West Valley Residents Savor a Burst of Local Flavor as Independent Restaurants Move In

By Phoenix New Times

Katie Roe and her husband purchased their home near Happy Valley Road and 67th Avenue in Peoria 17 years ago so they could be close to their insurance company jobs.

But when it came to the independent restaurant scene they craved, the couple wasn't close to much. The Roes had moved from Cleveland, where they were accustomed to an array of non-corporate food options. They weren't looking for fine dining and preferred a laid-back vibe, but still, it took a 30- or 40-minute drive east to find satiation.

Postino and Fox Restaurant Concepts, which includes Culinary Dropout, Wildflower, Zinburger, and Blanco, were among their top go-to eateries. Elements at Sanctuary and La Hacienda at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess were their special occasion restaurants. None of those are west of Interstate 17.

“It was kind of a culture shock, to be honest. All the big boxes and chains,” Roe says. “I should not have to drive 40 minutes on a Tuesday for a glass of wine and bruschetta.”

For Amy Malloy, whose family has lived in Glendale for three generations, this was simply part of life in the West Valley. Growing up, the favorite haunts of Malloy and her friends were 15 to 20 minutes away. None were headquartered locally, either.