The Top 100 Places to Eat and Drink Near El Fogon Taqueria
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Rank 1. El Fogon Taqueria
Authentic Mexican
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 2. KAI
American
Chef Drew Anderson sources saguaro fruit, tepary beans, and wild sumac from the Sonoran Desert and Gila River Community lands to build an ambitious tasting menu that filters indigenous ingredients through global fine-dining technique. It's an intimate, rooted experience where cactus key lime pie and buffalo with saguaro syrup sit alongside dishes that feel both deeply local and expansively creative.
- Forbes Travel Guide Forbes Five Star
- AAA Five Diamonds
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Hospitality
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Rank 3. Sushi Nakano
Edo-style Sushi
Leo Nakano left Scottsdale's sushi establishment to open this strip-mall counter in Ahwatukee, where he crafts Edo-style nigiri with meticulous sourcing and a respect for rice that most neighborhood joints never bother with. The prices stay humble despite the quality, and if you ask nicely on a slow night, he'll make you signature preparations like salmon with pickled kombu or cold-smoked kuro-dai.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Sushi · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times Our top 12 favorite sushi restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 4. Wren Südhalle
German Beer Bar
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Rank 5. Origami Ramen Bar
Noodles
An Osaka-born chef who trained at Nobu cooks classical ramen with real depth—his paitan broth is creamy and unctuous, his miso blends Hokkaido pastes into something that rivals the Valley's best. Casual counter spot slinging solid bowls alongside takoyaki made the way his mother taught him.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Ramen · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Ramen · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 6. The Silver Pony
Dive Bar
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Rank 7. Los Dos Molinos
Mexican
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 8. Quiessence At The Farm
Arizonan
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Rank 11. The Bagel Man
New York
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Bagels · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Bagels · Best of Phoenix
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- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Salads · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Salads · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 14. Hola Cabrito
Mexican
Maria Lopez has been roasting whole goats in banana leaves since 2011 at this South Phoenix counter, following her mother's recipe from Guanajuato, and the consommé runs clear and deep while the meat stays tender with a gentle gaminess. Order the birria tatemada—meat pressed on the griddle with rendered fat until it crisps—and you'll understand why locals line up here instead of chasing the Instagram version.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Birria · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Birria · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Birria · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 16. Mimi Forno Italiano
Italian
A small neighborhood spot in Laveen that's become worth the drive across Phoenix, Mimi Forno Italiano fills up with couples and friends drawn to crispy, creamy arancini and wood-fired pizzas that range from vegetable-loaded to loaded with house-made meatballs and cured meats. The casual energy invites you to linger at the bar or settle in with a whole menu's worth of eating.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Pizza · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Pizza · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 17. JL Smokehouse
Barbecue
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 19. Supreme Shawarma
Spit-roasted Middle Eastern
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 20. 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 21. 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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Rank 22. Bar Capri
Italian
A strip-mall Italian spot with deep green walls, gold candelabras, and the intimate feel of a historic downtown room, Bar Capri serves straightforward, satisfying plates of lasagna, calamari, and arrancini alongside a carefully chosen wine list and stellar cocktails. Linger over tiramisu or chocolate torte at the small bar in back and you'll understand why this cozy neighborhood joint has become a genuine destination.
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- Phoenix New Times Our top 10 favorite restaurants in Tempe
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best new Phoenix restaurants of 2025
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Rank 23. Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour
Cocktail Bar
- The Pinnacle Guide 2 Pins
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Top 10 Nominee · Best U.S. Hotel Bar
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. West
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- Phoenix New Times The 10 best breakfast spots in Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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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 27. Feringhee Modern Indian Cuisine
Modern Indian
Chefs Sujan Sarkar and Karan Mittal push Indian cuisine in new directions at this bright spot in a Chandler shopping center, where cocktails arrive infused with masala chai and ghee and small plates invite family-style grazing. The Kashmiri lamb chops are stunning, the black dairy dal is essential, and the gulab jamun cheesecake shows they're not afraid to reimagine the classics.
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist · Best World Flavor
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Upscale Indian Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Upscale Indian Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 29. 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 30. Pizzeria Bianco
Neapolitan Pizza
Chris Bianco's compact brick room in Heritage Square has been the reason Phoenix became a pizza town—his Neapolitan pies, built on tomato, fresh mozzarella, and basil, inspired a generation of American pizzaioli since 1996. Lines still wrap around the block for wood-fired pizza from a man who won two James Beard Awards and fundamentally changed how Americans think about pizza.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Food Pioneer · Chris Bianco
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
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- Phoenix New Times Our top 10 favorite restaurants in Tempe
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Curry Lamb Pot Pie · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 32. 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 10 Nominee · U.S. Bartender of the Year · Nicole Giampino
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Top 4 Finalist · Best U.S. Bar Team
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Rank 33. 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 34. 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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- 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 36. 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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Rank 37. 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 2024 · Best Tequila Bar · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 38. 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 39. 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
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker · Crystal Kass
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Rank 40. 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 41. 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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Rank 42. 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 43. Stardust Pinbar
Cocktail Bar
You yank open a freezer door at Ziggy's Magic Pizza and slip into Stardust, where a glowing dance floor, pinball machines, and disco ball await behind the speakeasy's barely-concealed entrance. It's the kind of place where goths, Disney adults, and whatever just-released concert crowd is nearby converge most nights to sing in English and Spanish until the small hours.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Dance Floor · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Hidden Bar · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2025 · Best bars in metro Phoenix
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Rank 44. 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 2023 · Winner: Tomahawk Steak · Standout Signature Dish
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A 1910 house in Tempe where college kids and seasoned drinkers mix happily over cheap drinks and solid food, with the kind of homey chaos that makes you feel like you've always belonged there. The place has earned its reputation as the real heart of the town—and possibly a ghost or two—by never taking itself seriously and always getting the good times rolling.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Neighborhood Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Neighborhood Bar · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 46. Shimogamo
Sushi
A polished sushi counter in a Chandler strip mall where the focus lands on pristine raw fish rather than elaborate rolls, with occasional treasures like escolar and sweet shrimp alongside more familiar nigiri and sashimi. The Zen Roll—spicy yellowtail with shishito peppers and pickled burdock, topped with albacore and spicy soy—shows the kitchen's willingness to riff without abandoning restraint.
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist · Best World Flavors
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Japanese Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Sushi · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 47. Cafe Lalibela
Ethiopian
A husband-and-wife team has run this stripped-down Tempe spot for decades, serving some of the best Ethiopian food in the Phoenix area with an emphasis on vegetarian dishes and the spongy injera bread that anchors most meals. The key sega wat—a spicy beef stew—is worth the trip, and the glossary menu means newcomers won't feel lost navigating unfamiliar territory.
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix New Times Our top 10 favorite restaurants in Tempe
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Rank 48. Gallo Blanco
Mexican
Gallo Blanco occupies a historic brick building in Garfield with big windows and an airy feel, serving straightforward Mexican food across breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Start with the guacamole and chips, then move on to something like the barbacoa burrito or Taco Dorado, ideally chased with a house Paloma.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Paloma · Best of Phoenix
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants In Phoenix
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Rank 49. Latha
African
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist · Emerging Restaurant of the Year
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist · Best World Flavor
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
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Rank 50. Mariscos Playa Hermosa
Sinaloan seafood Mexican
Bright pink and blue chairs face walls painted with Mexican landscapes at this Sinaloan seafood spot, where the dining room is almost as much fun as the food itself. The multipage menu spans grilled shrimp Micheladas, aguachiles, and seafood towers, best paired with a Serrano margarita on the colorful patio.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Mexican Seafood · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Mexican Seafood · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Mariscos · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 51. 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 52. 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 2023 · Best Jukebox · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Jukebox · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Jukebox · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 53. The Chuckbox
Southwestern
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist: The Great One · 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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Greenwood Brewing's bright, marble-and-brass taproom on Roosevelt Row feels nothing like a typical brewery, which makes sense since it was built by a former home brewer intent on welcoming everyone to craft beer. The pale ale called Herstory anchors a rotating lineup of thoughtful brews, and you can settle into one of two courtyards with a food order from nearby restaurants.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Unusual Beer: Mango Lassi · Best of Phoenix
- Imbibe Where to Drink in Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
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Rank 55. Taco Chelo
Mexican
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
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Rank 56. Sidewinder
Diner American
A Garfield diner swaggering in neon and Marlboro signage, all cow skulls and dive-bar swagger, where the kitchen turns out hot chicken and five-dollar sloppy joes with equal conviction. It's the kind of place that doesn't apologize for what it is, or what it serves.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Trendy Diner · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Trendy Diner · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Trendy Diner · Best of Phoenix
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A brewpub in a converted warehouse on Roosevelt Row with an outdoor bar built into a shipping container, where the rotating seasonal beers are matched by serious bar food—massive burgers that change monthly, duck fat fries, and a hot fried chicken sandwich. The vibe is relaxed and social, with long communal tables perfect for an evening of drinks and eating well under the Phoenix sky.
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Winner: Vegan Bahn Mi · Best Vegan Delight
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist: Refuge IPA · Favorite Local Craft Beer
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Birthday Beer Deal · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 58. Lovebite Dumpling
Chinese
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Affordable Downtown Lunch · Best of Phoenix
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants In Phoenix
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Rank 59. Rough Rider
Cocktail Bar
A hidden basement speakeasy in downtown Phoenix where you take the elevator down to a moody, wood-lined room that feels plucked from another century, all dark corners and cozy nooks. Cocktails carry cheeky Victorian names and the kitchen matches the mood with chicory-rubbed duck, black garlic pork chops, and fried cauliflower that tastes like upscale fish and chips.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Underground Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Imbibe Where to Drink in Phoenix
- Eater The Best Bars in Phoenix
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Rank 60. Sottise
French
A converted white bungalow on Second Street draws crowds who settle into marble-topped tables under exposed brick to work through the wine list and oysters on the porch. The French bistro moves easily from casual (baked brie with pear and sage) to splurge-worthy (caviar by the gram), backed by a soundtrack of vinyl records and the warm hum of people having a genuinely good time.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Date Night Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best French Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best French Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 61. 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 62. The Stockyards
Western Steakhouse
The Stockyards has been slinging corn-fed steaks and prime rib since 1947, in a dining room that feels like it's been waiting for you since the cattle-baron days, with baking soda biscuits that haven't changed and a wood-paneled saloon designed by a rancher's wife. Order the Arizona cut rib-eye, nurse a whiskey, and settle in among the Western leather and old-school swagger of a place that takes its steakhouse pedigree seriously.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Steakhouse · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Steakhouse · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Historic Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 63. T. Cooks
Mediterranean
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Rank 64. 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 65. Wren House Brewing
Beer Bar
A 1930s house in the Green Gables neighborhood that's been converted into a taproom where strangers become regulars around a big wooden community table and plastic dinosaurs decorate the bar. The award-winning Spellbinder hazy IPA and rotating fruit beers draw a steady crowd, and food trucks reliably park out front if you didn't bring in takeout from a nearby restaurant.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Spellbinder · Favorite Local Craft Beer
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Brewery · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Brewery · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 66. 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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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 68. Harlow's Cafe
Diner American
Harlow's has been the kind of place where regulars camp out with coffee for hours, turning University Drive into a proper neighborhood corner near Arizona State's campus. The kitchen does unfussy breakfast and lunch—creamed chipped beef on toast, French dips, chicken-fried steak—with the kind of competence that only comes from nearly three decades of doing the same things right.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Old-School Diner · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2026 · The 10 best brunch restaurants in Phoenix
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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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- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Beef Wellington · Standout Signature Dish
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner · Top Chef · Ivan Gonzalez
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Winner · Most Creative Handcrafted Cocktail
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Rank 71. The Vig
Beer Bar
The Vig is a neighborhood bar with an ambitious drinks list and gastro-pub food that doesn't take itself too seriously, anchored by a sprawling patio that has its own bar and a bocce court. Local bands and DJs keep things lively, and the kitchen stocks plenty of vegetarian options alongside its more indulgent fare.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Daily Specials · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 72. Ollie Vaughn's
Bakery
Ollie Vaughn's is a neighborhood bakery and cafe tucked into a strip mall on McDowell Road, where a decade of careful cooking with local ingredients shows in things like pork chile verde with fried egg in cast iron or lemon ricotta pancakes topped with blueberry compote. Grab a pastry from the case and a cozy table inside, or linger on the small patio while the morning light stretches across.
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best breakfast spots in Phoenix
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 73. 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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Rank 74. Stoop Kid
American
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Hamburgers · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Hamburgers · Best of Phoenix
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
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Rank 75. Little Miss BBQ - University
Texas-style Barbecue
You'll stand in line with your nose in the smoke, watching the menu board get taped over as items sell out, then order your meat from the counter guy before moving on to sides that range from mac and cheese to jalapeño cheddar grits. This casual Texas Hill Country-style barbecue shop run by competitive pitmasters does straightforward, top-tier brisket, pulled pork, and butter-soft beef short ribs on weekends.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Scott Holmes
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Barbecue · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Barbecue · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 76. Arizona Wilderness DTPHX
Arizonan
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Winner: Vegan Bahn Mi · Best Vegan Delight
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist: Refuge IPA · Favorite Local Craft Beer
- AZ Central 2025 · Best bars in metro Phoenix
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Rank 77. 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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- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Double Burger · Most Crave-Worthy Burger
- Phoenix New Times The top 10 burger joints in Phoenix
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Rank 79. Mister Pio
Peruvian
Smoke from an enormous rotisserie oven fills this small, modern counter spot the moment you walk in, announcing exactly what you came for. Order a whole or half bird with salad and Peruvian sauces, thick-cut fries, and an Inca Kola, and you'll understand why the parking lot smells the way it does.
- Eater 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best French Fries · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
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Rank 80. Feta Cowboy
Mediterranean
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Rank 81. Tacos Chiwas
Chihuahuan Mexican
- 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 · Winner · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
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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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- 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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Rank 84. Old Town Taste
Sichuan Chinese
A bright neon sign marks this strip-mall Sichuan spot where turquoise booths and lazy susans signal you're in for a casual, convivial meal. The Chongqing-style spicy chicken—tender meat in crunchy batter studded with chiles and numbing Sichuan peppercorns—is worth the trip alone.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Traditional Chinese Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Traditional Chinese Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
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Rank 85. The Little Woody
Dive Bar
Red-lit dive with darts, pool, and a game room where young crowds gather on weekends to dance and play until 2 a.m. The cocktails are sharp—try the bourbon Gun Shy Sour—and the kitchen turns out flatbreads and hot dogs that hit the spot.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Winner · Outstanding Bar/Nightlife Experience
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
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Rank 86. Cibo Pizzeria
Wood-fired Pizza
Neapolitan wood-fired pizzas and house-made pasta arrive in a twinkling garden patio and 1913 bungalow that feels like dining in a friend's lush, candlelit home. Chef Guido Saccone's kitchen also turns out killer burrata and fresh limoncello from a family recipe, making this downtown spot worth the reservation scramble.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Restaurant Patio · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Restaurant Patio · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Restaurant Patio · Best of Phoenix
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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 88. Peixoto Coffee
Brazilian
Julia and Jeff Peters roast their family's Brazilian coffee beans right in the corner of this bright Chandler cafe, where the straightforward menu—espresso, cappuccino, cortado, nothing fancy—lets the sourcing and roasting speak for themselves. Pair your cup with pastries from Pistol Whipped or empanadas from AZ Food Crafters, and you've got a casual spot that takes its coffee seriously but wears it lightly.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Coffee Roasters · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Coffee Roasters · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Coffee Roasters · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 89. Sauvage
Natural Wine Bar
Sauvage is a natural wine bar tucked into a historic cottage on McDowell Road, where owner Chris Lingua pours only wines from lesser-known producers and chats up customers about fermentation and terroir over charcuterie and tinned fish. Occasional pop-up dinners from local chefs turn the space into something more ambitious, but the everyday draw is the chance to taste wines that taste like nothing else on a mainstream wine list.
- Esquire 2024 · The Best Bars in America
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Place to Find a Pop-Up · Best of Phoenix
- Eater The Best Bars in Phoenix
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Rank 90. Skysill Rooftop Lounge
Cocktail Bar
Eighteen stories above Mill Avenue, this rooftop bar trades indoor comfort for unobstructed views of A Mountain, downtown Tempe, and the glittering Mill Avenue Bridge at night—grab a cocktail at the covered bar and wander the open deck with a drink in hand. The food menu of carne asada tacos, Caesar wraps, and flatbreads works hard to keep up with Arizona beers and seasonal drinks that shift with the weather.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Rooftop Pool · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Rooftop Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Rooftop Bar · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 91. The Dirty Drummer
Dive Bar
A longtime Phoenix dive that shuttered and roared back to life in 2019, The Dirty Drummer serves wings and burgers alongside a rotating slate of country, rockabilly, and touring acts that might have you line dancing one night and catching back-to-back sets the next. Sports fans and folks hunting a no-frills good time will find plenty of reasons to return, especially during happy hour.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Bar Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Country Bar · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2025 · Best bars in metro Phoenix
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Rank 92. Harumi Sushi Bar
Modern Sushi
A small, buzzy sushi counter in downtown Phoenix where the rice itself becomes a signature—burgundy Forbidden black rice that gives every piece a visual and nutritional edge. The H3 roll (spicy tuna and salmon with fish roe) and the $35 omakase platter prove that good sushi doesn't need to be precious, just precisely made.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Place to Eat Before a Downtown Event · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Place to Eat Before a Downtown Event · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times Our top 12 favorite sushi restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 93. 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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Rank 94. Cafetal Coffee
Columbian
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Coffee Shop · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 Best Coffee Shops in Phoenix
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- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Matcha · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Coffeehouse · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Coffeehouse · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 96. Happy Baos
Northern Chinese
A modest counter tucked into Mekong Plaza's food court, Happy Baos has stayed put while restaurants around it come and go, turning out chewy handmade dumplings and plump steamed buns that justify the loyalty. The 20-piece dumpling combo hits five different fillings, and the dan dan noodles with crunchy peanuts are sharp enough to remember on the drive home.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Dumplings · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Dumplings · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Dumplings · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 97. Testal Mexican Kitchen
Chihuahuan Mexican
A small counter-service spot on Grand Avenue where Chihuahuan cooking gets intense and soulful, Testal makes unusual burritos that arrive open at both ends like overstuffed rolled tacos—small enough that you'll want two, big enough to justify trying the bright birria and the creamy rajas with their crisp poblano slices. The burritos are the essential order, though bowls, tacos, and breakfast round out a menu built on flavors that linger.
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Fernando Hernández
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Chihuahuan Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Mexican Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
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- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Thai Restaurant · Best of the Valley
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Khao Soi · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona