Category: arizona restaurants

sneakybird to open first West Valley location

Scottsdale based sneakybird is opening their first West Valley location this Saturday, November 23rd in Surprise. It’s the fast casual concepts third location with three more openings planned in the next six months. The grand opening celebration starts at 10 a.m. at the Village of Prasada and has prizes, photo opportunities, music and more.

“The secret to the success of sneakybird, spelled with all lowercase letters by design to underscore its sneaky-good and sneaky guilt-free product, is the combination of a specially designed oven and innovative breading recipe that blends panko flatbread as well as aged parmesan that together combine to give the crunch and flavor of fried chicken,” said Dan Chaon, founder of the sneakybird.

Known for their “never-ever fried” recipes since 2022, sneakybird offers oven-roasted chicken sandwiches, wraps, tenders and wings in their dry rubs that include ancho lime, smoky honey peach, salted maple and more. Those that prefer breadless chicken can have their chicken “naked” (grilled) with salt, pepper and garlic. The flavorful chicken taste doesn’t stop with the dry rubs as there are several sauces available for dipping and topping your chicken. Sauces include “Sneaky”, their signature Buffalo style, “Soko”, Asian sweet & heat, “Music City Hot”, Nashville hot, “Fool’s Gold”, golden mustard & smokey BBQ sauce and “Teriyaki”.

“sneakybird also features handcrafted flatbreads – chicken pesto, pepperoni, and the Islander, which features honey-chipotle sauce, mozzarella, pineapple, capicola, and fresh cilantro – as well as three epic options for tater tots, including a sweet potato alternative, salad, coleslaw, and even a chilled vegetable medley,” said co-owner Jordan Strasser. “There are also copious options for kids, all focused on the same craveable philosophy.”

sneakybird Surprise is at 16430 W. Waddell Rd. and is open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. For more information visit their website.

Bao and fried chicken festival returning for 7th time

The 7th annual Arizona Bao and Dumpling Festival with the Fried Chicken and Wing Festival returns to Peoria’s Centennial Plaza Park on Saturday and Sunday, January 25th & 26th 2025. Over 20 vendors from all over the valley will feature festival exclusive sweet & savory foods with the goal of the festival to showcase local small businesses helping them grow and a place for people to discover and try new foods.

What is bao? According to Food Republic they are a “complete meal conveniently packed away in a white, warm, soft bun.” They are a type of dumpling like takoyaki and potstickers. With fried chicken being served all over the world, each culture has its own take of the comfort food favorite. With one ticket you can try a variety of bao, dumplings, fried chicken, wings and more.  Expect to see dishes from Hot Bamboo, Happy Buns, Flippin Rice, Boka Grindz and others serving hot and delicious foods. Live performances will keep people entertained and merchandise will be available for sale.

Tickets for the 7th annual Arizona Bao and Dumpling Festival are $14 for Early Admission at 11 a.m., $8 for General Admission at 12:30 p.m. and $6 Happy Hour admission at 2:30 p.m. Tickets for both days are available as are ticket bundles with merchandise and more. Parking is free and tickets can be purchased at Ticket Tailor.

 

 

Sips & Bites: News from the Phoenix restaurant community

Events & news about what’s going on around the Phoenix restaurant community, breweries and wineries.

Good news! The Phoenix Pizza Festival is this weekend

The weather is looking good for this weekend’s festival at Margaret T. Hansen Park in downtown Phoenix. Tickets are still available, and details can be found at a recent post.

Third Tuesday dinner at Romeo’s Euro Cafe

The popular downtown Gilbert cafe serves up its monthly dinner next Tuesday, November 24th. Dinner starts with a tomato cucumber salad followed by a slow cooked beef shank and ends with mixed berry cobbler. Wines from around the world will be paired with each course and the dinner is $48++ per person and reservations can be made by calling 480-962-4224.

Seats available for champagne dinner at Christopher’s Wrigley Mansion

This Tuesday, November 19th the famed restaurant overlooking the Biltmore neighborhood welcomes Champagne Lelarge Puegot for multi-course pairing dinner. A reception starts the evening at 6 p.m. and is $250++ per person with reservations being made at OpenTable.

Gold medal winning tacos now available at Chula Seafood’s Grayhawk location

Every Taco Tuesday guests at the North Scottsdale location can taste the award-winning taco(s) from the 2024 Taco Fest. The Shrimp Tacos Dorados are crispy shrimp-and-potato-filled tacos topped with crema, salsa roja shrimp coctel, creamy avocado, crisp cabbage and zesty pickled onions. The tacos are also gluten-free.

Phoenix City Grille offers new daily specials

The Uptown Phoenix restaurant announced new weekly specials that include….

Martini Mondays- What makes Mondays a little better? Cocktails! Every Monday, guests can enjoy martinis and Manhattans all day long for just $10 each!

Take-Out Tuesdays- Too busy to dine in? No problem — on Tuesdays, guests that make a phone-ahead take-out order after 4 p.m. will receive 15% off their order! (Don’t forget to mention this promo when calling in the order.)

Wine Down Wednesdays- Every Wednesday after 4 p.m., guests can enjoy 25% off their favorite bottle featured on PCG’s Under $100 list.

Happy Hour- Enjoy special pricing on food and beverages every day from 3-6 p.m.

Brunch Happy Hour- During brunch, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sundays, specialty cocktails are just $10 each and bottles of sparkling wine are half price — perfect for “build your own” mimosas!

 

 

ASU’s Cameron Skattebo signs NIL deal with Burrito Express

Now that college athletes can get paid for their name, image and likeness (NIL), Arizona State University running back Cameron Skattebo has signed a deal with locally owned Burrito Express. Brothers Angel and Mark Marin co-own Burrito Express and are ASU alumni presented Skattebo with his first NIL deal. He has since turned down other lucrative offers since signing with Burrito Express.

“We are extremely excited to work with Cam and offer him his first NIL deal,” said Angel. “And we’re humbled by the fact that despite other companies’ best efforts to lure him away from our contract, he has chosen to remain loyal to the Burrito Express family.”

ASU running back Cameron Skattebo

This isn’t the first NIL deal for the community minded Marin brothers who have long supported local sports and will continue to collaborate with ASU athletes. In its 30 years Burrito Express has provided thousands of free burritos to high school sports programs throughout the valley.

With the signing of Cameron Skattebo comes a signature burrito available at all 7 Burrito Express locations. The Boo-ritto is a hearty combination of chicken, beans, cheese, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, sour cream, guacamole and rice for $11.88. To find a Boo-ritto near you or see about their community involvement visit their website.

 

 

Sips & Bites: News from the Phoenix restaurant community

Events & news about what’s going on around the Phoenix restaurant community, breweries and wineries.

Ember Lounge holiday experience kicks off tonight in North Phoenix

The popular pop-up at Desert Ridge Marketplace starts its 2024 season tonight through January 12th, 2025. Inside the District Dome guests can enjoy shareable plates and themed cocktails from Copper Blues Live that include Open Fire Meatball Skillet, Harvest Bread Boule, Smoked Campfire S’mores, The Ice Hotel & The Northern Light.

Ember Lounge will be open Wednesday through Sunday and the new Dome After Dark starts at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday’s. Guests will enjoy live entertainment nightly that will include live music and DJs for late night fun. The Ember Lounge sold out last year so be sure to get your tickets at this link.

Tis the season for tamales at Diego Pops

A staple in the southwest during the holidays are tamales and the downtown Scottsdale restaurant has them for dine-in guests and packaged to-go. Options include…

  • Tia’s Tamale Plate – Tamale lovers can dine in at Diego Pops this holiday season and choose from the classic tamale flavors of red beef machaca or green chili chicken! The tamale plate includes two tamales topped with black beans, corn queso, pickled onion, fresno pepper and cabbage. Served with a side of rice and beans of your choice. Limited availability.
  • Take Home Tia’s Tamales (1 dozen to-go) – Take the flavors of Diego Pops to your friends and family and pick up a dozen to take home with your choice of red beef machaca or green chili chicken. Take-out tamales include your choice of rice and beans. Limited availability.

Diego’s sister restaurant, Arcadia’s (Phoenix) Eat Up, Drive In is offering a dozen red or green tamales available for pick-up throughout the holidays.

Macayo’s to offer weekly tamale tutorial and lunch

Looking to learn how to make tamales yourself well Macayo’s has your back. Starting next Saturday, November 16th, through Saturday, December 21st you can learn how to make them. Classes start at 3 p.m. at locations below and include a Top Shelf Margarita, a 3-course lunch and tamale making tutorial for $60 per person and you can take home the tamales you make. A maximum of 4 people per group and a class of 40 people will offer an intimate and enjoyable experience. Tickets can be purchased at Macayo’s website.

Saturday, Nov. 16 at Macayo’s Scottsdale

Saturday, Nov. 23 at Macayo’s Mesa Dobson

Saturday, Dec. 7 at Macayo’s Goodyear

Saturday, Dec. 14 at Macayo’s Chandler

Saturday, Dec. 21 at Macayo’s Scottsdale

New seasonal pizza available at Myke’s Pizza

The downtown Mesa artisan pizza maker is now making a Butternut Squash pizza through December 1st. Made with locally sourced butternut squash, mozzarella, buttered pecans, pickled red onions then finished with a drizzle of citrus-chile puree is $21. It’s one of his seasonal pizzas and allows Myke and his team to support local farmers and vendors.

STK Steakhouse offer steak tailgate from

With football season in full swing the Downtown Scottsdale is offering USDA Prime steaks for home grilling. The STK Meat Market will cut your steak to order then flash freeze the deliver them to your home ready to be prepared. Cuts include Wagyu and STK’s signature cuts and can be ordered at their website.

 

Fine dining restaurant Anhelo relocating to Scottsdale

Chef Ivan Jacobo is relocating his fine dining restaurant Anhelo from downtown Phoenix 13 miles away to downtown Scottsdale in the coming months. The last day of service in Phoenix is scheduled for Saturday, November 23rd and his new contemporary bistro “Flour & Thyme” will take its place before the end of the year.

Once opened, Anhelo will be at 7007 E. 1st Ave. and will continue to serve its world-class cuisine. “It is bittersweet closing Anhelo in Phoenix, but I am excited to give our downtown residents and visitors a new concept that will be more aligned with their needs,” said Jacobo. “We look forward to moving Anhelo into Scottsdale early next year and continuing to develop it into a global dining destination.”

Jacobo has a special place in his heart for the downtown Phoenix dining community who helped build the fine dining restaurant into what it is today and opening “Flour & Thyme” in its place is a “thank you” to the community. “Flour & Thyme” was initially to be on Mill Ave, but plans fell through for that location. Once opened it will offer dishes from the land, sea and garden along with a world-class wine list and specialty cocktails.

To stay up to date on the opening of Anhelo and Flour & Thyme visit their websites.

 

 

Veteran’s Day meals & deals around Arizona

Veteran’s Day is Monday, November 11th and on that day, we honor our military personnel and their families thanking them for their service and dedication to the United States of America. Throughout Arizona restaurants salute them by saving some money on food & drinks.

Cider Corps– Mesa- The veteran owned cidery not only celebrates Veteran’s Day but it’s 7th anniversary the weekend of November 8th-11th. Four new ciders including Ghost Army, Top Dogs and more will be released along with fun & games and limited-edition merchandise for sale.

Original Breakfast House– North Phoenix- Veterans and active military personnel get a free meal for breakfast or lunch. There will also be a festive parking lot party with live music, muscle cars and more. The day is also a fundraiser for Tunnels to Towers Tempe. The nonprofit was founded for firefighter Stephen Siller and other first responders who lost their life on September 11th, 2001.

Bill’s Grill– Prescott- A free All-American burger & fries to all active and retired military personnel. No purchase necessary.

Roaring Fork– Scottsdale- All active and retired military with military I.D. get 20% off their meal not including alcohol, tax & tip starting at 4 p.m. when you dine-in.

Burrito Express– Multiple locations- All active and retired military get a free burrito with valid I.D.

Miracle Mile Deli- Phoenix- Veteran’s always get 10% off at MMD but on the 11th they get 20% with I.D. for dine-in or take-out.

Rusty Spur Saloon– Old Town Scottsdale- Free t-shirt for retired and active members of the military. No purchase necessary, while supplies last.

32 Shea– North Phoenix- Free medium coffee of any kind, no purchase necessary.

Lakeside Bar & Grill– Peoria– A free Lakeside Burger for all members of the military, active & retired. No purchase necessary.

Red, White & Brew– Mesa & Prescott- All members of the military get a free appetizer on Sunday, November 10th.

 

Let’s Get Pizza! 9th Annual Phoenix Pizza Fest returns in 2 weeks

When was the last time someone said to you “Let’s Get Pizza”, that someone should be David Tyda and that slogan should be on his business card. Tyda and his Phoenix Pizza Fest return to downtown Phoenix’s Maragret T. Hance Park on Saturday and Sunday November 16th & 17th for pizza, beer, pizza, live music, more pizza and an all-around good time.

Tickets for the popular event are on-sale online only and are sure to sell out before the big weekend gets here. Over 20 local pizza makers and other food vendors will have sweet & savory foods starting at 11 a.m. on both days. Pizza makers from across Arizona showing up include…

Flagstaff’s Pizzicletta, Charlie’s from Kingman, Family Joint from Green Valley and Tucson’s Lumbre Pizza A La Lena join Phoenix area’s Dough Riders, Nicastro, Otra Pizza and Moon Pie Pizza to name just a few. Wash them down with beers from Pedal Haus and Huss Brewing along with White Claw, Coppola Wines, Mule 2.0 and more at the well stocked bars. Bands set to perform include Casey Ryan, The Deadbeat Cousins, Chrome Rhino and others.

The annual Phoenix Pizza Fest benefits Downtown Phoenix Inc. who helps promote and market downtown area businesses to locals and visitors. Tickets are $16 and are available here.

Sips & Bites: News from the Phoenix restaurant community

Events & news about what’s going on around the Phoenix restaurant community, breweries and wineries.

Dia de los Muertos at Cien Agaves tomorrow

The “Day of the Dead” celebration takes place Saturday, November 2nd from 5 – 8 p.m. at the Old Town Scottsdale restaurant & cantina. Reservations are recommended for beer & tequila tastings, face painting, entertainment from DJ Flawlyss and more.

Devour Culinary Classic tickets on sale tomorrow

Phoenix area foodies will be at their computers bright and early tomorrow as tickets for the popular culinary event go on-sale to the public. The event sells out within weeks and more information and details can be found at my recent post.

National Donut Day at Randy’s Donuts

Election Day is National Donut Day at the popular donut shop. Wear your “I Voted” sticker on Tuesday, November 5th and purchase a dozen donuts at any of the three Phoenix area locations for a free specialty drink OR get a free small black or iced coffee with the purchase of a 1/2 dozen. All locations are open at 6 a.m.

Noble Ground Coffee opens new location in downtown Phoenix

The local coffee shop who is dedicating to making the communities which they serve better has opened their 8th location at 101 N. First Ave. The Official Coffee of The Phoenix Suns and Mercury has a unique concept where they share the proceeds of sales with local charitable causes identified by their parent company, Thrive Services Group. The new location is open Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. and on the weekend from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

It’s pumpkin season at Chompie’s

Taste the flavors of fall until December 31st at all four Phoenix area locations including the new breakfast special, pumpkin pancake plate for $11.99. Add two eggs any style and bacon or sausage for $4.79. Other pumpkin flavored desserts and sweet treats are also available.

 

Desert Botanical Garden to host Devour Culinary Classic

There’s no better way to spend a February weekend in Phoenix than noshing and sipping on locally made foods and beverages while meandering through the beautiful desert fauna. It’s for this reason that the 17th annual Devour Culinary Classic returns to Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden on Saturday and Sunday February 22nd – 23rd with tickets going on sale to the public on Saturday, November 2nd. Tickets went on sale this week for members of Local First Arizona, Desert Botanical Garden and Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance.

The three organizations have again partnered with more than 70 of Arizona’s top food and beverage purveyors in the outdoor setting that will include live music and art. Chefs, sommeliers and other purveyors will serve up creative dishes paired with wines and beers from Arizona and beyond.

The annual event has been recognized by the New York Times as the “Best Southwestern Culinary Festival” and has also garnered both local and national accolades. The goal of Devour Culinary Classic is to bring local and national awareness of Arizona’s diverse and delicious culinary scene.

Early Entry tickets are $225 per day and allow for 10:00 a.m. entry, priority parking and two tickets to a future visit to the Desert Botanical Garden. General Admission tickets are $150 per day with entry to start at 11:30 a.m. The event goes on until 3 p.m. on both days. All ticket holders will receive a reusable commemorative glass & yoke and access to the Maverick Wine Sales area to purchase discounted wines. Previous year’s tickets have sold out in only a few weeks. For more information and to purchase tickets visit Devour’s website.