This week in Phoenix dining news, find out where to take your taste buds on an international tour, welcome back a brunch tradition lost to the pandemic, and get into the holiday spirit with everything from gourmet s’mores to champagne and ice skating.
We also bid farewell to a longtime Japanese eatery and a famous restauranteur steps down. Have a tip? Send us a note via Instagram or by emailing info@diningout.com.
Creative Cocktails at the Suncliffe Showcase
This November 13, gather as 10 bars and bartenders come together for a friendly competition, creative cocktails, and local food hosted by Arizona’s Suncliffe at Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in downtown Phoenix. Participants include Chilte, 36 Below, So Far So Good, Sidecar, Matilda’s All Day, and more.
And it’s all for a good cause, specifically, Keys to Change, which supports Phoenix’s unhoused population. The nonprofit will receive 10% of the night’s proceeds. Early bird tickets are available now for $30 through Eventbrite, with some additional tickets available at the door for $40.
Thanksgiving Feasts Around the Valley
If you haven’t carved out plans yet for Thanksgiving, we have a few more ideas for you—and they don’t involve dry turkey or doing dishes.
Prado Restaurant, from Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia, a five-course Thanksgiving feast ($155 per person) will revolve around warm butternut squash soup, roasted turkey, costilla rioja, and maple crème brûlée. The resort’s Thanksgiving Eve celebration on November 25 also has live music, dancing, and cocktails, with a portion of proceeds directed to St. Mary’s Food Bank.
Neighborhood Services at Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU has a three-course Thanksgiving meal for $55 per person ($90 with wine pairings) with roasted turkey, fall squash bisque, and a pumpkin spice cronut.
Or toss aside tradition and go to KAUBOI for a Japanese-inspired buffet ($145 per person) with sushi, yakitori, smoked brisket, and pork katsu alongside turkey. And Sexy Roman has a $125 buffet with crudo, Wagyu tri-tip, and rigatoni alla gricia tossed tableside in a flaming Grana Padano cheese wheel. It’s hard not to feel grateful when eating cheese.
Churn Offers House-made Ice Cream Pies for Thanksgiving
Churn’s pies (serving 8 to 10) plan to disrupt the pie industry with ice cream pies made with a cookie crust and “zero phony ingredients.” Choose between a variety of fun flavors, including pumpkin fluff, s’mores, butter pecan, and cookies n’ mint. Each runs $30, and you can pick up between Monday, November 23 and Wednesday, November 26. Be sure to give 72 hours’ advance notice.
COURSE Takes Christmas Dinner Around the World
No need to go around the world in 80 days when you can do it in one night. Chef Cory Oppold of Scottsdale’s COURSE announced that the annual 12 Days of Christmas dining experience will return this year, and this time, themed as Christmas Around the World.
The nine-course tasting menu is a culinary journey through holiday traditions across the nations. Think Polish wild mushroom dumplings in beet borscht, Japanese karaage chicken, an Italian seafood trio, and yes, even English-inspired roast with Yorkshire pudding. Dessert flies us to Mexico and Australia.
The experience runs December 11 to 30, Tuesday through Saturday, excluding December 25 and 26. Tickets are $185 per person, with optional wine pairings.
Brunch is Back at Restaurant Progress
A churro croissant, hibiscus-sugar morning bun, and a masa almond tea cake are the stars at Restaurant Progress, which is bringing brunch back this Saturday, November 14 for the first time since the pandemic. Chef-owner TJ Culp and his wife Crystal Culp (ne Kass), a well-esteemed chef for her inventive desserts at Valentine, will churn out French-inspired favorites. Think Progress’ signature soft scramble, steak and eggs au poivre, and Crystal’s pastries. It runs Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Maple & Ash Invites You to a Friendsgiving Brunch
Gather your people for a Friendsgiving celebration at Maple & Ash in Scottsdale on Sunday, November 22. The upscale steakhouse is serving brunch with all-you-can-eat sides like brown-butter potatoes and maple-glazed bacon, plus wood-fired filets, fluffy soufflé pancakes, Lobster Soft Scramble, and Alaskan King Crab Eggs Benedict. Bottomless mimosas, espresso martinis, and a live DJ make it all the better. Stop in between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Hearsay Brings Brunch With Benefits to the Biltmore
Need more brunch ideas? We thought so! On Saturday, November 14, Hearsay is hosting Brunch With Benefits. On display you’ll fin unlimited bites from food stations serving short rib Benedicts, oyster shooters, build-your-own breakfast tacos, loaded potatoes, and chicken and waffles.
The $45 ticket also includes a welcome mimosa or glass of sparkling wine. Enjoy live music from local artist Lindsye Yogt, handmade jewelry, and more. The festivities run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., so mosey on down!
Over Easy Offers Breakfast With a Side of Giving Back
A little canned food can go a long way, so they say. Over Easy just announced it will team up with United Food Bank for two East Valley food drives, giving guests who bring a canned food donation their choice of a complimentary coffee or a $1 mimosa.
The first drive takes place Friday, November 13, at Over Easy’s Gilbert location, followed by a second on Friday, December 11, at its Queen Creek Rittenhouse restaurant. The promotion is available to dine-in guests, limited to one offer per person. A little breakfast, a little generosity, and a good reason to start the day right.
Holiday Dining and Festivities at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
At the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess‘s annual Christmas at the Princess celebration, guests are invited to dine on rye pretzels and crispy chicken schnitzel at The Lodge Alpine Bar and Kitchen, or sip champagne alongside shellfish towers at Chateau Champagne.
Mrs. Claus is also whipping up her famous holiday cookies, while the Flaming Coffee & Churros Cart brings theatrical flair with coffee that’s literally set aflame. Guests can reserve climate-controlled VIP igloos with heated patios for a more intimate holiday experience. Ice skating, twinkling lights, and hot cocoa? Now that’s holiday fun.
Buck & Rider Announces B&R Fish Shop
Something fishy is coming to Phoenix, and we’re here for it. Buck & Rider announced its new endeavor, the B&R Fish Shop, which will open in December. It’s a 4,500-square-foot market, intent on giving home cooks access to the same fresh seafood served at its restaurants.
Flown into Sky Harbor daily from fishermen, divers, and oyster farmers around the world, the selection will include Oishii shrimp, Boston lobster, Ora King salmon, Bigeye tuna, and rotating fresh oysters. The market will also serve made-to-order sushi, wine, rare sake, and even oyster-shucking tools. Now that’s a catch. Located next to the original Buck & Rider on Camelback Road.
SALTA Set to Bring Argentine-Inspired Dining to Downtown Phoenix
Pomo Restaurant Group is turning up the heat with SALTA, an Argentine-inspired steakhouse with live-fire cooking. The concept opens December 2, offering a taste of Argentina’s grilling traditions.
Jingle at JW Desert Ridge Gets a Coca-Cola Christmas Makeover
Things are getting merry and bright at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, where Jingle at JW Desert Ridge returns November 18. The resort’s ICE! attraction includes towering hand-carved ice sculptures and two-story ice slides.
Guests can also indulge in gourmet s’mores around cozy fire tables, seasonal food and craft cocktails, plus a festive breakfast with Mrs. Claus and her friends. There’s also gingerbread house decorating and an elaborate gingerbread village created by the resort’s pastry team.
Then, the Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan will roll into the Marriott December 13 to 16, bringing complimentary samples, giveaways, and photo opportunities with the Coca-Cola Polar Bear. For those wanting to make a night of it, the resort is debuting a limited-time Coca-Cola Christmas Suite with themed décor, holiday treats, and four tickets to ICE!
Mixela Hosts a Pizza Party, Holiday Wine Tasting, and Party Packages
Mixela has big plans this month. Join the team on Wednesday, November 18, from 4 to 6 p.m. for a holiday wine tasting (three seasonal pours for $15). Then, on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the patio hosts a pizza party with Caluna x Mixela, pairing fresh pizzas with wine and spritzes.
Known as one of the Valley’s coziest wine bars, Mixela offers a warm, candlelit setting inside a historic building in Phoenix’s Loma Linda neighborhood. Want more? Mixela also offers three party packages ranging from $39 to $99 per person, featuring everything from aperitivo bites to family-style dining and a crudo bar.
Sam Fox Says Goodbye to Fox Restaurant Concepts
He built a restaurant empire. But now, Sam Fox is moving on. The restaurateur behind local legends such as Culinary Dropout, The Henry, Flower Child, and Olive & Ivy has officially stepped away from Fox Restaurant Concepts, which he sold to The Cheesecake Factory in 2019.
What’s next? More hotels, for starters. Fox says he’s turning his attention to Author & Edit Hospitality, the company behind the luxurious The Global Ambassador and Nashville’s Twelve Thirty Club. Plans include another hotel concept in Phoenix, additional Global Ambassador properties, and a standalone version of The Global Ambassador’s rooftop restaurant, Théa, in Dallas.
Hana Japanese Eatery to Close
Oh, this one breaks our hearts into sushi pieces. Hana Japanese Eatery, the family-run eatery in the heart of Central Phoenix, just announced its permanent closure soon. Co-owners Lori Hashimoto and Lynn Becker have long been regarded for bringing us the finest in Japanese artistry. Hashimoto’s even a James Beard-award-nominated chef.
This concept has always been about family–those serving behind the counter and those sitting at the tables. It’s what makes this loss extra difficult.
