Kona Grill Opening in Scottsdale Quarter

On June 12th, Locally based Kona Grill, which operates over 40 locations across the country, is set to open their newest restaurant in Arizona. The newest spot located at 15345 N. Scottsdale Rd. Suite #K-100 Scottsdale, AZ 85254 in the Scottsdale Quarter will be their fifth in the state.

Along with a menu focusing on modern American cuisine, Kona Grill has an extensive sushi menu that features fish flown in everyday.  A few highlights:

• Kona Churrasco - Flank steak, chimichurri sauce, house mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables
• Macadamia Nut Chicken - House mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, shoyu cream, pineapple-papaya marmalade
• Cuban Sandwich - Braised kalua pork, ham, swiss, homemade pickles, mustard, baguette, sweet potato fries
• Lobster & Tuna Flatbread - Avocado, red onion, tomato, citrus aioli

You can check out the rest of the menu here and look for other locations.

Lou Malnati's Opening 2nd Location in Arcadia

So far, each of the three Chicago pizza joints, Lou Malnati's, Giordano's, and Gino's East, have opened in the valley well enough away from each other which has avoided direct competition. Lou Malnati's in Central Phoenix, Giordano's in Peoria, and Gino's East in Arcadia.

Coming this fall to the Arcadia area however, that is about the change.  In direct competition with Gino's East, Lou Malnati's will open their second restaurant at 3433 N. 56th St. Phoenix, AZ 85018. There is a twist, however, as the second Lou Malnati's in the valley will not offer a dine-in experience.  Carryout and delivery will be available and at the time of this writing according to ABC15, Lou Malnati's is looking at a 3 to 5 mile radius for delivery.  Stay tuned for more details such as a specific opening date as they become available.

Five Restaurants Coming Soon to Metro Phoenix

Though information is light, here are some quick hits on 5 restaurants soon to open in the Phoenix Metro area:

1. When in Rome - Brought to you by the folks from Tomaso's, When in Rome will be located at 23655 N Scottsdale Road # 120 Scottsdale, AZ 85255.  A specific opening date is not yet known, however North Scottsdale Lifestyle magazine has more on Tomaso himself and gives some hints as to what ingredients we can expect to find on the menu.

2. Casa Anejo - Planning for a May opening at 5602 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85014 next to The Colony, Casa Anejo makes it clear tacos and tequila will be on the menu.  Though at this this time, the venture by the same folks who opened Stock & Stable last year, Evening Entertainment Group, details are still limited.

3. Panera Bread - A new location is coming to the Paradise Valley Mall area.  Located at 4512 E. Cactus Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85032, this will only add to Panera's increasing presence in the valley after having recently converted several Paradise Bakery locations into Panera Bread locations.

4. Artezania Kitchen & Cantina - Not much is yet known about this upcoming restaurant attached to the Holiday Inn Club Vacations Hotel in North Scottsdale at 7677 E Princess Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85255 next to the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort. According to the purveyors, Artezania Kitchen & Cantina, "is a fresh ingredient concept incorporating a modern twist on southwest cuisine with a specialty craft beverage program focusing on Tequila and Mezcal."

5. Döner Dudes - To open near the Tempe ASU campus, right between the Vista Del Sol student housing and the Adelphi Commons at 681 E. Apache Blvd. #107 Tempe, AZ 85281, Döner Dudes, "is a fast-casual restaurant serving authentic Turkish Mediterranean food to our guests. Our atmosphere is casual yet professional at all times." Wondering what a döner is? It is a Turkish kebab, "cooked on a vertical rotisserie are the Arab shawarma, Greek gyros, and Mexican Al pastor."

MAD Greens Coming to Peoria

Ready for restaurant #8 in Arizona, Colorado-based MAD Greens is close to opening in Peoria at 16955 N. 75th Ave. #105 Peoria, AZ 85382.  Hopeful for an opening within the next couple of weeks, this will be MAD Greens' first spot in the west valley.  Known for salads with names like Crazy Ivan or Ty Cobb, they also offer paninis, wraps, soups, and juices.  Here are some quick hits:

Photo by: MAD Greens

• Crazy Ivan - Baby Greens, Roasted Beets, Pumpkin Seeds, House-made Croutons, Goat Cheese, Grilled Citrus Chicken
• Dionysos - Romaine, Avocado, Tomatoes, Bacon, Red Onions, Eggs, Grilled Southwestern Chicken
• Don Quixote - Baby Greens, Mango, Avocado, Roasted Corn, Jack Cheese, Grilled Piri Piri Shrimp
• Mad Cuban Panini - Sourdough Bread, Dijon Mustard, Swiss Cheese, Slow Roasted Chicken, Ham, Dill Pickles
• Bollywood Wrap - Romaine, Slow Roasted Chicken, Grilled Sweet Onions, Celery, Whole Wheat Tortilla
• Green Detox Juice - Kale, Celery, Ginger Root , Cucumbers, Cayenne Pepper

Check out the rest of the menu along with nutrition information. 

The Vig to Open Fifth Restaurant in the Valley

The Vig, already with three Phoenix locations in Arcadia, Fillmore, and Uptown, as well as one in Scottsdale at McCormick Ranch, is preparing for an April opening of their fifth restaurant in the McDowell Mountain Ranch area of Scottsdale, near the corner of Bell Rd. & Thompson Peak Pkwy.

The mountain views are going to be a draw for this location and The Vig has already planned for those that love the trails nearby.  According to Jessie Palm, director of PR & Marketing for Genuine Concepts via ABC15:

"Because it is relatively close to the mountains, the restaurant will have lockers and a locker room for guests to change, get cleaned up and have lunch or dinner, she said."

The photos shown here by The Vig highlight the Pozole and the Cheeseburger with Fries.  Check out menus for each location, which include sandwiches, salads, pasta, tacos, and seafood, at the main Vig website.

Chico Malo to Open in CityScape

Photo by: Chico Malo

Looking at an April opening, Chico Malo is set to open in Downtown Phoenix in the former spot of The Corner at 50 W. Jefferson St. Phoenix, AZ 85004 just behind the Grabbagreen.  According to Chico Malo,

"Chico Malo, a lively take on Mexican cooking, opens at CityScape this spring. Culture Shock Hospitality will bring the heat in DTPHX with breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch with an array of flavor combinations from all over South America. Expect highlights including ceviche, street corn, chilaquiles and tiraditos, a Peruvian crudo. Diners can also build their own guacamole or choose from a lengthy lineup of taco options." 

This is Culture Shock Hospitality's first restaurant and it will be interesting to see how the location does after The Corner's struggles.  One of the big draws is certain to be the fact that this will be the only restaurant in the area offering South American fare.

An additional note, if you are looking for work, Chico Malo is starting interviews tomorrow, March 9, where they will be hiring 125 employees.

Four More Restaurants Coming to Same Arcadia Shopping Center

Along with the new Uberrito set to open this month in the Arcadia Gateway Shopping Center, in what has to be the most booming foodie corner in the state, Doughbird and a new Smashburger are nearing completion with a new Hash Kitchen location as well as a Zoe's Kitchen not far behind at the southwest corner of  Indian School Rd. & 44th St.

First, while no date is yet set for Smashburger, it looks to be heading for a late March or April opening.  This will put the Colorado-based burger shop's presence in Arizona to over 20 locations.

If you've never been to one, check out a menu and find a location close to you.  While also offering chicken sandwiches, sides, and salads, Smashburger states, "Our smashed burgers are always made-to-order, never frozen, smashed and seared to perfection on our grill. Our menu is also kid-friendly, vegetarian-approved and topped off with frosty milkshakes."

Secondly, Doughbird, another highly anticipated concept by Sam Fox focusing on pizza and chicken, will be opening on March 28th in the same center at 4385 E. Indian School Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85018. From Doughbird's website:

"Doughbird is the latest Sam Fox restaurant. The menu, created by Sam Fox and Chef Clint Woods, combines our two favorite styles of cuisine – pizza and rotisserie. It’s a friendly place to indulge in savory creations like crispy pastrami pizza with Gruyere cheese, or slow-roasted rotisserie chicken lightly brushed with house-made marinades like lemon rosemary herb or spicy Sriracha and soy. Signature comfort food sides like buttered sweet corn and cauliflower mash will leave you stuffed and satisfied. Visit Doughbird for a warm, inviting experience and break bread with the best people in your life."

You can find more details about Doughbird over at AZCentral.

Next, we have Hash Kitchen.  This will be Hash Kitchen's second restaurant as the breakfast spot first opened in Scottsdale in 2015. The popular restaurant has an extensive menu which offers items like the Hash Monkey, Cannoli Donuts, Carnitas Hash, Oreo Cookie Pancakes, and Coconut & Almond Encrusted French Toast just to name a few.  You can check out the rest of the menu here.  For now all we know is the location is coming soon with no firm opening date.

Finally, Zoe's Kitchen, already with 5 locations in the valley, will also be coming to the burgeoning shopping center.  The Mediterranean-style restaurant describes itself this way:

"...Nothing is fried and there are no microwaves! What you’ll find at Zoës Kitchen is Mediterranean-inspired food, where grilling is the predominate method of cooking along with an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh herbs, olive oil and lean proteins; all while keeping our guests’ dietary concerns in mind-- with gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options."

The menu has a variety of options ranging from hummus and pitas to salads and kabobs.  At this time an opening date is not known.

With Creamistry having just opened here back in December, the southwest corner of  Indian School Rd. & 44th St. is about to go from no food to more food than you can shake a stick at in just a few short months.

Related: Uberrito to Open in Phoenix Arcadia Neighborhood