Kai Might Still Be the Best Restaurant in Arizona
There have always been trendy new restaurants around town, but Kai has always been known as the very best. It’s also the only highest-end Native American place I’m aware of, serving a tasting menu with bison, heirloom grains, and a desert topped with Saguaro and wolfberry foam.
Andreoli Italian Grocer Makes Old-School Italian Exciting
Andreoli is the kind of place that forces you to be a little more European. I don’t know how to explain it, but whenever you’re there, you’ll just start ordering stuff and talking about it. Loudly. Sometimes with people you don’t even know. And you’ll see stuff on other tables and order more stuff.
Little Rituals Is (By Far) the World’s Best Courtyard by Marriott Bar
It’s always a struggle when you’re in downtown deciding between Little Rituals and Bitter & Twisted. Little Rituals is probably the one because it’s just a little more mysterious. Instead of being on the ground floor on the main road, it’s tucked into the 4th floor of the Residence Inn Hotel. One minute you’re in the most generic of places, and the next you’re in a cocktail wonderland.
Pizzeria Bianco Might Make the Best Pizza in America
Food critics love Pizzeria Bianco because of its simplicity—the pizzas are all so well crafted, and the ingredients just taste better than other places. Foodies (do we use that word anymore?) love it because the whole vibe just feels special. But people who don’t care about ingredients or the craft of it all sometimes come away feeling underwhelmed. “Pizza’s pizza, amirite?” “No, Jim, it’s not.”
Glai Baan Is the Original Best Thai Place in Phoenix
In a city filled with mediocre Thai food—mostly of the fast-casual variety—we almost aren’t worthy of something as delicious as Glai Baan. The flavors and smells are just out of control, and the cocktails are as unique as they are delicious. The only downside is that getting in can be a chore (make a reservation!) and the parking situation is a little wild. Maybe show up in a Lyft.
Bitter & Twisted Put Phoenix Cocktails on the Map
Do you like cocktails? If so, Bitter & Twisted basically put downtown Phoenix on the cocktail map. It’s got everything—classic drinks, tiki drinks, serious drinks, in-house creations. And there’s a photobooth you’re obligated to get a picture from before you go.
Valentine Might Make the Best Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner in Phoenix
Valentine is one of those strange unicorn restaurants that kind of nails it no matter when you show up. The breakfast/brunch is amazing, the pastries are out of this world, and the coffee is delicious. And then you show up for dinner and it’s also amazing, and there’s a whole cocktail situation that might be the best part of it all.
Century Grand / Platform 18 Is a Cocktail Fantasyland
Here, you make a 90-minute reservation to experience cocktail Disneyland, complete with Disney-quality lighting and sound, screens embedded in windows and portholes to make you feel like you’re on a ride of sorts, and a team that dials the bit up to an 11. Some people might call it a gimmick—just nod and be happy you don’t have to fight with them for reservations. Ever since 50 Best listed Platform 18 as one of the best bars in N. America, they’re not easy to come by.
Bacanora Is the Most Exciting Restaurant in the Valley
Bacanora is, without a doubt, the most exciting thing going in Phoenix right now. It’s up for James Beard awards. National mags are saying it’s one of the best restaurants in America. Local mags are saying it’s the best thing since sliced bread. If you like big flavors and meats cooked over fire (think backyard steaks and the best pollo asado), you’re in for a treat.
Call Her Martina Makes the Best Guac in Phoenix
The drinks are solid, the entrees are solid, but the star of the show for me was the Guacamole + Ribeye Chicharron. Just picture it in your mind—perfectly seasoned guacamole with little pops of pomegranate, mixed in with little chunks of smokey ribeye. I can’t believe I’ve never had guac like this before. It just makes so much sense.
The 20 Best Cocktail Bars in Phoenix
Phoenix does a lot of things well, but our claim to fame might very well be cocktails. We have a surprising amount of really good ones, and our top-tier is right up there with any top tier in the country. The only question is, which ones count as the really good ones? That’s what I’m here to find out.
Espiritu Is the Most Exciting Thing in Downtown Mesa
If you’re dying to go to Bacanora but can’t get a reservation (or don’t want to drive), just head over to Espiritu in downtown Mesa. The food isn’t exactly the same, but the DNA is all there. Bold flavors, lots of meat (and seafood), cool vibes. And as an added bonus, the cocktails are pretty incredible.
Persepshen Is the Best Version of Gourmet Home Cooking
I don’t know how to say this without it sounding like a backhanded compliment—I promise it’s not. Persepshen feels like what happens when your friend who has good taste and is an amazing cook decides to open a restaurant (the husband-and-wife team behind it both have high-level pro experience, but nothing could train you for this). There’s really nothing like it in the Valley.
The Best Restaurants and Bars in Mesa
Mesa is somehow the 36th biggest city in the US. Bigger than Miami. Bigger than Atlanta. Bigger than Kansas City. That clearly doesn’t account for metro areas—Mesa doesn’t even have its own metro area—but the stat is still crazy nonetheless. So when you’re looking at food in Mesa, you can’t just look at it like it’s another suburb. Mesa is humongous, and has a downtown that dwarfs pretty much every downtown in the area but Phoenix itself.
JL Patisserie Has the Pastries You Dream About
Most shops, I just nod politely and move on to something with more protein, but at JL I just can’t fight it. The croissants are too good. They’re perfectly crispy on the outside, perfectly airy in the middle, and have that perfect amount of butter to let you know you’re alive.
The Best Restaurants and Bars in Gilbert / E. Chandler
Gilbert’s my home turf, so I spend a lot of time debating whether or not I’m in a great part of town or a food desert. On one hand, we’re pretty spoiled—I have friends from more typical suburbs that visit and can’t believe how much good stuff we have. But on the other, the good stuff is pretty far apart and tends to be veerrrry busy. What we need is infill. Neighborhood bars and restaurants. Anything walkable. We’re getting there.
Every Good Coffee Shop in Phoenix
Normally I want to find the best of things. What’s the best restaurant? What’s the best cocktail bar? But with coffee, I’ve found that what I really want is the best thing near me, exactly when I need coffee the most. So here, I’m on a quest to map out all the best places in town for anyone who finds themselves away from home base seeking a world-class coffee experience.
The Best Restaurants and Bars in Uptown Phoenix
When I first moved to Phoenix, I started one day in downtown and just drove north on Central til the end. Buildings, shops, neighborhoods, everything. And of all the little segments, the stretch in Uptown always felt the most livable. The trees are bigger, the houses were a little nicer, the pace was still a little bit urban, but the vibe wasn’t as chaotic. It seemed pretty ideal. And now, so many years later, it’s better than ever, with a ton of amazing food options dotting the area.
The Best Restaurants and Bars in Midtown Phoenix
When you fly in to Phoenix, the first thing you notice will probably be the alien communication towers on South Mountain. Then you’ll notice downtown Phoenix. But thennnnn, you’ll notice the weird other downtown running along Central. That’s midtown—well, that, and the neighborhoods surrounding it. And there’s a little bit for everyone—museums, fairgrounds, funky neighborhoods, high-rises, giant parks, and for our purposes, lots and lots of great places to eat and drink.
The Hotel Palomar Phoenix Is Peak Affordable Luxury
The Hotel Palomar Phoenix has the same vibe as a lot of other Kimpton Hotels, but this one maybe trades a little or their signature funkiness for a prime location. It’s right across the street from Cityscape and the Footprint Center, and is right down the street from a million restaurants and bars.