Restaurateurs honor their father’s legacy  Joey Maggiore is having a great year with the launch of his first cookbook “Brunch King” and the opening of The Italiano, his newest restaurant located in Scottsdale, inspired by his father, the legendary chef and restaurateur Tomaso Maggiore, who passed away in 2021. “I was in the kitchen at […]

Local chefs share their family food traditions Hector Cruz, Jocque Concepts  “Holidays look different for my family every year. We like to experience different types of food. It can go from smoking a whole pig in my backyard to Mexican cuisine. One constant is my mom’s spaghetti. Nothing says home for the holidays like her […]

Restaurant Road Trip: Sedona’s Forty1  Ambiente resort restaurant infuses local ingredients with global influences Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel, opened in Sedona in early 2023, offering a beautiful and unique setting where guests stay in atriums and have access to amazing views and luxurious amenities.  When the resort opened, its signature restaurant, Forty1, was accessible only […]

Taco Chelo offers Mexican pueblo flavor  In June, Taco Chelo opened its second location in Tempe, designed to resemble a traditional Mexican pueblo. A collaboration between restaurateur Aaron Chamberlin, chef Suny Santana and artist Gennaro Garcia, Taco Chelo opened its first location in downtown Phoenix in 2018. The restaurant, named after Santana’s mother, offers a […]

Chef Christopher Gross creates his masterpiece at Wrigley Mansion In addition to being one of Arizona’s most celebrated chefs, Christopher Gross has a love for art.  A native of Missouri, Gross moved to Phoenix as a boy and grew up with a strong work ethic, working at Baskin-Robbins and Jack in the Box. As a […]

Chefs Jason and Katherine Dwight started Persepshen at a Phoenix farmers market. The couple sold sandwiches, pastries and sausages out of an old military trailer with a wood-fired oven on the back that now sits on the restaurant’s patio. The brick-and-mortar location opened in 2019 in central Phoenix. Katherine and Jason met while they were […]

When summer temperatures rise in Phoenix, locals look to escape the heat. Just a couple of hours north, they can enjoy cooler temps and a wide variety of dining options. “With more than 200 restaurants, Flagstaff offers family-friendly barbecue, pizza and burger spots that have a strong following, as well as four James Beard Award […]

Hera Ambrosio opened Zingara Market to share her background, travels and restaurant experience. She was born in Brazil and grew up in her family’s restaurants in Italy before moving to Arizona, where her family has been in the restaurant business for more than 20 years.  “The restaurant business is my passion,” she said. “I love […]

In December 2023, Kembara opened at JW Marriott Desert Ridge in North Phoenix. The menu at Kembara, which means “to wander,” is inspired by a variety of Asian flavors. It is the second restaurant at the resort from celebrity chef Angelo Sosa and restaurant developer Mark Stone, who opened Tia Carmen in 2022. “The menu […]

The Japan External Trade Organization and the Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles are partnering with 10 Phoenix area restaurants to host Taste of Japan: Specialty Seafood and Sake Series, which runs through March 9. Each restaurant offers dishes highlighting Japan’s renowned Hokkaido scallop with a sake pairing. Restaurants participating in the series include […]