​Did somebody say bacon?

The Oink Cafe, a new breakfast and lunch spot in Paradise Valley, is slated to open at 6 a.m. Monday, February 13, at 4326 East Cactus Road (across from Paradise Valley Mall).

Along with breakfast and lunch fare, The Oink Cafe will offer five kinds of bacon to choose from.

Details to come.

Follow Chow Bella on Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest. 

​For North Scottsdale folks in search of Italian cuisine, Bella Notte Ristorante, a new upscale Italian eatery located at 10989 East Dynamite Boulevard (in the former location of the Painted Horse Cafe at East Dynamite Boulevard and Alma School Road) may be worth taking note of.

From chef and owner Phil Pagnotta, originally from the region of Calabria, Italy, Bella Notte is his latest venture (Pagnotta opened his first restaurant, Little Italy, in 1979.) I'm told Pagnotta will run the restaurant with his family and that it will feature a top-notch wine list, full bar, and an eclectic mix of Northern and Southern Italian cuisine.

Bella Notte Ristorante will open on Monday, February 6. Keep reading to see the full menus.

More >>

Lights Camera Love Photography, Chandler

​The Spot, a new, family-owned neighborhood hangout of fresh, fast, and affordable fare, opens today at 1493 South Higley Road in Gilbert (Higley Road and Ray Road.)

The eatery occupies a tall and narrow space with an an interior mezzanine where diners can munch on salads, sandwiches, flatbreads, and home made baked goods made with local ingredients. Look for dishes like the Bleu Cheese Steak Sandwich, Agritopia Summer Salad, and Poutine and Quarto Famagio Flatbread.

There's also a kid-friendly menu as well as several vegetarian options.

And if diners aren't able to hit up The Spot in person, the eatery will come to them, delivering goods via beach cruiser bikes.

The Spot
1493 South Higley Road, Gilbert
480-359-7768
www.TheSpotAZ.com

Follow Chow Bella on Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest. 

​It's no secret that Camelback Esplanade, the mixed-use development on the southeast corner of Camelback Road and 24th Street, hasn't exactly been the most successful place to put a restaurant.

Tough to see from Camelback Road, parking hassles (you're either walking from across the street or have to remember to get your parking structure ticket validated), and the new AMC Esplanade 14 Dine-In Theater, which opened last September, aren't the greatest of assets for restaurants in the complex. Which may be why restaurants like Picazzo's Organic Italian Kitchen closed after about six months and Au Petit Four relocated to Old Town Scottsdale in November. And even though McCormick & Schmick's, the national seafood restaurant chain based in Portland, Oregon, shuttered this January due to a buyout, its departure means even less folks visiting the area.

Now, it looks like a new restaurant is ready to spin the Esplanade wheel and see if it comes up a winner.

More >>

​And the new restaurant openings this month just keep on comin,' folks.

Zen's Cafe, the locally owned, small casual eatery chain from owners Adrian Yap and son Steven, opened its newest location last week at 19 East Broadway Road (Broadway and Mill Avenue) in Tempe.

In the former spot of El Penasco Mexican Kitchen, the Tempe Zen's will be the third location in the chain (the other two are in Surprise and Globe) and will feature the same massive menu of familiar breakfast, lunch, and dinner eats in addition to beer and wine.

"Tempe was a good opportunity for us," Adrian Yap told me. "We're hoping to open our next one in Goodyear."

Follow Chow Bella on Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest. 

​For those full-up with new wine bar announcements in Old Town Scottsdale, there's a new spot coming this summer that's more interested in sausage than Sauvignon.

Brat Haus, an artisan sausage and craft beer concept, will be taking over the Oregano's at 3622 North Scottsdale Road in Old Town Scottsdale on the first of May, with plans to open by the end of June.

Restaurateur Dave Andrea (formerly with Old Town Tortilla Factory, Wild Noodles, and Fat Slim's BBQ) sees Brat Haus as an "urban beer garden" and has some plans for its food and brews.

More >>

​Here comes another one.

On the heels of the announcement that the potent pair behind FnB -- front-of-the-house pro Pavle Milic and chef Charleen Badman -- are planning to launch their three-concept experience, one of which is a wine bar, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Craftsman Court (in the Kiva Center) in Old Town Scottsdale by the end of the month, another wine bar and bistro plans to open nearby in mid-February.

Called Flight Lounge + Bistro, a "combination of classy wine bar atmosphere and a vibrant bar scene" located at 4252 North Drinkwater Boulevard (formerly Cream Stereo Lounge), the new venture comes courtesy of event planner, business promoter, and New Times' Best Social Butterfly of 2009, Raven Valdes, and entrepreneur Brian Krupski.

More >>

​On the heels of its fourth anniversary this month, Humble Pie, the locally-owned pizza chain with three locations (Hilton Village, Desert Ridge, and Central Phoenix), has announced it will open a fourth restaurant in Scottsdale's Kierland Village in mid-February.

The largest of all the locations, the coming-soon Humble Pie, at 6501 East Greenway Parkway and in the former home of Market Bistro, will feature a 110-seat dining area, bar, patio, and display kitchen with a wood-fired pizza oven.

The Kierland Village Humble Pie will continue to serve up the chain's menu of artisan pizzas, sandwiches, salads, desserts, wine, and cocktails.

Follow Chow Bella on Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest. 

The restaurant will occupy the space of this old motorcycle shop.

​From hiring ex-Noca chef Chris Curtiss to run his new NoRTH location in Arcadia last November, to taking over the Oakville Grocery Co. space at CityScape in October to open Chloe's Corner with co-owner Ashly Young last week, restaurateur Sam Fox has been a busy boy indeed -- and just a month into 2012, he's showing no signs of slowing down.

Later this year, Fox plans to open a second location of his trendy Scottsdale gastropub, Culinary Dropout, in Phoenix. Known for its upscale pub-style fare, extensive beverage selection, grand interior, and uniform-free staff, the second location of the restaurant will be located at 5640 North Seventh Street (between Camelback and Bethany Home Roads), in a space that used to house a motorcycle shop.

Stay tuned for details.

Follow Chow Bella on Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest. 

Can Downtown Scottsdale get any cooler? Answer: yes.

Cool Gelato Italiano, a new gelato shop set to open in early February at 7373 East Scottsdale Mall (behind the Scottsdale Center for the Arts) will feature twenty varieties of the cool treat (don't call it ice cream) as well as sorbet made with fresh fruits, gelato sandwiches, and gelato affogato.

Husband-and-wife team Alberto della Casa and Letizia de Lucia, who have spent portions of their food industry careers both in Italy and the United States and who now live in Phoenix, will bring their artisanal Italian gelato to Downtown Scottsdale with the help of one of Italy's top gelatieri, or gelato artisans. Cool's gelato will be made daily onsite and use fresh ingredients.

Stay tuned for details.

Follow Chow Bella on Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest.