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Anyone, and I mean everyone, who has ever walked into Hops Sports Grill has met Brian Luceri. You might have seen him making his way through the dining room, bar, or patio of Hops (a bar and grill meets Italian grandma’s kitchen on Tucson’s east side) in an almost statesmanlike fashion; shaking hands, making small talk, addressing the issues of the...

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Full disclosure. I am a big fan of Roma Imports. I don’t visit the tiny shop often but when I do I walk out of there with boxes and bags of enough food to keep my freezer well stocked for months. The thing is, I’m not alone when it comes to shopping at Roma. Just about everyone I know does the same thing. The tiny parking that sits in front of the...

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World War II veteran Gino Mei has had birthdays worldwide, but Thursday’s celebration in Arizona may have been one of his favorites. Arizona’s Family reports hundreds of people came out to his street to give the U.S. Army veteran a 103rd birthday celebration he won’t soon forget. They did a drive-by salute to honor him. “I feel great. I feel like I...

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You'll immediately sense the friendly energy when you walk into The Italian Daughter. The hostess and wait staff are welcoming, and even with the wait, there is plenty of people watching — couples huddled together in the corner, a set of friends enjoying appetizers and wines, and families laughing over bowls of pasta and house bread. The vibe is co...

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When I walked through the double doors of The Old Spaghetti Factory on Central Avenue, I half expected to be greeted by a haunting chill. The beloved Phoenix institution sits on hallowed ground.The iconic spaghetti spot has been open since the 1970s, but the old historical building was originally built as two individual residences, The Baker House...

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Outside of ciabatta and olive oil, his mother’s meatball recipe and all the famous faces you see on the wall, Michael Lopercio says the secret for a successful Italian restaurant is simple — treat everyone who walks through the door like they’re part of your family. “My business is my family, everybody says that but we truly are a family restaurant...

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Adelmo Fornaciari, better known to the world as Zucchero, a nickname given to him by one of his school teachers, is back on a world wide tour that will take him to three cities in the US South West: Los Angeles (September 30 at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills) and San Diego (October 1 at Balboa Theatre) in California and Tucson in Arizona (Octob...

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Mici Italian (Mici) a fast-growing, family-owned fast casual chain based out of Denver, Colorado, opens its first Arizona doors today, bringing its brand of fresh, family-focused Italian food outside Colorado for the first time. Mici’s new restaurant is located in the Gilbert, Arizona community at 5498 South Power Road Suite 101 Gilbert, AZ 85295....

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When it comes to Italian food in the Valley, it can usually be broken down into three categories: high-end, fast-casual, and pizza. For individuals who are looking to kick back and enjoy Italian food that is beyond fast-casual, there are a handful of options in metro Phoenix, but often there is a long wait or hours are limited for the restaurants....

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The James Beard Awards, arguably the most prestigious accolades in the culinary realm, are back after a two-year hiatus. The awards were abruptly canceled in 2020 amid concerns of a lack of diversity and allegations against some nominees, coupled with COVID-19’s impact on the food world. The James Beard Foundation took time to audit the awards, whi...

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