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18 Essential Mexican Restaurants in Phoenix

2024-03-08T08:29:09-07:00

Tacos at Gallo Blanco. | Gallo Blanco

Eighteen distinctive restaurants celebrating the richness and diversity of Mexican cuisine in Phoenix

Phoenix has had great Mexican food for decades, generally found in traditional, family-run restaurants turning out Mexican standards adapted to American palates and the American ingredients on hand —in short, a hybrid cuisine best described as AZ-Mex. In recent years, however, that comfortable old M.O. has begun to change, as new restaurants by younger chefs (some with experience in high-end dining) have opened their own places. The result is that Mexican food in Phoenix has become even more diverse and exciting.

The following restaurants offer specialties from nearly every region of Mexico, including Sonora, Chihuahua, Mexico City, Baja, Oaxaca, and the Yucatan. Here are 18 Valley restaurants — some decades old, others new and hot — that express Mexico’s culinary range and delicious depth of flavors.

13 Kid-Friendly Phoenix Restaurants That Parents Won’t Hate

2024-03-04T11:20:57-07:00

Grilled cheese and tomato soup from Chelsea’s Kitchen. | Chelsea’s Kitchen/Facebook

Where to dine with children around town

Family dining can be tricky – from keeping the kids entertained to finding a menu with child-friendly options that still offers tasty dishes for the adults — parents know that not every restaurant is equipped for enjoying the meal with little ones. Fortunately, the Phoenix area has plenty of excellent options with comforts like dog-friendly patios, open spaces for kids to run, a great cocktail menu for the parents, and of course — chicken fingers.

The 38 Essential Restaurants in Phoenix

2024-02-13T05:55:10-07:00

Elote. | Bacanora

Where to go now for plate-sized fry bread, uni-oyster shooters, filet mignon-stuffed tortelloni, and fancy Indian chaat.

Although the metro Phoenix food scene naturally took a hit during the pandemic, it has been coming roaring back in recent years, offering more and better choices for memorable dining in just about every category.

The city has managed to keep distinguished old-timers such as Durant’s (for steaks), Great Wall (for dim sum), Haji Baba (for Middle Eastern), and Marcellino’s (for pasta), while adding exciting newcomers to our roster. These days, there are destination mom-and-pops (Confluence in Carefree), sophisticated neighborhood joints (Latin-influenced Vecina), regional Mexican (Casa Corazon), sigh-inducing omakase (Hai Noon), and dazzling fine dining restaurants (Christopher’s at Wrigley Mansion). And that’s just a snapshot of what the Valley has to offer. Take a look. There’s a lot to like — and joyously eat.

Phoenix’s Essential Seafood Restaurants

2024-01-30T06:01:57-07:00

Oysters from Lure Fish House in Scottdale. | Lure Fish House/Facebook

From raw bar to fried fish, here’s where to find great seafood

The desert is probably the last place people might look for good seafood, but the scene in Phoenix is more prolific than might be assumed. Over the last few years, the city has benefited from a push for fresher fish; creative sourcing has made it possible to get seasonal catches sometimes in a matter of hours. From fishmongers with daily specials to upscale seafood dining, here are Phoenix’s best seafood restaurants for a fish fix.

Seven Phoenix and Scottsdale Chefs Are on the James Beard Awards Semifinalists List

2024-01-24T10:39:39-07:00

A medal from the James Beard Awards. | Getty Images for The James Beard

There are twelve total Arizona nods

Seven Phoenix and Scottsdale chefs are on the list of this year’s James Beard Awards Semifinalists, with 12 total places and individuals getting recognition in Arizona.

These chefs and restaurants in Phoenix got attention from the awards body:

Armando Hernandez and Nadia Holguin of Cocina Chiwas and Tacos Chiwas in Tempe and Phoenix were named in the Outstanding Restaurateur category.
Ava Bakery was named in the Best New Restaurant category.
Crystal Kass of Valentine got a nod for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker.
Little Rituals, Phoenix, AZ appears in the Outstanding Bar category.
In the Best Chef Southwest category, Rene Andrade of Bacanora and Pornsupak “Cat” Bunnag of Glai Baan both made the long list.
Andreoli Italian Grocer of Scottsdale, AZ is a contender in the Outstanding Hospitality category.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Arizona:

Roberto Centeno of Espiritu in Mesa was mentioned in the Emerging Chef category.
Two Tucson chefs are also in the Best Chef Southwest category, including Wendy Garcia of Tumerico and Flavia Briones of Barista Del Barrio. Sam Greenhalgh of Forêt in Flagstaff and Claudio Urciuoli of Source in Gilbert were also named.

This larger list will be narrowed down to a list of finalists on Wednesday, April 3. Winners will be announced at a gala event on Monday, June 10 in Chicago.

Last year, six Phoenix area chefs were on the semifinalist lists but none were ultimately named as finalists.

Where to Find Sensational Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in Phoenix

2024-01-24T06:16:38-07:00

Fried food from Veggie Village. | Veggie Village/Facebook

Fill up on tacos, po’boys, and pad thai

The vegan and vegetarian dining scene in the Phoenix metro area has exploded in a relatively short amount of time: What was virtually nonexistent less than two decades ago is now a thriving community of restaurants, with more being added seemingly every day. The days of simple salads for vegans are in the past, thanks to these creative restaurants serving everything from meat-free versions of the classic Big Mac to decadent dairy-free milkshakes, as well as dishes influenced by all different cultures. Here’s a guide to the best of the best in the Valley’s vegan dining.