Visitors to the Foothills Mall will soon have a host of new places to dine, and already two new eateries have opened there.
Fast-food restaurants Arby's and All American Burger are expected to open later this year in the mall's food court, Foothills Mall General Manager Regina Harmon said.
And sit-down restaurant El Paso Bar-B-Que, which is located on the southeast corner in its own building, could start serving up babyback ribs and smoked pork tenderloin, among other fare, as soon as Saturday.
Another sit-down restaurant, Sushi Garden North, is expected to open in October. It will be located near the food court entrance in what used to be the Japanese eatery J Nippon.
"We have a lot of exciting stuff going on," Harmon said. "What we are trying to offer our customers is more variety."
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Arby's and All American Burger could open as early as October or in early November, Harmon said.
"I am glad that they are adding Arby's," mall-goer Bob Dooley said about the restaurant, which is known for its roast-beef sandwiches. "I've never heard of the All American Burger, but I am willing to try it."
All American Burger sells burgers and fries.
Dooley and his wife, Julie, visit the Foothills Mall every week to shop or grab a meal. Last week, the pair were having food from Cousins Subs.
"I think they have a really nice variety of food," Julie Dooley said about the food court. "It's good if you want something fast."
Outside the mall, other new dining options are also available.
Located in what used to be Wild Noodles, the Greek restaurant Pappoule's, which sells gyros, salads and other foods, opened in late May. The fast-casual restaurant should start serving beer and wine next week.
And in the food court, Sbarro, which sells pizza and pasta, opened about three months ago where the Domino's Pizza used to be.
El Paso Bar-B-Que will open its second Tucson-area restaurant either this weekend or sometime before Wednesday, area Director Paul Leathers said.
The Northwest Side location will only be open for dinner during the week. It will open at 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and at noon on the weekends, Leathers said.
"Because it is summertime, we thought we would be open for dinner first and then see how things go," El Paso owner Marna Prather said.
Lunch hours will be added in the next couple of months, she said.
Prather and her husband own Scottsdale-based El Paso Bar-B-Que Co., which operates the two Tucson locations, including one at 5510 E. Broadway, and six others in Arizona.
"We wanted to get up to the North Side for several years," Prather said.
People dining at El Paso Bar-B-Que can expect more than ribs, Prather said. Salads, chili and soup also are on the menu.
"We are not just barbecue," Prather said. "People have learned to define us as barbecue, but we sell just as many (other items)."
Next year, World Sports Grille by Sega, which serves American and ethnic food, will open near the mall's south entrance sometime in the spring, Harmon said.
The sports bar and restaurant is operated by Sega Entertainment U.S.A. Inc., the same company that owns GameWorks Studio, which has a location in Foothills Mall.
