September was a relatively slow month for Phoenix's restaurant scene, with just over two dozen new eateries opening in the Valley. But perhaps we are spoiled to think that 26 new restaurants isn't a lot.
This month's theme was, undeniably, brunch, with five new breakfast and lunch joints to try out around metro Phoenix, including an Old Town Scottsdale spot that more closely resembles a club atmosphere than a sleepy morning meal. Asian restaurants also dominated in September, including a promising new Scottsdale Thai restaurant, a self-proclaimed "cozy" Chinese eatery and a highly anticipated Chandler ramen shop from an esteemed Japanese chef.
Here's a look at 26 new restaurants that are now open in metro Phoenix.
New restaurants in Phoenix
Grandioso
Justin Piazza, founder of La Piazza al
Forno, has returned to the pizza scene with his new restaurant and dive bar, Grandioso, on Grand Avenue. Grandioso offers four types of pizzas, available by the pie or slice: New York, Roman, Detroit and tavern-style thin crust.
Details: 1229 Grand Ave., Phoenix. @grandiosophx on Instagram.
Luna Grill
Luna Grill Mediterranean Kitchen has opened its fourth Valley location in north Phoenix. The fast-casual restaurant offers gyros, kebabs, pitas, salads and baklava for dessert.
Details: 3025 W. Dove Valley Road, Suite 300, Phoenix. 480-939-5867, lunagrill.com.
Mendocino Farms
California-based Mendocino Farms opened its third Arizona location in Arcadia. The menu includes salads, sandwiches and wraps such as the "not so fried" chicken sandwich, vegan banh mi, Thai mango salad and the avocado and quinoa superfood ensalada wrap.
Details: 4325 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. 602-837-2301, mendocinofarms.com.
Pho Sedona
Pho Sedona Vietnamese Kitchen is now open in north Phoenix. The menu focuses on Vietnamese classics like spring rolls, fried rice, vermicelli, banh mi, stir-fried noodle dishes, and of course, the namesake pho. Drinks include boba teas and Vietnamese iced coffee.
Details: 1609 E. Bell Road, Suite B4, Phoenix. 602-642-5266, phosedonaaz.com.
Strings Ramen
Chicago-based Strings Ramen has made its Arizona debut in Phoenix. Ramen broth options include tonkotsu, miso, kimchi, shoyu and their super-spicy "hell" ramen. Strings Ramen also offers other Japanese dishes like gyoza, donburi and yakisoba.
Details: 2160 E. Baseline Road, Suite 128, Phoenix. 480-214-5846, ramenstrings.com.
Zane's Pizza & Ice Cream
Zane's Pizza & Ice Cream is a new family-owned restaurant offering, as the name suggests, pizza and ice cream. The menu includes four New York-style pizzas — veggie delight, pepperoni deluxe, Mediterranean twist and meat lovers supreme — plus a build your-own-option. They also serve 18 flavors of cult-favorite Thrifty Ice Cream.
Details: 3550 W. Cactus Road, Phoenix. 480-298-9724, zanespizzaicecream.com.
New restaurants in Scottsdale
Baan Thai
Baan Thai is now open in Scottsdale, offering a massive menu including rice paper rolls, tom yum and tom kha soups, seven types of curry, BBQ chicken or pork, pad Thai, pad see ew, fried rice and over a dozen wok-fried dishes.
Details: 7605 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Suite 2, Scottsdale. 480-590-8991, baanthaiaz.com.
The Breakfast Table
The Breakfast Table is a new family-owned brunch restaurant in Scottsdale. Menu highlights include chicken and waffles, a southwest omelette, classic eggs Benedict, brioche French toast, Belgian waffles and the specialty Dad's Breakfast sandwich topped with eggs, your choice of bacon, sausage, or ham and cheese.
Details: 17757 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 103, Scottsdale. 480-203-2339, thebreakfast-table.com.
De Babel
De Babel Middle Eastern restaurant has opened its second Scottsdale location. Menu highlights include a grilled halloumi sandwich, cauliflower salad, falafel sandwich, chicken shawarma and a mixed grill platter.
Details: 8980 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. 480-270-6900, de-babel.com.
Holla Brunch Girl
Holla Brunch Girl is a new restaurant and singalong bar in Old Town Scottsdale. Rather than a typical karaoke bar, a DJ plays loud music all day and invites guests to join in singing and dancing. Menu options include French toast, fried chicken sandwiches and soft serve espresso martinis.
Details: 7320 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale. @holla_brunch_girl on Instagram.
Il Segreto
Il Segreto is a new upscale Italian restaurant in north Scottsdale. Menu highlights include scallop crudo, zucchini pesto gnocchi, 12-hour beef ragu bolognese, lamb osso buco and 10-ounce K4 Ranch New York strip steak. The bar menu includes a refined selection of wines and spirits.
Details: 8900 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Suite D1, Scottsdale. 480-956-7040, ilsegretoaz.com.
Kuza
Kuza is a new Asian fusion restaurant from Clive Collective, offering a menu focused on live-fire cooking on an open robata grill and a raw bar. Menu highlights include chicken negima skewers, market robata prawns, Spanish grilled octopus, wagyu tartare and Korean pork ribs.
Details: 17767 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale. 602-536-5123, kuzarestaurant.com.

Vecina
Vecina, a popular Latin-inspired restaurant in Arcadia, has opened its second location in the former Z'Tejas space at McCormick Ranch in Scottsdale. Menu highlights include pork belly tacos, carnitas empanada, smoked half chicken and mesquite-grilled prime carne asada ribeye.
Details: 8300 N. Hayden Road, Suite D-101, Scottsdale. vecinaphx.com.
New restaurants in Tempe
Russo's New York Pizza
Texas-based Russo's New York Pizza opened its second Arizona location in Tempe. They offer signature New York-style pizzas by the pie or slice and a few Brooklyn-style square pizzas. Signature pies include the mulberry supreme, burrata and prosciutto and Italian works.
Details: 521 S. College Ave., Suite 109, Tempe. 623-309-8685, nypizzeria.com.
New restaurants in Mesa
Angry Crab Shack
Angry Crab Shack opened its 19th Valley location in north Mesa, sixteen years after opening its first location ever in Mesa. The restaurant is known for its seafood boils. Other menu options include jambalaya, lobster rolls and po'boys.
Details: 1927 N. Gilbert Road, Mesa. 480-306-7598, angrycrabshack.com.
New restaurants in Chandler
Cozy Chinese Kitchen
Cozy Chinese Kitchen has opened in the former Szechuan Garden space in Chandler. Menu options include Chinese comfort foods such as clay pot rice dishes, stir-fry dishes, hot noodle soups and house-made dumplings.
Details: 5055 W. Ray Road, Chandler. 480-550-7997, cozychinesekitchen.com.
Iro Shoten
Japanese chef Hirohata Norihiro has brought his famous tonkotsu ramen to Chandler at Iro Shoten. His restaurant Mendo Hanamokoshi has been named one of the top ramen shops in Fukuoka, Japan. Iro Shoten also offers sushi rolls and a few Japanese appetizers.
Details: 1940 W. Chandler Blvd., Suite 12, Chandler. @iroshoten on Instagram.
Red Brick Eatery
Red Brick Eatery is a new Southwest American restaurant serving breakfast and brunch in Chandler. Menu options include scrambles, omelettes, French toast, waffles, chilaquiles, breakfast sandwiches and chicken fried steak.
Details: 2095 N. Alma School Road, Suite 2, Chandler. 602-725-1051, redbrickeatery.com.
New restaurants in Avondale
Angry Chickz
Angry Chickz has opened its fourth Arizona location in Avondale. The chicken-heavy menu includes tenders, sandwiches and bowls with customizable heat levels from no heat to the super-hot "Angry," which requires guests to sign a waiver just to try it.
Details: 10285 W. McDowell Rd., Suite A100, Avondale. 602-835-4330, angrychickz.com.
New restaurants in Gilbert
The Crowned Egg
The Crowned Egg has opened its second Gilbert restaurant. Breakfast is served all day and includes highlights such as a smoked salmon Benedict, Hatch green chili burrito, chorizo platter, cinnamon French toast, steak and eggs and blueberry griddle pancakes.
Details: 1520 W. Guadalupe Road, Suite 101, Gilbert. 480-392-2269, thecrownedegg.com.
New restaurants in Glendale
Swig
Swig has opened its latest Arizona location near Westgate Entertainment District and State Farm Stadium in Glendale. The chain's claim to fame is its invention of the original viral dirty soda.
Details: 5917 N. 91st Ave., Glendale. 480-210-7913, swig.com.
New restaurants in Surprise
CAVA
Cava has opened its latest location at Asante in Surprise. The fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant offers customizable bowls, salads and pitas.
Details: 23350 N. 163rd Ave., Suite 120, Surprise. 928-307-1003, cava.com.
Panda Express
Panda Express has opened its latest restaurant on Litchfield Road in Surprise.
Details: 14182 N. Litchfield Road, Surprise. 480-681-2088, pandaexpress.com.
New restaurants in Goodyear
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill opened its latest location at GSQ in downtown Goodyear. Menu highlights include bacon deviled eggs, grilled sirloin, bleu cheese filet, parmesan crusted chicken, a smokehouse burger and a steakhouse wedge salad.
Details: 14848 W. McDowell Road, Goodyear. 623-624-7154, firebirdsrestaurants.com.
New restaurants in Sun City
Morning Glory Brunchery
Morning Glory Brunchery recently opened its fourth Valley location in Sun City West. The menu includes omelettes, griddle cakes, hot skillets, breakfast burritos, sandwiches and steak burgers.
Details: 19423 N. R H Johnson Blvd., Suite 131, Sun City West. 480-219-6415, morningglorybrunchery.com.
New restaurants in San Tan Valley
In-N-Out
In-N-Out Burger has opened its highly anticipated debut restaurant in San Tan Valley.
Details: 33375 N. Gary Road, San Tan Valley. 1-800-786-1000, in-n-out.com.
Reach the reporter at eddie.fontanez@azcentral.com. Follow @ERFontanez on Instagram.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 26 new metro Phoenix restaurants serve ramen, pizza and brunch













