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.

The Thirsty Lion to open new & larger Westgate restaurant

The newest location in Glendale will be Arizona’s 5th and its largest with two stories and an indoor/outdoor rooftop bar. The gastropub that specializes in scratch made and seasonal cooking is set to open in December 2022. The 5,000+ square foot restaurant will be able to seat over 700 people at full capacity.

New seasonal menu at EVO from new chef Nick LaRosa

The downtown Scottsdale neighborhood restaurant rolled out an Autumn inspired menu from LaRosa. The new chef who joined EVO earlier this year loves this time of year, perfect for his Italian style cooking. A Fall Spiced Duroc Chop and Five Cheese Angliotti are just a couple of his new dishes. To hear Chef LaRosa’s story check out Episode 45 of The Podcast to here what the Chopped champion has to say.

New Nonna Urban Kitchen weekly wine tasting

Starting tonight and every Thursday night after (except Thanksgiving, cauz ya know somebody’s gonna ask or show up) the downtown Scottsdale restaurant offers a free tasting at 5:30 p.m. thanks to the help of their wine vendors.

GenuWine Arizona pouring Sand Reckoner wines on First Friday

Tomorrow night he wine bar on Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix will welcome the folks from the Arizona winery to pour and mix & mingle with the crowd. Cajun food from Zydeco’s Louisiana Food truck will be on hand selling their good eats during the 6-9 p.m event.

Happy Veteran’s Day

Next Thursday November 11th is Veteran’s Day and more restaurants than not are doing something to say “Thank you” to our veterans, so many it was to many to list. Find one and raise a glass and say “Thanks”. Many local restaurants and bars are also veteran owned so look out and support those too.

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.

A visit to GenuWine Arizona, a self serve wine bar.

With all of the development in downtown Phoenix in recent years it’s hard to recognize it let alone keep track of the new business’s that have opened up. One of those business’s is GenuWine Arizona, a wine and beer bar on Roosevelt Row.  I recently found myself at GenuWine as owners Emily Rieve and Lindsey Schoenemann were finalizing plans to celebrate their first anniversary.

Emily and Lindsey are two mid-westerners who found themselves teaching together in Gilbert. They enjoyed working together on school lessons and wanted to share their passion to collaborate on something unique. The wine enthusiasts decided on a self-serve wine bar and GenuWine Arizona was born.

What’s going on at GenuWine Arizona

Focusing on mostly Arizona wines, beers and foods guests can make their way up to the wine wall for a taste, 1/2 glass or full glass of over 24 wines. I opted for 4 tastes of Arizona wines on my visit. Local craft beers are on tap and by the bottle if you’re in the mood for the suds.

The laid back atmosphere offers board games to play, couches and chairs to talk with friends and people watch along Roosevelt. A few seats at the bar allow for you to enjoy your drink while chatting with Emily and Lindsey when their not with their guests. If hungry you can build your own cheese board.

Weekly events include beer and tastings, unique classes(cheese making), live music and a comedy night. On First Friday’s you can usually count on a beer or wine tasting and food truck outside. Happy hour is Mon.-Fri. from 3-6 p.m. with $2 off full glasses of wine, draft beer and small plates.

GenuWine Arizona
Owners Emily and Lindsey

There’s plenty of room for private parties and a wine club is in the works.

For a calendar of events and lists of wine and beer they’re pouring visit their website.

GenuWine Arizona is at 888 N. 1st Ave. Suite 101 Phoenix 85003. 602-682-7494. Hours Mon. – Thurs. 3 – 10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 1 -11 p.m and Sun. 1 -9 p.m.

 

Trapp Haus BBQ offers new specials for it’s 6 month anniversary

Trapp Haus BBQ owner Phil Johnson celebrates his 6th month anniversary with a party tonight and is offering new specials. Johnson who is also the pitmaster throws a party tonight as the popular First Friday Artwalk happens. Guests celebrate with an all-you-can-eat whole hog roast for $10/adults & $5 for kids. The party with live music starts at 5 p.m. and goes until 10 or when there is no more hog to eat.Trapp Haus

Johnson will be taking his recipes on the road later this month when he heads to Kansas City to compete in the American Royal World Series of Barbecue. From there he heads to Milwaukee show what he knows about BBQ with a cooking demonstration and class at the Journal Sentinel Wine & Food Experience.

New specials and offerings are now available until further notice.

Slab Saturday’s– Every Saturday $25 St. Louis Ribs all day long.

Free local Delivery– On-line orders in the downtown Phoenix area from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tuesday Friday.

Weekday Sammitch Specials-$2.00 off any Sammaitch Tuesday – Friday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Beats, Beer & Q- On Fridays

Trapp Haus BBQ is at 511 E. Roosevelt Phoenix 85004. 602-466-5462. For more information check their website.