15 Feb 2nd–Feb 8th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | cONTeNTs | feeDBacK | OPiNiON | NeWs | feaTuRe | NighT+Day | culTuRe | film | cafe | music | K atie Row and her husband purchased their home near Happy Valley Road and 67th Avenue in Peoria 17 years ago so they could be close to their insur- ance company jobs. But when it came to the independent restau- rant scene they craved, the couple wasn’t close to much. The Rows had moved from Cleveland, where they were accustomed to an array of non-corporate food options. They weren’t looking for fine dining and preferred a laid-back vibe, but still, it took a 30- or 40-minute drive east to find satiation. Postino and Fox Restaurant Concepts, which includes Culinary Dropout, Wildflower, Zinburger, and Blanco, were among their top go-to eateries. Elements at Sanctuary and La Hacienda at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess were their special occasion restaurants. None of those are west of Interstate 17. “It was kind of a culture shock, to be honest. All the big boxes and chains,” Row says. “I should not have to drive 40 minutes on a Tuesday for a glass of wine and bruschetta.” For third-genera- tion Glendale resi- dent Amy Malloy and her friends, this was simply part of life in the West Valley. Growing up, their favorite haunts were 15 to 20 minutes away. None were headquartered locally, either. “Sadly, we went to Bennigan’s a lot in Metro Center,” Malloy says with a laugh. “There was TGI Fridays on Bell Road after Friday night football games. I remember when Fazoli’s first came in. We could get Italian food in a drive-thru.” Yet they didn’t realize they were missing out. “There weren’t a lot of expectations. We didn’t know what we didn’t have until we went to college and came back and said, ‘Do you know what’s out there?’” Malloy says. Durant’s in central Phoenix was her special occasion restaurant. And on Fridays during the summer when Malloy’s high school teacher father was off work, her parents would have lunch at Vincent’s on Camelback and then see a movie at the former Harkins Camelview theater in central Scottsdale. Malloy, a managing partner for commercial real estate development firm Evolve Ventures, spent years pushing for this to change. Now, she’s starting to see the evolution and experience it as a profes- sional and a consumer. “We always believed that we were over- looked and underrepresented. I felt like the crazy lady in the tower shouting, ‘Come west! Come west!’ It’s exciting to look down the road and see this awakening,” she says. An Indie Food and Beverage Storm For decades, the West Valley had a stigma of being chain heaven with few independent choices for retail or restaurants. Residents accepted that locally owned eateries where they could savor a more creative meal or drink were a couple of freeways away. Despite efforts by restaurateurs and devel- opers to change that, the independent restaurant movement to the west side never gained momentum. Until now. An influx of homegrown restaurants with loyal followings in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and the East Valley are making their way west: Hash Kitchen, The Vig, Postino, and O.H.S.O. Brewery, for starters. A younger demographic of singles and families with disposable income has captured the eye of restaurateurs and developers alike. For potential employees, a job at a nearby cool spot with potentially good tippers is alluring. These combine to create the perfect indie food and beverage storm. So will this new wave of popular local hot spots help the West Valley finally shed its chain reputation? Restaurant owner Tucker Woodbury is one of many people who believe that, yes, this time it’s for real. He’s put his money on the westward expansion. When Woodbury and Genuine Concepts co-founder Jim Riley inked the deal to place The Vig in the West Valley, it was with the hope that residents would welcome their upscale bar bites, lawn games, and modern-yet-unpretentious vibe. The duo had Phoenix and Scottsdale covered and looked to the Southeast Valley or West Valley for their next home. “We’ve always found people in those neighborhoods get their fair share of chains but are dying and begging for some- thing more local-centric, elevated, or hip. I’m sure there are people who’ve had enough of Buffalo Wild Wings or Outback Steakhouse,” Woodbury says. Location scouts pointed them west for their sixth venue. Woodbury notes, “We wanted to trust that there’s an audience there that will respond to a beautifully well-appointed restaurant, and to give that part of town the credit it deserves.” Slated to open early this year, The Vig will be located across the highway from State Farm Stadium at Northern and 99th avenues. It’s the only Vig west of central Phoenix. Affordable rent combined with developers willing to “incentivize us even more” sweetened the pot, Woodbury says. He expects the slew of other existing and future local restaurants to generate a synergy that will benefit them all. “It’s not like we all got together and said, ‘Let’s all open restaurants on the west side of the city.’ But it seems to be happening,” he says. ‘It’s a Brunch Party Every Day’ Two years ago, Hash Kitchen opened its first West Valley location at the Park West center, which is near Northern Avenue and the 101. It is the most profitable of all Hash Kitchen locations throughout Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Chandler, according to chef and owner Joey Maggiore. The Sicilian Butcher at Park West is the second-highest grossing of the three loca- tions of that concept. Both restaurant groups are from Maggiore Group. In mid-January, Hash Kitchen debuted its sixth location, also in Peoria, a few miles north of the original eatery at Bell Road and the 101. “I love untouched markets. I love how dense it is. There’s a lot of chains and not a lot of local restaurants in the area,” Maggiore says. He’s eyeing the region for the next location of his Latin concept, The Mexicano. Despite his hopes, the chef and GO WEST! GO WEST! Independent restaurants are booming in the West Valley and residents are savoring the burst of local flavor. BY GEORGANN YARA Peoria resident Katie Row’s quest to bring a Postino to the West Valley sparked Upper West Side PHX, her website and small local business resource dedicated to all things West Valley. >> p 17 John Corritore, president of real estate consulting firm The Corritore Co., uses this photo of a packed Park West Hash Kitchen patio to convince prospective clients “this could be you” if they bring their restaurants to the West Valley. John Corritore Katie Row
