Food ReviewsDining Review: Pinyon
Nikki BuchananMay 5, 2026
This new Modern Mediterranean offering from the Buck & Rider brain trust is more than the sum of its baba ghanoushes.
One of the Valley’s most beloved and enduring restaurant chains was born from a trio of Arizona State University students searching for a healthy place to eat near campus.
Food ReviewsDining Review: Arboleda
Nikki BuchananJanuary 5, 2024
The jamón hits the mark at this handsome, high-end Scottsdale eatery, but little else has our critic wanting to pig out.
DiningHow to Tell the Difference Between Two Similarly-Named New Restaurants
Craig OuthierNovember 1, 2023
Whether it’s saturation or simple chance, almost-identically-named Valley restaurants are a thing these days.
Three BitesFeeling Salty: 3 Valley Chefs Give Anchovies a Delicious Revival
Marilyn HawkesNovember 1, 2023
Stigmatized as history’s least-popular pizza topping, the anchovy is enjoying a glorious renaissance in the hands of Mediterranean-minded Valley chefs.
Desert DigestFood & DrinkFirst Dish: Source
Nikki BuchananFebruary 21, 2023
PHOTO BY NIKKI BUCHANAN For a week or two there, it seemed as if every food-friend I spoke to had recently been to Source — Claudio Urciuoli’s new restaurant in Epicenter at Agritopia — and to a person, they raved about it. Many of the superlatives zeroed in on the bread, some declaring that Urciuoli’s bread-baking chops have reached an all-time high, others gushing more specifically, as in, “Oh my God! You’ve gotta try the...
If you’re looking for a quick summer dish to serve at your next barbecue, chef Michael Goldsmith of Joe’s Midnight Run shares a flavorful chicken recipe that he also makes at the funky restaurant housed in an old liquor drive-thru on 7th Street. The secret to the dish is the Ras el Hanout, a Moroccan spice mixture of cinnamon, clove, coriander and a few other ingredients, which Goldsmith says you can pick up at Mediterranean markets across the Valley. (Or, here's a recipe on Epicurious.) “I like to try to get out of the box a little bit and incorporate flavors from around the world and keep them as traditional as possible,” Goldsmith says. The recipe also includes a couscous salad and a tangy yogurt dip and can be served as an appetizer or entrée.