Must-see restaurants in Arizona

  • El Tovar Dining Room

    Grand Canyon National Park South Rim

    Classic national park dining at its best. Dark-wood tables are set with china and white linen, eye-catching murals spotlight American Indian tribes and…

  • Tourist Home All Day Cafe

    Flagstaff

    Housed in a beautifully renovated 1926 house that was originally home to Basque sheepherder immigrants, this upscale market cafe serves up the best…

  • Kai Restaurant

    Greater Phoenix

    American Indian cuisine – based on traditional crops grown along the Gila River – soars to new heights at Kai ('seed'). Expect creations such as grilled…

  • Barrio Café

    Phoenix

    Barrio's staff wear T-shirts emblazoned with comida chingona, which translates as 'fucking good food,' and they don't lie. This is Mexican food at its…

  • Criollo Latin Kitchen

    Flagstaff

    Sister to Brix Restaurant & Wine Bar and Proper Meats + Provisions, this on-trend Latin-fusion restaurant gives similar encouragement to local producers,…

  • Pa'la

    Phoenix

    It's small, simple and you order at the counter, but don't let the casual, eco-minded ambience fool you into thinking Pa'La is anything but extraordinary…

  • Pizzicletta

    Flagstaff

    Tiny Pizzicletta, where the excellent thin-crusted wood-fired pizzas are loaded with gourmet toppings such as arugula and aged prosciutto, is housed in a…

  • Dick's Hideaway

    Phoenix

    At this pocket-sized ode to New Mexican cuisine, grab a small table beside the bar or settle in at the communal table in the side room and prepare for…

  • Iron Springs Cafe

    Arizona

    Cajun and Southwestern specialties mingle delightfully inside this former train station – from the N'awlins muffuletta with sliced ham, salami and…

  • Coppa Cafe

    Flagstaff

    Brian Konefal and Paola Fioravanti, who met at an Italian culinary school, are the husband-and-wife team behind this friendly, art-strewn bistro with egg…

  • Cafe Poca Cosa

    Tucson

    Chef Suzana Davila's award-winning nuevo-Mexican bistro is a must for fans of Mexican food in Tucson. A Spanish-English blackboard menu circulates between…

  • Tumerico

    Tucson

    How do we love thee? Let us count the ways: ranchero tacos stuffed with veggies and jackfruit, Frida Kahlo tostadas and cilantro pesto sopes (topped…

  • Macy's

    Flagstaff

    The delicious coffee – house-roasted in the original, handsome, fire-engine-red roaster in the corner – at this Flagstaff institution has kept local…

  • Elote Cafe

    Sedona

    Come here for some of the best, most authentic Mexican food in the region. Elote Cafe serves unusual traditional dishes you won't find elsewhere, like the…

  • Proper Meats + Provisions

    Flagstaff

    Don't miss the sensational sandwiches at this local butcher's shop, which sells house-made salami and pancetta, local grass-fed beef for the barbecue and…

  • Pizzeria Bianco

    Phoenix

    James Beard–winner Chris Bianco has returned to the wood-fired oven and his thin-crust gourmet pies are as popular as ever. The tiny restaurant – a…

  • Indian Gardens Cafe & Market

    Arizona

    Grab a breakfast sandwich here before heading north to the West Fork Trail or stop by for lunch (until 4pm). Lunch choices include a butternut squash and…

  • Raven Café

    Arizona

    This laid-back cafe-bar, Prescott's closest thing to a bohemian hot spot, changes its stripes from daytime coffee hangout to after-dark pub with live…

  • Asylum Restaurant

    Arizona

    Deep-red walls, lazily twirling fans, gilded artwork and captivating views make the venerable dining room at the Jerome Grand Hotel one of the state's top…

  • Rock Springs Café

    Arizona

    A pit stop for pie? You betcha. Especially if it's a slice of fresh pie ($6) at Rock Springs Café in Black Canyon City. Only problem? This Old West diner,…

  • Phantom Ranch Canteen

    Grand Canyon National Park South Rim

    Family-style set-price breakfasts and dinners fuel hungry hikers and mule-riders year-round. You must make meal reservations before your descent, ideally…

  • Tamaliza

    Sedona

    If tamales aren't usually on your radar, this unassuming little spot is a great place to try them. Portions aren't huge, but everything is made from…

  • Prep & Pastry

    Tucson

    Tucson's to-die-for breakfast spot takes no reservations, so you'll have to join Yelp's waitlist to get in line. Indulgences range from duck confit to…

  • El Charro Café

    Tucson

    This rambling, buzzing hacienda has been making great Mexican food on this site since 1922. It's particularly famous for the carne seca, sundried lean…

  • Crema Craft Kitchen & Bar

    Arizona

    Over the years Crema has morphed from a low-key coffee shop with pastries, sandwiches and gelato to a full-on 'craft kitchen' with an impressive line-up…

  • La Santisima Gourmet Tacos

    Phoenix

    Despite having 'gourmet' in the name, La Santisima keeps it real with plastic cutlery and rock music blaring in the background. Mexico City–style tacos…

  • Tratto

    Phoenix

    Another feather in the cap of Chris Bianco, Phoenix's leading exponent of top-notch pizza, Tratto is the place to head for handmade pasta and expertly…

  • La Cocina

    Tucson

    Popular La Cocina, within Old Town Artisans in the Presidio district, serves Southwestern fare (green chili, tamales), Arizona beers and cool live music…

  • The Local

    Arizona

    Southwestern fare is the focus at this easy-to-miss daytime cafe in a nondescript side street. The fantastic breakfasts are served all day – try the…

  • La 15 y Salsas

    Phoenix

    La 15 y Salsas brings the unapologetic flavors of Mexico's Oaxaca province to northern Phoenix, with hand-ground mole pastes (such as the mole negro, made…

  • Dahl & DiLuca Ristorante

    Sedona

    Though this lovely place fits perfectly into the groove and color scheme of Sedona, at the same time it feels like the kind of place you'd find in a small…

  • Diablo Burger

    Flagstaff

    This locally focused gourmet-burger joint slings hefty burgers on English-muffin buns and delicious Herbes de Provence seasoned fries. The cheddar-topped…

  • Hudson

    Sedona

    Prickly-pear ribs, butternut-squash ravioli, fireball chicken wings and a variety of salads bring an element of urban cool to Sedona. But it's not just…

  • Sedona Memories

    Sedona

    This tiny local spot assembles gigantic sandwiches on slabs of homemade bread. A great choice for a picnic, as they pack 'em tight to-go, so there's less…

  • Big John's Texas BBQ

    Grand Canyon Region

    Cheerfully occupying a partially open-air space that was once a gas station, this barbecue joint is a friendly place to feast on pulled-pork sandwiches…

  • Pizzeria Bianco

    Phoenix

    This second location of the famous downtown pizza joint is in the Town & Country Shopping Center, near Biltmore Fashion Park. It also serves pasta, salad…

  • Sinyella Store

    Arizona

    The first shop you’ll see as you walk through the village, run by a very friendly family. It sometimes has breakfast burritos and tamales, and always has…

  • State 48 Tavern

    Grand Canyon Region

    The most happening place in town also has the best menu, ranging from pear-and-gorgonzola burgers to kimchi BBQ fries to coconut shrimp tacos. Good beer…

  • Grand Canyon Lodge Dining Room

    Grand Canyon National Park

    While the solid dinner menu includes buffalo steak, western trout and several vegetarian options, don't expect great culinary memories – the view is the…

  • Brix Restaurant & Wine Bar

    Flagstaff

    Brix offers seasonal, locally sourced and generally top-notch fare in a handsome room with exposed brick walls and an intimate copper bar. Sister business…