It has been a few years since PHX Beer Co.’s Brewery and Taproom in Downtown Phoenix became a fan favorite addition to the craft beer scene in Arizona. Since its opening in 2019, the staff has been working to expand the taproom’s menu, adding sharable items such as house-made chips and salsa plus the pretzel bites paired with Arizona Gold cheese fondue and Iron Horse Porter … [More]
Recreo Cantina Takes Community to Heart
“At the end of the day, the community’s going to decide.” This statement by Schuyler Estes, general manager of Recreo Cantina, captures the heart of the transformation of Recreo to Recreo Cantina — because what the community told Estes and restaurant owner Niels Kreipke that they missed was the Mexican food experience. That could start with guacamole, made fresh daily with … [More]
Sfizio Makes Italian Personal
“Something you don’t need but, for whatever reason, you want.” Chef Rocco Pezzano may have had tongue planted firmly in cheek when he named his restaurant “Sfizio,” but he understated the attraction of this Italian eatery. Family-owned and family-run, Sfizio Modern Italian Kitchen is a cozy neighborhood restaurant in north Phoenix where the warm atmosphere owes as much to … [More]
Buck & Rider Reels in Daily Fresh Catches
Arizona’s lack of coastline couldn’t hold Adam Strecker from his dream of opening a seafood restaurant — and it took just one year from idea to opening the first Buck & Rider in Arcadia nearly eight years ago. Now, the north Valley boasts its own Buck & Rider — twice the size of the original. Arizona’s lack of coastline couldn’t hold Adam Strecker from his dream of … [More]
Giving Tree Café Nourishes Mind, Body and Soul
Just north of Downtown Phoenix, on a bustling stretch of 7th Street, sits an unassuming green building. Framing the parking lot, a large, life-sized sculpture replicating the iconic “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” photo beckons passersby to pause and give a second glance. Whether it’s to take a closer look at the impressive street art or to peek inside the business that erected such … [More]
Merkin Vineyards Old Town Scottsdale – Showcasing Arizona-Grown
Merkin Vineyards Old Town Scottsdale is on a mission to delivering a 100% Arizona experience through the use of its homegrown produce and wine. It is a mission few would choose to take on, but it is essential when regional, sustainable and a sense of place are the main goals. Merkin Vineyards’ and its sister label Caduceus Cellars’ backyards are known across the state and … [More]
More than a Coffee Shop, Bottle & Bean Offers Unexpected Surprises
Bottle & Bean Coffee House & Wine Shop is the newest dining destination to join the south Chandler hot spot, Downtown Ocotillo. Located in the heart of the bustling mixed-use development, the coffee shop and wine bar is an all-day destination, ideal for the busy professional. Open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., the restaurant serves a complete line-up of morning to … [More]
Liberty Market – A Nod to Gilbert’s Roots in a Contemporary Vibe
Liberty Market resides in the heart of bustling Historic Old Town Gilbert and serves as a nod to the town’s rich roots, its vibrant present and its future. The all-day café and restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, with a wide selection of food and beverages to choose from throughout the day. For East Valley businesspeople, it serves as a perfect spot … [More]
Anoche Cantina Breathes New Life into Mill Ave.
Highly anticipated restaurant and nightlife concept Anoche Cantina is a perfect example of “right place, right time.” The first Arizona concept for Washington state-based Ascend Hospitality Group, Anoche opened on August 18 in the heart of Tempe’s Mill Ave., when the neighborhood was needing it most. “We’ve had our eye on Tempe for a while, and when the opportunity arose for … [More]
Phoenix City Grille: A Hidden Gem in the Heart of the Valley
Phoenix City Grille has been quietly experiencing success as a locals’ and visitors’ favorite since it opened its doors in the iconic Bethany East shopping center in 1997. Nestled into the Madison neighborhood with many surrounding historic districts, Phoenix City Grille is owned and operated by Sheldon Knapp while Executive Chef Micah Wyzlic, who has worked for the restaurant … [More]
Los Sombreros Uptown: Get Down with Oaxacan-Inspired Mexican Cuisine
Los Sombreros, a Scottsdale institution since 1994, brought its popular concept to the Central and Camelback area in 2019, when the new owners opened their second location in the Uptown Phoenix shopping center. After temporarily closing at the end of 2020 for little over a year, the charming restaurant located inside the brick house-style building at 3rd Street and Camelback is … [More]
Birdcall – High-Flying Chicken Concept
This fast-casual has spirit. Spirits, actually. Cocktails make even dry business meetings more enjoyable. Birdcall’s house-made selections include a traditionally salt-rimmed margarita (on the rocks or frozen) and a spicier-rimmed spicy cucumber margarita. Craft beer and wine are also on the menu. Also indulgent, but in a different way, are rich, thick milkshakes in not just … [More]
Etta – Hearth-Driven from Kitchen to Dining Room
Warmth is the overriding theme at Etta, which builds its menu around the wood-fired hearth that is also prominently featured in the exhibition kitchen that spans nearly one full wall of the main dining room. Warmth also reflects and rebounds off the copperware hanging in profuse display above the flames. In fact, hearth is central to the restaurant’s entire concept, as the name … [More]
Terra Tempe – Grounded in Southwest Inspiration
Terra Tempe is the latest addition to Tempe’s bustling downtown corridor. Located on the ground floor of The Westin Tempe at the corner of 7th Street and Mill Avenue, Terra Tempe brings a sophisticated yet approachable dining experience to the neighborhood with a menu of Modern American cuisine that cleverly combines bold, rustic flavors with locally sourced ingredients to … [More]
Santé: Healthy Dining with a Wow! Factor
Healthy eating never looked so appealing. Santé’s first impression gives off vibes of haute couture, with the outsize fashion photos and a feathery boa-inspired chandelier. Co-owner Nico Doniele Scegiel worked in the fashion industry, and credits her passion for healthy nutrition to overcoming the bad influences of that former career. She worked with award-winning Chef Saul … [More]
Daily Dose Kitchen & Bar Innovates Crave-able Breakfast & Lunch
Daily Dose Kitchen & Bar has been a Valley favorite for scratch-made breakfast and lunch since 2008, when owners JenLyn and Matt Long opened their first Daily Dose on Scottsdale Road. This locally owned restaurant now has three locations — the original Daily Dose Old Town, plus Daily Dose Midtown near 20th Street and Highland, and Daily Dose Rio Salado, located next to … [More]
Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant
Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant offers its modern, casual dining experience in an inviting upscale setting, with a unique blend of a full-service restaurant inside a winery. American-fusion dishes feature flavors from around the world. “At Cooper’s Hawk, we do not believe wine should be intimidating or complicated. Our focus is on creating great-tasting wine and … [More]
Streets of New York – Italy in the Neighborhood
There is something to say about a classic, and that’s just what the local and privately-owned pizzeria, Streets of New York, brings to the table with classic East Coast-style pizza and authentic Italian cuisine. Starting with the opening of the original Streets of New York location at 32nd Street and Cactus in north Phoenix in 1976, and now with locations across Arizona and in … [More]
