BARCOA Agaveria invites its patrons to discover the amazing world of heritage agave spirits. Housed in a historic building that was once a hardware store, the bar shares a space with XICO, a Latinx & Indigenous art studio. We caught up with BARCOA founder David Tyda to talk about agave-based spirits and local businesses. Learn more at Best Fest on Saturday, August 13. What can attendees expect from you at Best Fest? We’re partnering with...
Noteworthy and randomly selected restaurants from our rotating master list.
Sterling Smith is a U.S. Navy Veteran and long-time competitor in the professional barbecue circuit. He started Loot N’ Booty to share his passion for barbecue with the world and create a legacy his children can carry on. Loot N’ Booty has been all over the world teaching barbecue classes and it’s sold nationally and internationally. Loot N’ Booty is headed to Best Fest on August 13 with its award-winning BBQ rubs, sauces and signed...
Mahfam Moeeni-Alarcon has spent years mastering the craft of selecting fine cheeses and wines and concocting culturally inspired dishes. After college and culinary school, she worked at various restaurants in different positions to learn as much as she could about the business as well as wine, cheese and craft beer. In 2017, Moeeni-Alarcon opened Chandler restaurant Mingle + Graze. Now it’s headed to Best Fest on August 13 with a delicious selection of hand-picked Spanish...
There’s something macabre and mystical about Bone Haus Brewing, which draws inspiration from the catacombs of Europe to the mining history of territorial Arizona – and embeds the number 13 and short stories chronicling its fictional patriarch Hans Von Biermann in each of its cans. But it’s also demystifying craft beer, hosting Beer School sessions and bringing classic and inventive brews alike to Fountain Hills. We caught up with Morgan Ringwald, who handles sales and...
Food truck and fast-casual burger joint Aioli Gourmet Burgers has been dishing out inventive burgers and shakes since 2013 – and has recently added its own lemonade brand to the mix. We caught up with Vivianna D’Ambrosio, Aioli’s director of sales and marketing, to talk about what she loves about the Valley. You can join us to do the same at Best Fest on August 13, where we’ll be celebrating the most laudable people, places...
Opening Beirut Market A Middle Eastern market featuring daily lunch and dinner dishes along with fresh produce, desserts and groceries has opened in the Rose Garden Center. 21043 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix, 602-675-0647 Caffé Vita Seattle’s leading independent coffee roaster sets up shop in Arizona. 509 W. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, caffevita.com Chick-A-Dee This new Thai restaurant specializes in chicken and rice dishes topped with cucumber, cilantro and a choice of sauces. 49 W. Thomas...
Dom Ruggiero, the chef-owner of wildly popular Hush Public House in North Scottsdale, has a knack for figuring out where the market is under-served, and a good restaurant is needed. Case in point: North Scottsdale was a dining desert until Ruggiero opened Hush and resolved the problem in 2019. From day one, the place was packed with customers who loved Hush’s laidback vibe and Ruggiero’s sophisticated version of comfort food. Now, he and his wife...
THE SCENE When I interviewed chef Jeremy Pacheco about his home fridge for our July/August issue, he perked up when we discussed his new restaurant, The Genuine. He enthused about the wood-fired oven, the locally sourced meat, the pasta and the veggies. “There will be something for everyone,” he said as we chatted across his kitchen counter. “A nice neighborhood hangout.” So, when I got an invitation to come in for a media happy hour...
As the food scene grows throughout the Valley, the west side of Phoenix continues to surprise customers with mouthwatering dishes from across the globe. Check out these three unique places to have your next meal. Get a Taste of India at India Garden India Garden is one of the only Indian restaurants on the west side of Phoenix serving traditional Indian and Nepali cuisine. Upon entering the restaurant, you will be greeted with amazing customer...
THE SCENE Bars and restaurants are playing it fast and loose with the word “experience” these days. Calling a dimly lit bar a speakeasy and charging $20 for a cocktail does not an experience make. But over at the Century Grand compound on Indian School and 36th Street – the playground of cocktail innovators Jason Asher, Rich Furnari, Jeff Holland, Mat Snapp, Kailee Asher and Jax Donahue – true experiences abound. At each of Barter...
Which world wine region does Arizona compare to? It’s a question I’ve been answering for years. My answer? No other region. There are similarities in grape varietals to other regions. I have had Grenache from the south of France that mirrors our expressions of Grenache. A grape like Vermentino, through the lens of Sand-Reckoner, comes close to benchmarks from Corsica and Sardinia. Some qualities of our wine remind me of the Old World, like earth,...
