Category: event

Sips & Bites: News you can use from the Phoenix restaurant community

Quick sips & bites of news about what’s going on around the Phoenix restaurant community, breweries and wineries.

EAT by Stacey Weber giving away a 3 free Thanksgiving meals

You can nominate a family to receive a Turkey and all the fixings (valued at $248) to feed a family of 4 until next Thursday, November 18th. You can nominate a family here or email at phoenix@eatbystacyweber.com. Pick up would be on Wednesday, November 24th between 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the 4740 E. Shea Blvd Phoenix 85028.

The Phoenix Pizza Festival is this weekend.

Finally a favorite festival is here in downtown Phoenix’s Margaret T. Hance Park on Saturday and Sunday. See all the details, participants and changes for 2021 here.

2021 Slider Throwdown is this Sunday 11/14

The popular “Battle of the Burger” event returns to High Street in north Phoenix on Sunday. Stop by and vote for your favorite slider and help raise money for Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation from 12 – 4 p.m. Admission is $40 and includes sliders, lemonade from Cuties Lemonade & More food truck and dessert from Kicks Frozen Yogurt. Live entertainment and a silent auction will also be happening.

Seats still available for Miner Family Wines dinner

Assistant winemaker Michelle Safir will be in town for the dinner at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa next Thursday, November 17th. For more details see my September post about how to reserve your seat and December’s Truchard Vineyard dinner details.

Trade “Toys for Tacos” at Mesquite Fresh Street Mex

Until December 15th the fast casual concept has partnered with the Phoenix Rescue Mission to collect toys in exchange for a free taco. Drop off new & unwrapped toys, non-perishable foods and toiletries at a location near you.

The Montauk adds new dishes to its menu

The downtown Scottsdale restaurant added to its eclectic menu this week. The new dishes are as follows. Playa Salad – Oranges, red onion, pepitas and queso fresco over a bed of artisan greens with coriander vinaigrette to finish. Short Rib Bowl – Overnight braised short rib, house made BBQ sauce, roasted root vegetables, crispy baked potato wedges and scallions served with brown rice. Buddah Bowl– Roasted broccoli, cucumbers, spinach, avocado, grilled onions, edamame and pepitas, served with chipotle tahini and a soft-boiled egg over brown rice. Short Rib Huevos Rancheros (brunch only) – Eggs, braised short rib, refried black beans, red onion, queso fresco, morita-cashew salsa, sour cream, cilantro on a tortilla.

Don’t forget to check out my podcast Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

Sips & Bites: News you can use from the Phoenix restaurant community

Quick sips & bites of news about what’s going on around the Phoenix restaurant community, breweries and wineries.

Fall Harvest Dinner at Agritopia with The TLC eXperience

Reserve your seats for a multi-course farm to table dinner under the stars in the orchard on Friday November 5th. Limited seats are available for Chef Tom and his culinary team’s menu with Agritopia grown produce and other locally sourced ingredients. Seats are $150 per person for the 6 p.m. start.

Frog’s Leap wine dinner at Tommy V’s Urban Kitchen

Thursday October 28th the downtown Scottsdale restaurant hosts a 5 course dinner paired with the Napa Valley’s acclaimed wines. Ravioli, risotto, short rib and more for $100++ per person. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and the menu and pairings can be found here.

Dominick’s Steakhouse to donate sales of dinners on October 25th

This Monday night the Scottsdale restaurant will donate 100% of the proceeds from the sale of 200 dinners to the Make-A-Wish Arizona. Make-A-Wish was founded in Phoenix and grants wishes to seriously ill children. For more information and to make a reservation visit their website.

Free pizza or salad for National First Responders Day

Fired Pie is giving all active duty police officers and firefighters a free meal all day on Thursday October 28th. Show your badge at any location so the locally owned chain can say “Thank you”.

Buzzed Bull Creamery hiring fair in Scottsdale.

Arizona’s first Buzzed Bull is looking to hire enthusiastic team members for their new Scottsdale location on Wednesday October 27th from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Must be 19 years old, have reliable transportation, be willing to use a hand help POS system and more. Be prepared to interview on site at 7135. E Camelback Rd.

Don’t forget to check out my podcast Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

T-Mobile presents the 6th Annual Phoenix Pizza Festival

Pizza lovers will have twice as much pizza to chow down on next month when the popular Phoenix Pizza Festival returns to Margaret T. Hance Park. Thanks to the new sponsor T-Mobile the festival will be both Saturday and Sunday November 13 & 14 and will expand its boundaries to the streets around the park. Sunday was added as a limited amount of tickets for each day will be available and the additional space was needed to give room for social distancing.

The festival returns after a two year absence with 15-20 pizza makers, dessert food trucks, related food vendors, lawn games and live bands. Slices of pizza will sell for $2-$4 and full pies will be sold from the likes of La Piazza Al Forno, Freak Brothers, Into the Fire, Bored Baker and others. Many of the pizza makers are private caterers or food trucks so the festival may be the best way to taste their pizza. A bar featuring Mule 2.0 will serve cocktails, Bogle wines will be poured as will New Belgium Brewing beers and locally owned State 48 Brewing Co.

The Phoenix Pizza Festival presented by T-mobile is again partnering with Downtown Phoenix Inc. The organization helps promote and re-vitalize downtown Phoenix through events and local business’s. Tickets for the festival can be purchased online only and are $12 per ticket. The festival starts at 11 a.m. each day and goes until 5 p.m. on Saturday and 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The Morning Beer Festival opens Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships

Nothing like starting your Saturday morning with a nice hearty stout or refreshing lager but come Saturday October 23rd you’ll able to sip on those and other beers at the debut of the nation’s first Morning Beer Festival. The festival will be one of the first events of the 2021 Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships at Westworld of Scottsdale and one of the new additions to the 10 year old event.

The gates open at 9:45 a.m. with festival and first polo match starting at 10 a.m. followed by “The World’s Longest Fashion Show” and “Canine Couture: A Dog  Fashion Show Like No Other” in between matches. During the Morning Beer Festival guests will be able to sip on beers that taste good in the morning including Founder’s Breakfast Stout & Mudshark Brewing’s Morning Buzz Coffee stout. Guests will be able to purchase pints or flights of beer with accompanying meats such as bacon, ham and more.

In addition to fashion shows, polo & lacrosse matches attendee can enjoy DJ infused party tents with admission and VIP experiences are available for a more luxurious day in private tents and bottle service. General admission tickets start at $35 and include admission to the Morning Beer Festival and other field-side experiences.

VIP tickets and tables are available for purchase at The Polo Party and it’s where you’ll find more information and details.

Sips & Bites: News you can use from the Phoenix restaurant community

Quick sips & bites of news about what’s going on around the Phoenix restaurant community, breweries and wineries.

Celebrate the 1st TLC Experience dinner of the season

Chef Tom‘s birthday is fast approaching and you can celebrate with him at the first dinner of the Fall season. Sunday September 19th at a private home in Paradise Valley is where the 4 hour dinner will take place. As always the evening’s menu is a surprise but you know it’s going to be good, sourcing from local farms and artisan food makers. Become a member of the EXperince and get more details here.

Labor Day Weekend deals at restaurants around Phoenix

Celebrate at home with a Hopdoddy Burger Bar DIY Burger Kit, Family Packs at Miracle Mile Deli for pick-up, take-out or delivery. Other deals at Dave & Busters at Tempe Marketplace, STK Steakhouse, 50% of cheese pizza on Sunday 9/5 National Pizza Day at Fired Pie, a free domestic draft beer with purchase at Comic X, Slices get 2 large slices & drink for $7.99. BBQ style meals for catering family meals or individual meals from EAT by Stacey Weber. In downtown Phoenix head to Palomar at Kimpton Hotel as they are offering 5-7-9 Happy Hour from 4-6 p.m. $5 beers, $7 glasses of wine & $9 Old Fashioneds with bites to eat from $5-$7.

Ingo’s Tasty Food now open in downtown Phoenix

As mentioned in May the 2nd location of the popular hangout at Block 23 at 101 E. Washington St. across from Chase Field and the Footprint Center. An all-day menu and LGO pastries are served Monday – Friday starting at 7 a.m. with Saturday and Sunday hours coming soon.

The Good Food Film Series new line-up announced

Local First Arizona has announced the next 3 films in the series focusing on the Arizona food community. The Fall film series showcases films dealing with how we heal the earth & how we can connect to the land. The Trail of Arizona Dairy (releasing on Sept. 14), Food as Medicine (releasing on Oct. 12),Farming as a Revolutionary Act for Food Sovereignty (releasing on Nov. 9).

11th annual AZ Taco Festival postponed til 2022

Organizers decided to pause the popular food festival as the Delta variant of Covid-19 is takings its toll. The festival is now re-scheduled April 9th & 10th 2022 and the regularly schedule 2022 taco festival is still scheduled only 6 months later on October 22nd & 23rd 2022. All tickets purchased for the 2021 festival will be honored in April 2022. Head to their website for more information.

Don’t forget to check out my podcast, Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week launches mid-September

Two of the valley’s vegan advocates have come together to launch the first Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week September 12th- 18th. Chef & author Jason Wyrick and vegan taste maker and owner of Phoenix Vegan Jozh Watson launched the week long culinary event to bring more attention to plant- based restaurants, foods & cooking.

According to Wyrick, “Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week is a celebration of plant-based cuisine in Phoenix. We want to raise awareness about everything vegan that’s now available in our city, get everyone excited, and out-and-about trying all of the great dining options.”

Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week
Simon’s Hot Dogs. Feature photo Maya’s Cajun Cuisine’s Po’ Boy

How Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week works?

The pair are encouraging restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, food trucks and others to showcase their plant-based cooking and more. During the week participants will be offering a specially created menu with breakfast & lunch offering at $20 and a 3-course dinner menu at $30.

“We want to position Greater Metro Phoenix as a premier, inclusive dining destination,” said Watson.

During the week diners can experience the growing Phoenix plant-based food scene visiting new establishments or returning to familiar ones. A a few of the participating eateries include: Beaut Burger, Brunch & Sip, Chilte, Dilla Libre, Early Bird Vegan, Earth Plant-Based, Giving Tree Café, Ground Control, Hot Sauce & Pepper, Maya’s Cajun Kitchen, Pachamama, Positively Frosted, Salvadoreno Restaurant, Shameless Burger, Simon’s Hot Dogs, The Nile Coffee Shop, Urban Beans Café, Tesoro Vegano, The Vegan Taste, Verdura, and Wok this Way.

According to Wyrick, “Restaurants are experimenting more with vegan cuisine and showcasing some really great offerings. Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week allows them to cater to a growing clientele and test the waters for expanding their vegan selections.” For more information and to see additional participants head to their website.

Sips & Bites: News you can use from the Phoenix restaurant community

Quick sips & bites of news about what’s going on around the Phoenix restaurant community, breweries and wineries.

Merkin wines and gelato pairing at GenuWine Arizona

The Roosevelt Row wine shop is giving you 2 chances to taste Arizona’s Merkin Vineyards wines with Merkin’s homemade gelatos. Next Tues Aug. 17th or Thurs. the 19th pair 3 wines with 3 gelatos for dine-in or take-out. To place an order or save a seat head to their website.

Free Mimosa for early diners at Z’ Tejas

Did you know the Southwestern restaurant serves brunch?? Daily starting a 9 a.m. in Scottsdale and on weekends in Chandler starting at 9 a.m. Join them at either location between 9 -10 a.m. and get a free Mimosa with the order of any entree.

Catch a flight at Renata’s Hearth

The Arizona Biltmore’s signature restaurant is offering several new flights of Mezcal & Tequila, Cocktails and a Vermouth flight. Each flight consists of 4 samples starting from $33 -$275 depending on the uniqueness and the limited availability of each spirit. For more information visit their website.

Napa’s Duckhorn Vineyards wine pairing dinner at Tommy V’s

Join Zoran at his downtown Scottsdale restaurant for an evening of wine & food on Thursday Aug. 26th. The 5 course dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and pairs white and red wines from the popular winery with seafood, lamb and vegetable dishes. The dinner is $100++ per person and to see the menu and make your reservation visit their website.

National Sandwich Month continues with weekly specials at Miracle Mile Deli

You still have 2 weeks to enjoy a favorite deli sandwich and save a few $$s in August. The central Phoenix deli is offering its Pastrami & Corned Beef Combo for $11 from Mon. Aug. 16th -21st. From Mon. Aug. 23rd – 28th get The Straw also for only $11. Each sandwich comes with a side and pickle spear and is available for dine-in or take-out.

Don’t forget to check out my podcast, Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

Mark Tarbell to host 7th Harvest Moon Feast to benefit C-CAP

Tickets are on sale for the 7th Harvest Moon Feast hosted Chef Mark Tarbell, owner of Tarbell’s Restaurant, Tavern and The Wine Store. The event will be under the stars on Wednesday, October 20th in the parking lot outside Tarbell’s restaurants at 32nd St & Camelback Rd. The Feast will start at 6:30 and will be raising money for the Careers through Culinary Arts Program(C-CAP).

The 31 year-old non-profit provides Arizona students with culinary & life skills and scholarships for high school students looking to pursue a career in the culinary arts. On the evening of the 20th attendees will have the chance to taste creations from 25 students and their culinary mentors.

In addition to tasting the culinary creations, cocktails and wine those in attendance will enjoy the sounds of Nate Nathan and the MacDaddy-O’s featuring host Mark Tarbell. Celebrity chef and mentor Beau MacMillan and James Beard award-winning chef Scott Conant will be in attendance with Conant signing his new book, Peace, Love and Pasta.

General Admission tickets are $95 and include admission, food & wine/cocktails. GA tickets go up to $125 on August 1st. VIP tickets are $175 per person and include 5:30 early entry, food & wine/cocktails, a VIP gift bag with a signed copy of Conant’s book. If you’d like to donate to the event or purchase tickets head to this link.

Sips & Bites: News you can use from the Phoenix restaurant community

Quick sips & bites of news about what’s going on around the Phoenix restaurant community, breweries and wineries.

Chino Bandido opens its new location

As featured in a March post, the locally owned Mexican, Asian & Jamaican fusion restaurant is now opened at its new Bell Rd. location. A larger kitchen and restaurant will be cranking out all the favorite dishes of the past 30 years.

Romeo’s Euro Cafe switches up calendar for Saturday dinner

The downtown Gilbert cafe has re-scheduled its weekly Thursday night dinner to tomorrow, Saturday July 10th. The 5-course dinner paired with wines will offer smaller versions off their everyday menu. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and $39 plus tax and gratuity gets you a seat at the table. Call 480-962-4224 to make a reservation.

Pedal Haus Brewery helping to raise money for Show Low bike accident victims

The fundraiser takes place Saturday July 10th at the Tempe location at 6 a.m. for riders to get some much needed fuel (coffee & breakfast). The ride starts at 6:30 and the restaurant will open at 8:30 for the day. The local brewer is partnering with bicycle advocacy groups to raise money for victims of the June 19th accident when a truck drove into a group of 30 riders. 100% of the proceeds of Day Drinker Light Lager and 50% of the Bottomless Breakfast will be donated to the victims and their families. More information and to register can be found here. To make a donation click here.

Found:RE Hotel is Jamaican me crazy Saturday night

The 8th of its monthly Passport Series sets sail to the western Caribbean island. Match Market & Bar will become a tropical getaway from 6 -10 p.m. Saturday July 10th. Cuisine, cocktails and entertainment will be enjoyed for $15 including a cocktail. Collect stamps for your passport to win prizes and more. Register for the evening here.

Fired Pie celebrates 8 years with $8 specials on July 13th

All 21 locations are offering $8 Mac ‘N Cheese, Pizza and Salads for only $8 all day long. There is an up charge for cauliflower/gluten-free pizzas, limit one per customer and no 3rd party deliveries. For online ordering use promo code EIGHT.

Don’t forget to check out my podcast, Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

Road trip down to Arizona wine country for LDV Winery BBQ

Who doesn’t love a good summer road trip especially if it’s to cooler temperatures with food and wine waiting for you. If that sounds like a good way to spend the day then LDV Winery’s annual Wine Country BBQ is for you. Tickets are on sale for the annual event on Saturday August 7th from 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the winery and vineyards in Pearce.

Once you arrive after your road trip, enjoy a relaxing lunch that will be served from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. A tour of the vineyards and winery led by co-owner & winemaker Curt Dunham follows lunch. The educational tour will offer great views of the Chiricahua Mountains Foothills perfect for picture taking just before the start of the 2021 harvest season.

Tickets are $40 per person or $30 for LDV Sky Islander Wine Club members and include lunch and a glass of wine. Additional wine by the glass and bottles to take home with you are available for purchase. For more info email the winery at info@ldvwinery.com. LDV Winery and Vineyard is at 13922 S. Kuykendall Cutoff Rd., Pearce 85625. 480-664-4822

Don’t forget to check out my podcast, Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment. LDV Winery co-owner Peggy Fiadaca is featured on Episode 4.