ST. FRANCIS
Local favorite, St. Francis, on Camelback Rd. east of 1st Street has been sold to new owners. Aaron Chamberlin, owner of Phoenix Public Market Cafe, Tempe Public Market Cafe and Taco Chelo, has sold St. Francis, his first Phoenix restaurant, and plans to focus on new projects, including a New Mexican-inspired restaurant called Ghost Ranch (the name of Georgia O’Keeffe’s famous adobe abode outside Santa Fe).
Just before this news broke, I was invited to St. Francis to try some new menu items by Chef Joshua Duncan. Chef Duncan started his culinary career with Aaron at St. Francis, and after a stint in Northern California, has moved back and plans to put his own stamp on the St. Francis menu. With his passion for wood-fired cooking, Chef Duncan plans to continue sourcing high quality, seasonal ingredients from local purveyors. A glance at the photos from my meal are proof that St. Francis is in good hands. The new dinner, brunch and happy hour menus are available now at www.stfrancisaz.com.
St. Francis, 111 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, 85012.
PNPK
Those of you in the North Scottsdale area will celebrate the opening of PNPK, a restaurant and wine bar featuring craft sliders and shareable flights of elevated comfort food (think deviled eggs and bruschetta), as well as local and regional beers and cocktails.
PNPK opened in March 2018 and is named for nearby Pinnacle Peak Mountain. The 2,600-square-foot venue – which boasts a nearly 800-square-foot dog-friendly patio – is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Happy hour is offered daily from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m: sliders are available for just $4 each (no limit), bruschetta is $3 each, and deviled egg flights are $5. Happy hour drink deals include wine flights starting at $5 and craft beer flights for $4. There is also a cocktail menu, which is updated regularly. Not from that part of town? You may find yourself in Carefree, around Barlett Lake or the Musical Instrument Museum, so head over to PNPK to check it out.
PNPK, 23335 N. Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, 85255.
O.H.S.O. Brewery & Distillery
Can’t make it to Hawaii this year? Head on over to your nearest O.H.S.O. Brewery on Sundays for an all you can eat Hawaiian BBQ for $18 (dine in only). O.H.S.O. is a local nano-brewery with over 40 beers on tap, plus wine and house cocktails made from some their own spirits, such as the Arcadia Meyer Lemon Vodka. I had been hearing great things about this dog-friendly hot spot, and for the launch of Hawaiian Food Week I was invited to O.H.S.O. in Paradise Valley to enjoy a Hawaiian luau featuring a whole, spit-roasted pig, Big Island Moco Burger, and the Kilauea Pork Sandwich. The Hawaiian inspired dishes were served with King’s Hawaiian buns, sweet rolls produced by a family-owned and operated bakery founded in Hilo, Hawaii, in the late 50’s. I have always served them with our Easter ham as the slight sweetness is the perfect balance to the saltiness of ham. Hubby accompanied me to the event, and we are hooked…cannot wait to return with the kids and while away the afternoon playing ping pong while listening to local music. In the meantime, aloha ‘oe a ho’i a’e au. xoM
O.H.S.O. Brewery & Distillery
10810 N. Tatum Blvd. #126, Phoenix, 85028
15681 N Hayden Rd. #122, Scottsdale, 85260
4900 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, 85018
335 N. Gilbert Rd., Gilbert, 85234
All photos by moi, Marci Symington, for texAZtaste.com.
2 comments
Another great one (and here’s to SPAM) 😉
LOL! I wouldn’t have pegged you for a SPAM guy! Will miss seeing you this summer…all my love to you and yours!
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