The Tamale Store Fall from p 31 topped with house-made pumpkin sauce and pumpkin granola. And now that the weather is cooperating, don’t forget all three restaurants have dog-friendly patios and a “Tail Wagger” menu for your furry friend. Pie Snob Three Valley locations piesnob.com Pie Snob’s classic caramel apple pie ($28) begs to be eaten with a glass of cold, fresh cider beneath a canopy of autumn leaves. But a close second is pairing it with an iced coffee on a patio next to a palo verde or mesquite tree in the Arizona sunshine. It’s made with fresh Granny Smith apples in a flaky crust topped with a cinnamon sugar crumb topping and rich caramel sauce. The Parlor 1916 East Camelback Road 602-248-2480 theparlor.us In a city with no shortage of excellent pizza, The Parlor has long hovered toward the top of the heap, thanks to its superbly executed from-scratch wood-fired pizzas with local toppings — some from its own on-site garden. As of October 18, it’s rolled out the Autunnale Pizza ($13 small; $20 large) with sweet potato ricotta, prosciutto, caramelized onion, fig jam, arugula, and salted almonds. Enjoy it paired with a beer, wine, or craft cocktail from The Parlor’s well-curated drinks list. 32 The Tamale Store 15842 North Cave Creek Road 602-435-2604 thetamalestore.com For those looking for a Southwestern twist on pumpkin treats, The Tamale Store makes sweet pumpkin pie dessert tamales ($8 per pack or $23 for a half dozen) that are even better when topped with whipped cream or toasted marshmallows. Martha Castillo started the family-owned business as a stand at the downtown Phoenix farmers market. It now has its own store, factory, and restaurant. But you can find the tamales all over town, from Whole Foods to State Farm Stadium to the new Gastromé gourmet food emporium. The pumpkin pie variety is available from September to December. Pumpkin dessert tamales from The Tamale Store. Tracy Dempsey Originals 1325 West University Drive, Tempe 602-376-9021 tracydempseyoriginals.com Dessert connoisseurs seek out Tracy Dempsey Originals for her custom cakes and weekly array of fresh-baked goodies, which, through the end of November, includes a spiked pumpkin spice snack cake with bourbon cream filling ($5). Draped with a chocolate shell, it’s a riff on the red velvet or dark chocolate mini-cakes available year-round that are moist and marvelous. Note: The shop has limited hours Thursdays through Saturdays and limited stock. Wren House Brewing Co. 2125 North 24th Street wrenhousebrewing.com 602-244-9184 Pumpkin beers proliferate at this time of year, and even pecan pie porters are relatively popular. But Wren House Brewing Co., another Best of Phoenix winner for best brewery (and best beer series, for Las Frescas) has them all beat with its Pecan Pie Thief wheat wine, due for release in early November. Little Miss BBQ smokes the pecans for the beer, which is aged on a heap of vanilla beans. It’s a perfect complement to any fall- flavored pie, but especially the smoked pecan pie from Little Miss. Z’Tejas Two Valley locations ztejas.com Z’Tejas’ fall menu offers an intriguing take on smoked chicken enchiladas, one of its longtime standouts. The pumpkin enchi- ladas ($17) feature a red enchilada sauce made from scratch with onions, garlic, red chili puree, and ancho chili paste mixed with pumpkin purée and heavy cream to make it rich and velvety. The smoked chicken is added to the sauce and layered with more pumpkin purée, then rolled in flour tortillas and topped with mixed cheese, more pumpkin enchilada sauce, sour cream, and roasted pepitas. If that’s not enough fall flavor, the limited-time menu also features a pumpkin spice martini ($12). OCT 27TH–NOV 2ND, 2022 PHOENIX NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | NEWS | OPINION | FEEDBACK | CONTENTS | phoenixnewtimes.com
