The Top 100 Restaurants Near Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass
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Rank 1. 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 2. 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 3. 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 6. 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 7. El Fogon Taqueria
Authentic Mexican
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- AZ Central 2025 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 8. 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. Feta Cowboy
Mediterranean
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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 12. 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 16. Quiessence At The Farm
Arizonan
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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 19. Chou's Kitchen - Chandler
Northeast Chinese
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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 22. 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 23. The Brickyard Downtown
Cocktail Bar
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Rank 25. 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 26. 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 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 2023 · Best Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Neighborhood Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Neighborhood Bar · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 28. 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 29. 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 30. 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 31. 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 32. 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 33. 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 34. 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 35. 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 37. 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 38. 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 39. 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 40. T. Cooks
Mediterranean
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Rank 41. 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 42. 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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- 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 44. The Stockyards
Western Steakhouse
The Stockyards has been slinging corn-fed steaks and prime rib since 1947, in a dining room that feels like it's been waiting for you since the cattle-baron days, with baking soda biscuits that haven't changed and a wood-paneled saloon designed by a rancher's wife. Order the Arizona cut rib-eye, nurse a whiskey, and settle in among the Western leather and old-school swagger of a place that takes its steakhouse pedigree seriously.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Steakhouse · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Historic Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Steakhouse · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 45. 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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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 47. 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 48. 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 49. 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 2024 · Winner · Top Mixologist/Bartender · Moises Castro
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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 51. 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: Double Burger · Most Crave-Worthy Burger
- Phoenix New Times The top 10 burger joints in Phoenix
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Rank 53. 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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Rank 54. 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 55. 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 56. Taco Chelo
Mexican
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In 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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A brewpub in a converted warehouse on Roosevelt Row with an outdoor bar built into a shipping container, where the rotating seasonal beers are matched by serious bar food—massive burgers that change monthly, duck fat fries, and a hot fried chicken sandwich. The vibe is relaxed and social, with long communal tables perfect for an evening of drinks and eating well under the Phoenix sky.
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Winner: Vegan Bahn Mi · Best Vegan Delight
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist: Refuge IPA · Favorite Local Craft Beer
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Birthday Beer Deal · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 59. 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 60. Lovebite Dumpling
Chinese
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Affordable Downtown Lunch · Best of Phoenix
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants In Phoenix
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Rank 61. Ollie Vaughn's
Bakery
Ollie Vaughn's is a neighborhood bakery and cafe tucked into a strip mall on McDowell Road, where a decade of careful cooking with local ingredients shows in things like pork chile verde with fried egg in cast iron or lemon ricotta pancakes topped with blueberry compote. Grab a pastry from the case and a cozy table inside, or linger on the small patio while the morning light stretches across.
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best breakfast spots in Phoenix
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 62. Sottise
French
A converted white bungalow on Second Street draws crowds who settle into marble-topped tables under exposed brick to work through the wine list and oysters on the porch. The French bistro moves easily from casual (baked brie with pear and sage) to splurge-worthy (caviar by the gram), backed by a soundtrack of vinyl records and the warm hum of people having a genuinely good time.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Date Night Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best French Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best French Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 63. Rough Rider
Cocktail Bar
A hidden basement speakeasy in downtown Phoenix where you take the elevator down to a moody, wood-lined room that feels plucked from another century, all dark corners and cozy nooks. Cocktails carry cheeky Victorian names and the kitchen matches the mood with chicory-rubbed duck, black garlic pork chops, and fried cauliflower that tastes like upscale fish and chips.
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Underground Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Imbibe Where to Drink in Phoenix
- Eater The Best Bars in Phoenix
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Rank 64. First & Last
New American
The Gold Spot building's soaring ceilings and candlelit booths make this a date-night spot where the Hammonds' rotating menu swings from buttery clams to inventive sourdough bolognese, anchored by craft cocktails with real backbone. By day it's a counter operation slinging focaccia sandwiches and grandma pizza slices that draw lines, though dinner is when the romance kicks in.
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Winner · Emerging Restaurant of the Year
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Sandwiches · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
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Rank 65. Saint Pasta
Italian
Chef Racan Alhoch runs a boisterous downtown pasta spot that channels East Coast red-sauce nostalgia through a neon-lit open kitchen playing Frank Ocean and the Sopranos on loop. The rigatoni in vodka sauce and Caesar salad are worth the wait at this no-reservations room where the food stays composed even as the energy around you doesn't.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Sauce · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 66. 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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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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Rank 68. 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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Rank 69. 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 70. 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 71. 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 72. 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 2025 · Sonora Burger · The 10 best bites we tasted at Phoenix restaurants
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Rank 73. 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 74. Latha
African
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist · Best World Flavor
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist · Emerging Restaurant of the Year
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
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Rank 75. 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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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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Rank 78. 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 2024 · Best Vegan Mexican Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Vegan Mexican Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Vegan Mexican Food · Best of Phoenix
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Vayals Indian Kitchen moved from a food truck into a strip-mall brick-and-mortar where servers steer you right and booths fill up fast with neighborhood regulars seeking rich curries and tender flatbreads. The dal makhani is chunky with whole black lentils, and the kothu parotta—a pan-grilled flatbread chopped up with spicy vegetables and your protein of choice—hits hard.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Neighborhood Indian Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Indian restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 80. 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 81. 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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- 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 83. The Vig
Beer Bar
The Vig is a neighborhood bar with an ambitious drinks list and gastro-pub food that doesn't take itself too seriously, anchored by a sprawling patio that has its own bar and a bocce court. Local bands and DJs keep things lively, and the kitchen stocks plenty of vegetarian options alongside its more indulgent fare.
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Daily Specials · Best of Phoenix
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- 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 85. Stoop Kid
American
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Hamburgers · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Hamburgers · Best of Phoenix
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Restaurants In Phoenix
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Rank 86. 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 87. Chula Seafood
Seafood
The owners of this seafood counter in Uptown Plaza catch their own swordfish and deep-sea buoy fish off California waters aboard their harpoon boat, then sell it never-frozen by the pound or in composed dishes. Poke bowls, confit tuna sandwiches, and swordfish tacos anchor the menu, with grilled oysters and Mexican wild shrimp filling out a rotation that takes sustainability seriously without sacrificing flavor.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Kyle Kent
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist: Thai Peanut Poke Bowl · Standout Signature Dish
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
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- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Thai Restaurant · Best of the Valley
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Khao Soi · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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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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Rank 91. 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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Rank 92. Pizzeria Bianco
Pizza
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Food Pioneer · Chris Bianco
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Artisanal/Fancy Pizza · Best of the Valley
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Rosa · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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Rank 93. 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 94. 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 95. 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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- Foodist Awards 2023 · Winner · Most Creative Handcrafted Cocktail
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Beef Wellington · Standout Signature Dish
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner · Top Chef · Ivan Gonzalez
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Rank 97. 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 2025 · Best Southern Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Southern Food · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Southern Food · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 98. Hai Noon
Japanese
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Sashimi Spoons · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
- Eater Sashimi Spoons · The Most Iconic Dishes in Phoenix
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 99. 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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Rank 100. 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