(Veronica Graff/DD)
Towering cranes speckle the downtown Phoenix skyline as new developments seem to be continuously in the works. Downtown saw an influx of new restaurants this past month and there are still more to come. With apartment buildings and hotels popping up, the excitement toward the area’s rapid growth continues.
But as some exciting concepts come, others bid their farewells to the city.
Here is Downtown Devil’s update on what happened while we were away:
Openings:
The Downtown Deli Tavern
130 N. Central Ave.
The grand re-opening of Downtown Deli, nestled right on Central and Monroe, now boasts 50-cent coffee and an all-day menu. With the addition of the “tavern,” the deli wants people to know it’s just as much a nightlife scene as it is a place to grab a traditional pastrami for lunch.
GenuWine Arizona
888 N. First Ave., Suite 101
The self-serve wine bar presents an extensive collection of red and white wines, a rosé and plenty of cheese selections. Just open a tab, select a pour and enjoy.
Engrained Café
111 E. Taylor St.
Located on the ground floor of the Beus Center for Law and Society on ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus, Engrained offers healthy dining, with most dishes either gluten free or vegan.
Centrico
16 W. Monroe St.
The Mexican fusion restaurant, replacing Rice Paper in the Hotel San Carlos, features live Latin dance music on Fridays with small bites and specialty drinks.
POP PHX
513 E. Roosevelt St.
Pop PHX provides a retail space for various vendors to display and sell their products on the weekends. Originally a pop-up, the shop is the first of a handful of prospective tenants to officially open in The Blocks of Roosevelt Row.
Closings:
Fair Trade Café
424 N. Central Ave.
The popular student hangout has closed its doors at Civic Space Park. Hidden under the A.E. England building, the coffee shop often hosted events on its cozy patio. Any cravings of their coffee and fresh pastries will have to be satisfied at the Roosevelt Street location.
Charming Charlie
1 E. Washington St.
The color coordinated retailer filed for bankruptcy at the end of 2017, closing at least 100 stores — one of those being at CityScape in the heart of downtown Phoenix. Charming Charlie was one of the few retailers in the area, leaving Urban Outfitters to fend for itself.
Coming Soon in Spring/Summer 2018:
Taco Chelo
501 E. Roosevelt St.
Set to move into The Blocks on Roosevelt Row during summer, the Mexican restaurant and bar aims to combine an artistic culinary and visual experience inspired by the head chef’s Latin culture.
BBQ Trapp Haus
511 E. Roosevelt St.
The Blocks of Roosevelt Row will gain another brick and mortar in March when award-winning chef Phil “Phil the Grill” Johnson opens his first restaurant. The self-proclaimed “Jay-Z of barbecue,” Johnson could not say no to the downtown Phoenix urban life.
Contact the reporter at vgraff@asu.edu.
