It was a long and arduous slog, but we made it. After months of eating pad thai from plastic containers and cocktails in tiny mason jars, dining on Metro Phoenix is finally making a triumphant return. Restaurants that have been empty for months have reopened. Bars are back – and busy as always. But when guests leave their eating and drinking habits at home, the landscape can look vastly different. Some of the best restaurants in the valley have closed forever, while others have opened their doors for the first time. As always, we’re here to take you to the must-see places and provide thoughtful analysis of what the future holds for restaurants and bars in Arizona. Enjoy. This resource will be updated over the summer – be sure to check back as more is added. – Lauren Saria, Food Editor for Arizona RepublicTorchy’s, Mooyah, and More: As metropolitan Phoenix continues to grow as a dining hotspot, more and more restaurant chains from outside Arizona are being watched for real estate in the Valley of the Sun. Find out which five national Arizona restaurant chains are making big strides. Help Black-Owned Businesses: When protests against Black Lives Matter swept the country last summer, Phoenix-based nonprofit Local First Arizona and others were called upon to do so To support black-owned businesses, including restaurants and bars. We have created our own guide. Looking for Black Owned Restaurants? Here are 50+ Subway Phoenix. Say hello to Bacanora: To steal a line from the movie reviewers, Bacanora feels like a triumph. Chef Rene Andrade, a native kid of Nogales, Sonora, worked his way through the Valley’s gourmet kitchens and opened his own vibrant restaurant in the Arizona capital that serves burritos alongside chef-controlled plates that scream with color and celebrate the grill. Why this Mexican restaurant on Grand Avenue is an instant Phoenix classic. The Must-Try Pop-up: Their intimate events were well-kept secrets for a while. Yotaka Promtun-Martin and Alex Martin drew on years of cooking and exploring local cuisine in Thailand to launch an East Valley dinner series that offers Thai food like no other. Food freaks flock to their exclusive dinners. Get to know the couple behind Lom Wong. A Perfect Sandwich: With the exception of the bread, every ingredient in this generously portioned Sando (measuring 10-12 inches) is made in-house, and each sandwich offers contrasts in temperature, texture and taste. The best banh mi in town could be at this mom and pop eatery in north Phoenix. Here’s Your Guide to 10 More Essential Vietnamese DishesTea Time: Mae Collins thought the cafe she ran for 26 years, Kimberly Ann’s Tea Room & Cafe, was in its final days. Then a neighbor came to help. In March 2021, the Pink Door Tea House celebrated its grand opening with Collins at the helm of the kitchen. Pro tip? Try the Avocado: Ice Cream Parlor Cúcara Mácara is a summer destination, but it doesn’t serve your regular snow cones with leche and spicy sweets known as raspados. This colorful Mexican ice cream parlor is Phoenix’s new destination for nieve de garrafa. Reservations Recommended: A growing number of Metro-Phoenix’s top cocktail bars require a sneak peek before guests arrive. Reservations can be helpful for bars and customers alike, especially during a pandemic. Would you like to save a seat? These Metro Phoenix cocktail bars are now accepting reservations. Game on: Whether you crave the glowing screens of 1980s arcades or have a reigning air hockey champion, the Valley is home to several new locations that offer a place to play. These new arcade bars are now opening on Metro Phoenix. Don’t call it a comeback: The MercBar in the Biltmore area has been a Valley drinking destination for 25 years. In 2019 the classic cocktail spot got an upgrade, but only a few got to see it. The new iteration of MercBar was open for four months before the bars in Arizona closed due to the pandemic. It was the place to see and be seen. Now it’s refreshed and reopened.Not your average pool bar: Cocktail master Ross Simon serves a touch of travel in this pool bar. The menu features destination-inspired drinks, so customers can fly to Brazil with a market caipirinha or imagine an Italian afternoon with a bellini in hand. Meet the thought leader at Bitter & Twisted, Lylo, Phoenix’s new pool bar. Mill Avenue Guide: In Tempe, near the main Arizona State University campus, Mill Avenue is the place to be. You can’t walk a block without passing several bars, clubs, or restaurants, and with so many choices, it’s hard to know which to go into. Great news: We went to every single bar on Mill Avenue in Tempe. Here is your guide. Home Cooking: We tried 8 types of Japanese currystones. Here’s what we recommend bottle service: Total Wine and BevMo might be your top choices when buying wine, but they’re by no means your only options. A growing number of local and independent shops offer value, service and great wine selections. Here are 12 of the best wineries and bottle shops on Metro Phoenix. Beer with a history: The Rusty Spur building has stood in Old Town Scottsdale for 100 years. It’s been a saloon for seven decades. Now it has changed hands. How the new owners of this historic old town Scottsdale saloon “carry on the legacy”. Is it Safe to Dine in? Since March 2020, the dining landscape in Arizona has changed dramatically, as have the regulations that affect restaurants. It can be confusing, but we’re here to help. Here are 8 questions answered about Arizona restaurants and COVID-19. Restaurant Etiquette: With state-mandated COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants and bars lifted, it is important that customers work with staff as business owners try to protect themselves and others. The Arizona Republic asked how customers can be more considerate. Here are tips from Arizona workers. Dim Sum – but different: Chinese banquet halls are fighting in Metro Phoenix and across the country. But it’s not just the loss of restaurants that diners should be concerned about – it’s the loss of a cultural cornerstone for the Asian-American community. How a turbulent year changed Metro Phoenix’s dim sum restaurants. Times are changing: from fine dining to family businesses, restaurants have closed due to the pandemic. But when some closed, the buildings they were housed in filled quickly, giving new tenants the opportunity to carry on or reinvent the legacy. How COVID-19 Changed 4 Iconic Phoenix Restaurants and Bars. The return of drive-through margins: Takeaway cocktails and takeaway alcohol are on the way back. The Arizona Legislature passed House Bill 2773, which allows restaurants to legally and permanently sell take-away cocktails and other liquor. Governor Doug Ducey signed the bill in May. Here are 5 questions about the new to-go cocktail law in Arizona. From Grand Canyon to Stevie Nicks: 131 Reasons We Love ArizonaPosted 16:20 UTC June 4, 2021 Updated 16:54 UTC June 4, 2021
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