"A contemporary expression of Sonora, shaped by live fire, bold flavors and the generous hospitality of Northern Mexico." That line comes from Quiriego Cocina Rústica's menu, as Forking Scottsdale quoted it in its first look. The menu is now served in the building on the northeast corner of Scottsdale Road and Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard that most north Scottsdale drivers still know as Carrabba's.
Just up the road, two more familiar storefronts got new tenants in the same few weeks. One was a Canadian brunch chain's first U.S. location. The other was a day club that closed in spring 2025. Between Sept. 16 and about Oct. 1, all three reopened. None of the three new operators is a national brand. Two are families and one is a Valley hospitality group. The way this stretch of Scottsdale Road eats has shifted from brand names to owner names, and it happened in less than a month.
Three Addresses, Three Handoffs
| Address | Previous tenant | New tenant | Who runs it | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17007 N. Scottsdale Rd. | Carrabba's Italian Grill | Quiriego Cocina Rústica | The Abeyta family, from Sonora | Soft opening around Oct. 1, 2026 |
| 17757 N. Scottsdale Rd., Suite 103 | OEB Breakfast Co. | The Breakfast Table | A local Arizona family | Grand opening Sept. 28, 2026 |
| 17767 N. Scottsdale Rd., Suite 100 | Chauncey Social | Kuza | Clive Collective | Sept. 16, 2026 |
The Corner at the Canal Became a Sonoran Family's First U.S. Room
The Arizona Republic's report on the Carrabba's replacement puts 17007 N. Scottsdale Road on the northeast corner of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, just north of the Central Arizona Project canal. It describes the newcomer as an upscale Mexican restaurant opening its first U.S. location.
Quiriego has a short history and a long backstory. Forking Scottsdale reports that the Abeyta family opened the first location in Hermosillo in 2019, then expanded to Mexicali, then crossed the border to Scottsdale. Mario Abeyta leads the project, with chef Carlos Abeyta and other relatives involved. The name comes from El Quiriego, Sonora, where the family's grandmother was from.
The kitchen cooks almost everything over fire. Dishes Forking Scottsdale highlighted in its Oct. 6 first look:
- Pulpo a las Brasas: slow-braised octopus finished over live fire
- Cocido Sonorense al Fuego: house-braised short rib surrounded by fire-roasted vegetables
- Sonoran Pizza: naturally fermented dough, roasted garlic tomato sauce, Sonoran cheese, grilled Snake River Farms skirt steak, roasted green chile and chiltepín
As of that first look, Quiriego was in soft opening and serving about 70% of its eventual menu, and OpenTable reservations were expected soon. Those details may have moved by the time you read this. Check the current menu and booking before planning a group dinner around a specific dish.
The Spot That Was Once a Chain's First U.S. Location
Quiriego isn't the first restaurant on this stretch to use Scottsdale as its U.S. debut. In 2019, PHOENIX magazine reported that Canada-based OEB Breakfast Co. was opening its first U.S. location on the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and Chauncey Lane, with 84 seats inside and 18 on the patio.
PHOENIX magazine's September 2026 openings and closings roundup listed the North Scottsdale OEB as closed after six years. Instead of going to another brand, the space went to a family. Forking Scottsdale reported on Sept. 10 that a local Arizona family, Ken, Susie and Kenny, had bought the space at 17757 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 103, to open their own breakfast and lunch restaurant, The Breakfast Table.
The Sept. 24 issue of Forking Scottsdale named Ken Vondra and his son as owner-operators, put the grand opening on Monday, Sept. 28, and listed daily hours of 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. PHOENIX magazine describes the menu as waffles, pancakes, burritos, omelets, skillets, burgers and wraps. A local family now owns the room an international chain chose for its first U.S. opening seven years ago.
The Longest Gap Between Tenants
The third handoff took the longest. Phoenix New Times reported that Chauncey Social, which it called "part restaurant, part day club," closed on April 1, 2025. The venue was part of Evening Entertainment Group. Kuza opened in that space at 17767 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 100 on Sept. 16, 2026, about 17 months after Chauncey Social's closing date.
Kuza comes from Clive Collective, the Valley group behind Cala, The Americano and Tell Your Friends. Phoenix New Times describes a redesigned room with modern woodwork and a central square bar, sushi and robata-style charcoal-grilled skewers, and seafood flown in from Tokyo twice a week. Forking Scottsdale's first look names Erik Davila as executive chef.
The change in what the room is for is as big as the change in tenant. A day club built around the patio and the party has become a reservation-driven dinner room. Hours, as published in mid-September:
| Day | Kuza hours |
|---|---|
| Monday–Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday–Thursday | 5–10 p.m. |
| Friday–Saturday | 5–11 p.m. |
| Sunday | 5–10 p.m. |
Forking Scottsdale's first look links OpenTable for reservations, and the restaurant's own site is kuzarestaurant.com.
Next Door to Quiriego, a Fourth Handoff Is Already Lined Up
The pattern looks set to continue. In its Oct. 1 issue, Forking Scottsdale reported that Stone & Vine Urban Italian is coming to 17001 N. Scottsdale Road, right next to Quiriego. It's from the ownership group behind Sophia's Kitchen, is aiming for Q4 2026, and promises casual Italian that's "comfortable, familiar, and elevated." No opening date had been announced as of that report.
If it opens on schedule, the corner by the canal will have a Sonoran live-fire room and an Italian restaurant from the Sophia's Kitchen group side by side, on the corner a chain used to anchor on its own. Italian food would also be back at Frank Lloyd Wright, under a different kind of operator.
Trying the New Corridor Before Season Fills It
For residents, the next several weeks are the easiest time to try these places before winter visitors fill the calendar. A few practical notes based on what each restaurant has published:
- Start with breakfast. The Breakfast Table is open every day, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., so it's the easiest of the three to drop into without a plan.
- Book Kuza midweek. It's closed Monday and Tuesday, so plan around a Wednesday-through-Sunday dinner and reserve ahead.
- Go to Quiriego knowing the menu is still growing. At about 70% of its eventual menu during soft opening, a visit now is an early look, and a second visit later in the season will likely turn up new dishes.
- Keep an eye on 17001 N. Scottsdale Road. Stone & Vine's Q4 target means it could open any week between now and the end of December.
All four restaurants sit between Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard and Chauncey Lane, so breakfast at one and dinner at another can fit easily into the same Saturday.
The way a corridor turns over says a lot about how a part of town is changing, and it matters for anyone weighing a home nearby. At Charlie Yin, we track these handoffs in north Scottsdale as they happen, from who signed the lease to when the doors open. If you'd like to talk through what this stretch of Scottsdale Road looks like now, or what might fill the next vacant storefront, Let's Connect.
