Three BitesThree Bites: Mole Verde
Marilyn HawkesJanuary 11, 2023
Valley chefs get saucy with tomatillo-based mole verde.
Los Sombreros Archives
2022Best of the ValleyFood & DrinkBest of the Valley 2022: Latin Restaurants
Editorial StaffJuly 1, 2022
Our editor's picks for best in enchiladas, tamales, empanadas and more.
Desert DigestFood & DrinkLos Sombreros’ New Mezcaleria Makes Waves in Mesa
Madison RutherfordApril 8, 2022
Local food and beverage maestros Mezcal Carreño and Los Sombreros recently partnered up to prepare a four-course meal and mezcal pairing to highlight the Mesa location of Los Sombreros’ brand-new mezcaleria, a cozy space with ample seating above the restaurant where guests can enjoy mezcal tastings, cocktails, mezcal-centric events and live music. The dinner, which took place on March 30, was the first event in the Mesa mezcaleria. The partnership between the restaurant and spirit...
Desert DigestFood & DrinkLocal Foodie News
Leah LeMoineNovember 17, 2021
All the news that’s fit to nosh. Hash Fund: Love the over-the-top bloody Mary bar, cereal-crusted French toast and myriad breakfast hash options at Hash Kitchen? So do the money people at Savory Restaurant Fund, a $200 million fund Mercato Partners formed to back up-and-coming restaurant concepts like Hash, owned and operated by Maggiore culinary family scion Joey Maggiore, his wife Cristina and their business partner, Flora Tersigni. “Hash Kitchen uniquely captures the demand from today’s consumer for restaurant experiences that...
Desert DigestFood & Drink6 Pies to Try this Holiday Season
Leah LeMoineNovember 11, 2021
Lemon Meringue Pie Cut through the richness of a holiday meal with Buck &Rider’s bright and citrusy showstopper. Available by the slice at B &R or whole at LGO Bakeshop ($44-$55/pie). lgobakeshop.com Tropical Pies Just want a slice? Pop into HULA’S Modern Tiki for a quick trip to a dessert-ed island via coconut or key lime pie ($7/slice). hulasmoderntiki.com Pumpkin Pie Is it Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie? Sweet Provisions’ iteration boasts a halo of whipped...
Tijuana Donkey (left) and Mango Mezgarita (right) | Photo by Leah LeMoine THE SCENE Last year, during the height of the pandemic and before the vaccine was available, I became something of an expert on takeout happy hours. I re-crisped pizza and nachos in my oven after they’d wilted in transit. I poured cocktails from their secure plastic carrying containers into my own glassware to make them feel fancy again. I re-plated, photographed, blogged and Instagrammed. One of the highlights...
Desert DigestFood & DrinkLocal Foodie News
Leah LeMoineAugust 3, 2021
Photo courtesy Pronto All the news that’s fit to nosh. Taco the Town: Love the customizable menu, fast service and efficiency of Chipotle, but long to support a local restaurant over a chain? East Valley institution Serrano’s Mexican Restaurants has a new fast-casual concept for you. Pronto will open in Serrano’s Tempe location (6440 S. Rural Rd.) this fall. “We’ve learned a lot over the past two years, and we know that fast-casual concepts have experienced significant recent growth,” says CEO Ric Serrano. “Our Pronto concept will offer...
The PHiXKurt Riske’s Favorite Spots in Central Mexico
Leah LeMoineOctober 29, 2020
When Kurt Riske and his business partners purchased Los Sombreros in 2017, staying true to the restaurant’s Central Mexico origins (original co-founder/chef Azucena Tovar hails from the region) was paramount. So they visited last fall for menu and design inspiration. Struck by the beauty of a San Miguel de Allende church, “we had an artist paint the mural of [it] at our Scottsdale location, and then we did a wrap of it on a patio...
The PHiX5 Safe Things to Do This Weekend
Madison RutherfordOctober 2, 2020
With the suspension of large events and many of our favorite venues shut down until further notice, it’s time to get creative when it comes to things to do. From upbeat music to good food to fall festivities, here are five ways to safely celebrate the start of October this weekend. 1. Look on the bright side with Sonoran Desert Chorale. Mesa’s Sonoran Desert Chorale, a renowned choral group that has performed across the globe,...
Desert DigestPHXTogetherFeed Phoenix Partners with Local Farmers and Restaurants to Provide Meals to Those in Need
Marilyn HawkesSeptember 11, 2020
For many of us, 2020 has been a difficult year and sometimes it’s hard to see the bright spots amid the chaos. Enter the Feed Phoenix Initiative, a collaboration between Local First Arizona and the City of Phoenix. It launched in August to provide high-quality meals to vulnerable populations using funds from the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act). Rather than use a large caterer or food service company to make and...
Desert DigestHappy Hour: Los Sombreros
Leah LeMoineJune 15, 2020
A few months ago, I asked my colleagues which local restaurants they’d always wanted to try but never got around to visiting. Our answers were varied, interesting and at times a little embarrassing (I don’t want to “out” anyone, but some were jaw-droppers). One of many on my long list was Los Sombreros, which I’d read about years ago as a budding foodie hanging on every word Howard Seftel wrote in The Arizona Republic. That was back when Jeff Smedstad (pre-Elote Café...
Desert Digest6 Eating-and-Drinking Things We’re Looking Forward to in February
Craig OuthierJanuary 30, 2020
The Cheetos elote at Urban Phoenix in Arcadia Lite. Roasted Mexican street corn sprinkled with cheese-flavored puffed-corn snacks? So crazy, it just might work. urbanphoenixcafe.com Going to Taco Boy’s in the Roosevelt Row arts district and having one of those mesquite-charcoal-grilled carne asada tacos everyone and their madre is talking about. aztacoboys.com Noshing on the Valley’s best regional and ethnic eats at PHOENIX-sponsored Devour the World. See page 132 for more details. devourphoenix.com Trying the...