The Top 100 Places to Eat and Drink Near Caminero Mexican Restaurant
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Rank 2. Fabio On Fire
Italian Pizza
Fabio Ceschetti, a third-generation Italian baker from near the Swiss border, runs this neighborhood trattoria in Peoria where the pizza arrives blistered and chewy from a pizzaiolo who actually cares about the dough. The silky house-made porchetta and delicate handmade pastas—like lasagna layered with besciamella and ragu—are just as compelling as the pies.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Italian Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Most Creative Use of Tallow · Best of the Valley
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Pork Jowl · Best of the Valley
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Pork Belly · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 4. Haldi Indian Cuisine
Indian
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Indian restaurants in Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Tellicherry Lamb Fry · The 10 best bites we tasted at Phoenix restaurants
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Indian Cuisine: West Valley · Best of the Valley
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Rank 9. Fabio On Fire
Italian
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Rank 10. Oscar's Pier 83
Seafood
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Fast Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Fast Food · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 15. Casa de Falafel
Middle Eastern
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- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Matcha · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Mest Matcha · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 Best Coffee Shops in Phoenix
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- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Indian restaurants in Phoenix
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Indian Cuisine: West Valley · Best of the Valley
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Rank 18. Irish Wolfhound Pub
Irish British
An expansive Irish pub in Surprise where bartenders know regulars by name and strangers turn into friends over pints, complete with Guinness signs and maps of the Emerald Isle scattered across the room. The kitchen does proper pub food—fish and chips, corned beef and cabbage, weekend Irish breakfasts—while live music, karaoke, and trivia nights keep the calendar packed.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Irish Pub · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
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Rank 19. Mr. Sweets Bakery
Middle Eastern Bakery
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Rank 20. D & Y Chinese Food
Chinese
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- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Restaurant to Take a Geek · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Restaurant to Take a Geek · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The top 10 burger joints in Phoenix
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- Spirited Awards 2026 · Top 10 Nominee · U.S. Bartender of the Year · Libby Lingua
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Top 10 Nominee · Best U.S. Bar Team
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bar
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Rank 28. Valentine
Southwestern
A cozy Melrose spot in a midcentury furniture store where chef Nico Zades builds the entire menu around Arizona ingredients—Sonoran wheat pretzels with guinea hen butter, elote pasta with local cheese, grass-fed beef at brunch. The adjacent Bar 1912 speakeasy leans into the same hyperlocal obsession with cocktails built on foraged pine liqueur and Arizona-sourced spirits, all served in a sophisticated but entirely unsnobby room.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker · Crystal Kass
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker · Crystal Kass
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. West
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Rank 29. Ta'carbon Mexican Grill
Sonoran Mexican
- USA Today 2025 · Restaurants of the Year
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Tacos · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Carne Asada · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 30. Seido Sushi
Sushi
- Phoenix New Times Our top 12 favorite sushi restaurants in Phoenix
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best West Valley Sushi · Best of the Valley
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Rank 31. Kid Sister
Wine Bar
Kid Sister is an intimate wine bar on Seventh Street where Progress alumni and friends have created a vibrant, airy neo-bistro inspired by travels across Europe and the U.S. The condensed, evolving wine list offers plenty by the glass alongside chef Isaac Mendoza's small bites, and don't sleep on their spritzes.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service · Zac Adcox
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Best New Bar
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Small Plates · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 32. Carry On
Cocktail Bar
Step into a meticulously designed 1970s first-class cabin where flight attendants in vintage uniforms serve martinis and roving beverage carts dispense cocktails crafted by award-winning bartender Jax Donahue, all while the city vanishes from the cabin windows. It's an immersive splurge that requires advance reservations and a willingness to suspend disbelief—think Mad Men luxury without the turbulence.
- 50 Best 2025 · Best Bar Design Award
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Top 10 U.S. Nominee · Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service · Jax Donahue
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A neighborhood institution since 1977, Rito's is a counter where you order and take your food to go, and the real draw is the famous green chile burro that still brings lines out the door. They'll also deep-fry and sauce up any item chimichanga-style, and the guacamole tacos and refried pintos are equally worth the wait.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Burritos · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 34. Tell Your Friends
Cocktail Bar
Descend into this velvet-draped speakeasy beneath The Americano for cocktails that blend unexpected flavors—chile liqueur with goat cheese, vanilla pudding stirred into spirits—while live musicians set the mood. It's a splashy, gold-trimmed kind of place where the drinks are inventive and the bill reflects the glamorous underground atmosphere.
- Industry Excellence Awards Bar of the Year
- Sunset 2025 · Better Bars · Where to Eat and Drink
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner · Iconic Speakeasy Experience
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- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
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Rank 36. Little Rituals
Cocktail Bar
Ascend to this fourth-floor hotel bar where a metal beaded curtain announces your arrival at a glittering den of upholstered luxury, and order a cocktail from a menu illustrated like a picture book with drinks you won't find elsewhere. The sophisticated crowd here ranges from hotel guests to locals making a night of it, and the bar snacks run from small bites to proper meals.
- The Pinnacle Guide 1 Pin
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bar
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bar
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Rank 37. Las 15 Salsas Restaurant Oaxaqueño
Oaxacan Mexican
A colorful patio strung with lights sets the scene for serious Oaxacan cooking at this Sunnyslope spot, where memelas and tamales wrapped in banana leaves are just the warm-up act. The five styles of mole are the real draw, paired with cocktails built from rare agave spirits and earthy café de olla.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Oaxacan Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Mole · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Mole · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 38. Platform 18 at Century Grand
Cocktail Bar
Platform 18 at Century Grand recreates the interior of a Prohibition-era Presidential train car with wood paneling and digital windows showing mountain vistas, making it easy to forget you're in downtown Phoenix. The bar specializes in reimagined classic cocktails and original drinks inspired by 1920s New York—try the Film Star, a Vesper variation with olive oil-washed gin and lemon Lillet served with orange and thyme caramel corn, though you'll need a reservation to board.
- The Pinnacle Guide 2 Pins
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Top 4 Finalist · Best U.S. Bar Team
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Top 10 Nominee · U.S. Bartender of the Year · Nicole Giampino
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Rank 39. Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour
Cocktail Bar
- The Pinnacle Guide 2 Pins
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Top 10 Nominee · Best U.S. Hotel Bar
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. West
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Rank 40. Los Reyes De La Torta
Mexican
A casual counter spot where enormous tortas—layered with fried beef, chorizo, egg, avocado, and more on soft telera bread—arrive as genuine meals for two. The juice bar pulls fresh aguas frescas and wild fruit bombas topped with paper umbrellas, turning a sandwich run into something celebratory.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Tortas · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Tortas · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 41. Lom Wong
Regional Thai
In a black bungalow downtown, Lom Wong serves northern Thai food rooted in owner Yotaka Martin's childhood in Chiang Rai—hand-pounded curry pastes, charcoal-grilled sausage, and dishes meant for sharing. Boozy cocktails spiked with fish sauce and rose water pair beautifully with the bold, layered flavors.
- Food & Wine 2025 · Yotaka Martin · Best New Chefs
- Esquire 2023 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Yotaka and Alex Martin
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Rank 42. Japan Express
Japanese
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Rank 43. Chilte
Modern Mexican
LT Smith and Aseret Arroyo run this modern Mexican restaurant in a converted motor lodge on Grand Avenue with a swagger that matches the food—birria stuffed into hand-pressed squid ink tortillas, mole de la casa, grasshopper quesadillas. The seasonal menu and frequent chef collaborations reward repeat visits from people who take their eating seriously but refuse to take themselves too seriously.
- Food & Wine 2024 · Best New Chefs · Lawrence "LT" Smith
- Bon Appétit 2023 · America's Best New Restaurants
- Esquire 2023 · The Best New Restaurants in America
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Rank 45. Taco’s Javi
Mexican
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A white-tablecloth Southwestern restaurant in a tucked-away Paradise Valley inn, Lon's commands views of ruddy mountains from its broad patio and a stellar bar, with seasonal menus that might bring parsnip ravioli with elk shank ragout or buttered prawns in red curry coconut milk. The weekend brunch is the move—huevos rancheros and a yeasty monkey bread loaded with cream, caramel and chocolate that could be a meal on its own.
- AAA Four Diamonds
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner · Ultimate Patio Atmosphere
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist: Sticky Toffee Pudding · Most Delectable Dessert
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Rank 47. Chula Seafood
Seafood
The owners of this seafood counter in Uptown Plaza catch their own swordfish and deep-sea buoy fish off California waters aboard their harpoon boat, then sell it never-frozen by the pound or in composed dishes. Poke bowls, confit tuna sandwiches, and swordfish tacos anchor the menu, with grilled oysters and Mexican wild shrimp filling out a rotation that takes sustainability seriously without sacrificing flavor.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Kyle Kent
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist: Thai Peanut Poke Bowl · Standout Signature Dish
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
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A proper Italian deli in West Phoenix where the meat and cheese counter takes center stage and sandwiches like the Italian Stallion arrive loaded with cold cuts, provolone, and house dressing on crusty Italian bread. Beyond takeout cuts, there's an antipasto bar, homemade pasta dishes, gelato, and cannoli that deserve a trip on their own.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Italian Deli · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Italian Deli · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Italian Deli · Best of Phoenix
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Chef Cory Oppold's stripped-down fine-dining room sits anonymously in a Scottsdale strip mall, but the tasting menu inside is where he stakes his claim after years working some of the Valley's best kitchens. Expect five courses on weeknights or eight on weekends, with small bites that shift with the seasons.
- The Pinnacle Guide 2026 · 1 Pin
- USA Today 2025 · Restaurants of the Year
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker · Antonia Kane
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- Esquire 2023 · The Desert Martini · The Best Martinis in America
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist · Most Creative Handcrafted Cocktail Program
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best One-Two Punch · Best of Phoenix
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- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Double Burger · Most Crave-Worthy Burger
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix New Times The top 10 burger joints in Phoenix
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Rank 53. City of Spice
Indian
The owners opened City of Spice after tiring of mediocre Indian food around Phoenix, and their families' restaurant pedigree shows in every plate—there are shatteringly crisp dosa, silky malai kofta, and expertly balanced biryanis, with explanatory slides overhead encouraging you to try something unfamiliar. The staff guides you through the menu with genuine warmth, making this a casual neighborhood spot where you feel welcomed whether you're ordering your go-to dish or taking a chance on something new.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Halal Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Halal Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Chai High · Best of the Valley
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- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Chicken Wings · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Chicken Wings · Best of Phoenix
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- Phoenix New Times The 10 Best Coffee Shops in Phoenix
- AZ Central Best Uptown Phoenix coffee shops for working or studying · The ultimate guide to the best Phoenix cafes
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Neighborhood Coffee Shop: Phoenix · Best of the Valley
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- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- AZ Central 2025 · Best bars in metro Phoenix
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Rank 57. Great Wall
Cantonese Chinese
A sprawling dim sum hall in the West Valley where carts of Cantonese staples trundle past your table and weekend afternoons descend into controlled chaos, with crowds queuing for lacquered duck, chewy lo mein, and fried wontons. It's the kind of place where you point at what you want and let the noise and bustle of hungry diners around you make the meal feel like an event.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Dim Sum · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Dim Sum · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Dim Sum · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 58. The Fry Bread House
Native American
The Fry Bread House has been a Melrose institution since 1992, serving Tohono O'odham dishes in a family-run spot that predates the neighborhood's current wave of trendy arrivals. The pillowy namesake fry bread — whether stuffed with beef and beans or topped with chocolate — is why people keep coming back.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Authentic Arizona Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Authentic Arizona Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Authentic Arizona Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 60. JL Patisserie
French Bakery
A European bakery where owner Jenna Leurquin turns out exceptionally flaky croissants, kouign-amann, and pain au chocolat alongside thick slices of quiche. The seasonally rotating coffees and buttery viennoiserie justify a morning detour, and the macarons and fresh bread travel well for later.
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bakery
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Pastries · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Pastries · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 61. Restaurant Progress
European
A corner of the historic Wagon Wheel building in Melrose has been transformed into a lush, intimate dining room where plants and twinkle lights set a quietly romantic mood. Chef-driven European cooking arrives as a five-course tasting menu or à la carte—handmade pasta and steak tartare are equally at home whether you're committing to the full experience or just dropping in with a bottle of wine.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · TJ Culp
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Date Night Spot · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Date Night Spot · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 62. La Purisima Bakery
Mexican Bakery
A line usually snakes out the door of this traditional Mexican bakery in Glendale, where the pastry cases overflow with molasses cochinitos, fruit-filled pan dulce, and those giant pink pig-shaped cookies that are dangerously addictive. The fresh tortillas and chile tamales are stellar, but come hungry and bring cash—it's the kind of place where you'll want to try everything.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Mexican Bakery · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Mexican Bakery · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Mexican Bakery · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 63. Boycott Bar
Cocktail Bar
A welcoming lesbian bar in the Melrose District marked by a pink light, Boycott pours cold beers and well-made cocktails alongside drag shows and dancing. The event calendar rotates through Pride parties, Latin nights, and country dance floors, making it equally good for a casual drink or a full night out.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Lesbian Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Lesbian Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Lesbian Bar · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 64. Barcoa Agaveria
Mexican
A converted warehouse on First Avenue houses two agave-focused bars run by the Phoenix food-festival producer David Tyda: the energetic main-level cantina opens onto a patio where you can sip mezcal cocktails among local artists' work, while the basement bar downstairs trades volume for intimacy and an encyclopedic selection of spirits. Provecho food truck camps outside if you want tacos with your tequila.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner · Outstanding Bar/Nightlife Experience
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist · Most Creative Handcrafted Cocktail Program
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Agave-Based Cocktails · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 65. Huarachis Taqueria
Sonoran Mexican
Under the electric pink glow of its neon sign, this casual Sonoran spot serves family-style platters of charred meats—ribeye, roasted chicken, carnitas—with an abundance of sides meant for sharing and tucking into soft tortillas. Chef René Andrade's approach balances earnest technique with playfulness, backed by shareable snacks like loaded asada fries and one of Phoenix's more inventive cocktail programs.
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. West
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Massive Portions · Best of Phoenix
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
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- USA Today 2026 · Restaurants of the Year
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. West
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 67. Hana Japanese Eatery
Japanese
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Sushi/Japanese · Best of the Valley
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Honeymoon Shooter · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Coffee Flavors · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central Best Uptown Phoenix coffee shops for working or studying · The ultimate guide to the best Phoenix cafes
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Breakfast Burrito · Best of the Valley
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Rank 69. Pretty Penny
International
A sleek Roosevelt Row dining room draped in forest green where two bartenders known for rowdy nightlife pivoted to cooking serious food—think hamachi al pastor and orecchiette with charred-tomato bolognese, plus caviar service if you're splurging. The cocktails (charred tomato martini, passionfruit negroni) are built to match the boldness on the plate, making this an upscale celebration of a meal.
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. West
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist · Top Mixologist/Bartender · Brenon Stuart
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. West
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Rank 70. Harvey's Wineburger
Dive Bar
A decades-old Phoenix dive with billiards and a jukebox, Harvey's draws a neighborhood crowd with seven-dollar burgers seared on the flat top with red wine and a reliably friendly bar staff. The bright green walls, generous weekend happy hours, and late-night hours until midnight make it an easy place to settle in for a drink and something to eat.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Hamburgers · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix New Times The top 10 burger joints in Phoenix
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Rank 71. Ta'Carbon
Sonoran Mexican
Step up to the counter at this casual Sonoran spot and survey the overhead menu before ordering small plates of smoky carne asada, tangy al pastor, and the house Hazz blend of meat, green chile, and melted cheese. Build your own tacos or burritos from the a la carte options, then hit the salsa bar for fresh green, red, and orange varieties to dress up each bite.
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner · Exceptional Culinary Experience
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Restaurant Views · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Restaurant Views · Best of Phoenix
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- AZ Central Best Uptown Phoenix coffee shops for curling up with a book · The ultimate guide to the best Phoenix cafes
- AZ Central 2025 · Best bars in metro Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
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- AZ Central 2025 · Best bars in metro Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Chicken Tecolota @ Requinto · The 10 best bites we tasted at Phoenix restaurants
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Vayals Indian Kitchen moved from a food truck into a strip-mall brick-and-mortar where servers steer you right and booths fill up fast with neighborhood regulars seeking rich curries and tender flatbreads. The dal makhani is chunky with whole black lentils, and the kothu parotta—a pan-grilled flatbread chopped up with spicy vegetables and your protein of choice—hits hard.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Neighborhood Indian Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Indian restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 76. Pizzeria Bianco
Pizza
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Food Pioneer · Chris Bianco
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Artisanal/Fancy Pizza · Best of the Valley
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Rosa · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 77. Tratto
Italian
Chris Bianco's trattoria pairs handmade pastas shaped with obsessive precision—bucatini, rigatoncini—with Arizona ingredients like local lemons and seasonal foraged bounty. The wine list leans into esoteric Italian amari and house-made liqueurs, and the whole enterprise has the refined-but-unstuffy feel of a place that takes every detail from bread to olive oil seriously.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Food Pioneer · Chris Bianco
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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A casual burger joint in Scottsdale that borrows In-N-Out's stripped-down playbook but trades it for higher-end beef and a taco menu that justifies the upgrade in price. Most dishes hit hard enough to make you a regular, even if a few menu items don't quite earn their place.
- USA Today 2026 · Restaurants of the Year
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Milkshakes · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 79. Bacanora
Sonoran Mexican
Rene Andrade mans the grill alone at this bare-bones Sonoran spot, rotating a tight menu of mesquite-charred beef, grilled octopus, and shrimp aguachiles that nod to his childhood street food while reflecting years in fine dining kitchens. His caramelo—a crisp flour tortilla layered with melted cheese and impossibly rich carne asada—is the kind of plate that lingers in your head long after.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Winner · Best Chef: Southwest · Rene Andrade
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Rene Andrade, Roberto Centeno, and Derek Christensen
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Winner · Top Mixologist/Bartender · Moises Castro
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Rank 81. Tacos Chiwas
Chihuahua-style Mexican
A husband-and-wife operation that started as a tight counter serving Chihuahua-style street food and has grown into a proper local chain without losing its edge. The barbacoa and pastor tacos are the ones to order, though the rajas quesadilla—spicy enough to make you crave horchata—proves they're equally skilled with everything else on the menu.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Armando Hernandez and Nadia Holguin
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Armando Hernandez and Nadia Holguin
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
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- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist · Top Sushi Restaurant
- Phoenix New Times Our top 12 favorite sushi restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 83. Bad Jimmy's
American
Bad Jimmy's is a casual downtown burger joint with a cocktail bar tucked in, where a pop-up concept has solidified into a breezy hangout slinging smash burgers and rotating specials. The waffle fries are properly crisp, the wings move fast, and the vanilla soft serve finished with olive oil is the kind of small flourish that keeps people coming back.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Double Burger · Most Crave-Worthy Burger
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Smashburgers · Best of Phoenix
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
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Rank 84. Killer Whale Sex Club
Cocktail Bar
A moody Roosevelt Row cocktail lounge decorated with beautifully smutty polaroids shot inside the bar—a cheeky visual joke that somehow feels democratic rather than sleazy. The veteran mixologists behind the counter match the playful irreverence with inventive, experimental drinks that taste like intimate treats.
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist · Top Mixologist/Bartender · Brenon Stuart
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. West
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Cocktails With a Side of Tasteful Nudity · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 85. Little Miss BBQ
Southern Barbecue
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Scott Holmes
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Pastrami · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 86. T. Cooks
Mediterranean
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Rank 87. Bikini Lounge
Tiki Dive Bar
A wood-paneled relic from 1947, Bikini Lounge still pulls you in with drafts poured into frozen glasses and a bar dressed in kitschy tiki tchotchkes, pool tables, and a patio for smoking. Tuesday nights transform the place into a dance floor when a DJ spins vinyl, though come prepared with cash and patience for a crowd that won't let you leave early.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Place to Party on a Tuesday · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Dive Bar · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2025 · Best bars in metro Phoenix
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Rank 88. Marisco Boys
Seafood
The team behind Taco Boys swapped casual for swanky with this new seafood spot on Seventh Street, where mesquite-grilled fish and ceviches get the date-night treatment. Yellowtail tostadas arrive piled with black garlic aioli and fried leeks, and the molcajetes—stacked with shrimp, octopus, and your choice of ceviche or steak—are built for sharing.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best New Mexican Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 89. El Rincon Poblano Mexican Grill
Poblano Mexican
A warm, family-run spot in a strip mall on Thomas Road where Puebla's culinary traditions come alive through Mole Poblano, herbaceous Pipian Verde, and a signature Cemita Poblana that demands both hands. The Agustin family's lesser-known specialties—including the precursor to al pastor—taste like history on a plate, with Puebla's art adorning pastel walls to match.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Pueblan Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Pueblan Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 90. Kitsune Brewing
Beer Bar
Owner Tyler Smith's infectious energy fills this neighborhood craft brewery, where a rotating sour program spins out nostalgic riffs like margarita and Star Wars–inspired Bantha Milk alongside their core IPAs and brown ales. Food trucks park outside to fuel another round while you wait for the adjoining ramen bar to finally open.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Place to Take a Geek Who Loves Beer · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
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- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist · Emerging Restaurant of the Year
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Pizza With Puppies · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · 20-Layer Short Rib Lasagna · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 93. Melindas Alley
Cocktail Bar
Duck into the alley beside the Renaissance Downtown and descend into a crimson cocktail lounge that swallows all other colors whole, its low velvet seating and rotating chalkboard of drink specials designed for lingering. Open just two nights a week, this moody basement spot rewards the effort to find it with glamorous coupe glasses and the sense that you've stumbled onto something truly private.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist · Top Mixologist/Bartender · PJ Vader Baron
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Speakeasy · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
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Rank 95. CC's On Central
Cajun & Creole
Sharon and Devan Cunningham run this cozy neighborhood spot where Louisiana and Mississippi roots show up in a shrimp étouffée that's light and bright, and beef debris so tender and rich it demands grits underneath. The menu moves restlessly between Southern breakfast classics and creative left turns—cardamom-spiced French toast, Hong Kong-style pralines, whatever they feel like cooking that day—and it all lands.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Southern Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Southern Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Southern Food · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 96. Saint Pasta
Italian
Chef Racan Alhoch runs a boisterous downtown pasta spot that channels East Coast red-sauce nostalgia through a neon-lit open kitchen playing Frank Ocean and the Sopranos on loop. The rigatoni in vodka sauce and Caesar salad are worth the wait at this no-reservations room where the food stays composed even as the energy around you doesn't.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Sauce · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 97. First & Last
New American
The Gold Spot building's soaring ceilings and candlelit booths make this a date-night spot where the Hammonds' rotating menu swings from buttery clams to inventive sourdough bolognese, anchored by craft cocktails with real backbone. By day it's a counter operation slinging focaccia sandwiches and grandma pizza slices that draw lines, though dinner is when the romance kicks in.
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Winner · Emerging Restaurant of the Year
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Sandwiches · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
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Rank 98. Gracie's Tax Bar
Beer Bar
A faded pink building tucked off Seventh Avenue conceals a dive bar that's part neighborhood living room, part rotating nightclub, where cheap beer and a jukebox set the tone for games of Scrabble and late-night DJ sets on the patio. Gracie's Tax Bar, housed in a former tax office since 2017, keeps things loose with themed watch parties and tournaments, the kind of place where strangers become drinking buddies by closing time.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Jukebox · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Jukebox · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Jukebox · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 99. Bagelfeld's
NY-Style Bakery
- Bon Appétit The Very Best Bagels in the US (Yes, Outside New York)
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Bagels · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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