Itzia Crespo
Salt & Straw leveled up to a triple scoop on Friday, as its third Valley location opened its doors. The Oregon-based company joined the shops and restaurants at Uptown Plaza on Camelback Road and Central Avenue.
Salt & Straw is famous for its creative and unusual flavors such as strawberry honey balsamic with black pepper and arbequina olive oil. Cousins Tyler and Kim Malek co-founded the company in 2011. Since then, they have expanded to open dozens of stores around the nation.
Tyler said he and Kim initially only dreamed of opening one store.
“We started as a push cart and we were like, one day, we’re gonna have a brick and mortar,” he recalled.
The Uptown Salt and Straw location is the duo’s 50th shop.
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To commemorate the opening, Tyler tapped Chilte’s James Beard-nominated chef LT Smith to collaborate on a flavor. The chef and owner of Chilte, a former food-truck turned award-winning modern Mexican restaurant, is no stranger to collaborations. Tyler said the collaboration with Chilte felt natural after the pair met at a Taco Bell event in Las Vegas.
After their meeting, Tyler and Smith exchanged ice cream recipes over text throughout the following two years, but it wasn’t until Tyler surprised Smith with a visit to Chilte that the duo got to work.
“Looking at the menu at Chilte, it’s like a chef’s playground,” Tyler said. “It’s hard to not be constantly inspired.”
For the new scoop shop’s opening weekend, the duo crafted the Mole de Novia ice cream with brown butter plantains. The unique flavor is only available this weekend, and all proceeds benefit the Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit that supports food and beverage workers during emergency situations.
Patrons can also enjoy the current Thanksgiving series flavors. Try Turkey Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce ice creams or the vegan Cranberry Orange Sorbet.
The new Phoenix scoop shop joins two others in the Valley. The company’s first Arizona store opened in Gilbert’s Agritopia neighborhood in July 2024. Then, just last month, a second location made its debut in Tempe at Novus Place.
At Uptown Plaza, Salt & Straw joins Chula Seafood, Elly’s Brunch Cafe, Flower Child, Zookz Sandwiches, Dynamite Beer, The Henry, Horse & Hyde, Sushi Vibe, Shake Shack, Chipotle and Nekter Juice Bar.
Salt & Straw
100 E. Camelback Road, #104
690 S. Novus Place, #175
3150 E. Ray Road, Gilbert
