter, Arboleda served customers in a swanky dining room anchored by a large, central tree. The menu was inspired by the Mediterranean and brought to life by a duo of San Francisco restaurateurs. It quietly stopped taking reservations and closed after a year and a half.
Buqui Bichi Brewing has closed its original U.S. location in Chandler.
Sara Crocker
Buqui Bichi Brewing
Mexican craft brewery Buqui Bichi launched its first U.S. location in Chandler in July 2023. But now, after 15 months, the East Valley restaurant and bar has closed. The company opened a second Arizona location in downtown Phoenix this January which remains open.
Arizona Distilling Co. has closed its Tempe bar and distillery.
Lauren Topor/Good Karma Photo
Arizona Distilling Co.
Longtime Tempe staple Arizona Distilling Co. shocked local fans with the announcement of its closure in late October. The distillery opened a second bar and distillery in Mesa in 2023 and now, the team plans to consolidate all production to that space. Their haunt on University Drive and Roosevelt Street has served its last cocktails.
Arizona Distilling Co. had teamed up with Phoenix pizza maker Ryan Moreno to bring Neapolitan-style pies to their Tempe bar.
Lauren Topor/Good Karma Photo
&Juliet Neapolitana
Located inside Arizona Distilling Co. in Tempe, &Juliet Neapolitana had been slinging pies to pair with the bar’s cocktails since May. With the distillery closing its doors, the pizzeria also had to cease operations. Fans can still find chef and owner Ryan Moreno’s cooking at SnapBack Pizzeria on Grand Avenue.
Belly’s original restaurant on Camelback Road and Seventh Avenue has closed.
Belly Kitchen & Bar
Belly
Located on the corner of Seventh Avenue and Camelback Road, Belly served an Asian-inspired menu in a unique two-story space. The small restaurant opened in late 2020, initially serving takeout before welcoming customers inside. Its owners launched a second location at Gilbert’s Epicenter development in 2022, which remains open. However, the uptown Phoenix location has closed.
Off 87
South Chandler restaurant and bar Off 87 abruptly closed in late October. The eatery opened less than a year ago in the former Ginger Monkey on Arizona Avenue and Ocotillo Road. The restaurant and sports bar offered classic American grub along with live music, bar games and karaoke. Responding to confused customers on social media, the owners responded that “due to unforeseen circumstances, Off 87 is closed indefinitely.”
Chicago deep dish has landed at Village at Prasada, but is no longer available in Gilbert.
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria
Lou Malnati’s Gilbert
Chicago deep dish pizza chain Lou Malnati’s has closed its Gilbert location on the northeast corner of Val Vista Drive and Pecos Road. Despite the closure, the chain still has eight locations Valley-wide thanks to a new restaurant opening in Surprise. The Village at Prasada location opened on Oct. 25.
The Whining Pig
The Whining Pig, a collection of beer and wine bars with locations around the Valley, lost one of its spots this month. The Ahwatukee bar, located on Ray Road, has closed. The owners posted an announcement to Instagram, thanking customers for eight years of support. The chain’s other locations remain open in downtown Phoenix, Gilbert and Desert Ridge Marketplace.
Pokitrition
Local sushi burrito and poke bowl chain Pokitrition got its start in Chandler, with its restaurant on Ray Road. But now, the chain’s original shop has closed. The owners posted a long and heartfelt message to social media, thanking fans for their support and urging them to visit the remaining locations in Phoenix and Scottsdale. Another location at Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, also recently shut its doors.
