Food ReviewsSonatas Restaurant
Editorial StaffFebruary 1, 2017
Exercise your pierogi-tive for adventurous dining at this elevated Eastern European eatery in Scottsdale.
CocktailsSeptember 4, 2026Interview with a Mixologist: Zach O’Haire from Mea Culpa
Openings/ClosingsSeptember 2, 2026August 2026 Openings & Closings
Food ReviewsSeptember 2, 2026Dining Review: Quiessence
Food ReviewsNorth Mountain Grille
M.V. MoorheadFebruary 1, 2017
The owners of the original Coronado Cafe resurface with this ode to Baltimore-style seafood in North Phoenix.
Food ReviewsCurrying Favor
M.V. MoorheadFebruary 1, 2017
It's naan-stop deliciousness at these neighborhood Indian restaurants.
Happy Hour8-Bit Bites
Shelby MooreFebruary 1, 2017
Make like Pac-Man with discounted drinks and eats at these vintage arcade bars.
Local ProductsArizona Mead
Shelby MooreFebruary 1, 2017
We're sweet on Superstition Meadery's honeyed meads.
Veg OutFalafel Burger
Marilyn HawkesFebruary 1, 2017
Ocotillo chef Sacha Levine makes awfully good falafel.
Drink ThisSotol Tale
Shelby MooreFebruary 1, 2017
Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour's Sotol Tale, a take on a classic Martinez, loses nothing in translation.
Amuse BouchesAmuse-Bouches
Editorial StaffFebruary 1, 2017
Tasty local news bites to whet your appetite.
ListsPHOENIX Team Picks: January
Lauren LoftusJanuary 30, 2017
Each month, we of the PHOENIX magazine creative team ask ourselves a different question about our favorite dining and drinking experiences in the Valley. Our picks are usually hidden in the back of the magazine among our Dining Guide restaurant listings. Not any more. Our picks are going digital! Feel free to follow us on social media (at least, those of us who tweet) and be sure to tag us (@PhoenixMagazine on Twitter and @PHXMagazine on Instagram) on pics of your favorite picks.
January: What are you excited to eat in 2017?
RecipesRecipe Friday: Crepe Club Crepes
Marilyn HawkesJanuary 27, 2017
Next Thursday, Feb. 2, is National Crepe Day and to celebrate, The Crepe Club is offering a free Nutella or Parisian (butter and sugar) crepe at all locations. The Crepe Club’s owners, Fares Tarabichi and his brothers, Karim and Omar, have been eating crepes since they were kids in Syria. Every Sunday, their mom would whip up a batch of crepes for the family. “My brothers and I would compete (to see) who could come up with the best fillings,” Fares says.
Their love of crepes led the brothers to set up a crepe cart two years ago on the campus of Arizona State University, where all three attended. Today, the cart has been transformed into a brick and mortar location on the campus and they’ve opened restaurants at Biltmore Fashion Park and San Tan Village.
Food & Drink FestivalsThinking of Going Veg? Check Out the AZ Vegetarian Food Fest this Weekend (plus promo code!)
Lauren LoftusJanuary 26, 2017
Animal protein ain’t the only way to get your gains, bro.
At least, according to a recent study in the journal “Nutrients” from Arizona State University. The researchers tracked the diets of vegetarian and omnivore endurance athletes for a week then had them complete a series of fitness tests. The findings? Both categories of athletes performed at basically the same level and had very similar body compositions.
Openings/ClosingsMore Than a Grocery, Vintage Downtown Phoenix Bashas’ Bids Adieu
M.V. MoorheadJanuary 24, 2017
The time warps here in the Valley keep closing. You know what I mean: those little rifts in the space-time continuum through which you can slip and feel like you’re back in midcentury America. A couple of years ago it was Monti’s La Casa Vieja in Tempe, and in 1998 it was the Cine Capri at 24th Street and Camelback; now it’s the Bashas’ at 7th Avenue and Osborn that’s in its homestretch of existence.
RecipesRecipe Friday: Taco Guild Al Pastor Tacos
Marilyn HawkesJanuary 20, 2017
For taco lovers, there’s nothing better than biting into a juicy al pastor taco loaded with tender, spicy pork. You probably have your favorite taco joint, but have you ever tried to make al pastor tacos at home? To help you out, Taco Guild’s Executive Chef Dan Santos has shared the restaurant’s recipe.
In a perfect world, you’ll get the best result if you marinate the pork for 24 hours, but at least shoot for overnight, Santos says. After you marinate the pork, start on the pickled onions so they’ll be ready to serve the next day.
Openings/ClosingsNew Ellure Lounge Promises To Bring Class Back To Old Town
Lauren LoftusJanuary 16, 2017
Call it a revival. Call it old school. But really, this is just old Scottsdale.
The latest opening in Old Town Scottsdale is Ellure Lounge, and with it, the owners are promising to bring back Old Town’s club-tastic heyday. In a press release for the grand opening launch party this weekend, owner Chris Sprow claims, “Old Town has lost its reputation as the world-class leader for high-end entertainment. Ellure promises to deliver just that.” Sprow, the former director of marketing for Scottsdale nightclub SIX, which closed its doors in 2009, says the vision in designing Ellure “was to bring class back” to the area.
If you’ve been searching for a brunch dish to “wow” your guests, Z’Tejas Executive Chef James Blanton offers up a recipe that fits the bill. His Southwestern breakfast bake is based on a classic bread pudding, but on the savory side, Blanton says. For the home cook, the recipe is ideal because you can add or delete whichever ingredients you like or don’t like, he says. “It really becomes a vehicle for you to be creative.” That only applies to the bread, meats and vegetables, however. The custard needs to be made as written (with the proper egg and heavy cream ratio) in order to thicken properly.