Genuinely Unique: The Genuine, a dining concept by restaurant group Genuine Concepts, will host monthly themed dinners starting Thursday, September 28 at 6 p.m. The dinner series hosted in the mid-century modern space in Uptown Phoenix will kick off with a Don Julio tequila pairing dinner. It will feature four exquisite courses like Argentine red shrimp tacos and pineapple caramel pork belly al pastor paired with Don Julio premium spirits such as Blanco, Private Cask Reposado, 70 Cristalino and 1942 Primavera. The other dinners are slated for the last Thursdays of October, November and December at 6 p.m. and the themes are world-class pairing, fall harvest and champagne. Price per dinner starts at $120 per person. To learn more, visit thegenuineaz.com.
Hopageddon: Hop on over to Papago Brewing Company for 30 rare taps and specialty IPAs, throwback swag, food deals and more during Hopageddon on Saturday, September 23 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Guests can enjoy unique IPAs that pair wonderfully with Papago Brewing Co. brews such as Orange Blossom, Blueberry Wheat and Coconut Joe. There will also be food specials including $10 hot dogs, cheddar brats and hamburger sliders. Craft beer lovers can try some new beers and eat some delicious food at this highly anticipated event.
Birds & Booze: Help save California Condors from extinction while enjoying delicious food and drinks at Liberty Wildlife’s Condors & Cocktails event. It’ll take place at the Rob and Melani Walton Campus of Liberty Wildlife on Saturday, November 4 from 4 to 7 p.m. The event will include live music, wildlife presentations, three food trucks and a bar featuring a signature drink, the Papyrus Condor, made with mezcal, Aperol, Drambuie and lime juice. Condors & Cocktails is a 21-and-over event and tickets are $55 per person. To buy tickets click here.
Cheers to NFL Season: Bud Light, the official beer sponsor of the National Football League, is kicking off the 2023 season with limited-edition Cardinals packaging. Fans 21 and older can root for the Cards in style with special cans that include team logos and players. Specialty packaging can be found at participating retailers throughout the state of Arizona.
Maui Strong: Rusconi’s American Kitchen partnered with artist Dyana Hesson to present the Art for Maui fundraising raffle through Saturday, September 30. Owner and chef Michael Rusconi and local botanical artist Dyana Hesson began their collaboration when they found out they were cousins. The two hope to use their respective creative endeavors, food and art, to help Maui in its time of need. The pieces being raffled off are titled “The Anniversary Gift” and “Pili-Lani, Close to Heaven” and were inspired by Hesson’s frequent travels to Hawaii. Raffle tickets are $20 each or six for $100. All of the proceeds will go to Maui Strong Fund, which provides financial support to people and places affected by the devastating Maui wildfires. Guests can enter the raffle and view the artwork at Rusconi’s between 4 and 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday or enter online. The winner of the raffle will be announced on Saturday, September 30.
Hot Diggity Dog: Hot Dog Days are back at Joe’s Farm Grill through the month of September. During this extravaganza, the Gilbert staple will feature eight over-the-top hot dog specials including the Chicki-Chimi Dog (a tortilla-wrapped, deep-fried chimichanga with grilled hot dog, shredded chicken, refried beans and cheese; served with sour cream pico de gallo and avocado) and Mac Daddy Dog (a pile of homemade baked macaroni and cheese topped with sour cream, ranch dip and classic Cheetos Puffs). The hot dogs are made with all-beef natural casings and each dish is served with fries or any of Joe’s Farm Grill’s regular side dishes. Specialty hot dogs are $14 or two for $21.
From Havana with Love: Lylo Swim Club in Uptown Phoenix is hosting Havana Nights on Saturday, September 30 from 5 to 9 p.m. Indulge in a range of delicious Cuban dishes like sandwich Cubano, pan con lechon, enchilado de camarones as well as an array of cocktails. Dive into an evening of poolside bachata dancing, enjoy a premium cigar, and take a dip in the pool under the stars. To spend a night in Havana without leaving the Valley, purchase tickets for the unforgettable Havana Nights.
On Sundays We Watch Football: Lakeside Bar & Grill in North Peoria is huddling up to offer football fans the best NFL Sunday experience. Throughout the season, the family-friendly restaurant will be showing every NFL game on its wall-to-wall TVs and offering happy hour all day on Sundays. Happy hour includes deals on an array of appetizers and beverages such as $4 beers, $5 well cocktails and $6 wines. It will also be opening early for breakfast on Sundays and serving specials like the Avocado Breakfast Burger, AZ Breakfast Sandwich, Southwest Chorizo Burrito and more. The spacious dining room is perfect for large groups, so rally your game-day squad and head to this premier West Valley football fan destination.
Raise Your Steins: The Four Peaks Oktoberfest hosted by BETMGM is back for its 50th year at Tempe Town Lake. The three-day outdoor festival will include live music all weekend across two stages including music headliners Hollywood Gods N’ Monsters, Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts, Southern Ways and many more. From Friday, October 13 to Sunday, October 15, experience a variety of activities and delicious food like wiener dog races, thrilling rides, games yoga, local celebrity brat eating contests, gourmet pretzels and more. General admission is $20 on Friday and Saturday, free on Sunday and guests 20 and younger get free admission all weekend. Proceeds from the event benefit Tempe Sister Cities, a non-profit that encourages cross-cultural interactions through foreign exchange programs. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit fourpeaksoktoberfest.com.
Eat For Education: Peoria shopping center, Park West is hosting Eat for Education, a back-to-school fundraiser benefitting the Peoria Unified School District. When guests show a print or digital flyer for the event when making a purchase at one of the participating businesses, a portion of the proceeds will go to the Peoria Education Foundation. Some of the participants include Grimaldi’s Pizza, The Vig, Sicilian Butcher, Handel’s Ice Cream, Kitchen Gourmet Plus, Candle Chemistry and more. Sip, snack, shop and dine your way through Park West to benefit local students.
New Restaurants on the Block: From the Sea to the Sonoran: The highly anticipated, luxury seafood restaurant Buck & Rider is now open at Epicenter in Gilbert. Seafood can be iffy in a landlocked state like Arizona, but luckily Buck & Rider has the freshest fish flown in from the coasts seven days a week to all three of its Valley locations. The restaurant will offer a legendary daily happy hour from 3 to 7 p.m. with specials on beer, wine, cocktails, small bites and raw bar offerings. There will also be deals on champagne at weekend brunches so you can pop some bubbly with your posse to celebrate the best days of the week. It will serve an expansive lunch and dinner menu so there’s something for everyone, from its sushi rolls and killer burger to B&R Imperial Golden Osetra Caviar and aged steaks. To make reservations and view its menu visit its website.
Eligible Menus: Get Ghosted this Fall: Ghost Street Tacos, also known as Ghost Street Asian Taqueria, is taking over Ling & Louie’s for the entire month of October. The virtual ghost kitchen is located inside Ling & Louie’s and sold exclusively online and on delivery apps. Now, the public will have a chance to try its Asian-Mexican fusion menu in person just in time for National Taco Day on Wednesday, October 4. Some of the menu items include taquito dumplings, Asian nachos and mu shu chicken tacos. The unique dining concept will offer BOGO half-priced tacos and drink specials during happy hour and for loyal Ling & Louie’s fans, the regular menu will be available upon request.
Eastern Asian Elegance: Jin Jia, a Chinese-Korean fusion restaurant, opened at Desert Ridge Marketplace earlier this month. In a collaboration between ALINE Architecture Concepts and HL Concepts, the design of this beautiful, culturally inspired restaurant sets it apart from other restaurants. The high-end feel with dozens of silk lanterns, a striking red lacquer wall and a jumbo gold fortune cookie sculpture as well as authentic, upscale food like bao buns and noodle dishes is enough to feel like you’ve been transported to East Asia without leaving the Valley. To view the menu and make reservations click here.
Seasonal Sips: Big’s American Bar & Grill is celebrating the start of autumn with its specialty fall drinks. Despite the blazing temperatures, heat can’t stop this Peoria bar from providing fall vibes. Some of the fall drinks include the Cinnamon Toast Crunch shooter with Fireball and Rumchata, the Purple Haze cocktail with vodka, sour and lemon-lime soda and a float or Razzmatazz, and the Chocolate Martini with vodka, crème de cacao and Baileys. There are a bunch more big shooters, specialty drinks and martinis on its seasonal menu, so swing by this West Valley beverage haven to check them out before they’re gone.
