Foodie news roundup for the week of Feb. 24.
MIXT (pictured) at Scottsdale Quarter is hosting a grand opening celebration March 7. Leading up the opening, the restaurant hosts a three-day “Pay What You Want” sneak peek. The three-day special event, slated for Sunday, March 1, through Tuesday, March 3 at MIXT’s newest location in Scottsdale Quarter, will give guests who RSVP in advance a chance to check out the farm-fresh fast-casual fare. While all salads, sandwiches, protein plates and other culinary offerings are available for free throughout the event, MIXT welcomes donations, with 100 percent of proceeds raised supporting The Joy Bus. Following the fundraiser, guests can make their way back for MIXT’s official grand opening celebration, set for 5 to 8 p.m. March 7. In addition to a chance to score exclusive swag bags and prizes (limited to the first 250 guests in line), attendees can partake in an art-making workshop, enjoy healthy fare, and sip complimentary wine, organic kombucha and craft brews.
On Saturday, Feb. 29, the PHX Vegan Food Festival heads to Margaret T Hance Park in Phoenix for its fifth anniversary season. Brand new for this year’s festival, the event is expanding from a strictly daytime event to an all-day and nighttime festival. The event will feature more than 100 vegan and vegan-friendly vendors, including food trucks, restaurants and packaged food and non-food products, and several no-host bars will be located throughout the site featuring vegan-friendly wine, beer and cocktails. Other highlights for the family-friendly festival include demonstrations and presentations by chefs and vegan experts, a kids’ area with activities, crafts and entertainment, and live art demonstrations and performing art presentations. There will also be a Zen Zone featuring yoga classes, as well as two stages featuring a full day of live and local music. Into the evening, the festival site will transform into a more adult-oriented, after-dark event with energetic music, lawn games, electric light shows and more. Advanced purchase general admission is $29 and includes access to the event vendors, entertainment, and demos. General admission ticket prices will increase to $35 at the door. Advance purchase VIP admission is $69 and includes all of the aforementioned, as well as two-hour early entry, a beverage token, a special VIP entrance, a Tito’s Vodka VIP lounge, a swag bag, and more. Additional food items, beverages and products are available for purchase. Admission for kids 12 and under is free.
Every Friday during Lent, Morton’s The Steakhouse is offering Twin Lobster Tails for $39. Reservations are required. Available from 5 p.m. to close beginning Feb. 28 through April 3.
Phoenix’s The Churchill has announced a weekday happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. with half-off small bites, $3 select beers, $7 select cocktails and half-off punch bowls.
The Stillery, one of Nashville’s hottest restaurants and bars, is slated to open its first location outside of Tennessee in Downtown Chandler this fall. The Stillery will join a lineup of much-anticipated businesses in the New Square mixed-use development. Founded by Chandler residents, Steve and Alane Kovach, the new location will serve its signature menu of elevated comfort food, complete with Nashville hot chicken, double-stacked burgers, wood-fired pizzas and much more. It will be the largest music venue in Chandler with a dedicated stage and dance floor to showcase and enjoy live country music. Large garage doors will open to a patio overlooking the New Square courtyard.
On March 7 and March 8, Kief Joshua Vineyards will be hosting the eighth-annual Southeast Arizona Wine Growers Festival at its vineyard in Elgin. More than 18 Arizona-based wineries and vineyards will be in attendance at the two-day festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., pouring some of the state’s best wines, alongside four local bands on stage, gourmet food from local eateries and a variety of retail vendors. Tickets are available online at Eventbrite. $45 per person for two-day bundle or $20 to $30 per day; and tickets will also be available at the door.
Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers is now open in Ahwatukee, bringing more than 1,300 customizable burgers and 130 beer choices to 5005 E. Chandler Blvd. This marks the brand’s 14th location overall–12th in metro Phoenix!
The Town of Cave Creek is hosting its first-ever Cave Creek Craft Beer Festival on Saturday, Feb. 29, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Stagecoach Village. Attendees can expect over 30-plus local craft breweries, as well as hard cider kombucha and mead. General entry gets you a festival-sampling mug and 20 drink tickets so you can try your favorite beers as well as some new brews. Pub food will be offered for sale throughout the event, and live music will be played by Lindsay Vogt. For those true beer enthusiasts, VIP Experience tickets are also available which grants you early access at noon, a festival mug, a $7 food voucher to purchase some pub grub early and five extra sampling tickets for a total of 25 tickets. Tickets to the Cave Creek Craft Beer Festival are available online only at bit.ly/cavecreekbeerfest. (Use code: CCBEERFEST for $15 OFF)
