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No tickets to Super Bowl XLII?

Up-and-coming restaurants and shopping districts make West Valley the new place to play

Former farm fields now burst with new hotels, upper-end retail and dining projects and the city is fast becoming a sports entertainment center as home to the five-year-old Jobing.com Arena, University of Phoenix stadium and an under-construction spring-training ballpark.

Next month, Glendale will be the center of attention as it hosts the 2008 Super Bowl. “It’s been very exciting,” Martinez says. “I like to think we were already on the map but this event – which is viewed by millions of people throughout the world – really gets our name out.”

A flurry of hotels, restaurants and shops has opened in the last few years, many hoping to capitalize on the Super Bowl buzz. Longtime businesses, such as downtown’s venerable La Perla Café, also expect a boost. Joe Pompa, who opened La Perla in 1946, says, “We’re already getting a lot of new business from the Cardinals’ games; I can only imagine what it will be like during Super Bowl.”

Many Glendale residents look forward to the city finally getting its due. Lifelong resident Amber Garza, 29, is moving her custom jewelry store to one of the city’s newest developments, The Citadelle. “A lot of people living in the East Valley can get snooty about anything west of I-17,” she says. “But Glendale’s image is changing; we have a lot to offer.”

You don’t need tickets to the big game to get in on the action. If you haven’t visited Glendale recently, or if you’re a longtime resident who is wondering what’s new, here are highlights from each of Glendale’s three main shopping, dining and entertainment centers:

Shopping:The Arrowhead area covers a section of north Glendale between Loop 101 and 59^th Avenue.  Diehard shopperscan find nearly every big chain in and around Arrowhead Towne Center, including high-end options like Sephora and Coach in the mall and small boutiques nearby such as Roka (20118 N. 67^th Ave.).

The newest addition to Glendale’s retail scene is The Citadelle at Arrowhead Ranch (on 59^th Avenue just south of Loop 101). The center features small, independent boutiques such as Garza’s AMG Jewelry.

Dining: Arrowhead also has the widest selection of restaurants in the city. Independents like the upscale Hammerheads Ocean Grill (6718 W. Deer Valley Rd.) and the family-run Grimaldi’s Pizzeria (20329 N. 59th Ave.) stand out in shopping centers. To the south, the stretch of Bell Road near Arrowhead Towne Center is often called “Restaurant Row.” Here, nearly all the popular chains are represented, serving everything from steak to sushi.

Nightlife: Glendale has its share of trendy wine bars. Two in the Arrowhead area include Jug ‘n Barrel Wine Bar (18555 N. 59^th Ave.). Owners Alicia and Xavier Perez feature live local musicians Thursday and Saturday and the kitchen offers wine pairings such as olive bowls and gourmet sandwiches. Beyond the Grape (8110 W. Union Hills Dr.) is a popular wine bar and offers a tapas menu in a beautifully cozy Tuscan-style atmosphere complete with Italian fountain and comfy leather seating. Expect a line on weekend nights.

Shopping: The crowds that flock to Cabela’s outdoors sporting store in the new Zanjero District development are a sign of the future in the formerly empty fields surrounding University of Phoenix Stadium. There’s more retail to come in Zanjero (91^st and Glendale avenues) and Westgate City Center (east of Loop 101 between Maryland and Glendale avenues) continues to add new shops as well. Westgate shops range from clothing boutiques like Apricot Lane which carries trendy labels such as Free People and premium denim brands to The Body Shop to McFarlane Toys, with a full line of collectible Todd McFarlane products.

Dining:This is the city’s hottest spot for new restaurant openings, ensuring that sports fans and concertgoers will have plenty of options within walking distance. Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville across from Jobing.com Arena is one of the newest. Others include Gordon Biersch, Yard House and Sweet O Wine and Chocolate Lounge.

Nightlife:Besidesthe restaurants, bars and AMC Theatres in the immediate area, just a few miles west, Coyote Hill Bar and Grill (12417 W. Glendale Ave.) attracts a crowd with regular promotions tied to sporting events and concerts by local bands. Local radio DJ Alex Santa Maria of MEGA 99.3/104.3 is featured on Saturday nights.

Shopping:  Downtown has two sections: Old Towne and Catlin Court. Old Towne is known as one of the nation’s top spots for antique shopping. Just to the north, bungalows in Catlin Court have been converted into specialty shops, such as Plate It Up! (5707 W. Myrtle Ave.), which sells gourmet cookware and kitchen gadgets. Both neighborhoods are perfect for window shopping along brick-lined streets. 

Dining:You can find a number of small, non-chain restaurants in Downtown Glendale, including some that combine shopping and dining. Some favorites include the Vietnamese food at Little Saigon (7016 N. 57th Ave.), German cuisine at Haus Murphy’s (5739 W. Glendale Ave.), or a cup of tea at The Tea Shoppe (7005 N. 58th Ave.).

Nightlife: Downtown hosts the city’s biggest festivals but there’s plenty to do even without a formal party. Stop for coffee at A Shot of Java (7003 N. 58^th Ave.) or on Saturday nights relax with wine and live jazz with Delphine Cortez at Glendale Gaslight Inn (5747 W. Glendale Ave.).