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Friday means our end-of-week Phoenix food news roundup is hot and ready. This week: Let the donations fly. Phoenix restaurants are winning cash prizes, donating to organizations in need, and winning some decent pizza ranking spots. Let’s get into it.
Discover Forks Over $25,000 to Monroe’s Hot Chicken
Last week, we told you how Monroe’s Hot Chicken was opening an additional location in Tempe. This week, the restaurant got $25,000 as a winner of Discover’s Eat it Forward program. Discover is giving $5 million to Black-owned restaurants throughout the country till October 31 — and Monroe’s Hot Chicken got a chunk. Winners are selected randomly from social media nominations. Discover is donating to Black-owned restaurants “to help them bounce back from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disproportionately impacted the Black community.”
24 Carrots Has Become Something of a Donation Center
In Tempe, 24 Carrots — listed as one of our top 100 restaurants in Phoenix — has found an additional use for its dining room. Every Wednesday, the seating area now serves as a collection site for donations to the Navajo Nation. The vegan restaurant is also providing meals for three shelters and two hospitals on a regular basis. “We’ve always run 24 Carrots with the heart of a non-profit,” says chef/owner Sasha Raj in a press release. “We’re not reinventing ourselves; this is who we’ve always been.” The restaurant is still serving its usual menu for pickup.
A Third Sweet Republic Is Opening This Month
Helen Yung and Jan Wichayanuparp are opening their third location of the artisan ice cream shop — following the original in Scottsdale and the second spot in Uptown. The new Sweet Republic will be located at The Watermark retail complex at 410 North Scottsdale Road in northern Tempe. The small batch ice cream shop is set to open at the end of the month.
EXPANDZuZu is Donating Some Shake Proceeds to Ballet Arizona
Sticking with sweet stuff, ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho is known for its over-the-top shakes. For October, the “Show Stopper” shake of the month is Every Day I’m Wafflin’ — a Mexican spiced chocolate shake with a wild list of topping. Think a pressed cinnamon roll waffle, a dipped waffle cone, spiced chocolate sauce, whipped cream, candied chili threads, freeze-dried mandarins, and orange supremes. It’s $18, but a dollar per shake will go to Ballet Arizona. Snag one of these Zuzu shakes from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Some Phoenix Pizza Places Have Won a Major Award
Phoenix pizza continues to pull in some pretty neat recognition. The Daily Meal, a national food and drink site, has named two pizza joints in the Valley on its 2020 list of “The 101 Best Pizzas in America.” Pizzeria Bianco ranks high at number 14, followed a little later by Cibo at number 23. Both restaurants are also found on our top 100 restaurant list.
See what Valley restaurants are offering takeout, delivery, and dine-in services with our Phoenix Restaurant Directory.
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