Foodie news roundup for the week of Sept. 30.
Tacotopia (pictured), an immersive pop-up museum, has made its debut at Tempe Marketplace. The experience features more than 30 Instagram-worthy spaces with larger-than-life installations like a giant guac pit (that you can jump in), a lime wedge (to swing on) and, naturally, a mechanical taco to ride. Tacotopia even spotlights live music and an on-site chef for crafting tacos and serving up beer, margaritas and Jarritos. Tickets range from $15 to $35. Visit now through Dec. 1.
If you’re seeking the ultimate way to savor the blissful fall temps, Cloth & Flame is dishing up two upcoming dinners to do just that: in the Superstitions on Oct. 11 and the other at Slide Rock State Park in Sedona on Oct. 18. Be sure to reserve your spot now as Cloth & Flame community dinners tend to sell out. Tickets are $145 per person.
Starting Oct. 1, Mastro’s Restaurants in Scottsdale are serving up its seasonal Pumpkin Butter Cake made of real pumpkin and seasonal hard spices, topped with pumpkin pie spiced cream cheese and finished with caramelized raw sugar, vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce and homemade whipped cream. It’ll be offered for a limited time and available at Mastro’s City Hall, Mastro’s Ocean Club and Mastro’s Steakhouse.
Beginning Oct. 6 and every Sunday through the spring, Salty Sow will be offering its popular Sunday Brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the price of $24.95 per person. Guests can enjoy the $5 Bloody Mary bar as well as $4 mimosas in addition to a selection of breakfast and dinner favorites (like the famed chicken and waffles!).
Farm & Craft has announced a partnership with Valley of the Sun United Way to raise money and help fund community gardens throughout the Valley. The Scottsdale restaurant will now donate 50 percent of the sales from its signature Probiotic Bowl, on both the lunch and dinner menu, to the local United Way chapter who fights to break the cycle of poverty for kids, families and the neighborhoods in Maricopa County. The Probiotic Bowl is made of warm garbanzo beans with olive and tomato, quinoa tabbouleh, local red beet power kraut, shaved pickled cucumber, romaine hearts and cucumber-herb yogurt sauce.
Grimaldi’s rings in Mangia Mondays featuring a traditional 16-in. cheese pizza for only $10 in honor of National Pizza Month (takes place every Monday during October).
On Oct. 9, Tempe pizzeria Slices on Mill is inviting the public to its grand opening celebration, an all-day event benefiting St. Mary’s Food Bank. Bring two cans of food for St. Mary’s Food Bank on the day of the event and receive a BOGO deal on slices of pizza. Attendees will also be entered to win free whole pizzas and Slices On Mill T-shirts when they follow @Slices on Mill on Facebook or Instagram and tag the pizzeria in photos/videos posted that day.
In honor of National Taco & Vodka Day, Chart House is offering a holiday special on Friday, Oct. 4. Available in the bar and lounge only, diners can enjoy the choice of a shrimp, fish or prime rib taco paired with a Ketel One ‘tini for only $10. Also in honor of National Taco Day is on Oct. 4, CRUjiente will be holding happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. and late-night happy hour from 9 to 11 p.m. Specials include pork bell tacos for $3.50, Korean fried chicken tacos for $4, Premier CRU Margarita for $5 and more. Plus, El Hefe invites customers to submit their ideas for a new taco. The two-week contest launched Oct. 1 and runs through Tuesday, Oct. 15. There will be multiple winners throughout the two weeks who submit one-of-a-kind taco ideas and one grand prize winner who will receive two free tacos every week for an entire year. In addition, the winning taco will be tested and considered for a future seasonal menu available at all El Hefe locations in Tempe, Scottsdale and Chicago. Taco Guild will be offering its chicken tinga or pork carnitas taco for $4 each all day on Friday, Oct. 4.
