Arizona Mills’ Multi-million Dollar Food Court Transformation Complete – “Food Hall by Villa” Now Open

Arizona Mills' Multi-million Dollar Food Court Transformation Complete - "Food Hall by Villa" Now Open

Dine & Donate: Grand Opening Celebration to Benefit Treasures 4 Teachers Saturday, August 23 at 10 a.m.; First 200 Guests to Receive Free Prize Pack

Arizona Mills' Multi-million Dollar Food Court Transformation Complete - "Food Hall by Villa" Now OpenVilla Enterprises, multi-brand restaurant operator and franchisor enjoying 50 years in business, will celebrate the grand opening of its “Food Hall by Villa” at Arizona Mills, the largest outlet and value retail shopping destination in Arizona, on Saturday, August 23 at 10 a.m. The new multi-million, 13,262- square-foot concessions area features 10 new restaurant concepts – Villa Italian Kitchen, Green Leaf’s, Bananas, South Philly Steaks & Fries, Far East Asian Fire, Tinta Mexicana, Mo’ Burger, Sukotto Japanese Grill, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Church’s Chicken – that will further enhance Arizona Mills’ reputation as a place for the whole family to shop, dine and play.

The first 200 guests to visit the new “Food Hall by Villa” on August 23, will receive a free prize pack. All visitors may enter to win a Mongoose Mountain Bike, a GoPro Camera provided by Pepsi and a 32” LED TV provided by Church’s. Menu samples and children’s activities will be provided throughout the day. A percentage of the grand opening day’s sales from restaurants in the Food Hall will be donated to local nonprofit Treasures 4 Teachers. Guests are encouraged to donate school supplies to help the organization bridge the gap between the great need of teachers and resources available in the business community.

“We invite guests of all ages to experience the new ‘Food Hall by Villa’ at Arizona Mills and take part in our charitable celebration that is especially relevant during back-to-school season,” said David Johnston, general manager at Arizona Mills. “Villa Enterprises has pulled out all of the stops to create a contemporary space and quick service variety that enhances Arizona Mills’ family appeal and adds to our unique brand of shopping, dining and entertainment found all under one air-conditioned roof.”

Over one year and several million dollars were spent to transform the previous food court into the new “Food Hall by Villa” dining oasis. The new space that showcases a 14,280-square-foot light and modern seating area designed by Ideation Design Group of Phoenix, and built by Dan Litzinger’s Monza Construction of Chandler and Andy Gofourth’s Verde Building Corporation of Queen Creek, Arizona.

“We invite the whole community to join us Saturday, August 23rd in celebrating the Grand Opening of the new Food Hall at Arizona Mills,” said Andrew Steinberg, Villa Enterprises, senior vice president of business operations. “The new restaurants offer so many choices of menu items made from scratch including Villa’s famous Italian pizza and pastas, fresh salads, smoothies, and frozen yogurt at Green Leaf’s & Bananas, and Philly cheese steaks and more! We are also proud to support local nonprofit, Treasures 4 Teachers.”

“We wanted to create an upscale streetscape dining experience capturing the local flavors and architectural vernacular of Arizona,” said Adam Torine, senior vice president of business development, Villa Enterprises. “The new bright and inviting space offers a modern take on the dining environment and offers guests a diversity of menu offerings and choices.”

With 10 restaurants, the newly completed “Food Hall by Villa” features a variety of freshly made menu items, daily, at:

Villa Italian Kitchen features Neapolitan and pan pizzas handmade with fresh dough, 100% whole milk mozzarella and homemade sauce. Villa’s famous handmade Stromboli is also a favorite, and Italian pastas and entrees make for a delicious lunch or dinner. Villa offers large to-go orders and catering, perfect for pizza lovers, the family or events.

Green Leaf’s The Feel Good, Taste Good, Be Good Choice! Specializing in made-to-order while you watch salads, Green Leaf’s lets guests choose from several fresh ingredients, dressings and toppings while a friendly team member tosses it. Delicious wraps, grilled Panini and specialty sandwiches offer guests a meal made from the freshest ingredients and offer a healthy option. Green Leaf’s catering is very popular and available for any occasion.

Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt Whether in a cone, cup, sundae or smoothie, Bananas uses nonfat frozen yogurt and fresh ingredients to make delicious combinations. Real fruit smoothies and good-for-you snacks, meal replacement options, as well as nondairy fruit frosties, fresh squeezed juices, nonfat frozen yogurt sundaes, and a variety of natural grab-n-go snack offerings, round out the menu.

South Philly Steaks & Fries is a favorite for fans who enjoy the famous cheese steaks and fresh-cut fries! Fried Pickle Chips are a hit along with the chicken cheese steaks, wings and steak bowls. South Philly’s crowd pleaser menu satisfies even the heartiest of appetites!

Far East Asian Fire restaurant offers fresh stir-fry foods, incorporating culinary flavors of China; menu items include stir-fry and signature items such as sriracha wings and chicken with string beans.

Sukotto Japanese Grill features fresh chicken teriyaki, noodle soups and sushi.

Tinta Mexicana – Serving authentic Mexican fare. To create this new restaurant brand, Villa Enterprises hired a local chef to assist with menu development of authentic burritos, tacos, bowls and tortas.

Mo’ Burger serves gourmet burgers and fresh-cut fries. Plus homemade onion rings, nachos and more.  Top it all off with fresh hand spun frozen custard served in a cup or blended with a piece of pie to create a unique and tasty “Piecrete.”

Church’s Chicken specializes in Original and Spicy Chicken freshly prepared in small batches throughout the day that are hand-battered and double-breaded, Tender Strips, sandwiches, honey-butter biscuits made from scratch and freshly baked, and classic, home-style sides all for a great value.

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf serving the world’s best coffees and teas.

The “Food Hall by Villa “ rounds out Arizona Mills’ selection of family-friendly dining options including full-service restaurants Claim Jumper, Garcia’s and Rainforest Café.

Also of note, Arizona Mills recently welcomed an impressive line-up of stores including first-in-market locations of U.S. Polo Assn. Factory Outlet, O’Neill, Hurley and Conn’s, as well as an expanded H&M and home décor superstore At Home with EXPRESS Factory Outlet coming soon.

Further adding to the all ages appeal, Arizona Mills is home to attractions such as SEA LIFE Arizona, GameWorks, Harkins Luxury 25 Cinemas and a newly renovated Harkins IMAX Theatre.

For more information about Arizona Mills, please call (480) 491-9700 or visit www.arizonamills.com.

Villa was founded 50 years ago and built its business on the strict loyalty to authentic old-world recipes that Michele Scotto brought with him from Naples, Italy. From the first pizzeria that opened in 1964 next to the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway in New York, to their most recent restaurants at new Food Hall by Villa at Arizona Mills, that commitment to quality food and genuine hospitality is still the hallmark of Villa.

Arizona Mills' Multi-million Dollar Food Court Transformation Complete - "Food Hall by Villa" Now Open
Arizona Mills' Multi-million Dollar Food Court Transformation Complete - "Food Hall by Villa" Now Open
Villa Enterprises will celebrate the grand opening of its “Food Hall by Villa” at Arizona Mills, the largest outlet and value retail shopping destination in Arizona, on Saturday, August 23 at 10 a.m. A percentage of the grand opening day’s sales from the Food Hall will be donated to local nonprofit Treasures 4 Teachers.

Villa Enterprises is a global multi-brand restaurant operator and franchisor. Founded in 1964 by Michele Scotto, a Naples, Italy native, Villa Enterprises began as a small pizzeria next to the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City. Today, Villa Enterprises is an international organization celebrating its 50th anniversary with more than 340+ quick-serve restaurants in malls, airports, casinos and other high-traffic locations. Villa’s QSR brands, including Villa Italian Kitchen, Green Leaf’s, Bananas, South Philly Steaks & Fries and Far East, can be found across 39 U.S. states and nine additional countries. Villa also operates 12 full-service restaurants in suburban New Jersey under the 40North brand including The Black Horse Tavern & Pub, The Office with seven locations, Steelworks Buffet & Grill, Piattino and George & Martha’s. For more information, please visit www.villaenterprises.com.

Arizona Mills, the largest outlet and value retail shopping destination in Arizona, provides the ultimate shopping experience with more than 175 outlet and value retail stores, including Neiman Marcus Last Call, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, bebe, American Eagle Outfitters, The Disney Store Outlet, G by GUESS, Gap Outlet, Kenneth Cole Company Store, Nike Clearance Store, Perry Ellis, Tommy Hilfiger and Victoria’s Secret. Shoppers also enjoy high-quality entertainment venues such as SEA LIFE Arizona, GameWorks, Harkins Luxury 25 Cinemas and a newly renovated Harkins IMAX Theatre, plus restaurants such as Claim Jumper, Garcia’s and Rainforest Cafe.

Arizona Mills is located at the Arizona Mills interchange at the intersection of Interstate I-10 and US Highway 60 in Tempe, AZ, about 14 miles east of downtown Phoenix. Regular mall hours are 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., Mon-Sat, and 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. For more information on Arizona Mills, please call (480) 491-9700, visit www.arizonamills.com or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/ArizonaMills and Twitter at @ShopAZMills.

The Mills, a part of Simon, offers a unique brand of shopping with a mix of popular name brand outlets, value retailers and full-price stores, plus family-oriented dining and entertainment concepts. The Mills are well-located in major metropolitan markets and many are recognized as leading tourism destinations. Notable properties include Arundel Mills (Baltimore), Gurnee Mills (Chicago), Grapevine Mills (Dallas), Ontario Mills (Los Angeles), Opry Mills (Nashville), Potomac Mills (Washington, DC) and Sawgrass Mills (Ft. Lauderdale/Miami).

Simon is a global leader in retail real estate ownership, management and development and a S&P100 company (Simon Property Group, NYSE:SPG).  Our industry-leading retail properties and investments across North America, Europe and Asia provide shopping experiences for millions of consumers every day and generate billions in annual retail sales. For more information, visit simon.com