By admin 
There were a lot of big changes in the metro Phoenix dining scene in September, from sports celebrities opening their debut restaurants to iconic local celebrity chefs announcing new restaurant concepts and new collaborations and partnerships. Phoenix was even chosen as a test market for a spicy new fast food menu item. (Not to mention the whopping 16 national and local accolades that were showered on local spots.)
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There was so much dining news, you might have missed some of it. Fear not, from high-brow to take-out, these were the biggest metro Phoenix restaurant and bar headlines of the month.
Matt Carter announced a new restaurant for the 1st time in 10 years
After 10 years, chef Matt Carter and his business partner, Brian Raab of Broken Plate Hospitality, the group behind The Mission, Zinc Bistro and Fat Ox, are opening Dash. The all-day restaurant and market is set to open in McCormick Ranch at the corner of Hayden Road and Mountain View in fall 2026.
“I’ve been dreaming of this concept for 10 years, driving past this exact space several times a week wishing our community had a real neighborhood joint,” Carter said in a press release. “Dash is a culmination of my personal culinary passions, and things I’ve wanted to do but haven’t fit at our other restaurant.”
Details: 9619 N. Hayden Road, Unit 101, Scottsdale. letsgetdash.com.
Stephen Jones joined Upward Projects
Stephen Jones, chef and owner of The Larder and The Delta, is stepping into a new role as the culinary director of Upward Projects, the group behind Postino, Federal Pizza, Windsor, Churn Ice Cream and Joyride Taco.
Jones, a three-time James Beard semifinalist, brings 27 years of kitchen experience to the role. He is keeping new menu details under wraps, but plans to add chef-driven shareable plates at all the concepts.
In an interview with The Republic, Jones said he’s starting with Postino, which will have a new menu by 2027, though the bruschettas are not going away.
Celebrity-owned Italian joint getting an ‘elevated’ sibling in uptown
Popular Scottsdale Italian restaurant DiMaggio’s is preparing to open its second location in uptown Phoenix.
The Italian restaurant began as a weekend pop-up at the Uptown Farmer’s Market in 2021. The concept became the brick-and-mortar DiMaggio’s in 2024, after the couple partnered with former baseball player-turned-entrepreneur Frank DiMaggio.
Guests can expect the same food offerings that earned DiMaggio’s a following in Scottsdale, but the space itself will include “elevated lighting, elevated audio, elevated everything,” DiMaggio said. “The quality of every little thing in uptown is just going to be next level from what it is in Scottsdale.
DiMaggio’s second location will open in the former Lou Malnati’s space at Phoenix’s Uptown Plaza this fall.
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Details: 100 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix. dimaggiosrestaurant.com.
An NFL star opened his first restaurant in Old Town
Problem Lounge, a three-story restaurant, hookah lounge and rooftop bar from NFL player Deebo Samuel and chef Cleaz Hill, is now open in Old Town Scottsdale.
“Football has always been the main focus, but I’ve always been interested in developing a business that could have an impact off the field,” Samuel wrote in an emailed statement to The Republic. “Opening a restaurant gave me the opportunity to create a place where people can come together, enjoy great food, and make lasting memories.”
Problem Lounge opens daily from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. for Happy Hour, followed by dinner service from 5 p.m. to “late”.
Details: 7345 E. Sixth Ave., Scottsdale. 480-297-2525, problemlounge.com.
Panda Express piloted a spicy new menu option in metro Phoenix
Panda Express launched a limited-time test run of its brand-new Taiwanese popcorn chicken made with breaded dark meat chicken tossed in a spice blend of tamarind, tomato, garlic and onion, topped with crispy fried kale and a side of chili crisp aioli dipping sauce.
The popcorn chicken is available only at select stores in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, Orlando and Reno beginning Sept. 9. This includes 10 participating stores in metro Phoenix:
- 5229 W. Indian School Road, Phoenix
- 1901 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix
- 2931 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
- 9111 N. 59th Ave., Glendale
- 6501 E. Greenway Pkwy., Scottsdale
- 14850 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale
- 13880 W. Camelback Road, Litchfield Park
- 7000 E. Mayo Blvd., Suite 1026, Phoenix
- 2501 W. Happy Valley Road, Phoenix
- 9753 W. Happy Valley Road, Peoria
Reach the restaurant critic at [email protected]. Follow @baharcreative on Instagram.
Reach the reporter at [email protected]. Follow @ERFontanez on Instagram.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Celebrity chefs making moves in Arizona, new restaurants to collabs
Reporting by Eddie Fontanez and Bahar Anooshahr, Arizona Republic / Arizona Republic
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This story was originally published September 27, 2026 at 5:02 AM.