Audio By Carbonatix
Over the last few years, the Valley of the Sun has become the Valley of the Culinary Festivals. A handful of must-visit food- and wine-tasting events is now a sprawling season of eating, from East Valley to West. It’s a lot to choose from, actually, and can be a little overwhelming.
But the hands-down winner among them all, if you care about local, independent eateries that are trying to make a mark on the dining scene, is Devoured Phx Culinary Classic. It takes place this Saturday and Sunday afternoon, with a Friday night chefs-and-artists dinner, Palette to Palate, to kick things off.
Set in the lush, grassy courtyard of the Phoenix Art Museum, Devoured has just the right feel for two days of splurging — classy atmosphere, perfect time of year for al fresco festivities, no overcrowding, live music (and sometimes live art-making), and a top-notch lineup of chefs and restaurants.
Last year was the official debut, although the annual festival spawned from a previous incarnation, West of Western. Now under the aegis of Local First Arizona’s non-profit coalition of indie restaurants, Devour Phoenix, it’s an even bigger smorgasbord of indulgences, with tastings from about 40 restaurants each day (approximately half of whom are there both days), wines from Arizona and national labels, a variety of spirits and beer, and demonstrations.
Highlights on Saturday will be tastings from Barrio Cafe (and a demo by chef Silvana Salcido Esparza), the new Downtown hotspot Arrogant Butcher, Roka Akor, and soon-to-open Province. On Sunday, check out new Citizen Public House, Prado, Hana, and Kai.
Never been? Bring a big appetite, make a quick cruise around the tables to set your priorities (seriously, you’ll have a hard time hitting up all of them, and some you’ll want to visit twice), pace yourself on the booze (or don’t, and let someone else drive you home), and expect to be out in the sun most of the time (hello, SPF!). And ladies, don’t bother with those stilettoes unless you like your heels sinking into the lawn.
Want to see the full festival lineup, from demos to participating restaurants? Read on:
HIGHLIGHTS
SubZero/Wolf Ferguson’s Chef Demonstration Stage
Saturday
11:30 – Jacques Qualin, J&G Steakhouse
12:30 – Silvana Salcido Esparza, Barrio Café
1:30 – Anthony Dias Blue – James Beard Award winner & among world’s leading wine experts…Mr. Blue talk Arizona Wine scene
2:30 – Julia Baker, Julia Baker Confections
3:30 – Aaron May, Vitamin T
Sunday
11:30 – Payton Curry, Guerrilla Gourmet
12:30 – Bernie Kantak, Citizen Public House, with mixologist Richie Moe
1:30 – Matt Smith, Boa Bistro/Caffé Boa, with Empty Glass Wines
2:30 – Justin Beckett, Beckett’s Table
*each chef’s dish featured with a suggested wine pairing
AJ’S Fine Foods Dessert Lounge. A new feature inside Phoenix Art Museum’s Great Hall featuring AJ’s bakery specialties; Urban Cookies, Delicious Dishes and Espressions Coffee Roastery.
Musical Entertainment
Saturday
11:00am – What Laura Says
1:30pm – Hot Birds and the Chili Sauce
Sunday
11:00am – Steve Ansel & The Jackson Street Band
12:15pm – Roger Clyne (& promoting his new tequila, Mexican Moonshine)
1:30pm – Calumet
Participating Restaurants…by day
SATURDAY
1. Arcadia Farms Café
2. Arrogant Butcher
3. Barrio Café
4. Bombay Spice Grill
5. Carte Blanche Gourmet Tacos
6. Chelsea’s Kitchen
7. Cheuvront Restaurant & Wine Bar
8. Cibo
9. District American Kitchen & Wine Bar
10. Espressions Coffee Roastery
11. Fez Restaurant & Bar
12. Four Peaks Brewing Co.
13. Frank & Albert’s at Arizona Biltmore
14. Gallo Blanco Café
15. Green Restaurant
16. J&G Steakhouse
17. Julia Baker Confections
18. La Grande Orange Grocery & Pizzeria
19. Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill
20. Los Taquitos
21. Maizie’s Café & Bistro
22. Modern Steak
23. Narcisse Champagne & Tea Lounge
24. Olive & Ivy
25. Phoenix City Grille
26. Postino
27. Province
28. Relish Burger Bistro at The Phoenician
29. Roka Akor
30. San Tan Brewing Co.
31. Shula’s Steak House
32. St. Francis
33. Switch Restaurant & Wine Bar
34. Taggia at Firesky Resort & Spa
35. Talavera
36. The Vig Uptown
37. The Parlor Pizzeria
38. True Food Kitchen
39. Urban Cookies
40. Verona Chophouse
SUNDAY
1. Arcadia Farms Café
2. Beckett’s Table
3. Bliss & ReBAR
4. Boa Bistro
5. Caffé Boa on Mill
6. Carte Blanche Gourmet Tacos
7. Chelsea’s Kitchen
8. Cheuvront Restaurant & Wine Bar
9. Cibo
10. Citizen Public House
11. Cowboy Ciao
12. Different Pointe of View
13. District American Kitchen & Wine Bar
14. El Chorro Lodge
15. Espressions Coffee Roastery
16. Fez Restaurant & Bar
17. Frank & Albert’s at Arizona Biltmore
18. Green Restaurant
19. Guerrilla Gourmet
20. Hana Japanese Eatery
21. Honey Moon Sweets Bakery and Dessert Bar
22. Hula’s Modern Tiki
23. Julia Baker Confections
24. Kai Restaurant at Sheraton Wild Horse Pass
Resort
25. La Grande Orange Grocery & Pizzeria
26. Narcisse Champagne & Tea Lounge
27. Petite Maison
28. Postino
29. Prado at The InterContinental Montelucia
Resort & Spa
30. Province
31. Relish Burger Bistro at The Phoenician
32. San Tan Brewing Co.
33. Short Leash Hotdogs Mobile Food Truck
34. St. Francis
35. Switch Restaurant & Wine Bar
36. Tammie Coe Cakes
37. The Breadfruit
38. Tuck Shop
39. Vitamin T
Participating Wines, Beers & Spirits
SATURDAY – Arizona Wineries
Dos Cabezas WineWorks
Jerome Winery
Pillsbury Wine
Quail Distributing
Silvertap Wines
Su Vino Winery
SUNDAY – Arizona Wineries
Dos Cabezas WineWorks
Jerome Winery
Pillsbury
Quail Distributing
Silvertap Wines
Global Wines, Beer & Spirits
Colores del Sol Malbec
Etude Pinot Noir
Empty Glass Wine Company
Greg Norman Shiraz
Penfolds BIN 138 Chateau
Santa Barbara Chardonnay
Sledgehammer Zinfandel
Souverain Chardonnay
Stags’ Leap Cabernet
St. Clement Chardonnay
St. Jean Robert Young Chardonnay
TAZ Fiddlestix Pinot Noir
Wolf Blass Yellow Label
Shiraz/Cabernet
BEER
Four Peaks
Lumberyard
Honey Brown
Sam Adams
SPIRITS
Mexican Moonshine
44 North
Compass Box
Tres Leches
Forward Brands Distributing (AZ)
Arroyo Vodka
BB’s Apple Pye Liqueur
