For those in Old Town Scottsdale in search of cheesesteaks, meatball sandwiches, and cold hoagies — especially in the late evening hours — and who might not have heard the news that the Philadelphia Sandwich Company has moved (and re-opened) to a larger space at 4225 North Craftsman Court, not…

Out with the doughnuts, in with the pizza. As of this week, East Coast Italian-style pie lovers in Tempe can hit up Paisan’s Pizza & Italian Kitchen, at 425 South Mill Avenue (5th Street and Mill and in the former home of Dunkin’ Donuts), to test run a new favorite…

When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…

Oh, my, this is exciting. For those who thought Bomberos Winebar, the hip little neighborhood hangout in Sunnyslope that shuttered last March after failed lease renewal discussions with the landlord (the space is now occupied by Timo), was ancient history, it’s time to write a new chapter. Just over a…

Imagine mashed potatoes. Then imagine a pile of mashed potatoes — smooth and sticky — shaped into a starchy dome. You pull a piece and mold it into an indented marble-size ball, a flat disc, or perhaps a thumb-pressed oval to scoop up a richly flavored soup or stew. The…

Warsan, a new African restaurant and coffee shop first-time owner Loyan Hassan Abdi tells me means good news in the Somali language, has opened in the strip mall at 2935 East McDowell Road (McDowell and 29th Street.) The casual, bare-bones restaurant, opened for about a week, is still sparse on…

Good news for fans of New York-style pizza from Myrah and Joe Aiello, owners of Aiello’s, the East Coast Italian restaurant in Phoenix. The couple has announced their new pizza shop, Isa’s Pizza, will open this Thursday next to their second restaurant, Aiello’s Salumeria, a “mini Aiello’s,” at 777 East…

Welcome to Chow Bella’s Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Miss a question? Go here. Inspiration, information, mouth-watering photography — our favorite cookbooks are like…

How can you add pizza to a gelato spot and still call it The Gelato Spot? That question was surely on the minds of the owners of this Old Town Scottsdale creamery (with three other locations in the Valley) when they installed a wood-fired pizza oven on the premises last…

Since it opened a year and a half ago, the Downtown location of Cartel Coffee, the popular local roaster with four locations in Arizona, has not only been supplying the java to the likes of suits and students, but breakfast and lunch bites as well. “We’ve had a good run…

As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. Since he was kicked out of his old location in Scottsdale last July, Cullen Campbell, owner and chef of Crudo, has been working on his new Phoenix location at 3603 East Indian School Road (Indian School and 36th Street)…

Welcome to Chow Bella’s Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Miss a question? Go here. The meat industry calls it “lean, finely textured beef.” The…

If you’re a fan of Portlandia on IFC, you’ll understand that when you “put a bird on it,” things get spruced up and pretty in a hurry (“I’m painting a bird on a bird!”) — well, at least until the real deal appears. Perhaps that’s what the owners of Songbird…

“Hello, thanks for calling Domino’s.” “Oh hey, can I get your spinach and feta pizza?” “Sure.” “Without onions.” “Sure, uh, wait, what was that?” “I said no onions.” “Sorry, no.” “Excuse me?” “No.” “No? I DON’T WANT ONIONS! I HATE ONIONS! WHY CAN’T I TAKE ONIONS OFF MY PIZZA? WHAT’S…

Oh my, this is exciting. Jeff Kraus, the man behind ++Experience++ and the currently-defunct Truckin’ Good Food truck (named one of the nation’s “Top 10 Most Influential Food Trucks” by the Huffington Post) tells me, after months of searching, he’s found a home for his new concept — in Tempe…

Say the word “cheeseburger” and most meat-eating Americans drool at the thought of a juicy, seasoned beef patty blanketed in melted cheese, accompanied by any number of condiments, and resting on a dreamy bun. Say the words “cold beer,” and, well, now we’re really talking. The effect of these words…

It appears the tentacles of restaurateur Sam Fox are reaching out to expand his empire once again — this time in Vegas, baby. The 2012 James Beard Foundation semi-finalist for Outstanding Restaurateur has announced that Culinary Dropout, his trendy gastropub in Scottsdale, will open a location inside the Hard Rock…

When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…