Here’s a fresh feature article celebrating Culinary Gangster City’s new downtown Phoenix location, written in the spirit of The Scottsdale Living’s original coverage and updated with details from their own site and recent reporting.

From Scottsdale to Roosevelt Row: Culinary Gangster City Expands with Bold New Phoenix Location

Three years after launching its first Arizona outpost in Scottsdale, Culinary Gangster City is bringing its inventive comfort‑food menu and scratch‑kitchen ethos to downtown Phoenix. The new restaurant opened at 513 E. Roosevelt Street on July 1, 2025, transforming the former site of Full Speed Chicken & Ribs into a vibrant addition to Roosevelt Row’s culinary scene (Phoenix New Times).

A Family Legacy, Now in the Valley’s Heart

Founders Ricky and Rocco Raschillo bring decades of culinary passion to this second location. What began in Chicago with a food-truck concept in 2018 — dubbed the “greatest hits” of Ricky’s prior restaurants — grew into a brick‑and‑mortar after sprawling success. By 2022, the duo landed in Scottsdale, opening the first Arizona restaurant (Phoenix New Times).

New Features, Familiar Flavor

While the Scottsdale location remains BYOB, the Phoenix spot ups the ante with a full bar, offering canned spritzers, wine, spirits, and trendy bottled beer — a first for the brand in Arizona (WhatNow). That said, BYOB is still welcomed, with provided glassware and zero corkage fee in case you bring your own libations (WhatNow).

A Menu That Knows No Limits

True to their scratch‑kitchen philosophy, Culinary Gangster City serves breakfast burritos and protein bowls packed with roasted sweet potatoes, eggs, avocado, feta, spinach, tomato, and quinoa — all made from scratch daily (mouthbysouthwest.com). Popular lighter fare includes salads, wraps, and starters like tempura cauliflower with Sriracha aioli.

At the heart of every meal: 8‑ounce specialty burgers, like the signature Spicy Gangster layered with jalapeños, sweet chili, and habanero sauce. The Chi Town Burger, built in homage to McDonald’s Big Mac, features two beef patties, secret sauce, American cheese, lettuce, red onion, and pickles. Then there’s the cult‑favorite PBJ & J Burger, a nostalgic combo of beef patty, peanut butter, jelly, and bacon. Every burger can be paired with plain or dressed‑up crinkle‑cut fries, the latter piled high with gyro-style toppings, cheese sauce, cucumbers, and tzatziki (Phoenix New Times).

Dessert fans still delight in indulgent treats like funnel cake fries and the chocolate stuffed Oreo churro — churros made with Oreo cookies, filled with Oreo crème — staples carried over from the original concept (Phoenix New Times).

More Than a Meal — A Lifestyle Brand

Beyond dine-in, Culinary Gangster City supports catering and a food truck that services events across Phoenix and Scottsdale, offering the flexibility to bring elevated street food to weddings, corporate events, or private parties (WhatNow). The brand also welcomes franchisees, and this downtown Phoenix venue marks the first Arizona franchise location, managed locally by Rocco himself (WhatNow).

The Vibe

Expect a laid-back, counter-service setup where families, friends, and burger lovers mix with artists and foodies in Roosevelt Row’s colorful, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. Walls are adorned with nods to the original food truck roots, and the atmosphere strikes a balance between elevated dining and unpretentious street food fun (Phoenix New Times, mouthbysouthwest.com).

Quick Overview

Culinary Gangster City’s expansion to downtown Phoenix not only marks a significant milestone for the local dining scene, but also establishes a model for neighborhood-centric, chef-driven, comfort-food excellence. If you’re craving bold flavor and mindful quality in the heart of Roosevelt Row, this is your go-to stop.