By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Acclaimed chef Lisa Dahl is ever the optimist — even when it came to opening her second Pisa Lisa in the Village of Oak Creek in July. “I didn’t like the idea of opening the slowest month of the year, but, in a way, it’s a godsend,” Dahl says. “The busiest month is around the corner — September, October. This is giving us the opportunity to ease into it. What I’m thrilled about ...

By Jordan Houston Widely known for his appearances on TV shows like Bravo’s “Top Chef” and HBO Max’s “Selena + Chef,” Angelo Sosa recalls two contrasting childhood experiences that shaped his culinary career. The renowned chef, born in Connecticut to a Dominican father and Italian mother, grew up in a “strict” and “militant” household. He spent most weekends laboring in the garden and preparing ingredients ...

By Connor Dziawura Upon stepping foot into North Phoenix’s Gallery Bar, the newest addition to the growing High Street district, a laid-back, upscale vibe is immediately apparent. Situated at the northeast corner of High and 54th streets, the combination art space and bar is a low-lit, classy lounge. Local art lines the walls, while the gallery floor is filled with couches of varying shades and styles, ador ...

By Alison Bailin Batz For six weeks each year, Girl Scouts in Arizona participate in the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world: The Girl Scout Cookie Program. This year, the cookie season for the Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council runs through February 27. As in years’ past, all the Girl Scout Cookies’ proceeds stay local to help girls fund impactful projects to benefit the community; e ...

By Jordan Houston Christina McDonald says her mother was the first American to marry into her father’s Sicilian family. The Cave Creek resident jokingly recalls her father’s family, the Cefalus, asking her mother to sign off on two terms before wedding — to practice Catholicism and to master Italian cooking.  “She had to agree to sign a contract to raise us as Catholics and also to learn how to cook Italian ...

By Alex Gallagher Chef Scott Conant has been delighting diners with his award-winning cuisine for 35 years and has captivated audiences with his tenure as a judge on the Food Network shows “Chopped” and “Chopped Sweets.”  More recently, he has inspired readers with his latest cookbook, “Peace, Love and Pasta: Simple and Elegant Recipes from a Chef’s Home Kitchen.” As the fourth cookbook to be penned by Cona ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski The Buzz Eatery & Treats is aptly named. Customers “buzz” in and out of the new addition to Kierland Commons. The concept serves as a “hive” where shoppers, residents, neighbors and visitors can enjoy everything from a cup of coffee in the morning to a glass of wine in the evening. Guests will also find craft beer on tap, wine, seasonal cocktails, and homemade “buzzy” popsi ...

By Alison Bailin Batz Paso Robles is a winemaking region on the rise. Located along California’s Coast, Paso Robles winemaking dates back to the 1980s, but it was the well-received Saxum brand in 2010 followed by Wine Enthusiast naming it the Wine Region of the Year in 2013 that really brought acclaim to the area. Today, there are more than 200 wineries and 40,000 vineyard acres producing at least 60 types ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Paul Keeler wanted a restaurant that is welcoming, affordable and comfortable for guests. On New Year’s Eve 2018, he opened Keeler’s Neighborhood Steakhouse in Carefree — and hasn’t looked back. “I wanted a neighborhood steakhouse,” Keeler says. “A neighborhood steakhouse, to me, is much more than a special-occasion, steak-on-a-plate concept. There are many of those around the ...

By Alison Bailin Batz Wines that perfectly pair with patios, pools and parties With vaccines readily available, many are looking to enjoy the company of friends and family this summer. This could mean hanging by the pool, living one’s best life on a boat in the Midwest or heading to SoCal for the beach. No matter what your summer plans are, we have a wine pairing for that. By the pool Ecco Domani Pinot Grig ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Partners in The Mick Brasserie, John Krause and Brent Menke feel blessed and lucky to have found success after opening August 5—at the height of a pandemic and Arizona’s hottest summer. “It was not part of the business plan or model, but luckily, the way we designed the place, we were able to get through,” Krause says. “We’ll be able to get through this—not unscathed—but we’re ...

By Laura Latzko   The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on the restaurant industry, especially local mom-and-pop restaurants in Cave Creek and Carefree. These local restaurants have needed to adapt to change to be able to survive. Two local restaurants, Giordano’s Trattoria Romana and Harold’s Cave Creek Corral, have done just that. Giordano’s Trattoria Romana For Giordano’s Trattoria Romana, surviving d ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Jo Gemmill believes there’s power in numbers. Collectively, Carefree’s restaurants and coffeehouses—including her English Rose Tea Room—will make their mark with the third annual Carefree Restaurant Week from October 1 to October 11. “It’s a chance to say ‘thank you’ to all the folks who have supported us through the pandemic,” says Gemmill, who also serves as the Carefree Rest ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Federico Venturini and Viola Tagliaferri, the husband-and-wife duo behind Carefree’s Pizzicata, are expressing their love for their home country of Italy with Pomodoro Italian Grill & Seafood in Cave Creek. The couple says, in Italy, the most important part of the dining experience is the company. They believe in those interactions, and they want to make a dining experience ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Pizzicata owner Federico Venturini considers his guests and employees family at his Carefree Italian restaurant. Guests impart stories of visits to Italy, from which Venturini hails. In turn, Venturini shares authentic dishes like Pinsa Romana, pizza (starting at $10) with 48% less sugar, 85% less fat and no cholesterol. “We’re the first to make Pinsa Romana in Arizona,” Ventur ...