8 new restaurants, cafes and bars join the mix on Roosevelt Row

Roosevelt Row, the downtown stretch that’s a go-to spot for a night of dining and drinking, has seen a host of changes to its offerings this summer. Four new restaurants and bars have opened, with four more set to debut at this bustling district this fall. From sourdough bread and wine to burgers and beer, here’s what’s new and coming soon.

Now open:

Culinary Gangster

513 E. Roosevelt St.

Culinary Gangster evolved from a food truck to a full-fledged restaurant in Scottsdale, serving the greatest hits of founder Ricky Raschillo’s decades-long culinary career. Half-pound specialty burgers and crinkle-cut fries are fan favorites that take center stage at the second location of this all-day restaurant. Culinary Gangster opened on June 30, replacing Full Speed Chicken & Ribs on Roosevelt Street between Fourth and Fifth streets. Helmed by Raschillo’s son Rocco, the Phoenix restaurant also offers breakfast burritos and bowls, as well as lunch and dinner fare that includes salads, wraps, quinoa bowls, funnel cake fries and a full bar.

Dolce Italia by MEKK

800 N. Second St.

Dolce Italia by MEKK opened in May, just south of Roosevelt on the northwest corner of Second and McKinley streets. The family-owned spot is inspired by European cafes that owners Meti and Elvira Pellumbi have visited. Dolce Italia serves morning coffee and pastries, and food and drinks are offered the rest of the day, including late-night eats on weekends. Savory dishes, such as housemade pasta, pizzas and sandwiches, lean Italian. Treats in the dessert case highlight Elvira’s Albanian heritage and cooking flair, including tiramisu, cakes and rice pudding. Two chocolate fountains are used to craft fresh-dipped strawberries and chocolate-covered canolis. The vibrant cafe is decorated with florals and a Barbie-pink telephone booth. The name is personalized with MEKK, representing the initials of the couple and their children.

Proof Bread

301 W. Roosevelt St.

After a long wait for fresh sourdough bread, pastries and Roman-style square pizza slices, Proof Bread opened its downtown location on May 16. Owned by couple Jon Przybyl and Amanda Abou-Eid, this outpost in the ECO PHX apartment building on Roosevelt Street and Third Avenue is the first of three new locations in the works, preceding shops opening in Tempe and Gilbert. The bakery also has locations in downtown Mesa, North Phoenix and Litchfield Park. In addition to its bakes, the downtown Phoenix location boasts an expanded coffee and espresso menu. Customers can order all of these items from an outdoor walk-up counter or pop inside to the small but well-appointed space.

Turquoise Wine Bar

504 E. Roosevelt St.

Those in search of a wine bar along Roosevelt Row have a new destination. Turquoise Wine Bar’s second Valley location, and first franchised location, opened on the northeast corner of Fifth and Roosevelt streets on July 31. Inspired by the communal, neighborhood vibe of the Glendale location, Oly and Jesse Salgado’s bar offers regular tastings and live music. Turquoise pours glasses and flights of boutique wines from around the world paired with charcuterie boards, salads, flatbreads and other small bites. The spot features a patio, bar and dining area with an eye-catching, expansive blue velvet couch, and a private Champagne lounge.

Coming soon:

CP Coffee and Pâtisserie

Opens Sept. 25
850 N. Fifth St.

CP Coffee and Pâtisserie pairs a powerhouse coffee roaster with an acclaimed baker, all under one roof. East Valley’s Peixoto Coffee Roasters and Scottsdale’s Chacónne Patisserie have partnered on a dual-counter cafe in the Wexford Science + Technology building on the southeast corner of Fourth and Garfield streets. At CP, customers will find Chacónne pastries, sourdough breads, cakes and a selection of salads and sandwiches, as well as coffees and espressos from Peixoto. Owners Mark Chacón and Julia Peixoto Peters promise collab lattes that will rotate seasonally, featuring house-made syrups.

Formation Brewing

925 N. Fifth St.

The team behind Colorado’s award-winning Denver Beer Co. developed this desert-inspired brewpub. Formation Brewing hasn't shared an official opening date yet, but has teased on social media that the long-awaited brewery will debut on the southeast corner of Fifth and Roosevelt streets this fall. Formation Brewing will serve beer on 24 taps and offer a food menu anchored by Detroit-style pizzas. Among Formation’s brews, which will be made on-site, are four signature sips that their new desert digs have inspired: Cloud Drifter Hazy IPA, Desert Racer Pilsner, Sun Crest Tart Peach Ale and Western Winds West Coast IPA. Formation joins a district primed for brewery-hopping, with several notable craft spots within walking distance, including Greenwood Brewing, Sana Sana Cerveceria and Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.

Sapphire & Slate by Nik Fields

1001 N. Central Ave.

Nik Fields has a new wine bar coming to downtown later this fall. In addition to sampling wines, diners can pair their pours with charcuterie boards and dips. Sapphire & Slate will be located in the Ten-0-One building, located on Roosevelt Street and Central Avenue. Fields, who goes by "Chic Chef," also owns The Collective, which features her cafe, The Grind, and chef-driven salad bar, The Mix. Those spots will open downtown at the Arizona Center on Aug. 31. Sapphire & Slate replaces Now or Never Boutique and joins a building that's also home to the luxe hidden bar and restaurant Rough Rider and cafe and shop Dialog.

Tropic Thunder

1014 N. Second St.

Julian Wright, the owner of the popular Roosevelt Row spots Pedal Haus Brewery, Sake Haus and Kahvi Coffee, has another bar in the works just off Roosevelt Street. Tropic Thunder will be a “dive bar with tiki vibes,” Wright told New Times in September 2024. He anticipates the bar will open this October and serve drinks that include classic tiki cocktails and dive-appropriate beer-and-shot combos. Expect a dramatic tiki-inspired interior, designed by architect Wesley James, who crafted Wright’s dual bar concept in Tempe, Devil’s Hideaway and Idle Hands, along with other Valley bars Century Grand and UnderTow.