Phoenix Essentials
Discover the best the city has to offer in food, fun and more
By Amy Silverman, FrontDoor.com | Published: 10/24/2008
The Barrio Cafe, a nontraditional Mexican restaurant in Phoenix, features tableside guacamole, grilled fish and a top-notch selection of tequila.
Food and Drink Essentials: Best Places to...
BUY GROCERIES
AJ's
5017 N. Central Ave.
With 13 metro Phoenix locations and counting, this gourmet grocery chain will turn up in your neighborhood soon if it hasn't already. From the flowers to the fruit, every item is remarkably fresh. The store carries local products like huge iced cookies from Barb's Bakery as well as its own products. The takeout counter is so good you could serve Thanksgiving from it and call it homemade.
BUY FRESH PRODUCE
Downtown Phoenix Public Market
721 N. Central Ave.
For a long time, Phoenicians complained about the lack of a regular farmers market. This one has been so successful, there are now plans for a permanent building. For now, on Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons, year-round, you can find farm-fresh greens, homemade pickles and Mediterranean goods from area vendors like the guy who calls himself Dr. Hummus.
EAT CREPES
Vincent's Saturday Camelback Market
3930 E. Camelback Road
Vincent Guerithault's namesake restaurant is one of the finest in town, featuring his signature southwestern take on French cuisine. The chef's Saturday market, which runs October to May, is tiny but packed with people and vendors. Find locally roasted coffee and honey imported from the south of France. Breakfast and lunch are served outdoors.
GET BRUNCH
Palatte
606 N. Fourth Ave.
Particularly in nice weather, when you can relax on the big brick patio or the porch, Palatte is one of the nicest spots in town. The decor in this old house is shabby chic and the food is rich, like thick, creamy porridge with vanilla sauce and bananas. Lighten up with fluffy eggs and seasonal fruit; locals live for peach season.
GRAB PIZZA
Pizzeria Bianco
623 E. Adams St.
Debate rages over the best pizza in Phoenix but James Beard award-winning chef Chris Bianco is at the top of many lists. If you like your pizza wood-fired, this is the place. The Wise Guy, a pizza with wood-roasted onion, fresh mozzarella and fennel sausage, is a local treasure. The wait is sure to be ridiculously long, but Bianco will take reservations for six or more.
SAVOR SOUL FOOD
Lo-Lo's Chicken and Waffles
10 W. Yuma St.
The signature dish at this tiny dive is fried chicken served alongside a big waffle. It's delicious, particularly slathered in syrup. If you have room, try the red velvet cake for dessert.
GO VEGAN
Green
2240 N. Scottsdale Road
Yes, there's such a thing as vegan comfort food. This bohemian little restaurant proves that vegetables can taste good without milk or eggs as long as they're deep-fried. The hot wings (which are actually mushrooms) are a house specialty. You won't cut calories at Green, but it all tastes so good you won't care.
GRAB A LATE-NIGHT BITE
Delux
3146 E. Camelback Road
The Delux burger is best served with a teeny-tiny metal shopping cart packed with a mix of regular and sweet potato fries.
SIP A LATTE
LUX Coffee Bar
4404 N. Central Ave.
The coffee is roasted on site at this coffee shop and the vibe is urban, from the white leather furniture inside to the light rail line just outside the door. LUX is next door to the best sandwich shop in town, Pane Bianco, and it's a good place to bump into artists and downtown movers and shakers.
SHOP FOR MEXICAN GROCERIES
Phoenix Ranch Market
1602 E. Roosevelt St.
This place has every Mexican ingredient you can imagine and some you've never encountered, from teeny tiny limes to queso fundido to tres leches cake at the in-store bakery. Watch tortillas come off the factory line and grab a glass of fresh hibiscus juice. The best part: You can even grab your Diet Coke and toilet paper at the same time, since this location of Phoenix Ranch Market, the flagship of a local chain, is a fully stocked grocery store.
EAT TRADITIONAL MEXICAN
Tradiciones
1602 E. Roosevelt St.
Conveniently located adjacent to Phoenix Ranch Market, this enormous restaurant stocks the classics (chimichangas, burritos, tacos) as well as grilled meats, homemade ice cream and a delicious mango margarita. More often than not, you'll encounter a gaggle of mariachis.
EAT NONTRADITIONAL MEXICAN
Barrio Cafe
2814 N. 16th St.
Silvana Salcido Esparza creates a unique experience in a city crammed with Mexican restaurants. Most serve Sonoran-style food, but Esparaza reaches farther south to Mexico City for her menu, which features tableside guacamole, grilled fish and less traditional sauces like the chocolate-tinged mole. The tequila selection is top-notch.
GET MEXICAN FOOD WITH A KICK
Los Dos Molinos
8646 S. Central Ave.
This longtime Phoenix staple has several locations -- including one in New York -- but the hands-down favorite is the Los Dos located in a crumbling old white adobe, at the south edge of town. Inside, chile pepper lights hint at the house specialty: the insanely hot food, from the salsa to the chiles rellenos.