Ahwatukee Phoenix, AZ

The lore from which Ahwatukee gets its name tells that Miss Helen Brinton, the second owner of a 2,000 acre tract of land, named her home using the Native American Crow words "awe chuuke," which translates to "land on the other side of the hill." Home to many Pima tribespeople, the Gila River Indian Community borders the Ahwatukee Foothills. However, Brinton spent many years in Wyoming where the Crow tribe roamed, which influenced the name she gave her home.

The area is now fully developed with single-family residences, apartment homes and condos, commercial and business properties, and City of Phoenix facilities for parks and recreation, and police and fire departments. Surrounded on the northwest by the South Mountain range and closed off by the I-10 on the east, the area resembles a very large cul-de-sac.

A residential area with easy access to dining, shopping, and businesses, Ahwatukee residents have few reasons to go outside the area for these types of perks. Large selections of dining options available along the I-10 corridor include national-chain barbecue, Mexican, and seafood restaurants.

Local favorite Nello's infuses Italian flavor into gourmet pizzas, pastas, salads, and sandwiches. Owned and operated by the Nello family, the restaurant showcases recipes passed down through the generations. Try the shrimp tagliatelle with asparagus, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, chili flakes, and white wine caper butter. Pair this favorite pasta dish with a Weihenstephaner lager, and finish the meal with house-made tiramisu.

Residents claim that Ezekiel's has the best fried chicken in the Phoenix valley. The small establishment on the corner of Warner Road and 48th Street is operated by a family who moved the soul-food restaurant to Arizona from the East Coast. Diners recommend the fried chicken paired with the baked macaroni and cheese. Ezekiel's, open every day except Sunday for lunch and dinner, offers dine-in, carry-out, and delivery options.

The breakfast crowd can be found at the Nosh Cafe, a place that serves bagels, sandwiches, flavored coffees, and more. Friendly people group together and chat about local events while enjoying their meals. The Granddaddy's Belt is the perfect spin on the classic BLT with bacon, egg, lettuce, and tomato on toasted, buttered multigrain bread. Combine the BLT with a chai latte for a satisfying way to start the day.

The local residents visit the Loco Patron on the far west side of Ahwatukee for some nightlife fun. Others gather at the Ahwatukee Foothills Towne Center where they can enjoy a meal at Keegan's Grill, catch a movie at the AMC Theater and then finish with a drink at Ra Sushi Bar.

Ahwatukee residents enjoy various forms of recreation including walking, hiking, and bicycling. The Foothills features wide roads with ample sidewalks. Many neighborhoods connect using a series of pathways and greenbelts perfect for bicycling. All major thoroughfares feature biking lanes.

Most commuters residing in the Ahwatukee Foothills use personal vehicles for transportation. The neighborhood is located just west of I-10 and north of Pecos Road, which turns into Loop 202. These two highways provide access to infrastructure needed to access the entire Phoenix metro area.

Cab companies do not typically dispatch cars to Ahwatukee for on-street pickup; consider calling one of the local cab companies in advance or using your smart phone to request an Uber or Lyft ride.

For those flying in or out, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport located 10 miles north is the Phoenix metro’s main airport. Depending on traffic, the trip will take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes. All residential areas in the neighborhood feature private parking, and parking is also permitted along most streets. Park and recreation areas provide free public parking, but spaces can be limited. Commercial areas and business complexes also provide ample free parking.

Ahwatukee residents have direct access to several large parks in the area. Pecos Park, located at the south end of 48th Street, provides a recreation center with indoor and outdoor basketball courts, a public swimming pool, a skate park, several soccer fields, a large grassy area with ramadas and a large playground with a splash pad. The recreation center offers classes for adults and children on a variety of different topics. Pecos Park also contains two fenced-in bark parks, one for smaller dogs and one for large breeds. When not in the dog park area, all dogs must be on a leash.

Desert Foothills Park, located on the far east of the neighborhood, provides sand volleyball courts, outdoor basketball courts, a large playground with public bathrooms and a very large grassy area. The City of Phoenix holds several events throughout the year at Desert Foothills Park, including a concert festival series and the Ahwatukee Festival of Lights. Families from the area frequent this park for birthday parties, neighborhood sports tournaments and everyday recreation.

The cost of living in the Ahwatukee Foothills is approximately 9 percent higher than the Phoenix metro area and 15 percent higher than the national average. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Ahwhatukee runs around $850 a month.

One-way fare to Downtown Phoenix via public transportation should cost approximately $4. Gas prices run about 5 percent lower than the national average. Expect to pay around $4 for a pint of beer.

Local residents do not have to go far for everyday shopping. Numerous grocery stores, such as Safeway, Fry’s and Albertsons, and the pharmacies CVS and Walgreens are spread throughout the area. The central shopping area, located at the corner of Ray Road and 48th Street, contains a Target, Best Buy, Hobby Lobby, Petco and other various stores. The Ahwatukee Farmers' Market sets up every Sunday from 9 a.m to 1 p.m. on Warner Road near 48th Street. Approximately 7 miles to the north, Arizona Mills Mall offers a variety of apparel, jewelry and department stores with outlet prices.

High-fashion shoppers will gravitate to Chandler Fashion Center to find shops such as Tiffany & Co., Nordstrom and Sephora. Others will drive 1 mile south to the Phoenix Premium Outlets, which provides outlet prices for Michael Kors, Coach, BCBG Max Azria and DKNY.

Urbayn, a unigue gift shop in the Casa Paloma shopping center, carries an eclectic inventory of gifts. The perfect place to find a gift for that hard-to-shop-for friend, Urbayn prides itself in being the go-to place for great gifts. Shoppers can even create their own unique potpourri from the potpourri bar, which contains shells, rocks and wood chips scented to the approval of the customer.

The Purple Skirt, located on Chandler Boulevard, carries high-fashion brands at reasonable price points. Customers frequent The Purple Skirt for its selection of boutique brands, such as Lauren Moshi, 35MM, Red Haute and LA Made. Ahwatukee native Heather Cisek has been assisting the ladies of Ahwatukee since 2007. She prides herself on providing a personalized experience, making sure every customer finds the exact right look.