Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
Just as the Valley of the Sun has attracted visitors from around the world, it has also been attracting a record number of worldly residents. Fortunately for everyone, many of those people are skilled chefs and/or restaurateurs who have opted to share their gifts with the public.
Phoenix and its surroundings have metamorphosed into a melting pot for every type of cuisine imaginable: northern to Tuscan Italian; mom-and-pop to Mexico City Mexican; low-key Cuban to high-end French- and Greek-inspired Southwestern; Japanese- to Spanish-style tapas; and kosher to American classics with subtle ethnic twists.
Eateries like La Grande Orange grocery are revolutionizing Phoenix's "fast-food" concept with gourmet takeout. Four-star cuisine, some concocted by celebrity chefs, also awaits all over the Valley, from Kai in Chandler to Scottsdale's Bourbon Steak, along with Binkley's and Cafe Blink in nearby Carefree. Dotted with massive strip malls, Phoenix’s outskirts are becoming a haven of corporate eateries, but don't worry, there's plenty of divine, independent dining for all tastes and all trends in between.
Many of the best restaurants in the Valley are in resorts, camouflaged behind courtyard walls, or tucked away in shopping malls. Newer, upscale eateries are clustered along the Camelback Corridor—a veritable restaurant row, running west to east from Phoenix to Scottsdale—and in Scottsdale itself. Great Mexican food can be found throughout the Valley, but the most authentic spots are in North Central and South Phoenix.
Restaurants change hours, locations, chefs, prices, and menus frequently, so it's best to call ahead to confirm. Show up without a reservation during tourist season (October through mid-May), and you may have to head for a fast-food drive-through window to avoid a two-hour wait for a table.
This San Francisco–inspired grocery and eatery sells artisanal nosh and novelty items, along with a formidable selection of wines. Valley residents flock to LGO, as they call it, to see and be seen, and to feast on mouthwatering sandwiches, pizzas, salads, and decadent breads and desserts. The small tables inside fill up quickly at breakfast and lunch, but there's also seating on the patio.
Fresh, filling, and simply fantastic, the food at this itty-bitty, retro cool diner is a great way to start any day, especially when you have time to walk or sleep it off afterward. Ingredients like hearty bacon strips, jams, and whole-grain breads come from local sources, and each one is of the highest quality. Lunch options include sandwiches and chili or breakfast (again). Be prepared to wait at the Downtown Phoenix location.
A favorite for locals or those just passing through, Anita's Cocina serves reliable Mexican fare including fresh tamales for lunch or dinner and warm, sugary sopapillas (piping-hot, fried pastry pillows) for dessert. When in doubt, order a combination platter and opt for the green sauce.
This small, nondescript restaurant in North Phoenix makes the most delicious, thin-as-air flour tortillas imaginable. The tacos, tamales, burros, flautas, and enchiladas are served in takeout containers, and you'll find a line out the door on most days. You can buy tortillas to take away, but good luck getting home with a full bag.
Perched on the side of Camelback Mountain at the Sanctuary resort, this stylish modern restaurant offers breathtaking desert-sunset and city-light views. They're the perfect complement to the culinary delights that fuse hearty American traditions and Asian flavors.
In an adobe hacienda hand-built by cowboy artist Lon Megargee, this romantic spot has sweeping vistas of Camelback Mountain and the perfect patio for after-dinner drinks under the stars. Megargee's art and cowboy memorabilia decorate the dining room. The menu changes seasonally and includes appetizers like salt-seared ahi tuna; Snake River Wagyu and lobster tail are main-course options. Phoenicians love the weekend brunch.
The neighborhood's not fancy, and neither is this restaurant, but in a town with a lot of gringo-ized south-of-the-border fare, this is the real friendly, real deal. Tacos rancheros—spicy, shredded pork lathered with aromatic adobo paste—are a dream, as are the green-corn tamales and Monterrey tacos filled with imported machacado (air-dried beef). The chiles rellenos may be the best in the state. All are perfect with a margarita from the full bar. Don't leave without trying the sensational mole.
