Must-see restaurants in Greater Phoenix

  • Kai Restaurant

    Greater Phoenix

    American Indian cuisine – based on traditional crops grown along the Gila River – soars to new heights at Kai ('seed'). Expect creations such as grilled…

  • Barrio Café

    Phoenix

    Barrio's staff wear T-shirts emblazoned with comida chingona, which translates as 'fucking good food,' and they don't lie. This is Mexican food at its…

  • Pa'la

    Phoenix

    It's small, simple and you order at the counter, but don't let the casual, eco-minded ambience fool you into thinking Pa'La is anything but extraordinary…

  • Dick's Hideaway

    Phoenix

    At this pocket-sized ode to New Mexican cuisine, grab a small table beside the bar or settle in at the communal table in the side room and prepare for…

  • FnB

    Scottsdale

    Romantic ambience and culinary wizardry join forces to provide a dinner to remember in Scottsdale. Charleen Badman, named the Southwest's best chef in…

  • Pizzeria Bianco

    Phoenix

    James Beard–winner Chris Bianco has returned to the wood-fired oven and his thin-crust gourmet pies are as popular as ever. The tiny restaurant – a…

  • Tratto

    Phoenix

    Another feather in the cap of Chris Bianco, Phoenix's leading exponent of top-notch pizza, Tratto is the place to head for handmade pasta and expertly…

  • La Santisima Gourmet Tacos

    Phoenix

    Despite having 'gourmet' in the name, La Santisima keeps it real with plastic cutlery and rock music blaring in the background. Mexico City–style tacos…

  • La 15 y Salsas

    Phoenix

    La 15 y Salsas brings the unapologetic flavors of Mexico's Oaxaca province to northern Phoenix, with hand-ground mole pastes (such as the mole negro, made…

  • House of Tricks

    Tempe

    No, they don’t do magic, but Robin and Robert Trick will still wow you with their eclectic, contemporary American menu with influences from the Southwest,…

  • Pizzeria Bianco

    Phoenix

    This second location of the famous downtown pizza joint is in the Town & Country Shopping Center, near Biltmore Fashion Park. It also serves pasta, salad…

  • Green New American Vegetarian

    Phoenix

    Your expectations of vegan food will be forever raised after dining at this hip cafe, where chef Damon Brasch stirs up savory vegan and vegetarian dishes…

  • Phoenix Public Market

    Phoenix

    This buzzing barn of a place – the on-site cafe for Arizona's largest farmers market – attracts a dedicated clientele of Arizona State University (ASU)…

  • Beckett's Table

    Phoenix

    It's country supper in the village's most stylish barn, complete with concrete floor, trussed beams, a walnut communal table and other wooden accents. But…

  • Herb Box

    Scottsdale

    It's not just about sparkle and air kisses at this chichi bistro in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale's Southbridge. It's also about fresh regional…

  • Mission

    Scottsdale

    With its dark interior and glowing votives, we'll call this nuevo Latin spot sexy – although our exclamations about the food's deliciousness may ruin the…

  • Tee Pee Mexican Food

    Phoenix

    If you're snobby about Mexican food, don't dine at the Tee Pee. If, however, you like piping-hot plates piled high with cheesy, messy, American-style…

  • Casey Moore's

    Tempe

    Did somebody say oysters? Oh yes they did. And Casey Moore's is the place to slurp them. Part Irish pub, part seafood restaurant, part Tempe institution,…

  • Azteca Mexican Bakery

    Phoenix

    Pumping out no-frills pastries, burros and hot plates to a no-frills clientele since 1957, this roadside Mexican spot is as authentic as it comes. If you…

  • Matt's Big Breakfast

    Phoenix

    First, a warning: even on weekdays, lines for breakfast can snake out the door. There are no reservations, so sign your name on the clipboard and expect a…

  • La Grande Orange Grocery & Pizzeria

    Phoenix

    Buzzing from daybreak until well after sundown, this bustling gourmet market, bakery, cafe and pizzeria is good for a muffin and coffee at breakfast, a…

  • Fresh Mint

    Scottsdale

    What? Never had kosher Vietnamese vegan? Well, there's always a first time – and if it tastes anything like the food at Fresh Mint, you'll want to get…

  • Windsor

    Phoenix

    With buzzy energy spilling from its central bar, relaxed, efficient staff, craft beers, $5 'pitchas' till 5pm daily and a great take on upscale comfort…

  • Andreoli

    Scottsdale

    Opened by Calabria-born Giovanni Scorzo, this Italian deli has a perpetual line out the door, and for good reason. Whether you grab a panino to go or one…

  • Churchill

    Phoenix

    Repurposed shipping containers set the scene for this outdoor food hall and hangout space. Get in line at one of the food truck–style eateries …

  • Los Dos Molinos

    Phoenix

    Near the foot of South Mountain in a Spanish Mission–style house is this far-flung outpost of New Mexican cuisine. The menu sticks to the basics – tacos,…

  • Flower Child

    Phoenix

    It may be a chain, but it’s healthy, inexpensive and so, so good – veg out on salads, ancient grain bowls, pho and delectable small plates, plus kombucha…

  • Essence

    Phoenix

    Look for French toast and egg dishes at breakfast, and salads, gourmet sandwiches and a few Mediterranean specialties at lunch. The eco-minded cafe…

  • Pane Bianco

    Phoenix

    Part of the Pizzeria Bianco empire, Pane is a top spot for an artisan sandwich. Enjoy salads and sandwiches (the housemade mozzarella with wood-roasted…

  • Sugar Bowl

    Scottsdale

    Get your ice-cream fix at this pink-and-white Valley institution, serving house-made flavors in cones, cups and sundaes since 1958. There's also a full…

  • Mastro's Ocean Club

    Scottsdale

    Mastro's is gunning for the title of best seafood in the Valley of the Sun, and we think it may deserve the crown. Part of an upscale chain linking major…

  • Fry Bread House

    Phoenix

    The American Indian treat known as an elephant ear or Navajo taco is a flat piece of fried dough topped with meat, beans and veggies, or, for dessert,…

  • Durant's

    Phoenix

    This dark and manly place is a gloriously old-school steakhouse. You will get steak. It will be big and juicy. There will be a potato. The ambience is…

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