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1 month ago | 
frontdoorsmedia.com | Shoshana Leon
Photo courtesy of House of FormDesert Design Week, which debuted in October, is returning to the Valley from April 3–12. The 10-day celebration of design, art and architecture features a series of events at various Valley locations, including art gallery popups, architecture and design exhibitions and immersive experiences. Desert Design Week includes food-related events.
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1 month ago | 
frontdoorsmedia.com | Shoshana Leon
Cocktail bar celebrates the glamour and nostalgia of air travelPretty Decent Concepts, which owns several Arizona restaurants and bars with more planned in 2025, opened Carry On, an airline-themed cocktail bar in downtown Phoenix in November 2024. Carry On is designed to transport visitors to the elegance of 1960s and early 1970s air travel, complete with leather seats, uniformed flight attendants, simulated airplane windows and pilot announcements.
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1 month ago | 
frontdoorsmedia.com | Shoshana Leon
Savor local flavor in TucsonThe Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa recently completed a multiphase renovation of its guest rooms and public spaces. As part of the project, two new culinary concepts opened in October 2024, helmed by longtime Tucson chef Devin Pinto. La Luz, Spanish for “the light,” offers natural light and stunning views.
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1 month ago | 
frontdoorsmedia.com | Shoshana Leon
Celebrity chef Richard Blais cooks up a culinary world tour at Grand Hyatt ScottsdaleRichard Blais, known for appearances on shows like “Top Chef” and “Next Level Chef,” among many others, has partnered with the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale to revamp its food and beverage concepts. These include La Zozzona, specializing in Italian fare, and Tiki Taka, which blends Japanese and Spanish influences.
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1 month ago | 
frontdoorsmedia.com | Shoshana Leon
Enjoy food and drink specials across the ValleyThirsty Lion (Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Phoenix, Tempe)The gastropub offers Irish-inspired fare and cocktails March 1-17, including Scotch eggs, corned beef mac and cheese and Irish shepherd’s pie. The St. Patrick’s Day cocktail menu features Irish versions of an espresso martini, Old Fashioned and mule, and a portion of every Irish cocktail sold will be donated to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which supports research for children with cancer.
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2 months ago | 
ediblephoenix.ediblecommunities.com | Shoshana Leon
Ashley Holian started cooking Ukrainian food with her grandparents at a very young age and knew she wanted to be a chef. “I remember making thousands of pierogies for the holidays with my grandparents and knew this was what I wanted to do,” she said. “It’s been a long-running theme in my life.”Holian received some culinary training in her home economics class at Chaparral High School, which offered dual enrollment at Scottsdale Community College.
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2 months ago | 
frontdoorsmedia.com | Shoshana Leon
Photos courtesy of ElephantÉlephante restaurant opened its second location in December at Scottsdale Fashion Square. With its original location in Santa Monica, California, Élephante offers coastal Italian cuisine, including wood-fired pizzas, fresh pastas like tortellini pomodoro and squid ink pasta with shrimp, sustainably sourced seafood like diver scallops and branzino, and meats such as bone-in ribeye and veal Milanese.
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2 months ago | 
frontdoorsmedia.com | Shoshana Leon
Queen Creek Olive Mill’s family venture brings olive oil skincare to the spotlightBrenda Rea, her husband Perry, and their children moved from Michigan to Arizona in 1997, seeking sunshine and new opportunities. Eight years later, they opened Queen Creek Olive Mill, a destination known for its fresh olive oils and farm-to-table dining.
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2 months ago | 
frontdoorsmedia.com | Shoshana Leon
Pickleball-themed restaurants redefine dining and entertainment While many restaurants and bars offer classic games like darts, ping pong and pool, a new trend is making waves — pickleball-themed venues, blending food, fun and sports. Chicken N Pickle, which has several locations across the U.S., opened its first Arizona location at Westgate in Glendale in August 2023, offering 11 pickleball courts, three bars, a variety of menu options and several other games.
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2 months ago | 
frontdoorsmedia.com | Shoshana Leon
Executive chef Gregory James highlights seasonal ingredients and global flavorsOriginally a celebrity-filled tennis club in the 1950s, Sanctuary Camelback Mountain opened as a resort in 2001. Elements restaurant at Sanctuary is known as a place to enjoy incredible views and special occasions and has been home to several prominent Arizona chefs. Executive chef Gregory James, who joined in November 2023, aims to maintain the restaurant’s reputation while infusing it with fresh direction.
