The team from The Vig celebrated a win on Feb. 23 when they were named Favorite Neighborhood Hangout at the 2026 Foodist Award (photo courtesy of Genuine Concepts/The Vig).
In late February, Warehouse215 in Phoenix hosted the Arizona Restaurant Association’s Foodist Awards, an extravagant evening where the hospitality industry’s crème de la crème were awarded in an array of categories.
The Foodist Awards serves as the Arizona Restaurant Association’s official awards program, recognizing the best of the best including restaurants, bars, companies and individuals who demonstrate exceptional business acumen, leadership and creativity while shaping Arizona’s culinary landscape.
“It is hard to describe the feeling and vibe of this event, but it’s safe to say that spirits were high as we presented our 12th Annual Foodist Awards, which really is Arizona’s biggest night in food,” said Steve Chucri, Arizona Restaurant Association (ARA) president and CEO. “Every single nominee and finalist is extremely deserving, but last night shined the light on the places and people that are changing our culinary scene for the better every single day.”
In addition to a variety of categories previously presented, this year, six new categories were featured including Best Bread, Top Happy Hour Spot, Best Place to Watch a Game, Immersive Culinary Experience, Favorite Neighborhood Hangout and Hotel Restaurant Hot Spot. The Foodist Awards winners were determined by public votes and contributions from this year’s Foodist Awards panelists.
Among those recognized were Highball Cocktail Bar, Most Creative Handcrafted Cocktails; Buck & Rider, Top Happy Hour Spot; Zipps Sports Grill, Best Place to Watch a Game; The Vig, Favorite Neighborhood Hangout; Sushi Friend, Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept; and Aunt Chilada’s, Uniquely Arizona.
In a social media post following the event, The Vig said, “What a night! We are incredibly honored to have received the 2026 Foodist Award for Favorite Neighborhood Hangout, presented by the Arizona Restaurant Association. From day one, our mission was to create a space where everyone feels like a local and every seat feels like the best in the house. A little quirky, a lot of fun, and always dependable. Thank you for making us your home away from home.”
For a complete list of 2026 winners, visit https://foodistawards.com.
