The Top 100 Restaurants Near UnderTow
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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 2024 · Finalist · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 4. 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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- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist · Best World Flavors
- Phoenix New Times Our top 12 favorite sushi restaurants in Phoenix
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Rank 7. 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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- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist: Genuine Concepts · Outstanding Hospitality Group
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Rank 11. 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 12. Caldwell County Mexi-Q
Barbecue
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Rank 13. 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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- 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 18. Bobby-Q BBQ
Arizonan
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Rank 19. The Brickyard Downtown
Cocktail Bar
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Rank 20. 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 22. 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 25. 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 26. 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 28. Espiritu
Mexican Cocktail Bar
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Emerging Chef · Roberto Centeno
- Eater 2022 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Roberto Centeno
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Rank 29. 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 2025 · Sonora Burger · The 10 best bites we tasted at Phoenix restaurants
- Phoenix New Times The top 10 burger joints in Phoenix
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Rank 30. Chou's Kitchen - Chandler
Northeast Chinese
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Rank 31. 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 2024 · Best Eastern European Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Eastern European Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Eastern European Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 33. Happy Baos
Northern Chinese
A modest counter tucked into Mekong Plaza's food court, Happy Baos has stayed put while restaurants around it come and go, turning out chewy handmade dumplings and plump steamed buns that justify the loyalty. The 20-piece dumpling combo hits five different fillings, and the dan dan noodles with crunchy peanuts are sharp enough to remember on the drive home.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Dumplings · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Dumplings · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Dumplings · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 34. 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 35. 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 36. 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 37. 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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- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Southwest · Kyle Kent
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist: Thai Peanut Poke Bowl · Standout Signature Dish
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Finalist · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
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Rank 40. 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 41. Quiessence At The Farm
Arizonan
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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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Rank 43. 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 44. 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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A 1910 house in Tempe where college kids and seasoned drinkers mix happily over cheap drinks and solid food, with the kind of homey chaos that makes you feel like you've always belonged there. The place has earned its reputation as the real heart of the town—and possibly a ghost or two—by never taking itself seriously and always getting the good times rolling.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Neighborhood Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Neighborhood Bar · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2023 · Best Bar · Best of Phoenix
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- 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 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 48. 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 50. 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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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 52. 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 53. T. Cooks
Mediterranean
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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 55. 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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- 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 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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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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- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best Chinese restaurants in Phoenix
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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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- 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 62. 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 63. 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 64. 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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- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner: Double Burger · Most Crave-Worthy Burger
- Phoenix New Times The top 10 burger joints in Phoenix
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- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Vegan Burger · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Vegan Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Vegan Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
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Rank 67. 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 68. Mister Pio
Peruvian
Smoke from an enormous rotisserie oven fills this small, modern counter spot the moment you walk in, announcing exactly what you came for. Order a whole or half bird with salad and Peruvian sauces, thick-cut fries, and an Inca Kola, and you'll understand why the parking lot smells the way it does.
- Eater 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best French Fries · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times The top 50 restaurants in Phoenix right now
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Rank 69. 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 70. 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 71. 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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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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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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- AAA Four Diamonds
- Foodist Awards 2023 · Finalist · Brunch With a Punch
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants In Scottsdale
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Rank 75. 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 The 12 best restaurants in Scottsdale
- Phoenix New Times The 10 best new Phoenix restaurants of 2025
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Rank 76. 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 77. 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 78. Queen Creek Olive Mill
Italian
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Winner · Uniquely Arizona
- Phoenix Magazine 2025 · Stromboli Siciliano · Top 100 Dishes of Arizona
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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 80. 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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A casual burger joint in Scottsdale that borrows In-N-Out's stripped-down playbook but trades it for higher-end beef and a taco menu that justifies the upgrade in price. Most dishes hit hard enough to make you a regular, even if a few menu items don't quite earn their place.
- USA Today 2026 · Restaurants of the Year
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Milkshakes · Best of Phoenix
- AZ Central 2026 · The 100 Best Metro Phoenix Restaurants
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Rank 82. Golden Restaurant & Bakery
Levantine Middle Eastern
A casual Tempe spot where the flatbread menu alone—over 30 varieties, from za'atar manakeesh to spiced tomato wraps—could keep you coming back for months. The Levantine classics like hummus and baba ganoush are properly made, the slow-cooked beef dishes hit hard, and the house-made kenafa is the kind of dessert that justifies the trip.
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Middle Eastern Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Middle Eastern Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Middle Eastern Restaurant · Best of Phoenix
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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 84. 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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Rank 86. Board & Batten
Modern New American
Board & Batten tucks itself away behind trees in an office park, but the patio strung with lights and garden-party atmosphere make it feel like a secret worth finding for a special night out. Expect shareable starters like burrata with roasted peppers, rotating seasonal entrees of steak and fresh seafood, and a sticky toffee date cake that justifies skipping the main course.
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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 88. Taco Chelo
Mexican
- Foodist Awards 2024 · Finalist · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
- Foodist Awards 2025 · Winner · Phenomenal Fast Casual Concept
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Rank 89. 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 90. 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 92. Feta Cowboy
Mediterranean
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Rank 93. 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 95. 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 96. 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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Rank 98. 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 99. 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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