The Top 100 Places to Eat and Drink Near Rayoog Cafe
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Rank 1. Rayoog Cafe
Middle Eastern
Rayoog Cafe, a Gilbert outpost of a Middle Eastern mini-chain, serves sprawling shared breakfasts built around runny eggs, housemade falafel, and creamy spreads that demand bread for mopping. The Mam's Tray is the real draw—a theatrical platter crowned with stacked metal teapots and ringed with small dishes of sweet and savory bites.
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Rank 2. Maeva
Fine dining French
A fine dining room in Gilbert with dark walls and checkerboard tile serves delicately crafted French cuisine—try the tuna crudo or pork ragu ravioli, or commit to the four-course tasting menu with the chef's discretionary bites. Stop by mornings for lavender lattes and smoked salmon danish, then return dressed up for a date night that feels like a brief escape to France.
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Chicken Soup en Croute · The 10 best bites we tasted at Phoenix restaurants
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best new Phoenix restaurants of 2025
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Rank 3. The White Rabbit
Cocktail Bar
Find the red light on a Gilbert side street, get the monthly password from the website, and pass through a bookcase door into a Victorian speakeasy with leather banquettes and locked cabinets of rare spirits. The cocktails here—think bacon fat-washed bourbon or gin-and-tequila refreshers—are the whole point, mixed with the kind of craft and specificity that justifies the cloak-and-dagger setup.
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Speakeasy · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
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Rank 4. Caldwell County Mexi-Q
Barbecue
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Rank 5. The Great Gadsby
British Bakery
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best British Bakery · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best British Bakery · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 6. 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 7. 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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- 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 9. 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 10. 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 11. Woodnotes Cellar
Belgian Beer Bar
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Rank 12. Don Guerra's Barrio Bagel & Slice
Sonoran Bakery
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Tucson Import · Best of Phoenix
- Eater The Best Bakeries in Phoenix, Arizona
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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 14. Espiritu
Mexican Cocktail Bar
- Eater 2022 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Emerging Chef · Roberto Centeno
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Roberto Centeno
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- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
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Rank 18. Main Burgers
American
Retro-cool burger counter from a trio of James Beard-nominated restaurateurs, with pastel tiles and a cartoon burger on the wall, where semi-smashed patties arrive hot off the line. The Sonora burger—griddled cheese, chiltepin, bacon—is the real draw, best enjoyed with crispy fries and an eventual craft beer from their upcoming brewery next door.
- 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 The top 10 burger joints in Phoenix
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Rank 19. 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 24. The 480 Bar
Dive Bar
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Rank 25. Guadalupe On Main
Jalisco Mexican
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Margaritas · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Street Corn Queso · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 27. The Ostrich
Cocktail Bar
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Rank 29. 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 30. The Brickyard Downtown
Cocktail Bar
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Rank 31. Chou's Kitchen - Chandler
Northeast Chinese
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Rank 33. Bobby-Q BBQ
Arizonan
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Rank 36. 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 37. Peixoto Coffee
Brazilian Coffee
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Coffee Roasters · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 Best Coffee Shops in Phoenix
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Neighborhood Coffee Shop: East Valley · Best of the Valley
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Rank 40. Rebel Wine Lounge
Wine Bar
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Rank 41. Que Chevere
Venezuelan
After years running a food truck, Orvid Cutler and Maria Fernanda opened this casual Venezuelan spot in downtown Mesa where arepas—thick, griddled corn flatbreads—anchor both sides and mains, stuffed with everything from shredded chicken to black beans. The menu surprises with fried-plantain sandwiches and corn pancakes with an almost mysterious sweetness, plus fresh cheese sticks and tropical drinks.
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Rank 42. Chupacabra Taproom
Beer Bar
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Rank 43. 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 44. Proof Artisan Bread
Sourdough Bakery
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- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Chinese Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Chinese restaurants in Phoenix
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- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist: Voodoo Fried Rice · Best Dish in a Supporting Role
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · New Orleans Shrimp and Grits · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist · Best World Flavors
- Phoenix New Times Our top 12 favorite sushi restaurants in Phoenix
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The Stone is a bright, casual Korean spot in Mesa's Asian District where bubbling soondubu arrives in an earthenware crock and you crack a raw egg into the fiery broth yourself, watching it cook alongside house-made tofu and your choice of seafood or beef. Beyond the signature tofu stews, there's beef bulgogi and bibimbap, though fair warning: the red broth means white shirts don't survive the meal.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Korean Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 54. 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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- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Chinese restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 57. Shaanxi Garden
Northern Chinese
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Chinese restaurants in Phoenix
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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 61. Hapa Food
Hawaiian
A small, wildly popular Hawaiian spot doing short-menu plate lunches with kalbi that's charred sweet and smoky, poke seasoned with restraint, and chicken glazed in garlicky excess. Malasadas come fried to order and stuffed with vanilla custard or ube cream, making it worth tracking their daily specials and arriving hungry.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Hawaiian Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Hawaiian Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 63. 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 64. 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 67. Feta Cowboy
Mediterranean
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Rank 68. 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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Rank 69. Roosters Country
Beer Bar
A longtime country honky-tonk with a checkered dance floor, pool tables, and a bar featuring 12 taps mounted in a repurposed fire truck, Roosters has anchored the Valley's live-music scene since 1972. The crowd is unpretentious and welcoming, the patio sprawls across enough space for a second stage and smoking station, and the jukebox never stops spinning local acts and karaoke nights.
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Bar for Country Music · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
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Rank 70. Dulce Churro Café
Dessert
A casual spot in a strip mall where fresh churros come in loops, bites, and sticks made to order, then customized with everything from mango dip to sprinkles. The magic is in the execution: each one arrives hot with a crackling exterior and a tender, yielding center that justifies all the hype.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Churros · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Churros · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 72. 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 73. Caldwell County BBQ
Texas-Style Barbecue
Park out back and walk past giant smokers puffing smoke as you head to the counter at this Gilbert barbecue spot with wooden picnic tables and a modern-country feel. The mesquite-smoked prime brisket with its peppercorn crust and the apple-butter turkey breast are the standouts, though the monster El General Patton sandwich—brisket, pulled pork, and sausage on one roll—proves that more is sometimes better.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Expansion · 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 74. 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 76. Com Tam Thuan Kieu
Vietnamese
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Rank 77. Joe's Italian Ice
Italian Dessert
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Italian Ice · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Italian Ice · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Italian Ice · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 80. 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 Our top 10 favorite restaurants in Tempe
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Rank 82. Aruma Cafe
Mexican
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Rank 87. Catalyst Crafted Ales
Beer Bar
Will Walthereson's sleek 2023 brewhouse in Tempe makes a serious play for adventurous beer drinkers with playful sours, assertive IPAs, and an Italian pilsner poured European-style with a dramatic foam collar. The in-house taco counter keeps pace with the bold brews, and the sprawling patio gives you plenty of room to work through the list.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best New Brewery · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best New Brewery · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 89. 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 90. Ted's Hot Dogs
American
A New York transplant runs this casual counter joint where the hot dogs are properly plump and juicy, the brats equally impressive, and both land on fluffy toasted buns. The real draw is the sides—fries smothered in gravy, a regional rarity—and specials like the White Hot, which pairs sauerkraut and mustard with dead-serious intent.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Hot Dogs · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Hot Dogs · 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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Rank 93. 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 95. The Chill Room
Coffee
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Rank 96. Mandi House
Yemeni Middle Eastern
- Phoenix New Times Our top 10 favorite restaurants in Tempe
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 98. Haji-Baba
Middle Eastern
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Rank 100. 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