Georgann Yara| Special for The Republic
Historically, Arizona has been known for its five C’s — citrus, copper, cattle, cotton and climate — as well as producing A-listers like Emma Stone, music legends the likes of Steve Nicks and an athlete pool that includes Cody Bellinger, currently with the Chicago Cubs. But, did you know that there are several popular restaurant chains that also got their start right here in the Valley?
Credit restaurateur Sam Fox, who launched half a dozen now-national restaurants through Fox Restaurant Concepts, which he sold to Cheesecake Factory in 2019. But he's not the only one. We can thank soul-food genius Larry "Lo-Lo" White, Arizona State University alums Lauren Bailey and Craig DeMarco and other entrepreneurs for taking their homegrown operations across state lines.
Here are 15 local favorites that have catapulted to national (and, in some cases, international) fame.
Postino
The straightforward duo of wine and bruschetta propelled Postino to local legend status as a go-to for solidly reliable bites and sips. A killer all-day happy hour with wine and pitchers of draft beer doesn’t hurt either, and it just debuted a co*cktail menu — a new offering in the brand’s 23-year history. The first concept from Arizona State University grads Lauren Bailey and Craig DeMarco’s Upward Projects restaurant group, most Postinos are housed in older buildings, adding to the charm and sustainability aspect. Currently, there are seven Valley locations, one in Tucson plus others in Colorado, Texas, California and Atlanta.
Details: postinowinecafe.com
Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant
When Olivia and Julio Garcia opened a taco stand with two picnic tables in 1956, the couple likely didn’t expecttheir humble venture to expandinto a chainof 11 restaurants in four states. But the traditional family recipes that drew fans to their Phoenix eatery proved popular Valley-wideand beyond. In 1959, they opened their first full-service, sit-down restaurant. In 1981, the Garcias sold all of their restaurants with the exception of the originalon 35th Avenue and McDowell Road, known as Garcia’s Las Avenidas. All restaurants continue to serve Olivia’s original recipes.
Details: 2212 N. 35th Ave., Phoenix. 602-272-5584, garciasaz.com. Other locations at garciasmexicanrestaurants.net.
Salad and Go
Founded in 2013, this Tempe-headquartered fast-casual restaurant redefined the category with a farm-to-fork model that offers healthy made-to-order salads and wraps with a friendly price tag of under $7. Fine dining trained chef Daniel Patino is responsible for the menu that also features breakfast items along with fun lemonades and teas. Founders Tony and Roushan Christofellis sold the company before starting the fast-casual Angie’s Lobster in 2021 and Angie's Prime in 2023. Today, Salad and Go has more than 130 locations across Arizona, Texas, Nevada and Oklahoma.
Details: saladandgo.com
Koibito Poke
A 15-season Major League Baseball pitcher and two-time World Series champion, Todd Stottlemyre retired an Arizona Diamondback and made Scottsdale not only his home, but also the home base for his healthy fast-casual Hawaiian poke bowl franchise, which he co-founded in 2018. Inspired by friends’ and family members’ battles with cancer, including his late father and pitching great Mel Stottlemyre, the concept focuses on a “sea and earth” model with every ingredient hailing from nature with zero preservatives and no over-processing. Koibito Poke was named one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top New and Emerging Franchises of 2023 and currently has six locations in the Valley plus others in Missouri, Nevada and North Carolina.
Details: koibitopoke.com
Blanco Cocina +Cantina
Tried and true combos of tacos and margaritas plus enchiladas, burritos and fajitas are the secret sauce at this Fox Restaurant Concepts hotspot, which has seven locations in Arizona — including one at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport — plus others in California, Colorado, Illinois, Tennessee and Texas.
Details: blancococinacantina.com.
Culinary Dropout
With lawn games, community tables and fun pop-up bars throughout the year, this Fox Restaurant Concepts is a popular hangout spot that begs for lingering over cold beers and comfort food like soft pretzels and fondue, fried chicken and 36-hour pork ribs. In addition to six Arizona locations, Culinary Dropout has a presence in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas.
Details: culinarydropout.com
The Henry
This Fox Restaurant Concepts brand pushes the neighborhood vibe with something-for-everyone-anytime model. Grab a hot or cold espresso beverage made-to-order by baristas, indulge with weekend brunches, sip on classic co*cktails and get satiated with American comfort food for lunch or dinner. In addition to the two restaurants in Phoenix, there are five across California, Florida, Texas and Tennessee.
Details: thehenryrestaurant.com
True Food Kitchen
Fox Restaurant Concepts founder Sam Fox’s vision to meld delicious, health-driven dishes with a contemporary design and service debuted at Biltmore Fashion Park in Phoenix in 2008. Inspired by Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet, the menu boasts a selection of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free plates that are paleo- or Mediterranean-diet-friendly. The chain has since been sold and is a stand alone business with three locations in Arizona plus 42 across the country.
Details: truefoodkitchen.com.
Flower Child
This Fox Restaurant Concepts brand focuses on healthful ingredients and this is a fast-casual operation was designed for flexible schedules with an upscale farmers market vibe. The menu is divvied up into salads, wraps, bowls and kids meals, which diners can customize to suit their cravings. Currently, there are seven locations in Arizona with more on the way, in addition to restaurants in 11 states and the District of Columbia.
Details: iamaflowerchild.com.
North Italia
At Fox Restaurant Concepts' Italian brand, diners can see their pizza and pasta dishes being prepared at the exhibition kitchens. When developing the concept for the first location, at the Kierland Commons in northeast Phoenix, chef Christopher Cristiano and then company CEO Sam Fox would refer to it as “our place up north.” The name stuck. Since opening in 2003, North Italia has expanded into 17 locations in 13 states and the District of Columbia.
Details: northitaliarestaurant.com.
P.F. Chang’s
Founders Phillip Chiang and Paul Fleming pushed Asian cuisine into the mainstream with hand-rolled dim sum, manually chopped meats and produce and from-scratch sauces. A few years after debuting at Scottsdale Fashion Square in 1993, the original location was relocated to its current spot at Scottsdale Waterfront. Today, P.F. Chang's has more than 200 restaurants in the U.S. and more than 100 locations in 22 countries, as well as a frozen-food line.
Details: pfchangs.com.
Coldstone Creamery
Donald and Susan Sutherland’s quest for the quintessential scoop of ice cream sparked their mega corporation. The couple opened the original Coldstone in Tempe in 1988, allowing customers to build their own flavors with a variety of toppings that were hand-mixed into the ice cream on a frozen granite stone. Adding to the Arizona tie, Gov. Doug Ducey is a former CEO and president of the company, which is based in Scottsdale. The chain now has more than 1,000 locations in the U.S. and about 300 in 20 countries worldwide.
Details: coldstonecreamery.com.
Lo-Lo’s Chicken and Waffles
With a winning from-scratch chicken-and-waffles combo, it didn’t take long for Larry "Lo-Lo" White to move out of his grandmother’s kitchen. White started serving the dish that would be his restaurant’s namesake at Mrs. White’s Golden Rule Cafe on weekends in 1997. Five years later, he moved into his own building. And in 2012, he expanded to a 5,000-square-foot space in downtown Phoenix. Today, there are three locations in Phoenix plus one in Nevada and one in Texas.
Details: loloschickenandwaffles.com
Peter Piper Pizza
Touting an “eatertainment” concept that merges pizzas with interactive games, Tony Cavolo’s family-friendly venture has ballooned into 97 corporate-owned and franchise restaurants in Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and California. The original flagship location in Glendale continues to operate and a contemporary redesign that appeals to younger families was launched in 2013.
Details: peterpiperpizza.com.
Pei Wei
P.F. Chang’s answer to the rapidly growing fast-casual segment of the dining industry originated in Scottsdale in 2000. Pei Wei combined wok’d-to-order dishes that were the hallmark of P.F. Chang’s with a modern and more relaxed atmosphere. In 2019, Pei Wei split from P.F. Chang’s in a sale worth $700 million. Today, there are more than 200 locations across the country as well as restaurants in Mexico, Kuwait, Dubai, United Arab Emirates and South Korea.
Details: peiwei.com.
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What are your favorite home-grown chains? Tell us about it! Email the dining editor at felicia.campbell@azcentral.com.
