< Previous36 @azfoothills #azfoothills AZFOOTHILLS.COM’S BEST OF OUR VALLEY 2020 FAST FAVES 2019 WINNER! Best Acting Studio Dearing Acting Studio, dearingstudio.com. Best Annual Charity Event Junior League of Phoenix’s Annual Rummage Sale, jlp.org. Best Annual Fashion Event Phoenix Fashion Week, phoenixfashionweek.com. Best Annual Gala Phoenix Children Hospital’s Beach Ball, phoenixchildrens.org. Best Annual Valley Event Ostrich Festival, ostrichfestival.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Annual Valley Music Event RELEASE Pool Party Series at Talking Stick Resort, releasevip.com. Best Children’s Theater Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre, desertstages.org. Best Annual Valley Event: Large Scale Waste Management Phoenix Open, wmphoenixopen.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Civic Organization Valley of the Sun Active 20-30 Club, vos2030.com. Best Concert Venue Orpheum Theater, orpheum-theater.com. Best Dance Studio Adaptive Force Performing Arts, adaptiveforce.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Haunted House The Crypt Haunted Attractions, hauntedaz.com. Best Improv Group The Improvisors, thecomedyspot. net/the-improvisors. Best Local Filmaker/ Videographer Albert Lee Films, facebook. com/whoisalbertlee. Best Museum Arizona Science Center, azscience.org. Best Record Store Zia Record Exchange, ziarecords.com. Best Rooftop for Events Degree 270 at Talking Stick Resort, talkingstickresort.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Special Event Venue Warehouse 215 @ Bentley Projects, warehouse215.com. Best Tattoo Artist Kevin Bradley Jr., seaofinktattoo.com. Best Theater Lighthouse Theater, lighthousetheater.org. 2019 WINNER! Best Worship Team The Rock Church – Goodyear, therockusa.com. AFM FAVE! Best Auto Auction Barrett-Jackson, barrett-jackson.com. BOOV 3.indd 36BOOV 3.indd 364/14/20 12:24 PM4/14/20 12:24 PMARTS & ENTERTAINMENT / BY MELISSA LARSEN BOOV 3.indd 37BOOV 3.indd 374/14/20 12:24 PM4/14/20 12:24 PM38 @azfoothills #azfoothills FOOD & RESTAURANTS 2019 WINNER! Best Acai Bowl Karma Apple A woman-owned business located just south of downtown Gilbert, Karma Apple is a little haven in the East Valley offering organic, vegan, gluten-free and refi ned sugar-free treats. This humble shop proves that dietary restrictions don’t have to mean less fun—the menu is extensive, including superfood smoothies, smoothie/acai bowls, cold-pressed juice, adaptogenic lattes, salads, wraps, toasts, waffl es and raw pastries. They also sell whole cakes and pastries for special events. @KarmaAppleAZ, karmaappleaz.com. AZFOOTHILLS.COM’S BEST OF OUR VALLEY 2020 BOOV 3.indd 38BOOV 3.indd 384/14/20 12:24 PM4/14/20 12:24 PM2019 WINNER! Best Asian Cuisine, Best Restaurant to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck, Best Health Food or Vegetarian Food AND Most Fun Lunch Spot YC’s Mongolian Grill Since 1991, YC’s Mongolian Grill has been a staple for diners in the East Valley. Having started in Tempe, the restaurant has grown to five locations across the Valley, serving both new and veteran patrons alike. Diners have the ability to tailor their meals exactly to their liking, creating their own “perfect” flavors. Bowls are stacked miles high with an expansive variety of meats, veggies, noodles, sauces and rice. ycs-mongoliangrill.com. Best Catering Emily’s Events From themed parties to weddings to corporate events, Emily’s Events is a full-service catering and event planning company that customizes everything exactly to your liking. They go the extra mile by sitting down with you and really hashing out your likes and dislikes, creating an experience unique to your tastes. @emilyseventsaz, emilyseventsaz.com. Best Baked Goods Noms Bake Shop At Noms Bake Shop, sweet teeth will find a wide array of gourmet cookies like confetti sugar, peanut butter s’mores, snickerdoodle, chocolate crinkle, maple cinnamon oatmeal and tons more. This family-owned, online- gifting company specializes in quality cookie assortments in gift boxes customized with your logo/messaging, delivered nationwide. @getnoms, getnoms.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Brunch The Lola The Lola stands for “living out life’s adventures.” This cocktail lab and eatery located at Westgate in Glendale serves up fresh, scratch-made menu items and inventive craft cocktails. Locally owned and operated, The Lola offers its award-winning brunch daily and happy hour Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. thelolaaz.com. FOOD & RESTAURANTS / By Alyssa M. Tidwell 2019 WINNER! Best Breakfast Eggstasy Indulge your playful side with menu items like cotton candy pork belly, jelly doughnut pancakes and bacon banana chili pepper crepes, and then pair them off with a blood orange mimosa, classic Bloody Mary or grapefruit martini. Eggstasy has locations throughout Scottsdale and a new location in Chandler. @eggstasy_az, eggstasyaz.com. BOOV 3.indd 39BOOV 3.indd 394/14/20 12:24 PM4/14/20 12:24 PMAZFOOTHILLS.COM’S BEST OF OUR VALLEY 2020 FAST FAVES 2019 WINNER! Best Barbecue Bobby Q, bobbyqbbq.com. Best Business Lunch Spot The Farm Kitchen at The Farm at South Mountain, thefarmatsouthmountain.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Lou Malanti’s, loumalnatis.com. Best Comfort Food Kelly’s at Southbridge, kellysatsouthbridge.com. Best Culinary Event AZ Taco Fest, aztacofestival.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Cup of Coffee Press Coffee, presscoffee.com. Best Cupcake Bada Bling Cupcakes, badablingcupcakes.com. Best Doughnut The Local Donut, thelocaldonutshop.com. Best Farmers Market Scottsdale Old Town Farmers Market, arizonafarmersmarkets.com. Best Fondue Culinary Dropout at Farmer Arts District, culinarydropout.com. Best Grocery Store Trader Joe’s, traderjoes.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Health Food Store Sprouts, sprouts.com. Best Hot Dogs Mama’s Dogs, mamasdogs.com. Best Italian Marcellino Ristorante, marcellinoristorante.com. Best Mexican Food America’s Taco Shop, americastacoshop.com. Best Place to Watch the Big Game K O’Donnell’s Sports Bar & Grill, kodonnells.com. Best Private Dining Room Dominick’s Steakhouse, dominickssteakhouse.com. Best Resort Restaurant Deseo, Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, kierlandresort.com. Best Restaurant Group Riot Hospitality, riothg.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Sandwich Shop Worth Takeaway, worthtakeaway.com. Best Sky Harbor Airport Dining Zinc Bistro, zincbistro.com. Best Spa Cuisine Joya Terrace, Joya Spa at Montelucia, omnihotels.com. ON THE COVER! Best Tea Spot Pop N’ Tea Bar, popntea.com. Best Valley Food Truck Rock A Belly, rockabellytruck.com. Favorite Local Food Blog or Website Write on Rubee, writeonrubee.com. Most Amazing Restaurant Interior Bourbon Steak, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, scottsdaleprincess.com. Old Favorite DeFalco’s Italian Eatery, Grocery & Deli, defalcosdeli.com. Spiciest Dining Malee’s Thai Bistro, maleesonmain.com. BOOV 3.indd 40BOOV 3.indd 404/14/20 12:24 PM4/14/20 12:24 PMBest Burger Blu Burger Grille Guests hold all the power at Blu Burger Grille. The North Scottsdale restaurant’s build-your-own-burger concept serves up more than 10 meat options including organic grass-fed beef, Wagyu, bison and salmon. With a plethora of buns, sauces and toppings, there are practically endless combinations for building the perfect burger. Blu Burger Grille also offers salads, pastas, sandwiches and a full bar and beer and wine list. bluburgergrille.com. Best Country Club Chef Marcus de Koning Executive Chef Marcus de Koning, who got his start in the culinary industry at the age of 12, brings a great deal of expertise to the dining venues of Phoenix Country Club. Harboring a colossal passion for fine dining, de Koning prepares a variety of special events for members throughout the year, including holiday dinners and brunches, a summer lobster fest and much more. phoenixcountryclub.com. Best Date Spot AND Best Steakhouse Bourbon & Bones Founded in 2016, Bourbon & Bones is a modern, upscale chophouse located in Old Town. The establishment offers an extensive high-end bourbon list, perhaps the largest in Arizona, as well as a classic handcrafted cocktail program and a selection of craft beers and fine wines with a modern twist. The menu features premium dry- and wet-aged steaks including bone-in cuts and chops, fresh seafood and signature side dishes in an upbeat, lavish setting. bourbonandbonesaz.com. Best Dining with a View AND Best Outdoor Dining Quiessence at The Farm at South Mountain As you walk up to the original farmhouse on the property, you see the lush and vibrant Soil & Seed Garden, where the freshest ingredients for your evening’s dishes have been sourced. Along with the Quiessence hospitable nature of service, Quiessence offers an a la carte menu, chef’s seasonal tasting menu and a romantic brick- oven experience during the week. On weekends, diners can choose from a four-course, five-course or six- course chef’s seasonal tasting menus. thefarmatsouthmountain.com. Best Food Photography Future Photo Group Through their masterful craft in capturing the delectability of food on camera, this award-winning production team is equipping businesses for the future of food advertising on all platforms. Productions include branded content and dynamic marketing packages with commercial photography, video production and website development. futurephotogroup.com. Best Frozen Treat Unbaked The edible cookie dough trend is going strong, and connoisseurs of the “unbaked” treat can be sure they’re getting the best of the best at Unbaked Edible Cookie Dough & Ice Cream in Old Town Scottsdale. The sweet shop features award-winning ice cream, custom ice cream sandwiches, milkshakes, floats and famous cookie dough—see options like brownie batter, cookies and cream, classic chocolate chip and tons more. @getunbaked, getunbaked.com. Best Gluten-Free Menu AND Best Pizza Fired Pie Fired Pie is a fast-casual pizza concept. The eatery is quick and customizable to your individual pizza, mac ’n cheese and salad desires, offering more than 40 toppings to choose from, including plant-based meats, premium ingredients, freshly made sauce and dough, as well as gluten-free and vegan options, like vegan cheese and plant-based chorizo. @Fired_Pie, firedpie.com. Best Juice Bar Juice Core A 100-percent organic superfood juicery, all of Juice Core’s juices are cold-pressed and bottled fresh each morning in house. The entire menu is also plant-based with many gluten- free options. The Scottsdale-based juice bar also offers coffee, espresso and adaptogenic tonics served with a house-made almond milk. All juices and smoothies serve a specific purpose related to wellness (like fighting inflammation), as well as overall health and well-being. juicecore.com. FOOD & RESTAURANTS / By Alyssa M. Tidwell BOOV 3.indd 41BOOV 3.indd 414/14/20 12:24 PM4/14/20 12:24 PM42 @azfoothills #azfoothills Best Restaurant Art Gennaro Garcia A native of San Luis, Sonora, Mexico, Gennaro Garcia has bridged his passion for the arts and the culinary world by venturing into the restaurant design fi eld. Art-loving diners can see his work at the likes of King and Queen, Barrio Queen, Tempo Urban Kitchen, Tio Chano, El Sonorense, Ghost Ranch and Taco Chelo, where he is a co-owner. @artegennaro, artegennaro.com. Best Sushi Sushi Roku Sushi Roku is a pioneer of contemporary sushi, incorporating diverse, non-traditional ingredients from Latin America and Europe into its edible works of art. The establishment’s bold and diverse menu also offers an array of hot and cold specialty appetizers and an extensive selection of exotic entrées. @sushirokuaz, sushiroku.com. AZFOOTHILLS.COM’S BEST OF OUR VALLEY 2020 Best Locally Owned Drive-Thru AND Best Pet-Friendly Restaurant 32 Shea A unique fl ex concept, 32 Shea opens at 6 a.m. as an edgy coffee shop offering counter service, handcrafted espresso drinks, breakfast and lunch. At 4 p.m. bartenders replace baristas as the space transforms into a trendy restaurant serving inventive entrées and libations. 32shea.com. Best Macaron Decadent Macaron Decadent Macaron is a boutique bakery based in Chandler. Specializing in traditional French macarons as well as specialty shaped macarons from cacti to Yoda, it feels like there’s nothing this little boutique can’t do. The shop offers up a variety of 15 to 20 fl avors daily, and rotate those from over 50 fl avors in total. @decadentmacaron, decadentmacaron.com. Best New Restaurant AND Best Seafood Ocean 44 Offering seafood reinvented in a vibrant upscale atmosphere, Ocean 44 specializes in world-class seafood and the great steaks they are known for at Steak 44. Echoing an airy coastal vibe with a swanky atmosphere, Ocean 44 presents a chef-sourced menu consisting of the highest graded sustainable fresh seafood from around the world. The restaurant’s main staple is enhanced with unique appetizers and side dishes. @ocean44offi cial, ocean44.com. Best Poke Bowl Pokitrition Pokitrition, established in 2017, is a small local business founded by ASU graduates. Famously known for bringing the sushi burrito to the Phoenix area along with their straight-from-Hawaii fresh poké bowls, they have expanded their footprint to three locations with a fourth on the way. @pokitrition, pokitrition.com. BOOV 3.indd 42BOOV 3.indd 424/14/20 12:24 PM4/14/20 12:24 PM2019 WINNER! Best Taco CRUjiente Tacos CRUjiente Tacos serves more than your average street taco. An award-winning and nationally-recognized modern taqueria with an elevated culinary and bar program mastering in nouveau tacos and cocktails, CRUjiente toes the line between traditional and contemporary, featuring a juxtaposition of “crujiente” or crunchy and street-style tacos. Each hand-held delicacy contains global infl uences, bold fl avors and quality ingredients. @crutacos, crutacos.com. Best Specialty Drinks Teaspressa Teaspressa’s coffee-inspired tea is the only artisan beverage that combines the best of both coffee and tea. Teaspressa’s barista-crafted drinks contain as much caffeine as an espresso shot, but with the health benefi ts of tea. Made with its patented brewing machine, Teaspressa serves tea lattes and gourmet drinks comparable to coffee in a luxe fairytale atmosphere. @teaspressa, teaspressa.com. FOOD & RESTAURANTS / By Alyssa M. Tidwell BOOV 3.indd 43BOOV 3.indd 434/14/20 12:24 PM4/14/20 12:24 PM44 @azfoothills #azfoothills 2019 WINNER! Best Happy Hour K O’Donnell’s Sports Bar & Grill K O’Donnell’s is a locally-owned sports bar in Scottsdale known for finger-licking-good wings and its impeccable customer service. Sports bars can get a bad rap when it comes to food—KO’s is different thanks to quality ingredients and from-scratch preparation. With over 70 TVs, you’ll always have a great view of the sports action no matter where you sit, including the dog-friendly patio. Stop in for daily specials, weekend brunch and killer happy hour deals Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. and reverse happy hour nightly from 9 p.m. to close. @kodonnells, kodonnells.com. GRAND SLAM: Winner of Best Place to Watch the Big Game! AZFOOTHILLS.COM’S BEST OF OUR VALLEY 2020 NIGHTLIFE & COCKTAILS BOOV 3.indd 44BOOV 3.indd 444/14/20 12:24 PM4/14/20 12:24 PM@bestofourvalley #bestofourvalley 45 Best Pub Kelly’s at SouthBridge, kellysatsouthbridge.com. Best Saloon Dirty Dogg Saloon, dirtydoggsaloon.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Wine Bar Sorso Wine Room, sorsowineroom.com. NIGHTLIFE & COCKTAILS / By Melissa Larsen FAST FAVES Best Arizona Brewery Desert Monks Brewing, desertmonksbrewing.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Bar for Fun & Games AND Best Dive Bar Boondocks Patio & Grill, boondocksaz.com. Best Bartender/Mixologist Miguel Mora, @miguel.phx 2019 WINNER! Best Bloody Mary AND Best Mimosa Hash Kitchen, hashkitchen.com. Best Comedy Club The Comedy Spot Comedy Club, thecomedyspot.net. Best Cougar Bar Isabella’s Kitchen, grayhawkgolf.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Country Music Bar AND Best Dance Floor Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, dierkswhiskeyrow.com. Best Craft Beer Bar Goldwater Brewing Co., goldwaterbrewing.com. Best Craft Cocktails Bourbon & Bones, bourbonandbonesaz.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Day-Drinking Spot, Best Lounge AND Best Rooftop Bar W Scottsdale, marriott.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Nightclub Riot House, riothousescottsdale.com. Best Gay Bar Charlie’s Phoenix, charliesphoenix.com. Best Hipster Bar Valley Bar, valleybarphx.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Karaoke Night The Dragon, thedragonscottsdale.com. Best Local DJ DJ Iceman, @imdjiceman 2019 WINNER! Best Margarita CRUjiente Tacos, crutacos.com. AFM FAVE! Best New Bar The Hot Chick, thehotchickaz.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Nightlife Photographer Zee Peralta Photography, zeeperalta.com. Best Place to Buy Alcohol Tarbell’s Wine Store, tarbellswinestore.com. 2019 WINNER! Best Place to Spend a 21st Birthday AND Strongest Drink El Hefe, elhefe.com. BOOV 3.indd 45BOOV 3.indd 454/14/20 12:24 PM4/14/20 12:24 PMNext >