If you’ve ever been to The Clever Koi, then you’ve most likely been greeted by Nick Campisano. As a partner and general manager of the restaurant, Campisano’s job centers around creating a welcoming ambiance, and he has a cool demeanor that immediately puts guests at ease. But as alluring as…
Phoenix, you’ve got a wonderful food scene. But even Valley chefs and restaurant owners have to admit that we’ve got some holes that deserve to be filled. While some people may be hoping for better late-night dining options and fewer restaurant chains, I’ve got my own wish list of things…
The National Restaurant Association has released its annual What’s Hot Culinary Forecast, predicting the booms and busts for food and beverage across the country in 2016. The forecasters polled more than 1,600 members of the American Culinary Federation and detailed the rising and falling trends in categories ranging from breakfast and…
In the cool dark of the morning on December 18, 2016, men and women skilled at turning barley into beer will wipe the sleep from their eyes, swipe a comb through their beards, and head into work to start the brew day at Four Peaks in Tempe. It will have…
Where: Phoenix Public Market Cafe When: 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily Dish: The Evans-Churchill Price: $13.10 (including tax and tip) The Setting: Even though the Phoenix Public Market Cafe is a wide open space, the downtown restaurant still feels warm and cozy. Located at 14 E. Pierce Streey, the eatery…
There’s probably a restaurant named House of Egg Roll in every major metropolitan city between Los Angeles and New York. In fact, a quick Google search turns up results including a Vietnamese-Chinese fast food spot by that name in Santa Clara and a similarly named Egg Roll House restaurant in…
No city can give you everything. We asked our chefs to sound off on what the Valley’s dining and drink scene is missing. From diversity to speakeasies and even a steakhouse strip club, here’s what chefs say the Vally needs more of. What is Phoenix’s dining/drink scene missing? Pauline Martinez,…
Early next year Scottsdale will welcome Smoke Haus, a sister eatery to restauranteur Dave Andrea’s Brat Haus, to the Old Town dining scene. The restaurant has existed for about a year or so as an off-site catering concept, but will now make its brick-and-mortar home at 3636 N. Scottsdale Road,…
The wait is almost over, people. Next month you’ll finally be able to see Durant’s Never Closes, the feature-length film produced and directed by local filmmaker Travis Mills and starring none other than Tom Sizemore as legendary local restaurant owner Jack Durant, and you’ll be able to see it on the…
Milk Bar might be the most unusual restaurant to open in downtown Phoenix this year. The stylish restaurant and bar, which had its soft opening in February, is a modern update on the iconic bar mleczny (Polish for “milk bar”), the traditional worker canteen that reached the height of its…
We met Amy Binkley at her small urban farm in Central Phoenix on a cold December afternoon. Recent rains had saturated her rows of dirt and vegetables, and as we began our interview, she was still knocking a thick layer of mud from the soles of her boots. Binkley co-owns…
The Guilty Pleasure: La Frijolera Where to Get It: Pizza Patrón Price: $9.99 What it Really Costs: The dry cleaning costs of removing pizza grease stains from your shirt. For a humble value pizza chain, Pizza Patrón sure has generated a lot of controversy over the years. The Latino-themed pizzeria, which is based in…
Anheuser-Busch has acquired Four Peaks Brewing Company, one of the largest brewery’s in Arizona, according to an announcement by Anheuser-Busch on Friday. The Tempe-based brewery, arguably one of the most popular and successful in the state, will be the sixth brewery to join the growing list of craft beer producers…
Once a year, dozens of the region’s best food trucks come together for a two-day event that features food, drink, cooking demonstrations, eating contests . . . oh, and did we mention lots and lots of food? Well, this annual event is called the Street Eats Food Truck Festival, and it’s…
As of earlier this month, The Herb Box co-owners Becky Windels and Susan Wilcox have parted ways. Windels and Wilcox founded The Herb Box as a catering company in 1995, eventually expanding the business to include two restaurants — one at DC Ranch in Scottsdale and a second at Southbridge in…
For three years, the Gilbert Food Truck Court has been held every Friday night at 385 N. Gilbert Road in the city’s Heritage District. The event tonight, however, will be the last at that location. The move to a new locale isn’t by choice. Instead, organizers say they’re being pushed out…
Food trends come and go. Anyone remember toast? But some really do stick around for a long time. Cupcakes are still popular — even though doughnuts are quickly taking over that dessert niche — and gluten-free items don’t look like they’ll be going anywhere anytime soon. Like it or not,…
Put down the Triple Ginger Brew and no one gets hurt. No, seriously, if you have any Triple Ginger Brew from Trader Joe’s in your house, you may want to get rid of it as soon as possible because on Tuesday the California-based company issued a voluntary recall on the…
Soon, the number of culinary schools in metro Phoenix will decrease by one. On Wednesday, Career Education Corporation, the for-profit company that operates Le Cordon Bleu culinary schools, announced plans to close all 16 of its campuses in North America, including the metro Phoenix location in Scottsdale. In a press release,…
Where: Sip Coffee & Beer House When: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 7 a.m. to close Sunday Dish: Breakfast Sandwich Price: $7.20 (including tax and tip) The Setting: Sip Coffee & Beer House, 3617 North Goldwater Road in Old Town…
Like many of the Valley’s best restaurants, Cherryblossom Noodle Cafe is located in an unremarkable strip mall. But unlike most other places — including its sister restaurant, fast-casual Tokyo Express, next door — Cherryblossom offers a diverse menu consisting of Japanese and pan-Asian dishes, and a surprising selection of classic Italian fare. The…
The Guilty Pleasure: Ritz Fudge Covered Crackers Where to Get It: Grocery Stores Price: $4.29 (although it looks like prices vary by store) What it Really Costs: The sadness that you’ll have to wait 10 months for them to return again. Every year, Nabisco plays the same trick. “We’ll bring…
