The Top 100 Places to Eat and Drink Near Phoenix Premium Outlets
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Rank 1. 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 2. 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 3. Wren Südhalle
German Beer Bar
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Rank 4. 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 5. 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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- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Salads · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Salads · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 7. 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 The 10 best new Phoenix restaurants of 2025
- Phoenix New Times Our top 10 favorite restaurants in Tempe
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Rank 9. 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 10. 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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Rank 11. 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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- 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 13. Feta Cowboy
Mediterranean
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Rank 15. 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 20. Quiessence At The Farm
Arizonan
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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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Rank 26. 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 2025 · Best Coffee Roasters · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Coffee Roasters · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Coffee Roasters · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 27. Chou's Kitchen - Chandler
Northeast Chinese
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- 50 Top Pizza 2025 · #26 · 50 Top Pizza USA
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Honey Bee Pizza · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 31. Ban Chan Korean Cuisine
Traditional Korean
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Korean Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Korean Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 34. The Hidden House
New American
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 35. The Brickyard Downtown
Cocktail Bar
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Rank 37. The Ostrich
Cocktail Bar
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Rank 38. The 480 Bar
Dive Bar
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Rank 39. 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 40. 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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- 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 42. 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 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service · Ross Simon
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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 2024 · Best Neighborhood Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Bar · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 44. 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 45. 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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Rank 46. 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 47. 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 49. The Silver Pony
Dive Bar
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Rank 50. 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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Rank 52. 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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- 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 54. 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 55. Cocina Chiwas
Mexican
Armando Hernandez and Nadia Holguin have built a comfortable, chic room around an open kitchen where mesquite and pecan smoke chars everything from stuffed poblanos to crispy quesadillas, taking you on a journey rooted in their Chihuahuan family cooking. The sweet corn panna cotta alone—creamy and singing with corn flavor against seasonal fruit—signals that these are serious chefs having fun with the food they grew up eating.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Armando Hernandez and Nadia Holguin
- USA Today 2024 · Restaurants of the Year
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Chiles Rellenos · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 56. All Pierogi Kitchen
Eastern European
A charming family spot in Mesa that trades strict Ukrainian borders for the meat-and-potatoes soul of Eastern Europe, with thick, buttery pierogi stuffed with everything under the sun and sausage griddled to a juicy snap. Beef goulash and pork schnitzel that outshine the competition, plus a market counter stocked with frozen pierogi and chilled soups to take home.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Eastern European Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Eastern European Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Eastern European Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 57. 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 2025 · Best Barbecue · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Barbecue · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 58. Joe's Italian Ice
Italian Dessert
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Italian Ice · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Italian Ice · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Italian Ice · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 59. Drunken Tiger
Korean
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 61. 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 62. 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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Rank 63. 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 2025 · Best Dumplings · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Dumplings · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Dumplings · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 65. 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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Rank 66. 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 67. 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 68. 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 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
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. West
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist · Top Mixologist/Bartender · Brenon Stuart
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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 71. 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 72. The Dhaba
Punjabi Indian
The Dhaba takes its name from Indian roadside truck stops, and this cozy Tempe spot captures that same unpretentious energy with homemade breads, tandoori meats, and fried street snacks at prices that won't hurt. Order one of the three thali options if you want to sample across the menu without deciding—you'll get masala chai, fresh naan, and dessert bundled in with your choice of vegetable or meat curries.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Neighborhood Indian Spot · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Neighborhood Indian Spot · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Indian restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 74. 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 75. 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 2025 · Best Historic Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Steakhouse · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Steakhouse · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 76. T. Cooks
Mediterranean
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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 78. 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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Rank 79. 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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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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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 82. 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 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.
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. West
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist · Top Mixologist/Bartender · Brenon Stuart
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Cocktails With a Side of Tasteful Nudity · Best of Phoenix
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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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Rank 86. 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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- Foodist Awards 2023 · Winner · Top Arizona Brewery, Winery, or Distillery Experience
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist: American Pie · Favorite Local Craft Beer
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist: Mango Foxtrot · Favorite Local Craft Beer
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Rank 88. 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 89. Espiritu
Mexican Cocktail Bar
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Emerging Chef · Roberto Centeno
- Eater 2022 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Roberto Centeno
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Rank 90. 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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Rank 91. 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 92. 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 93. 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 94. 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 2025 · Finalist · Outstanding Bar/Nightlife Experience
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Rank 95. Mensho Ramen
Noodles
Mensho brings an imported ramen concept to Mesa with an open kitchen ringed in light wood, where ambitious broths layered with unexpected flavors like matcha and five-fold garlic preparations pair with silky handmade noodles. It's a casual counter spot that's already spawned a second location in Phoenix, drawing crowds eager for something genuinely different in the local noodle scene.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist · Emerging Restaurant of the Year
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Ramen · Best of Phoenix
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- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist: In-Good Spirits · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Bernie Kantak
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Salad: The Original Chopped Salad · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 97. 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 98. 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 99. 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 100. 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