Sadly, Phoenix said farewell to several well-known eateries. Flanny’s Bar & Grill, Blasted Barley Beer Company, and Roland's Market are among the six restaurants that will be missed.
Scramble Tempe
1120 East Baseline Road, #101, Tempe
Tempe welcomes the newest Scramble location. This locally owned breakfast and lunch chain is
set on the northwest corner of Lakeshore Drive and Baseline Road in south Tempe. Menu items like breakfast pizzas, omelets, French toast, and a variety of salads and sandwiches can be enjoyed in the dining area or on the dog-friendly patio.
Bubble Noodle
1130 West Grove Avenue, #111, Mesa
Bubble Noodle has opened in a space across from the old Fiesta Mall in west Mesa. In addition to customizable noodle bowls and bubble milk tea, this fast-casual restaurant offers egg rolls, calamari, and Asian doughnuts.
Thirsty Amigos Taco Shop
1026 South Gilbert Road, #101, Gilbert
A new fast-casual taco shop has opened at Gilbert Town Square. Burritos, rice bowls, tacos, quesadillas, and nachos can be customized with your choices of sweet pork, shredded brisket, crispy fish, or fajita chicken. The restaurant also features a bar with 12 beers on tap and a variety of frozen margaritas.
Spinato’s Pizzeria
96 South Rockford Drive, Tempe
Spinato’s Pizzeria is back, guys. Spinato’s Tempe location has relocated to a 5,700-square-foot building near Tempe Marketplace. The brand new modern-designed space is a significant upgrade from the previously small industrial park location. In addition to their signature thin crust pizzas, this location will feature several new menu items, house-made desserts, and a full bar.
The Farish House Bistro & Wine Bar
816 North Third Street
An upscale bistro now resides in a historic building on the corner of Garfield and Third streets in downtown Phoenix. The Farish House Bistro features a selection of wine and classic cocktails. Dinner plates like Angus rib-eye with port reduction cream sauces and Chianti short rib beef stew are featured on their menu. It’s also set inside an 1899 brick house that has been vacant since 2012.
Pour Wine & Taproom
905 South Ellsworth Road, #103, Mesa
The southeast corner of Ellsworth and Guadalupe roads in Mesa is now home to Pour Wine & Taproom. In addition to craft beers and wine, this bar offers a selection of artisanal flatbread pizzas and paninis.
Arizona Wilderness Brewing
201 East Roosevelt Street
This popular Gilbert microbrewery and restaurant has opened a second location in downtown Phoenix on the southeast corner of Second and Roosevelt streets. This location is more akin to a beer garden with a covered patio featuring ample communal seating. A counter service offers lunch and dinner plates like jalapeno meatloaf sliders and the Beer-B-Q chicken quesadilla.
Rusty Taco
1907 East Williams Field Road, #108, Gilbert
A new taco shop has opened on the southwest corner of Santan Village Parkway and Williams
Field in Gilbert. This Dallas-based fast food chain is making fresh, street-style tacos prepared with house-made sauces and salsas. In addition to items like Baja shrimp tacos and chips with queso or guacamole, Rusty Taco also offers margaritas and local cervezas.
Panda Libre Gilbert
748 North Gilbert Road, Gilbert
A new Asian-Mexican fusion fast-casual restaurant has opened in Gilbert. Panda Libre is serving up customizable bowls, tacos, and burritos. Diners can choose between Asian-spiced carne asada, sweet-and-spicy shrimp, or Korean short ribs. Plates are then topped with a selection of vegetables and starches that include refried beans, cabbage, peppers, and kimchi. Most meals do not exceed $9.
Walter Station Brewery
4056 East Washington Street
The highly anticipated Walter Station Brewery has opened in downtown Phoenix. This renovated fire station is serving a dozen original craft beers on tap.
Happy Kitchen Chinese Restaurant
6671 East Baseline Road, Mesa
Barbecue sliced pork, sweet and sour pork, kung pao beef, hot and sour soup, and cashew chicken are just a few of the many dishes being served at Mesa’s newest Chinese restaurant. Happy Kitchen Chinese Restaurant is located on the southwest corner of Power and Baseline roads.
El Paisano Mexican & American Restaurant
1000 East Apache Boulevard, #102, Tempe
True to its name, El Paisonos Mexican & American Restaurant is serving up an array of American fare like burgers and hot sandwiches along with Mexican-influenced items like tacos, burritos, and smothered nachos. This fast-casual eatery is located on the northeast corner of Rural Road and Apache Boulevard in north Tempe — a restaurant version of the spot on Lemon Street.
Monroe's Hot Chicken
45 West Jefferson Street
A fast-casual Nashville-style hot chicken restaurant has opened in downtown Phoenix, and we rushed to give it a try. In addition to crispy and spicy sandwiches, Monroe’s Hot chicken’s menu features salads, cornbread mac and cheese, and Belgian waffles.
Goody’s Café
1862 West Baseline Road, Mesa
Goody’s Café is now serving American comfort and Southwest fare in Mesa. This family-owned diner is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Menu items include pancakes, breakfast burritos, burgers, fried chicken, rib-eye steak, and a slew of other hearty diner classics.
Cherish Farm Fresh Eatery
2551 West Queen Creek Road, #4, Chandler
A health-conscious fast-casual restaurant has opened in south Chandler. Their menu features cauliflower-crust pizzas, spaghetti squash casseroles, slow-roasted turkey sandwiches, and organic salads topped with strawberries, candied walnuts, and goat cheese. This breakfast, lunch, and dinner restaurant has plenty of options to satisfy any vegan, keto, or gluten-free diner.
Modern Oyster Bar Chophouse
10050 North Scottsdale Road, #127, Scottsdale
A new oyster bar is shucking in Scottsdale. Modern Oyster Bar Chophouse is a modern upscale restaurant that features a large raw bar, an impressive outdoor patio seating section, and a full lunch and dinner menu that offers charcuterie boards, aged steaks, and a variety of seafood dishes.
Crème & Chocolates
1744 South Val Vista Drive, #111, Mesa
Crème & Chocolates second location has opened in a space behind the Chandler Fashion Center adjacent to BJ’s Brewhouse. This ice cream shop features a sizable variety of soft serve ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, and sorbet bars.
Burgerim
3605 South Gilbert Road, #103, Gilbert
A new burger chain has arrived in Gilbert. Burgerim has opened its first Arizona location on the northeast corner of Santan Freeway and GilbertRoad in Gilbert. Dry-aged beef, spicy beef, turkey, salmon, and veggie are just a few of the many customizable burger options diners will have at Burgerim. Their menu also features chicken wings, salads, and thick potato chip-like fries.
Little Rituals
132 South Central Avenue
Little Rituals has opened on the fourth floor of Residence Inn in downtown Phoenix as a collaboration between Tucson mixologist Aaron DeFeo and Ross Simon of Bitter & Twisted. In addition to over 30 cocktails, this hip, upscale bar features several creative small plates. Offerings include grilled jumbo shrimp, roasted poblano and red pepper grilled cheese, and black pepper caramel chicken wings.
Bahama Buck's
3121 East Greenway Road, #201
Bahama Buck’s shaved ice franchise has opened its newest location in Phoenix. This Texas-based chain is best known for its endless sweet-and-fruity combinations of frozen beverages.
Maskadores Taco Shop
2160 West Chandler Boulevard, Chandler
Maskadores Taco Shop has opened its fifth location on the northwest corner of Dobson Road and Chandler Boulevard in Chandler. This causal chain serves over a dozen kind of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and quesadillas.
[image-16] Casa Terra
6835 North 58th Drive, Glendale
Downtown Glendale has a new tenant — the dinner-only vegan restaurant Casa Terra has opened at 58th Drive and Glendale Avenue as the first fine-dining vegan restaurant in the country. Founder and executive chef Jason Wyrick has created a plant-based menu inspired by flavors of Mexico and the Mediterranean — specifically Italy, Spain, and Morocco.
Junn All You Can Eat Sushi
1320 East Broadway Road, #101, Tempe
A new sushi restaurant has opened its doors on the northeast corner of Dorsey Lane and Broadway Road in Tempe. Junn All You Can Eat Sushi offers diners endless lunchtime standard rolls for $16.95 and endless standard and signature rolls for dinner starting at $23.95. Additional, reasonably priced menu items are also available and patrons are limited to two-hour dining sessions.
Chula Seafood
100 East Camelback Road, #172
Raw oysters, Hawaiian poke bowls, tuna tartare, and Corvina bass are being served at one of the newest Phoenix seafood restaurants. Chula Seafood is a San Diego-based chain that is committed to offering fresh fish in the desert, and especially Uptown Plaza.
Pigtails Cocktail Bar
21001 North Tatum Boulevard, # 46-1405
A new speakeasy-style bar has opened in Phoenix. Pigtails Cocktail Bar is using organic vodka,
barrel-aged whiskey, and botanically infused gins to create craft cocktails at Desert Ridge Marketplace.
State 48 Barrel & Lager House
15600 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale.
State 48’s fourth location has opened up shop in a former Harley Davidson dealership in Scottsdale. This brewpub features a fresh, modern interior design with full lunch and dinner menus and a plethora of signature craft beers.
Closings
Roland's Market
Rolands Market suddenly closed this month. This was a collaboration between Chris Bianco, owner of Pizzeria Bianco and Taco Chiwas' ownership team, Nadia Holguin and Armando Hernandez. A second Pane Bianco location has opened in the space.
The Rogue Tomato
The Rogue Tomato has permanently closed. This Sonoran-influenced comfort food spot was best known for showcasing regional dishes and their use of locally sourced ingredients.
Blasted Barley Beer Company
After a four-year run in downtown Tempe, Blasted Barley Beer Company has closed its doors. This sports bar and brewpub was best known for its over two dozen beers on tap and elevated pub fare.
A rendering of the newly branded Spinato's logo at the upcoming Tempe location.
Courtesy of Spinato's Pizzeria
After eight years of business, Flanny’s Bar & Grill of south Tempe has closed. This bar was best known for their monthly tap takeover events that would feature regional craft breweries. Via a Facebook post, owner John Flanagan announced the restaurant's closure and said he would be taking time to explore new adventures and spend time with family.
Rise Craft Coffee
This downtown counter-service café closed its doors in early February. Rise Craft Coffee was best known for their artisanal coffee blends and their grab-and-go breakfast and lunch fare.
