Devour Phoenix

Devour Phoenix is a city-wide, non-profit coalition of select, independent restaurants operating under the Local First Arizona umbrella.

[devourphoenix]

B.M.O.C. is what's for breakfast at Vovomeena this morning! Yes, that's a waffle, with a tender smoked pork chop, eggs and an apple maple syrup. Look closely and you'll see the Portuguese donut as well. 

[devourphoenix]

New Farm to Glass Cocktails from Beckett's Table

Beckett’s Table is introducing a Farm to Glass cocktail program. Each month, they will feature a new cocktail creation that celebrates the month's seasonal crops. So what can you expect? First up in August is a cocktail filled with fresh melon syrup, Yuzu, brandy and Absolut Citron. Plus, we can look forward to pears and cucumbers in September, figs and carrots in October, basil and beets in November… well you see, the possibilities are endless! We can’t wait to see what they come up with!

[devourphoenix]

Things we love...Phoenix's Culinary Community coming together to help a friend!

We were saddened by the news that a member of our culinary community has fallen upon some hard times. Very hard times. Lisa Giungo, better known as Lisa. G of downtown restaurant fame, has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and is undergoing treatment to battle the disease.     We were heartened to hear that our culinary community is coming together to help her out while she rallies. Many of our local restaurant owners and community leaders have visited her in the hospital, sent care packages and continue to check in on Lisa during her treatments, which subsequently have left her unable to work.     See Chow Bella's write up featuring Tracy Dempsey, chef-owner Tracy Dempsey Originals,  Layne Kizler, owner, AZ Dog Sports and Carolyn Ellis, Arcadia Farms and their effort to collect donations for Lisa's living expenses while she undergoes aggressive treatment for the next few months.     For those who wish to donate, please write checks to Layne Kizler and in the Memo section of the check, please write "Gift for Lisa Giungo" and mail to: Layne Kizler AZ Dog Sports 4848 E. Cactus Road Scottsdale, AZ 85254 Cash donations may be dropped off at: Tracy Dempsey Originals 1323 W. University Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281 Please give Tracy a call/heads up at 602.376.9021 Here's wishing you the best, Lisa! 

Photo credit: Maya Dukmasova/ Chow Bella

[devourphoenix]

What are you doing on September 1?

If you're lucky, you'll be Chef for the Day at the Cafe at the Phoenix Public Market, alongside Chef Aaron Chamberlain. Watch the video to see what you need to do to enter (and to learn what sort of cool stuff you get to do as chef!)

[devourphoenix]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared August 4th-10th National Farmer's Market Week to "further awareness of farmer's markets and of the many important contributions farmers make to daily life in America."  Check out Good Food Finder's resource list or Local First Arizona's list of Farmer’s Markets! 

Be sure to stop by a farmer's market this week and thank your local farmer!

Photo credit: Margaree Bigler

[devourphoenix]

Phoenix Is Becoming a Dining Destination

In 2010, Upward Projects restaurateur Craig DeMarco helped found Devour Phoenix after he read an issue of Travel and Leisure magazine that ranked cities by a variety of living standards, including dining, and found that Phoenix ranked at the bottom of all lists, except resorts and golf.  “We didn’t even register on national media. I went to (then Phoenix Mayor) Phil Gordon and said, ‘You run this city, this is ridiculous. Where’s the city pride?’ He said to start a restaurant association, and we started Devour Phoenix.”

Since then, Devour Phoenix (and the Devoured Culinary Classic, the state’s premier culinary festival) continues to grow in popularity and gain media attention, both on the local and national scenes.

Whether it is restaurants like St. Francis and Barrio Café being featured by Guy Fieri on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” or Eat St. profiling local food-truck favorite Short Leash hot dogs, we would say that there is an argument to be made that Phoenix is becoming a dining destination.

[devourphoenix]

A little Tuesday evening pizza love...

♪♫ When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore! ♪♫ Stop by Federal Pizza tonight (or any Tuesday) from 8pm to 11pm and get a pizza and a bottle of wine or a pizza and two pitchers of beer for $20. Now that's LOVE!!