Phoenix City Grille

For a longtime Valley restaurant made in the American bar-and-grill mold, Sheldon Knapp’s Phoenix City Grille manages to go its own way. How can you tell? The menu has a full-on glossary to define ingredients so that, though the dining room is a bit dim, you aren’t wholly flying in the dark. With your short […]

Phoenix Knife House

Serious knife enthusiasts tend to head over to Phoenix Knife House located in east Phoenix. It is a culinary store that specializes in Japanese and custom-made professional-quality cutlery and also provides sharpening and repair services. We’re not talking about J.A. Henckels or Shun knives here. Phoenix Knife House sells premium Japanese brands of such high […]

Phoenix Zoo

Named one of the nation’s top five zoos for kids in 2003, the Phoenix Zoo houses more than 1,300 animals and is traversed by five trails, which wind through 125 acres of animals, rides and more. The Phoenix Zoo is a privately-owned nonprofit zoo supported by donors and other private organizations and offers plenty of […]

Pig’s Meow Beer & Wine Bar

Beer and wine fans, take note: This newest bar comes courtesy of some of CenPho’s favorite watering holes. Owned by Greg Malkin of the Whining Pig, this cozy spot is located in the Arcadia neighborhood in the space formerly occupied by the Poor Little Rich Girl consignment boutique. Now, instead of used clothing, it offers […]

Pita Jungle

Funky, popular spot that features local art on the walls, a healthful, vegetarian-friendly menu, and more dreadlocks and doo-rags (at least at the Tempe location) than you may ever see in one place. Well-known as a cheap-date restaurant with price points set for an ASU student’s wallet. Still, you don’t have to be a starving […]

Pizzeria Bianco

Chris Bianco, one of Phoenix’s best-known chefs and restaurateurs, has expanded his local empire with this cozy bistro in the Town and Country Shopping Center. A small, rotating menu of Italian standards and signature Italian-American creations uses the fresh, locally grown ingredients and hits its mark every time with flavor-packed salads, pasta dishes, and entrées […]

Postino Arcadia

For a leisurely lunch or a light dinner in a vibrant, high-style atmosphere, Postino always feels right. Granted, we’re not alone in that sentiment, considering how hard it is to find a parking spot in these parts. But once we get a table, all is well, especially when the garage-style door of this historic post […]

Ranch House Grille

With hearty eats, huge portions, and old-fashioned prices, Ranch House Grille has a small-town feel – no surprise, considering its roots in Page, Arizona, where the Cline family opened the first Ranch House Grille in 1999. Southwestern country fried steak, smothered in spicy pork chili verde, is clearly the star dish here, but anything with […]