The Top 100 Restaurants Near Elvira’s
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Rank 1. Elvira’s
Innovative Mexican
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Rank 2. Pescada
Coastal Mediterranean
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- 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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- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Upscale Indian Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Indian restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 6. Persian Room
Persian
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Kash O'Bademjan · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix New Times The top 10 burger joints in Phoenix
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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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 9. Talavera
Latin
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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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Rank 11. Hush Public House
New American
Chef Dom Ruggiero's intimate spot in Scottsdale serves New American food with real soul—think an oxtail-laden riff on Italian beef with molten cheese and giardiniera, or crab-perfumed hush puppies that set the tone for what follows. The open kitchen fills the room with cooking sounds and smells while a house playlist of nostalgic rock plays to a crowd of cordial regulars, all of whom seem to understand they're in on something special.
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Winner: Cast Iron Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- Phoenix New Times The 12 best restaurants in Scottsdale
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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 14. Kembara
Asian
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist: Beef Rendang · Standout Signature Dish
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Chili Crab · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 16. Zinc Bistro
French
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Food Pioneer · Matt Carter
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Dungeness Crab Salad · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 20. Tía Carmen
Southwestern Mexican
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist · Emerging Restaurant of the Year
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist · Top Chef · Angelo Sosa
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Ember-Roasted Purple Yam · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 25. Andreoli Italian Grocer
Italian
Giovanni Scorzo's shop-restaurant in north Scottsdale stocks shelves with proper Italian flours and oils while a casual dining room serves his Calabrese cooking that roams across regional traditions—orecchiette with broccoli and sausage, branzino with herbs, grilled squid with parsley and lemon. The pastry case alone, filled with cannoli and sfogliatelle that rank among the best in the metro area, makes a stop worthwhile even if you're just grabbing supplies.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outsdanding Hospitality
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Italian Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Italian Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 29. La Zozzona
Italian
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Rank 30. City of Spice
Indian
The owners opened City of Spice after tiring of mediocre Indian food around Phoenix, and their families' restaurant pedigree shows in every plate—there are shatteringly crisp dosa, silky malai kofta, and expertly balanced biryanis, with explanatory slides overhead encouraging you to try something unfamiliar. The staff guides you through the menu with genuine warmth, making this a casual neighborhood spot where you feel welcomed whether you're ordering your go-to dish or taking a chance on something new.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Halal Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Halal Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Chai High · Best of the Valley
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Rank 31. Hiro Sushi
Traditional Sushi
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- Foodist Awards 2024 · Winner: Hush Burger · Standout Signature Dish
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Winner: Cast Iron Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist: Hush Burger · Most Crave-Worthy Burger
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- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Indian restaurants in Phoenix
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 35. Original Breakfast House
Californian
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Sweet-Savory Breakfast: Fried Chicken with Deep-Fried French Toast · Best of the Valley
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Chicken-Fried Chicken with French Toast · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 37. Indibar
Modern Indian
Chefs Nigel Lobo and Ajay Singh have brought fine dining technique to Indian cuisine in a sleek desert-modern dining room with an eye-catching Art Deco bar, and their butter chicken alone—tender, char-grilled, bathed in complex cream—justifies the white-glove service. Modern presentations of street food classics sit alongside regional dishes like Kerala-style branzino wrapped in banana leaf, while the pastry and bar teams riff on nostalgic Indian flavors with equal ambition.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best New Restaurant
- USA Today 2026 · Restaurants of the Year
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
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Rank 42. T. Cooks
Mediterranean
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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 46. Fat Ox
Italian
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Food Pioneer · Matt Carter
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Italian · Best of the Valley
- Phoenix New Times The 12 best restaurants in Scottsdale
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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 48. 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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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 50. Citizen Public House
American
Chef Bernie Kantak's Citizen Public House trades the fanciness its name suggests for a relaxed dining room where classic American cooking gets a savory edge—think crispy sesame pork belly and scallops that actually shine. The Original Chopped Salad is popular enough to have its own Facebook following, and the whole operation has the ease of a place where the staff genuinely seem to like what they do.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist: In-Good Spirits · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Salad: The Original Chopped Salad · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 12 best restaurants in Scottsdale
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Charleen Badman sources vegetables and rare ingredients from Arizona farms and beyond, braiding them into dishes that range across the Sonoran Desert, South America, and the Levant in this Scottsdale fine-dining kitchen where she still cooks most nights. Co-owner Pavle Milic's wine list—heavy on Arizona producers—is reason enough to tuck into the hidden bar, which might be the best seat in the house.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Chef · Charleen Badman
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Arizona Wine Selection · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Arizona Wine Selection · 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 54. Los Reyes De La Torta
Mexican
A casual counter spot where enormous tortas—layered with fried beef, chorizo, egg, avocado, and more on soft telera bread—arrive as genuine meals for two. The juice bar pulls fresh aguas frescas and wild fruit bombas topped with paper umbrellas, turning a sandwich run into something celebratory.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Tortas · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Tortas · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 55. 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 56. Steak 44
Modern Steakhouse
A dark, polished steakhouse on Phoenix's north side that somehow feels as comfortable for a casual bar dinner as it does for celebrations, with a modern menu that ranges from hand-cut wet-aged beef to soft shell crabs in vanilla bean tempura. The 12-ounce Delmonico arrives butter-drenched with beautiful marbling, or you can splurge on truffle butter if you're feeling it.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Steakhouse · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Steakhouse · Best of the Valley
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Rank 57. 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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- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner · Outstanding Bar/Nightlife Experience
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants In Scottsdale
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Rank 59. Pizzeria Virtu
Wood-fired Pizza
Chef Gio Osso runs this wood-fired pizzeria out of a house with a backyard patio in Old Town Scottsdale, where fine dining ease meets casual neighborhood warmth. The pies come topped with San Marzano tomatoes, chestnut honey, rapini pesto, and peppered bacon, all cradled in fluffy, bubbly dough.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Pizza · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- Phoenix New Times The 12 best restaurants in Scottsdale
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Rank 60. Uchi
Japanese
Chef Tyson Cole's upscale Japanese restaurant brings its Austin sophistication to Old Town Scottsdale, with precise sushi and sashimi anchoring a menu that ranges from tempura to grilled meats and inventive crudos. Order à la carte, go full omakase, or build a custom tasting menu, but don't skip the signature Hama Chili with yellowtail, ponzu, and Thai chile.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner · Top Sushi Restaurant
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Place to Take a Foodie · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Place to Take a Foodie · Best of Phoenix
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At Sizzle, the servers do the grilling tableside while you sit back with a drink, moving around the room like seasoned dancers to flip cuts and manage the flow. Order a sampler platter of pork or beef and you'll get a rotating parade of different cuts, vegetables, and sides that turns dinner into something between a meal and a show.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Korean Barbecue · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Korean Barbecue · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Korean Barbecue · Best of Phoenix
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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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- 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 64. Las 15 Salsas Restaurant Oaxaqueño
Oaxacan Mexican
A colorful patio strung with lights sets the scene for serious Oaxacan cooking at this Sunnyslope spot, where memelas and tamales wrapped in banana leaves are just the warm-up act. The five styles of mole are the real draw, paired with cocktails built from rare agave spirits and earthy café de olla.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Oaxacan Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Mole · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Mole · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 65. Shinbay
Omakase Sushi
Chef Shinji Kurita presides over a 13-seat counter in Old Town Scottsdale, where he builds an omakase progression that might include kombu-cured halibut, scallop with yuzu-miso, and perfectly calculated nigiri across two seatings nightly. It's a splurge at $250 a person, reserved well ahead and worth the two hours you'll spend watching a master at work.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Japanese Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Japanese Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants In Scottsdale
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Rank 66. Vecina
Latin-Inspired
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist · Exceptional Culinary Experience
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Hiramasa Ceviche · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 67. Élephante
Mediterranean
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Espresso Martini · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best New Pizza Hot Spot · Best of the Valley
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants In Scottsdale
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Rank 68. CATCH
Sushi
A polished steak-and-sushi room inside Scottsdale Fashion Square where you might spot designer bags at the next table, but the food—briny crudo, lobster-topped wagyu rolls, herb-roasted branzino on creamy lemon rice—justifies the splurge. Prices are steep, but the kitchen delivers where many Scottsdale luxury spots just deliver theater.
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Herb-Roasted Branzino · 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 69. 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 70. 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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- AAA Four Diamonds
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist · Brunch With a Punch
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants In Scottsdale
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Tucked into Old Town Scottsdale with warm lighting and tables built for lingering, this globe-trotting spot channels Anthony Bourdain's restless appetite through handmade pasta, egg yolk nigiri, brisket burnt ends, and bison with maitake bordelaise. The cocktails are crafted with the same precision and playfulness as the food, making it the kind of place where dinner becomes an adventure.
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Best Mocktail: Smartest Cocktail in the Room · Best of the Valley
- Phoenix New Times The 12 best restaurants in Scottsdale
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Rank 73. Liquor Pig
Cocktail Bar
A moody Old Town Scottsdale tavern where the cocktails—like olive oil-washed dirty martinis—are as playful as the ever-rotating menu, and the service puts you at ease whether you're perched at the bar solo or crowded into a booth with friends. Order shareable plates of ceviche and burrata, but make room for the mafaldine in duck bolognese, a rich pasta dish that justifies the indulgence.
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Most Luxurious Meat Board · Best of the Valley
- Phoenix New Times The 12 best restaurants in Scottsdale
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Rank 74. Tacos Veganos
Vegan Mexican
A casual counter where vegan Mexican food tastes as indulgent as the real thing, with jackfruit quesabirria tacos and loaded burritos that won't leave you feeling deprived. Carnivores and plant-based eaters alike come back for the bold flavors and cheap thrills.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Vegan Mexican Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Vegan Mexican Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Vegan Mexican Food · Best of Phoenix
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The Tamale Store is a no-frills counter where tamales—hand-filled with everything from beef and chile to spinach cream cheese—are the only thing on the menu, made without lards, preservatives, or shortcuts. A twenty-year family operation that rotates seasonal flavors and dessert varieties alongside the classics, so there's always something new to try alongside the standards.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Tamales · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Tamales · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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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 77. Tratto
Italian
Chris Bianco's trattoria pairs handmade pastas shaped with obsessive precision—bucatini, rigatoncini—with Arizona ingredients like local lemons and seasonal foraged bounty. The wine list leans into esoteric Italian amari and house-made liqueurs, and the whole enterprise has the refined-but-unstuffy feel of a place that takes every detail from bread to olive oil seriously.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Food Pioneer · Chris Bianco
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 78. 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 79. 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 80. 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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- 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 84. 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 85. 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 87. 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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- 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 89. 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 90. Huarachis Taqueria
Sonoran Mexican
Under the electric pink glow of its neon sign, this casual Sonoran spot serves family-style platters of charred meats—ribeye, roasted chicken, carnitas—with an abundance of sides meant for sharing and tucking into soft tortillas. Chef René Andrade's approach balances earnest technique with playfulness, backed by shareable snacks like loaded asada fries and one of Phoenix's more inventive cocktail programs.
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. West
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Massive Portions · Best of Phoenix
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
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- USA Today 2026 · Restaurants of the Year
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. West
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 92. 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 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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A midcentury diner transplanted into Scottsdale's neighborhood breakfast scene, The Eleanor pairs cozy booths and a counter with a menu that moves easily between fluffy blueberry pancakes and avocado toast. Ellefson and Macaulay built the place to let you linger over slow coffee or grab something quick, and their in-house maple butter alone justifies the trip.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Breakfast · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best breakfast spots in Phoenix
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Rank 95. 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 96. 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 97. 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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Rank 98. 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.
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best breakfast spots in Phoenix
- 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 100. 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