Pizza Me: Custom-Made Pizza Is Coming to McCormick Ranch in April

Scottsdale’s McCormick Ranch neighborhood will get a new spot for personal pizza this spring. Called Pizza Me, the restaurant will offer personal pizza in a style similar to Chipotle. The restaurant will be located at 9619 North Hayden Road, on the southeast corner of Hayden and Mountain View roads. The…

Closed: GoodyTwos Toffee Company in Scottsdale

As of Saturday, February 15, GoodyTwos Toffee Company, the north Scottsdale spot specializing in toffee candy has shut its doors for good. Donna Gabrilson and Stacey Barnes, the mother-daughter team behind the confection company, moved their shop to the location at 6990 E Shea Blvd in 2011 after outgrowing a…

The Stand Serves Hecho en Arcadia Burgers and Tacos

We’re not quite sure how it happened, but somewhere along the way Central Phoenix’s Arcadia neighborhood became the unofficial burger capital of metro Phoenix. So when The Stand opened, we were disappointed to hear the area would be getting yet another burger-centric joint. After an underwhelming first visit it took…

La Barquita vs. Rosita’s Place: Menudo on McDowell

Menudo is a Mexican soup, an enticing bowl of hominy and tripe (beef stomach) made with either red or white broth. It’s a well-known hangover cure. But don’t save it just to bring you back to normal; it can be enjoyed when the temperature’s lower or you just want a…

5 Best Things to Eat and Drink This Weekend in Metro Phoenix

Arizona Matsuri Festival Saturday, February 22 The annual Arizona Matsuri Festival will take over Heritage Square in downtown Phoenix this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. The event includes three stages with live entertainment, arts and crafts, bonsai displays, and Japanese food. Be sure…

$5 Lunch at George and Dragon Pub in Central Phoenix

At Chow Bella we go crazy for $10 lunches, so you can only imagine the excitement we felt when the sign outside George and Dragon English Restaurant and Pub advertised a $5 lunch. Once the happy feelings wore off, a bit of skepticism crept in, because how good can a…

Noca Dinner Service Is Back and We Tried It

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…

Cook’s Day Off: San Francisco

Welcome to Cook’s Day Off, chronicling the food-centered wanderings of a Valley cook — away from the heat, noise, and chaos of the kitchen. Just because it isn’t a day in the kitchen, it doesn’t mean it isn’t a day about food. In San Francisco, the hills are alive with…

Oregano’s Can Teach Us All a Lesson

Welcome to “Schaefer,” in which Eric Schaefer — a local guy with a big (but discerning) appetite and a sense of humor to match — takes on the Phoenix food scene. I’d like a job at Oregano’s. If anyone from corporate is reading this, please call me, okay? Never mind…

Jack in the Box Introduces New Bacon Insider Burger

The Guilty Pleasure: Bacon Insider Where To Get It: Jack in the Box, locations Valleywide Price: $4.99 (your mileage may vary) What It Really Costs: About 730 calories, almost 400 from fat. For some time now, bacon has been almost fetishized by all manner of culinary folk. It’s understandable. Bacon…