The Top 100 Places to Eat and Drink Near Esso Coffeehouse
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A locally owned wine and beer bar with the vibe of a friend's living room, where the staff has actually tasted everything they stock and can talk you through a bottle with real enthusiasm. The kind of place where you'll find natural wines and small-batch beers you won't see anywhere else, arranged by people who genuinely care about what they're pouring.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Wine Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Place to Take a Wine Geek · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Place to Take a Wine Geek · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 3. 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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- 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 5. 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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A brightly lit neighborhood bakery near Seventh and Camelback where owners Brady and Shaun Breeze—who won Food Network's Cupcake Wars as Ollie Cakes—turn out seasonally rotating, prettily frosted cupcakes and cookies without formal pastry training. Their signature brown boxes work as gifts, and the whole place has a fun, family-friendly vibe that keeps people coming back.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Cookies · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Cookies · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Cookies · Best of Phoenix
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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 10. 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 2025 · Finalist · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist: Thai Peanut Poke Bowl · Standout Signature Dish
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Rank 14. 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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Rank 15. Pizzeria Bianco
Pizza
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Food Pioneer · Chris Bianco
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Artisanal/Fancy Pizza · Best of the Valley
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Francesca's Meatball Sandwich · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 16. 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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- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Prosciutto · Best of the Valley
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Charcuterie Board · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 22. The Greedy Hamster
Wine Bar
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Second-Hand Name · 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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- Imbibe Where to Drink in Phoenix
- AZ Central Best Uptown Phoenix coffee shops for meeting friends or making new ones · The ultimate guide to the best Phoenix cafes
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Rank 27. Fàme Caffe
New American
A narrow storefront packed with bistro lights, fresh produce, and the warm clutter of a place that's genuinely loved by its regulars, Fàme Caffe serves excellent New American breakfasts and lunches—the Croque Madame and Frenchie Toast are standouts. The walk-up window keeps weekend brunch lines moving, and everything from the house-made hot sauce to the wooden tables topped with rosemary says this kitchen cares about the details.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Breakfast · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Breakfast · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2026 · The 10 best brunch restaurants in Phoenix
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A Phoenix rarity: a kosher deli where the corned beef and pastrami arrive on double-baked Jewish rye that actually tastes like something. The matzo-ball soup is bracingly seasoned with celery and dill, and the New York cheesecake tastes like someone's grandmother knew what she was doing.
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Rank 29. Across the Pond
Japanese
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist · Top Sushi Restaurant
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Most Creative Handcraft Cocktail Program
- Phoenix New Times Our top 12 favorite sushi restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 33. George & Dragon
British
George & Dragon wears its Anglophilia unabashedly—portraits of the Queen, Buckingham Palace photos, and football kits crowd every wall, while matches play on the screens above the bar. The kitchen turns out proper bangers and mash, pasties, and fish and chips, the beer selection ranges well beyond Guinness, and owner David Wimberley, a native Englishman, holds court on the patio with stories that tend toward colorful language.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best British Pub · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best British Pub · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best British Pub · 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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Rank 38. The Gladly
New American
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist: In-Good Spirits · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Original Chopped Salad · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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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 41. Rito's Mexican Food
Mexican
A Phoenix institution since 1977, Rito's is a casual counter spot where the green chile burro draws lines out the door, and you can get virtually anything deep-fried chimichanga-style and smothered in red sauce and cheese. The Salinas family also does a mean guacamole taco and refried pinto beans, making this a go-to for no-frills, craveable Mexican food.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Burritos · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Burritos · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 42. 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 43. Otro Cafe
Mexico City-Style Mexican
A colorful, modern neighborhood spot in uptown Phoenix where weekend brunch tables go fast and the salsas pack real heat. Chef Doug Robson's Mexico City-style menu shines with crispy papas fritas and cajeta pancakes topped with banana, crème fraîche, caramel, and candied peanuts.
- Phoenix New Times 2026 · The 10 best brunch restaurants in Phoenix
- Eater Chilaquiles · The Most Iconic Dishes in Phoenix
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- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Off-Label Use of Pickles: Dill Pickle Pizza · Best of the Valley
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Rank 45. 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 2025 · Top 10 U.S. Nominee · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar
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Rank 46. Tesota
Global
Doug Robson's sprawling Camelback Road spot trades his Mexican restaurant playbook for a freewheeling global menu—poke, pasta, Asian noodles, wings—all executed with the same careful hand that built his neighborhood empire. Comfortable booths and natural light make it feel less like a chef's victory lap and more like a genuinely good place to eat whatever sounds right that day.
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- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Flagstaff Import · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2026 · The 10 best brunch restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 49. 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 2023 · Best Lesbian Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Lesbian Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Lesbian Bar · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 50. 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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- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Canto-American Chinese Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Canto-American Chinese Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Chinese restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 52. Bar1
Cocktail Bar
A neighborhood gay bar with candlelit booths and pinball machines where people actually talk to each other, Bar 1 trades the usual nightlife theatrics for a genuinely relaxed vibe. The rotating drink specials (beer busts on Monday, Long Island Wednesdays, 2-for-1 Thursdays) and craft cocktail list keep things lively without the attitude.
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Gay Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
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Rank 53. Swizzle Inn
Dive Bar
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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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Rank 56. Dick's Hideaway
New Mexican New American
A neighborhood New Mexican spot on 16th Street so unmarked you'll need to know where you're going, but once you're squeezed into the tiny dining room you'll understand why Friday nights require divine intervention—excellent red and green chile plates, a serious bar program, and that open-flame grill's heat reaching your barstool. The Taos tenderloin and green chile burger are the kind of food that makes a small, crowded room feel exactly right.
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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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Rank 59. Kabob Grill N' Go
Armenian Middle Eastern
At Kabob Grill N' Go, Hasmik greets you warmly while her husband Tony tends the live coals in a haze of mesquite smoke, roasting marinated skewers he's perfected over years. The massive combos come loaded with over a pound of meat, basmati rice, Shirazi salad, and grilled vegetables—casual counter service that feeds two and leaves regulars genuinely evangelical.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Takeout · 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 New Times 2025 · Best Farmers Market · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Farmers’ Market · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 62. Joe's Diner
American
A bright yellow beacon in the Melrose District that draws weekend breakfast crowds the way a neon sign draws moths, Joe's Diner packs people into booths and around communal tables for biscuits and gravy and towering burritos. The buttermilk pancakes are legitimately fluffy, the coffee is black and hot, and the whole operation runs on the principle that breakfast is serious business.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Classic Diner · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Classic Diner · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best breakfast spots in Phoenix
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Rank 63. 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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The cozy dining room at this Melrose Peruvian spot glows with color and warmth, a neighborhood place where the cocktail program runs to pisco sours and the beer list favors Peruvian imports. Expect the hits—lomo saltado, ceviche mixto, arroz chaufa—alongside less obvious pleasures like anticuchos, grilled beef heart skewers that are dense, chewy, and completely worth ordering.
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in Phoenix
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- Phoenix New Times The 10 Best Coffee Shops in Phoenix
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Neighborhood Coffee Shop: Phoenix · Best of the Valley
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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 67. China Chili Restaurant
Chinese
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Chinese restaurants in Phoenix
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Szechwan Prawns · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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- AZ Central Best Uptown Phoenix coffee shops for meeting friends or making new ones · The ultimate guide to the best Phoenix cafes
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 72. Title 9 Sports Grill
Beer Bar
A new sports bar in Phoenix's Melrose district that fills its walls with photos of women athletes and journalists, deliberately designed as a space where girls can see themselves represented in sports. Co-founders Kat Moore and Audrey Corley have created something that draws everyone from high school coaches to female MLB agents, with interior design choices that nod subtly to queer pride.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best New Sports Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
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- Eater The Best Bars in Phoenix
- AZ Central 2025 · Best bars in metro Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
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- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Tuna Sandwich · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
- Eater The Best Bakeries in Phoenix, Arizona
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Rank 75. Copper Star Coffee
Coffee
A converted gas station in Melrose churns out bagels and lattes from 6 a.m., with a drive-thru window and a shaded patio where you can linger or grab-and-go. The house-made bagels come in flavors like jalapeño cheddar and sun-dried tomato, stacked into breakfast sandwiches with eggs, cheese, and your choice of meats.
- AZ Central Best Midtown Phoenix coffee shops for meeting friends or making new ones · The ultimate guide to the best Phoenix cafes
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best breakfast spots in Phoenix
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 76. 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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- 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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- 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 82. 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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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 84. 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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- 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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Rank 86. Glai Baan
Thai
Chef Cat Bunnag's tight menu pulls from her Bangkok and Isan roots, delivering kao soi, larb moo, and pork skewers that taste like street food from a Thai night market. This casual neighborhood spot fills up fast, so book ahead and expect to stand around a cocktail if you arrive walk-in—the wait is worth it.
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
- USA Today 2024 · Restaurants of the Year
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Pornsupak “Cat” Bunnag
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Rank 87. 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 88. 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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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 90. Chopper John's
Dive Bar
This black-and-red dive off Indian School Road has dollar bills papering its walls up to a ceiling strung with Christmas lights, and a regular crowd that feels like the place's natural furniture. Local rock bands play the intimate stage most nights, and the pool tables, bar stools, and patio smokers keep things humming whether you're here for the music or just the company.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Rock Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Dive Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in 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 92. Casa Corazon Restaurant
Southern Mexican
Casa Corazon's salsa bar is a well-curated spread of a dozen house-made salsas with flavors ranging from creamy pineapple to bracingly fresh serrano, all paired with the restaurant's own tortillas chips. This gourmet Mexican spot in central Phoenix rewards multiple visits to the bar alone, and the smoky morita salsa is worth seeking out if you like heat.
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Mexican Happy Hour · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 93. Richardson's
Mexican
Richardson's is a swanky New Mexican dining room with leather booths, copper accents, and a massive marble bar—nothing dusty about it, despite the Southwestern setting. The kitchen does hearty stuff well, from carne adovada eggs Benedict at brunch to rack of lamb basted with green chile jelly and pecan-wood-grilled burgers at dinner.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist · Uniquely Arizona
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best New Mexico Cuisine · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best New Mexico Cuisine · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 94. 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 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service · Ross Simon
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bar
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Rank 95. Old Heidelberg Bakery
German Bakery
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Rank 96. 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 2024 · Best Southern Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Southern Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Southern Food · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 97. 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 98. 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 99. 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 100. 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