Best Restaurants in Phoenix
Phoenix offers a variety of tasty treats from Southwestern cuisine to classic comfort food
Arrive hungry, because restaurants here tempt every palate. You'll find plenty of local ingredients at the city's top eateries, where chefs draw on Southwest influences and whip up legendary creations that won't put a strain on your budget.
Magnificent Mexican: Barrio Cafe
If you think the best Mexican food only comes from food trucks, you haven’t tried Barrio Café. Don’t judge this book by its cover—though its backdoor entrance may not scream sophistication, this cultural eatery dishes up modern Mexican fare with a French twist. Its extensive list of margaritas and gourmet street food are sure to win you over, but it’s their entrees that truly steal the show. The Chile Colorado—a grilled, bone-in pork chop with an ancho chile-red wine reduction—is a front runner, along with the Cochinita Pibil—three meat tacos marinated in achiote and sour orange, then roasted in a banana leaf. Chef Silvana is widely renowned as a visionary of Mexican cuisine, and her James Beard nomination attests to her skill.
Local Legend: Pizzeria Bianco
If Phoenix has a godfather of pizza, it's Chris Bianco. He started slinging pies in a grocery store back in 1988, and his artisanal approach to sauce on a crust has earned nationwide accolades, including the 2003 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southwest. There are now two locations in Phoenix: Heritage Square downtown and the Town and Country shopping center in the Biltmore area. You won't find every topping under the sun, just simple wood-fired goodness with carefully selected ingredients like smoked mozzarella, fennel sausage or Arizona pistachios. Complete the experience with a bowl of locally grown greens or a small plate of prosciutto-wrapped fontina cheese. If you’d prefer to skip the marinara, try the Biancoverde for a non-traditional, ricotta and arugula delight.
Meat-lovers Paradise: Little Miss BBQ
Ribs? Check. Brisket? Check. Dropcloth? Check. If you want to savor slow-smoked brilliance slapped onto a piece of butcher paper, you won't mind waiting in line at Little Miss BBQ. Regulars come for the piles of delicious meat, including sausage, turkey and even pastrami. Go through the line and build your own sampler; add jalapeño cheddar grits or the more traditional barbecue accompaniments to your plate. You can also get that mouthwatering brisket or pulled pork loaded into a sandwich. If you still have room after this great, meaty feast, finish it off with made-from-scratch pecan pie.
Comfort Food: Welcome Diner
With its patio filled with folding chairs, misters to keep cool and lights strung overhead, this nine-stool, 1940s-retro diner feels like a Route 66 eatery mashed up with a backyard family cookout. But it’s not just the ambience that pays homage to roadside Americana. The menu features giant biscuits topped with braised pork, fried chicken, gravy or other goodies such as andouille sausage and arugula. There's also a fried green tomato sandwich and a burger with peanut butter, pickles and bacon. Snack on a cheesy plate of fries-and-gravy poutine while sipping a pomegranate mint julep, then sit back and enjoy that cool time in Phoenix after the sun mercifully goes down.
Ready to travel? Find hotels in Phoenix.
More to Explore
Locals' Guide to Phoenix
A Phoenix local shares recommendations for exploring the Valley of the Sun.
Things to do in Phoenix
From urban centers to the scenic Sonoran Desert, there's plenty to see.
Beautiful Hiking Trails
Even the names of the mountains around Phoenix inspire you to hit the trails.