Metro Phoenix welcomed dozens of new restaurants, bars, coffee shops and more in October. The Valley'snew dining and drinking destinations include a new Mexican restaurant from the team behind Ocotillo in Phoenix and an option for a12-course chef’s tasting menu in Scottsdale.
As of thiswriting, the mask mandate is still in place in Maricopa County. Delivery and pickup have a lower risk of COVID-19 spread than dining in. For those who dine in, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends sitting six feet apart, and if possible, outdoors. Diners should contact these businesses to see what dining options are available.
Bei Express
This fast-casual sushi joint opened near the northwest corner of Hayden and Thomas roads. The restaurant offers sashimi, bento boxes, tempura, poke bowls and sushi burritos.
Details: 2910 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale. 480-471-8461, beiexpress.com.
Chantico
From the team behind Ocotillo and Starlite BBQ comes a restaurant inspired by the culinary scene of Mexico City. Dishes include roasted clams, salad with spicy pumpkin seed dip and birria de res.
Details: 1051 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix. 602-699-3015, chanticophx.com.
Cielo
Diners will be able to stargaze at Cielo, the restaurant at Scottsdale's new luxury resort, Adero, which is part of the certified "Dark Sky Community." People can expect breakfast, lunch and dinner in an elegant setting.
Details: 13225 N. Eagle Ridge Drive, Scottsdale. 480-333-1850,aderoscottsdale.com/dining.
Clever Koi
The popular Pan-Asian restaurant reopened its Gilbert location after a kitchen fire shut it down more than a year ago. Clever Koi is known for its ramen, steamed buns and kimchi fried rice.
Details: 60 W. Vaughn Ave., #100, Gilbert. 480-306-4237, thecleverkoi.com.
The Craftsman co*cktail and Kitchen
Chef Christopher Nicosia, former executive chef of Sassi restaurant in Scottsdale, heads this kitchen. Menu items include scallop toast, house-made orecchiette pasta and sausage, and various salads and sandwiches.
Details: 20469 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale. 480-401-1102, thecraftsmanaz.com.
Culinary Dropout
Fox Restaurant Concepts continues to expand in Arizona with the opening of Culinary Dropout in Scottsdale Quarter. The menu features takeout family meals with fried chicken and racks of ribs.
Details: 15125 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-653-9701, culinarydropout.com.
Down By the Bayou Bistro
Food truck and caterer Down By the Bayou opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Glendale, serving po' boys, rib tips, jambalaya, beignets and more. Diners can also find the food truck schedule on streetfoodfinder.com/bayoubistroaz.
Details: 5160 W. Northern Ave., Glendale. 623-217-2958, facebook.com/bayoubistroaz.
Eatalio Pasta & Wine
This casual restaurant offers pasta, pizza, wine and co*cktails in Gilbert. Menu items include fried ravioli, arancini, fig and prosciutto pizza, cappelini gambretti and baked ziti. A kid’s menu is also available.
Details: 6348 S. Higley Road, Suite 106, Gilbert. 480-625-3860, eatalioaz.com.
Endgame
Four years after closing in downtown Tempe, this restaurant and bar for games has been resurrected in Mesa. Endgame features dozens of gaming stations and hundreds of games in its library.
Details: 1233 S. Alma School Road, Mesa. endgamebar.com.
Garden Bar
Garden Bar is a new concept from Kim Haasarud, a leader in the local beverage scene who’s published books on co*cktails and co-founded Arizona co*cktail Week. Housed in a 1914 bungalow in downtown Phoenix, customers can get drinks for takeout.
Details: 822 N. Sixth Ave., Phoenix. 602-824-2385, gardenbarphx.com.
Ghett Yo Pizza, Sliders & More
From the same team that brought you Ghett’Yo Tacos, this new pizzeria offerings a variety of toppings to build your own pizza, as well as specialty pies such as the Jumping Jack Fruit and Sonoran pizza.
Details: 4747 E.Elliot Road, Suite 12, Phoenix. 480-590-3639, ghettyotaco.com/ghettyo-pizza.
Harbor Seafood Cajun House
This seafood restaurant in south Phoenix offers a mix of Cajun-style seafood boils, including crawfish, lobster and clams, plus other dishes such as shrimp lo mein, fried plantains, egg fried rice bowl and fried calamari.
Details: 3414 W Southern Ave., Suite 168, Phoenix. 602-268-6375, harborseafoodphoenix.com.
The Highball
The Highball, a craft co*cktail bar, moves into the space that formerly housed SideBar. Skip the classics and try one of the creative new concoctions, along with the light bites and boards offered.
Details: 1514 N. Seventh Ave., Phoenix. 602-675-4244, highballphx.com.
Jack's Gastropub
Desert Highlands, a luxury golf club in north Scottsdale, opened a gastropub named after golf legend Jack Nicklaus. The golf-themed decor pays homage to its namesake.
Details: deserthighlandsscottsdale.com.
Jersey Mike's
This national submarine sandwich chain has been around since 1956. It opened its newest location in Chandler.
Details: 5045 S.Gilbert Road, Gilbert. 480-307-6314, jerseymikes.com.
Kimbob Sushi
This stall inside Asiana Market, a Korean grocery store in the Mesa Asian District, offers Korean-style sushi called gimbap. The rolls wrapped in dried seaweed look similar to sushi, but the rice in gimbap uses sesame oil instead of vinegar.
Details: Asiana Market, 1135 S. Dobson Road, Suite 104, Mesa. 480-833-3077, asianamarket.com.
La Super Mariscos y Antojitos
As the name implies, this mariscos joint offers plenty of seafood, from Mexican ceviche to Cajun-style shrimp boils. The business also offers quesabirrias and ramen birria for events. Follow them on Instagram for updates.
Details: 8040 N. 27th Ave., Phoenix. 480-238-1131, instagram.com/lasuperphx.
Little O's
This smaller version of O.H.S.O Brewery opened in downtown Phoenix in the building that formerly housed Zoës Kitchen. Started by an O.H.S.O employee, the dog-friendly restaurant serves flatbread pizzas and some of the brewery’s popular menu items.
Details: 521 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix. littleosaz.com.
OJ's Backyard BBQ
This Tempe ghost kitchen serves barbecue sandwiches for pickup and delivery only. Sandwiches include BBQ beef, chicken and boneless rib, with sides including braised cabbage and beans.
Details: ojbbq.com.
Reap & Sow Coffee Bar
Music venue Rebel Lounge is reopening as a neighborhood coffee shop and bar, a collaboration with Peoria's Driftwood Coffee. Reap & Sow will provide coffee, tea and food at the Rebel Lounge during the day along with a full bar menu.
Details: Rebel Lounge, 2303 E Indian School Road, Phoenix. reapsow.com.
Reserve
The team behind fine-dining restaurant Cafe Monarch have opened a 12-course chef’s tasting menu in an outdoor setting. Located across the street from Cafe Monarch, this dining concept requires jackets and reservations.
Details: 6934 E. 1st Ave., Suite 102, Scottsdale. 480-970-7682, reserveoldtown.com.
The Revelry
The team behind Modern Round, the virtual shooting venue in Peoria, opened a mega food hall and entertainment venue called The Revelry in Mesa. The complex has a sports bar and brewhouse, as well as an arcade bar.
Details: 1065 N. Dobson Road, Mesa. 602-612-3020, facebook.com/therevelryphx.
Salad and Go
The fast-growing, drive-thru salad chain serves low-price salads and soups, as well as breakfast burritos and beverages. Fall items include a chicken pot pie soup, fall harvest salad and sangria lemonade.
Details: 835 W. Indian School Road, Phoenix. saladandgo.com.
The Sicilian Baker
The Sicilian Baker joins a new slate of restaurants at the recently renovated Park West outdoor shopping complex in Peoria. The bakery has a cannoli bar and offers various pastries and desserts, including Italian rum cake, sfogiatelle and cassata siciliana.
Details: Park West, 9744 W.Northern Ave., Peoria. thesicilianbaker.com.
The Sicilian Butcher
Joining The Sicilian Baker at Peoria’s Park West, The Sicilian Butcher serves house-made pasta and meatballs, as well as charcuterie boards among its Sicilian dishes.
Details: Park West, 9744 W.Northern Ave., Peoria. thesicilianbutcher.com.
Soda Jerk
Located at High Street in north Phoenix, this is a "retro-inspired" dessert bar serving a menu that includeshandcrafted milkshakes and ice cream floats.
Details:5350 E. High Street, #109, Phoenix.facebook.com/sodajerkmilkshakebar.
The Stillery
This Nashville-based restaurant opened a location in Chandler, serving pizza, sandwiches, Southern-themed co*cktails and a variety of beers on tap.
Details: 130 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler. 480-590-1409, stillerychandler.com.
Sweet Republic
Local ice cream shop Sweet Republic opened its third location at The Watermark, a new mix-use development in Tempe. The shop is known for its small-batch ice cream with seasonal flavors, such as Pumpkin Graveyard, Notorious R.B.G and Gooey Buttercake.
Details: 410 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 105, Tempe. 480-292-8557, sweetrepublic.com.
Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea
National coffee shop chain Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea offers caffeinated beverages, as well as frozen drinks, cakes and pastries, and light bites.
Details: 14850 N. 87th St., Suite 110, Scottsdale.480-410-4118, sweetwaterscafe.com.
Tacos Calafia
This west Valley taqueria expands into the building that once housed Mother Bunch Brewing in downtown Phoenix. Tacos Calafia was voted Best Tacos in PHOENIX Magazine’s 2019 ‘Best of the Valley’ and Best Al Pastor in 2018 by Phoenix New Times.
Details: 825 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. tacoscalafia.com.
Toast Gio's
This daytime restaurant in Apache Junction serves a variety of egg scrambles and other breakfast items, such as burritos, carnitas skillet and avocado toast. Wash it down with a mimosa or freshly-squeezed orange juice.
Details: 1422 E. Broadway Ave., Apache Junction. 480-671-3955, toastgios.com.
Tombstone Brewing Company
Beer aficionados can experience this Tombstone, Arizona brewery right in Phoenix. Moving into Helio Basin brewery’s former location near Arcadia, Tombstone offers a selection of its beers in cans and on tap.
Details: 3935 E. Thomas Road, Phoenix. tombstone.beer.
Trap Food Xpress
Soul food restaurant Trap Food Xpress serves ribs, wings, crispy chicken sandwiches and fried seafood with a variety of sides, including yams, fried okra, mac n’ cheese and greens with turkey. Online ordering is available.
Details: 1900 E. Fifth St., Tempe. trapfoodxpress.com.
Reach the reporter at Priscilla.Totiya@azcentral.com. Follow @priscillatotiya on Twitter and Instagram.
