Get excited, folks. Best of Phoenix has arrived, and this year we’re busting out the tequila and tacos to celebrate our theme, Bordertown. As you know, the Mexican border is just a few hours south, and this year, we’re exploring how our proximity to Mexico makes the Valley such a…
The Brickyard is a cozy, shoebox-shaped restaurant and bar, located on a pleasant stretch of Boston Street in downtown Chandler. At first glance, you might mistake it for any other stylish, trendy restaurant. It’s situated in a handsome, well-worn space where the dominating feature is the red brick of its…
The aptly named Caveman Burgers opened recently on the northwest corner of Seventh Street and Bell Road. The heart of the restaurant is its attention to the origin — and chemical makeup — of its ingredients, according to owner Jeff Bobby. This means ingredients are produced without additives and anything that…
Earlier this summer, we told you Pedal Haus Brewery in Tempe was closing its doors for expansive renovations. Well, the Mill Avenue drinking destination is almost ready to unveil a new look and new menu, and yesterday, we got a sneak peek at what you can expect. Just about every…
You might remember when, in the early 2000s, cupcakes took pop culture by storm, spawning cupcake-only bakeries and even a reality TV show, Cupcake Wars. Well, things have cooled down significantly for the baked good since then, but the cupcake craze isn’t dead. At least not according to a group of…
Tomorrow, Tony Chanthavong of Snoh Ice Shavery, the popular southern Chinese-style shaved ice emporium in central Phoenix, is making good on his promise to open a second location in downtown Phoenix by the beginning of fall. On Saturday Snoh will host a grand-opening party at the new space, which is located on…
Making liquor is a lot of work. If you don’t believe it, just ask one of the owners of Arizona Distilling Co. From a distillery in Tempe, the company pumps out bottle after bottle of Commerce Gin, Park Rye Whiskey, and Mission Vodka, among other spirits. Hardest of all is…
We’ve already told you about the list of more than 40 local restaurants we have lined up to participate in this year’s Best of Phoenix A’Fare — but that’s not the only reason why you should get your ticket now for the 16th annual event. We’ve also got plans for…
Those who aren’t already getting their coffee quickly or conveniently enough now can have their morning coffee brought right to their office door. Or at least, that’s the service The Traveling Cup, a coffee-centered food truck that opened late last year, hopes to provide. The truck, which caters mostly to the…
Fans of Wally’s American Pub ‘n Grille in Scottsdale will notice some changes next week. Now known as Wally’s American Gastropub, the restaurant has been sold to Christopher Collins (son of original owner Wally Collins) and will debut a new look and menu on Monday, September 26. Collins says the new Wally’s will…
Diner 50 is a funky ’50s-themed breakfast and lunch diner situated amid the drab, sun-bleached junkyards and industrial work yards of 19th Avenue and Buckeye Road, a slice of town where concrete and chain link fence are the prevailing features of the urban landscape. The diner is easy to miss…
We’ve got bad news for Tempe’s poutine enthusiasts. Just over a year after opening on Mill Avenue, US Fries has closed its doors for good. The restaurant was located at 414 South Mill Avenue and billed itself as “Arizona’s first poutinerie.” The menu included poutine and burgers, including both classic poutine and…
With all the drama leading up to this year’s presidential election bringing more tears to our eyes than cutting an onion, we couldn’t help but think the world could use something a little, well, cheesy. So, as the candidates prepare to beef up on the issues before next week’s debate,…
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…
When season seven of Arizona PBS’s award-winning Check, Please! Arizona airs this January, a new Valley chef will moderate the show’s round table discussions of local restaurants. The show’s new host is none other than Valley restaurateur Mark Tarbell, who owns Tarbell’s restaurant, The Tavern, and The Wine Store in Phoenix. …
On Saturday, world-famous pizziaolo Chris Bianco did something he’s never done before. He closed a restaurant. Just over two years after opening his third Pizzeria Bianco in Tucson, Bianco decided to close the downtown eatery, citing issues with the restaurant’s location. “The fit wasn’t right,” Bianco says, adding, “We’ve been…
It’s been a few months since we told you chef Josh Hebert of Old Town Scottsdale fine dining spot Posh would be opening a second restaurant. But the new eatery won’t be another upscale destination. Instead, Hebert’s taking Posh’s fan favorite Tuesday Ramen night and turning it into its own…
It was always an ambitious plan. And after less than a year of business, it seems chef and owner Marco DiSanto’s plan to put two restaurants under one roof, one serving pasta and the other specializing in Japanese ramen, wasn’t just ambitious, but overly so. That’s why DiSanto’s taken the dual-concept restaurant, Otakumen and…
Since opening in 2001, Papago Brewing Company has become one of the Valley’s best-known breweries —thanks in no small part to the popularity of its best-selling Papago Orange Blossom mandarin wheat beer. But the brewery’s location in the Papago Plaza Shopping Center has made brewing on-site all but impossible, which is why…
Do you have your tickets yet? Well, if not, you’d better act fast, because New Times’ 17th annual Best of Phoenix A’Fare is just around the corner, and we have a feeling it’s going to be good. This year’s celebration will be held on Friday, October 7, at The Westin Kierland…
Sorry, Starbucks fans, but you’ve been had. At least, you have if you thought America’s most famous coffee company was really planning to open the “world’s biggest Starbucks” in downtown Phoenix. The rumor is the result of a fake AP news story, which first appeared online last week. Phoenix resident and hoax…
The Guilty Pleasure: The Ultimate Sundae Where to Get It: Sweet Republic Price: $12.75 What it Really Costs: Pretty much every last drop of your self-control. The phrase “just one more spoonful” is a lie you will tell yourself, over and over, as you shovel this rich, melty foodstuff into your…
