The 2024 couldn’t come soon enough for some ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ restaurateurs.
It’s been a tough summer for many.
For Ted Fisher, it’s been “slowish†at his two northwest side restaurants, on North Thornydale Road and in Marana’s Continental Ranch community.
Inflation has definitely taken a toll.
“Our costs are tremendously higher,†he said. “It has been a tougher summer. Volume does take care of things, but we haven’t had the volume we need to take care of summer.â€
Sonoran Restaurant Week offers Fisher and his fellow ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ restaurant operators a bit of a reset. It’s a chance to remind ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ans about the city’s richly diverse culinary landscape that landed ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ the nation’s first UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation in 2015.
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From Sept. 6-15, nearly 90 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ restaurants, from neighborhood pizzerias to destination Mexican eateries, will showcase three- and four-course prix fixe specials priced 25% below their regular menu.
There’s the spaguetti cacio e chiltepin at at Casino del Sol that comes with a Caesar salad. on North First Avenue is pairing its sweet cinnamon iced tea or cafe de olla with special options for breakfast (huevos rancheros or chorizo and eggs) and lunch (tacos dorados or burritos carne con chile).
Oro Valley’s is showcasing its ‘cue skills with barbecue pork, brisket and chicken on the lineup in various incarnations (sandwiches, plates), while on North Fourth Avenue is going meatless with its vegetarian lineup that begins with a housemade baba ganoush followed by beer-battered tofu dressed with a calabrian orange honey glaze and finishing with a chocolate mousse tart topped with honey tahini paste.
Scott Girod, chef-owner of in the Warehouse Arts District on East Sixth Street, is using the opportunity to up his chefing game.
“I feel like it’s just an extra fun thing to do. I don’t know if fun is the right word, but it’s a chance to push out a new menu on the side,†said Girod, a ±è°ù´Ç³Ù±ð²µÃ© of James Beard Award-winning piazzola Chris Bianco. “We get to push ourselves a little more and do some things we don’t normally get to do.â€
Girod’s Sonoran Restaurant Week menu takes a deep dive into local produce and heritage foods like tepary beans that he’ll use to create a roasted green chile dip to accompany sourdough crackers made from the White Sonora Wheat grown at Marana’s BKW Farms, which has focused on sustainable agriculture since the Wong family started the farm in 1939. Nopales and prickly pear, if he can get them, will be used in the seasonal vegetable ceviche and tomatillos, and E&R pork will top a pizza entrée. Honey from the small-scale ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ producer will be the centerpiece of a cake with burnt honey glaze and prickly pear whipped cream.
“These things are being grown here and should be appreciated, and people should eat them every day,†said Girod, whose restaurant will celebrate its seventh anniversary in October.
The restaurants participating in the 2024 campaign cover the culinary gamut of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ genres and flavors, from our signature Mexican food (25 restaurants, including early this year of the west side after a devastating fire closed it in late 2022) to Italian (17 including downtown’s and several artisan pizzerias).
Chinese, American, Peruvian, Cuban, Japanese, Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine are well represented, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner specials priced from $25-$55.
This is the event’s sixth year. In its inaugural event in 2019, 30 restaurants participated as an answer to the statewide restaurant week. Founder Laura Reese of Storyteller PR felt ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ restaurants were being overshadowed by their Phoenix area counterparts. The event also boosted restaurants in early September, which operators say is their slowest time of the year.
Reese pitched the idea to Visit ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, which supports and promotes it. Last year, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Foodie took over Reese’s organizing role.
“I think the best part of our local economy is our ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ restaurants and I want them to succeed,†said ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Foodie owner Shane Reiser. “Local places are more interesting and local restaurants are more likely to buy from local growers and all that money†goes back into the local economy.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Foodie has extensive experience hosting community events, including the popular that attracts thousands three times a year (the next one is Sept. 28). Reiser said Sonoran Restaurant week is now one of his bigger events because of its economic impact; a survey Foodie conducted with last year’s participants showed a $3 million revenue impact.
This year, Foodie added nightly dinners to the mix. The dinners, held at a different restaurant each night, is modeled after Montréal’s restaurant week, which runs Oct. 31-Nov. 17.
“I just handpicked some restaurants I love and they can put together whatever they want,†Reiser said.
Participating restaurants include in the former LaCo space on West Washington Street downtown; Patricia Schwabe’s on East Broadway; the Mejia family’s on East Congress Street; Doug Levy’s on East Speedway; Tyler Fenton’s on East Toole Avenue in the Warehouse Arts District; award-winning chef Ken Foy’s on East Grant Road; and Sally Kane’s on West Cushing Street near the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Convention Center.
Other participating restaurants have not been announced.
2024 Sonoran Restaurant Week eateriesHere are the restaurants participating in the 2024 Sonoran Restaurant Week Sept. 6-15. All of the eateries have three- to four-course prix fixe offerings discounted 25% from the regular menu prices. For menus and more information, visit . Cuisine style is noted.
Agustin Kitchen, 100 S. Avenida del Convento,
- ; American
- Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen, 5851 N. Oracle Road and 5553 E. Grant Road,
- ; Mexican
- Anello, 222 E. Sixth St.,
- ; Italian and pizza
- Arabic Express, 806 E. University Blvd.,
- ; Middle Eastern
- Bacio Italiano, 943 E. University Blvd.;
- ; Italian
- Barbata, basement of 35 E. Toole Ave.;
- ; American with broader influences
- Barrio Brewing Co., 800 E. 16th St.,
- ; classic bar fare
- Bellissimo, 5655 W. Valencia Road in Casino del Sol,
- ; Italian
- BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs, 5118 S. 12th Ave. and 2680 N. First Ave.,
- ; Sonoran hot dogs and tacos
- Blanco Cocina + Cantina, 2905 E. Skyline Drive in La Encantada,
- ; Mexican
- Blue Willow, 2616 N. Campbell Ave.,
- ; American
- Boca by Chef Maria Mazon, 533 N. Fourth Ave.,
- ; Mexican
- Borderlands Brewing Company, 119 E. Toole Ave.,
- ; craft beer
- Bottega Michelangelo, 420 W. Magee Road,
- ; Italian
- Buendia Breakfast & Lunch Cafe, 2530 N. First Ave.,
- ; American
- Café à la C’Art, 150 N. Main Ave.,
- ; casual American bistro
- Caffe Torino, 10325 N. La Cañada Drive,
- ; fine Italian
- Casa Asada — TaquerÃa y CervecerÃa, 2502 N. Campbell Ave.,
- ; Mexican
- Charro Chico, 3699 N. Campbell Ave.,
; Mexican
- Charro Steak & Del Rey, 188 E. Broadway,
- ; seafood and steakhouse
- CharroVida, 7109 N. Oracle Road,
- ; vegetarian-leaning with Sonoran influences
- Chela’s Latin Cuisine, 256 E. Congress St.,
- ; Latin
- Ciao Down Pizza Studio, 3230 N. Dodge Blvd.,
- ; pizza
- Corbett’s ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, 3340 N. Sixth Ave.,
- ; American
- Coronet Cafe, 353 S. Meyer Ave.,
- ; American fast-casual
- Coronet Restaurant, 353 S. Meyer Ave.,
- ; American fine-dining
- Cruda Mariscos & Oyster Bar, 31 N. Scott Ave.,
- ; Mexican seafood
- Culinary Dropout, 2543 E. Grant Road,
- ; American
- Dante’s Fire, 2526 E. Grant Road,
- ; modern American
- Dedicated, Gluten Free Bakery & Coffee Shop, 4500 E. Speedway,
- ; American
- Dominick’s Real Italian, 8330 N. Thornydale Road,
; Italian
- Doughbird, 2960 N. Campbell Ave.,
- ; pizza and rotisserie chicken
- El Charro Café, 311 N. Court Ave. and two other locations,
- ; Mexican
- El Minuto Cafe, 354 S. Main Ave.,
- ; Mexican
- El Sur, 5602 E. 22nd St.,
- ; Mexican
- Ermanos Bar, 220 N. Fourth Ave.,
- ; American with Mexican influences
- Feast, 3719 E. Speedway,
- ; American fine dining
- Fentonelli’s Pizzeria & Bar, 7262 N. Oracle Road,
- ; Italian and pizza
- Fiamme Pizza, 4706 E. Sunrise Drive,
- ; wood-fired pizza
- Flower Child, 2960 N. Campbell Ave.,
- ; healthful American
- Flying V Bar & Grill, 7000 N. Resort Drive in Loews Ventana Canyon Resort,
- ; contemporary Southwest
- Fork & Fire Smokehouse + Taproom, 11835 N. Oracle Road,
- ; barbecue
- Ghini’s French Caffe, 1803 E. Prince Road,
- ; French bistro
- Gourmet Girls Gluten Free Bakery/Bistro, 5845 N. Oracle Road,
- ; American
- HiFi Kitchen & Cocktails, 345 E. Congress St.,
- ; American bar food
- Inca’s Peruvian Cuisine, 6878 E. Sunrise Drive,
- ; Peruvian
- Jojo’s Restaurant, 76 W. Washington St.,
- ; Southwest-inspired American
- La Botana Tacos, 565 E. Wetmore Road,
- ; Mexican
- La Chingada, 110 E. Pennington St.,
- ; Mexican
- La Indita, 722 N. Stone Ave.,
- ; Mexican
- Lovin’ Spoonfuls Vegan Restaurant, 2990 N. Campbell Ave.,
- ; vegetarian
- Midtown Vegan Deli and Market, 5071 E. Fifth St.,
- ; vegan
- Miss Saigon Downtown, 88 E. Broadway,
- ; Vietnamese
- Mojo Cuban Kitchen, 1929 E. Grant Road,
- ; Cuban
- Monsoon Chocolate Cafe + Market, 3630 E. Fort Lowell Road,
- ; desserts
- Noble Hops, 1335 W. Lambert Lane,
- ; gastropub
- North Italia, 2995 E. Skyline Drive,
- ; upscale Italian
- Obon Sushi Bar Ramen, 350 E. Congress St.,
- ; Japanese
- Penca, 50 E. Broadway,
- ; upscale Mexican
- Perche’ No Italian Bistro, 46 W. Congress St.,
- ; upscale Italian
- Pin+Flour, 4626 N. Campbell Ave. in the Eddy Hotel,
- ; American
- PY Steakhouse, 5655 W. Valencia Road in Casino del Sol,
- ; steakhouse
- RealGood Brunch Co., 1310 S. Alvernon Way,
- ; American
- Redbird Scratch Kitchen + Bar, 6444 N. Oracle Road,
- ; American
- Reforma Modern Mexican. Mezcal + Tequila, 4340 N. Campbell Ave.,
- ; Mexican
- Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink, 101 E. Pennington St.,
- ; Italian and pizza
- Rincon Mountain Grill at Forty Niner Country Club, 12000 E. Tanque Verde Road,
; American
- Rollies Mexican Patio, 4573 S. 12th Ave., and Rollies West, 267 S. Avenida del Convento in the MSA Annex,
- ; Mexican
- Salad Nation, 5870 E. Broadway in Park Place,
- ; salads and wraps
- Samurai Sombrero, 1439 S. Fourth Ave. in American Eat Co.,
- ; Japanese-Mexican fusion
- Sonora Moonshine Company, 124 E. Broadway,
- ; Mexican
- St. Cruz Restaurant at The Leo Kent Hotel, 1 S. Church Ave.,
- ; American
- Tandem American Eatery, 8864 E. Tanque Verde Road,
- ; American
- Teresa’s Mosaic Cafe, 2456 N. Silverbell Road,
- ; Mexican
- Terraza Garden Patio & Lounge at Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort, 5501 N. Hacienda Del Sol Road,
- ; fine dining with regional accents
- The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Inn, 2200 E. Elm St.,
- ; Southwestern-inspired
- The Cork ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, 6320 E. Tanque Verde Road,
- ; steakhouse
- The Cup Cafe, 311 E. Congress St. in Hotel Congress,
- ; American
- The Little One, 151 N. Stone Ave.,
- ; Mexican
The Monica, 40 E. Congress St.,
- ; American with Mexican influences
The Neighborhood Bar, 3940 E. 29th St.,
- ; American
- Tohono Chul Garden Bistro,7366 N. Paseo Del Norte,
- ; American
- Trocadero Cafe, 4774 E. Grant Road,
- ; Mexican
- Twin Peaks Pizzeria, 7575 Twin Peaks Road,
- ; pizza and sandwiches
- Wildfire Wings & Grill, 15318 N. Oracle Road,
- ; American
- Zinburger, 1865 E. River Road and 6390 E. Grant Road,
- ; classic burger joint
- Zio Peppe, 6502 E. Tanque Verde,
; Italian, pizza