Popular restaurateurs set sights on Peoria - Gilbert Independent (2024)

Lately it feels like everybody’s favorite restaurant has been opening in the Peoria.

Residents have long pined for names like Sam Fox, Upward Projects and Chris Bianco to bring their culinary wonders and atmospheric vibes to the northwest side of the Valley. Now it is happening. The goal of home-grown, quality dining and foodie experiences is becoming a real thing in the far reaches of the Valley.

Here is a roundup of recently opened restaurants or those soon to open in Peoria.

The area of 83rd Avenue and Bell Road is already brimming with things to do and places to eat at Arrowhead Towne Center and P83 Entertainment District, but with the ambitious Stadium Point planned, things are about to go to the next level with no shortage of foodie destinations.

Phoenix-based Common Bond Development Group previously secured popular eatery Postino for the area, and more recently the firm locked down North Italia and Blanco, of Fox Restaurants fame.

A new foodie complex at the Peoria Sports Complex on land currently used for parking near the southeast corner of Paradise Lane and 83rd Avenue will feature those restaurants with outdoor dining and other community gathering spaces.

The goal is for the restaurants to be designed, built and operating within 18 months, according to a Peoria city report.

Fans of dinner and a movie will soon be able to kill two birds with one stone at Harkins Theatres Cine Grill, which opens this summer at Lake Pleasant Towne Center, 9940 W. Happy Valley Parkway.

Harkins Ciné Grill will feature made-to-order cuisine, craft co*cktails, local brews and traditional movie theater bites combined with Harkins moviegoing experience.

The kitchen and co*cktail bar will offer guests made-to-order dishes from a full-service menu, co*cktails and local beer and wine selections they can order from their seats. Orders will be delivered discreetly before the opening credits begin, giving moviegoers time to settle into their Harkins Ultimate Loungers without interrupting a moment of the moviegoing experience.

The theater’s indoor/outdoor bar and lounge will open onto an expansive outdoor patio that can be used for private events and as an additional gathering place for guests to enjoy each other’s company before and after the movie.

Chef Fabio Ceschetti has been a mainstay in the northwest Valley for a while now with his Fabio On Fire restaurant at 8275 W. Lake Pleasant Parkway.

Now there is more to love because he just opened a new quick service eatery in June at the Four Corners area that focuses on paninis and gelato. The establishment, at 24775 N. Lake Pleasant Parkway, is adjacent to Club Pilates and across the parking lot from the Aldi grocery store in Sunrise Promenade.

Chef Fabio’s lineage comes from northern Italy and is part of a family of restaurateurs. He was schooled in the culinary arts in Italy and worked for 5-star and -diamond companies in Italy, London and the United States to expand and refine his skills, according to the Fabio on Fire website.

Bourbon & Bones Chophouse|Bar, 24985 N. 83rd Ave., Suite 101, opened in May. The menu features USDA Prime-grade steaks, Wagyu and wet-aged selections, seafood and an array of culinary creations, according to company officials. The establishment is a chef-driven, sophisticated steakhouse and bar with an innovative menu and chic high energy atmosphere.

With options like grilled octopus, Wagyu beef on a hot rock, lobster mac and cheese, and house-made desserts, the restaurant stays true to its philosophy of serving enticing dishes and providing phenomenal service from start to finish, according to company officials.

Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman. We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.