Old favorites, new places
By CRYSTAL PETROCELLI
GET OUT

Tired of driving across town to satisfy a craving for crisp lettuce chicken cups at P.F. Chang’s or a cheesy slice of sausage-and-onion pizza from Nello’s?

You may be in luck. Depending on where you live, summer may bring a once far, far away favorite significantly closer to home.

Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale and Tempe will welcome new restaurants with familiar names between now and August. Here’s hoping one of the following lands near you.

BIG CITY BBQ
Where: 1425 S. Alma School Road, Mesa
Scheduled opening: June
Less than a year after opening in Tempe, Big City BBQ is doing well enough to open a second restaurant twice the size of the original and a liquor license. Good thing, ’cuz smoked meats just taste better with a frosty beer. The larger kitchen will continue to prepare pulled pork, brisket, ham, turkey breast, red hot links, spareribs, rib tips, fried catfish, fried or smothered chicken breast and pork chops, every Southern side dish imaginable and five desserts. But they’ll be adding a dozen new items, including wraps, salads, grilled steaks and blackened or grilled fish.
Recommended: Spareribs; brown sugar baked beans
Info: www.bigcitybbq.com

BUFFALO WILD WINGS GRILL & BAR
Where: 4425 E. McKellips Road, Mesa
Scheduled opening: June
Lowdown: This Ohio import served its first award-winning wing in the East Valley last year when it opened in Gilbert. Joining the franchise poultry player are wraps, burgers and sandwiches (including three nonchicken choices — fish, turkey and pork). Video games, NTN trivia and foosball tables give the competitive crowd something to do besides dare each other to blaze their buds with Buffalo’s “give your innards a torching” hot sauce, one of 12 available. Sports memorabilia plasters the place, as do TVs — both big and small. Wings are $7.49 a dozen and the rest of the menu is in the $5-$7 range. Look for yet another location to open on Alma School Road, south of Southern Avenue, by September.
Recommended: Wings; naked tenders
Info:www.buffalowildwings.com

NELLO’S
Where: 7213 E. First Ave., Scottsdale
Scheduled opening: June
Lowdown: Great neighborhood pizzeria (the kind that sponsors local Little League teams) with four locations, one owned by each of the four brothers who moved to the Valley from Chicago in the ’80s. Thick or thin, wheat or white crust — every pie is a tasty pie at this consistently good and affordable restaurant (a six-topping, 14-incher is $16). Try the delicious, thick Italian house dressing on one of the always-fresh salads ($6-$7.95).
Recommended: Deluxe combo; Old World Classic salad
Info: www.azeats.com/nellos

P.F. CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO
Where: 6610 E. Superstition Springs Blvd., Mesa Scheduled info: June
Lowdown: First Mesa lands an Oregano’s, then they get the mother of all Chinese restaurants — Paul Fleming’s wildly popular and always-boisterous bistro. The hip eatery has plenty of classics as well as unusual dishes like wok-seared lamb and Shanghai cucumbers. Be prepared for a wait.
Recommended: Salt and pepper calamari; crispy honey shrimp
Info: www.pfchangs.com

PEI WEI ASIAN DINER
Where: 1825 E. Guadalupe Road, Tempe
Scheduled opening: July
Lowdown: P.F. Chang’s less-expensive sibling is one of the better fast-casual concepts around. Asian noodles, rice bowls, salads and specialty dishes all ring in at $9 or less and are served hot from the wok in a sleek setting.
Recommended: Honey-seared chicken; chicken lettuce wraps
Info: www.peiwei.com

SOMEBURROS
Where:Southwest corner of Frye and Price roads, Chandler Scheduled opening: July
Lowdown: A quick Mexican eatery that has cranked out quality tacos ($2.10) and burritos ($2.75-$5.75) for the lunchtime masses in Tempe since 1986 and in Gilbert for the last four years. Snack on the light, crisp chips and kickin’ hot sauce while you wait a minute or two for your plate to be whisked to your table.
Recommended: Smothered chicken chimichanga; machaca beef burro with tomatillo; veggie burro
Info: www.someburros.com

BJ’S RESTAURANT & BREWERY
Where: 6622 E. Superstition Springs Blvd., Mesa Scheduled opening: August
Lowdown: A crowd-pleasing menu of comfort foods ($9.45-$18.95), pastas ($7.95-$12.95), pizzas ($4.75-$20.60), sandwiches ($7.75-$9.95), salads ($5.95-$11.75) and delectable desserts ($1.45-$14.95) — including the famed pan-cooked Pizookie — will give east Mesans an excellent new dining option. Recommended: Italian chopped salad, avocado egg rolls
Info: www.bjsbrewhouse.com

DILLY’S DELI
Where: Northwest corner of Queen Creek and Alma School roads, Chandler Scheduled opening: August
Lowdown: Dilly’s was doing the pressed-sandwich thing way before any other Valley sandwich shop and the head-start shows: These hotties are tay-sty. Thick-but-light slices of freshly baked white, cracked wheat, rye and focaccia breads are layered with thin pieces of Boar’s Head meats and cheeses and served with homemade soups or salads. Solo sandies are $4.65 to $5.95, wraps are $5.25 and salads are $3.19 to $5.89.
Recommended: Southwestern Club (smoked peppered turkey, bacon, avocado, jalapeño jack cheese, red onions, raspberry honey mustard); Smokey Mountain (smoked turkey, gouda and bacon with red onions and Russian mustard on focacia bread); cream of potato soup bread bowl
Info: www.dillysdeli.com

SAUCE
Where: Northwest corner of Baseline Road and Val Vista Drive, Mesa Scheduled opening: August
Lowdown: Already a Phoenix favorite, this Sam Fox creation is less fussy than his more upscale Scottsdale babies — North and Bloom. Pizza hounds order at the counter, grab a number and about seven minutes later they’re biting into a breakably crisp crust on a thin pie ($8-$9) hot from a 700-degree oven. It’s one of the more perfect pizzas around and enough for two to split if you add one of the choice chopped salads ($5-$7). Four paninis ($6-$7), three lasagnas ($8-$9), two desserts ($4) and a small wine list round out the menu. Another Sauce is scheduled to open at Thunderbird and Scottsdale roads in Scottsdale in September.
Recommended: Sausage and caramelized onion pizza; mozzarella, tomato and basil salad; tiramisu
Info: www.foxrestaurantconcepts.com