Best Things to Eat in Phoenix

[avandelay]

Saw this on the California board and thought I would post here to get people's thoughts on Phoenix. This is meant to be a collection of the best things to eat not necessarily the best restaurants in Phoenix (although they are frequently one and the same). Just to get things started:

Wagyu pastrami: NOCA
Caramel churros: Barrio Cafe
Rosa Pizza: Pizzeria Bianco
Chyna's Honey Hots: Lo Lo's Chicken and Waffles
KC Strip: Mastro's City Hall
Torta Mexicana: Los Reyes de la Torta

[kittyfood]

Duck soup with fun noodles at Great Wall
Daily special salads at Essence
Fried chicken at LoLo's

[cruisemo]

Chicken Sultani Kabob lunch combo at the Persian Room. Comes with a white meat marinated chicken kabob and a Koobideh kabob. Way more than enough food for one person. Dinner is expensive and too much food for any normal eater. Also, the hummus with some raw onion and basil for the appetizer is a nice touch. Very creamy and smooth, though it was better before they changed the recipe.

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Persian Room
17040 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85255

[klyeoh]

Persian Room was the place I enjoyed the most in my recent trip to Scottsdale.
We started off with the Appetiser platter, consisting of: dolmeh (grape leaves stuffed with rice, dill, mint & spices), hummus (pureed garbanzo beans, tahini, garlic & lemon juice), yoghurt-cucumber dip and torshi (diced mixed pickled vegetables - carrots, cauliflower, eggplants & herbs in wine vinegar). Quite substantial portion for 2 persons. The dolmeh was good. My entree of grilled boneless chicken barg & minced beef koobideh were both flavorsome. Even the accompanying pilaf rice (baghala polo?) was delicious.

All in all, a surprising & very good find in Scottsdale. Definitely worth the drive there!

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Persian Room
17040 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85255

[blair_houghton]

roast quail at pho dalat
chorizo stuffed pork tenderloin at z'tejas
meatloaf at fired up grill
fresh pasta at vincitorio's
carne adovada at richardson's (r.i.p.)
tacos at taco nazo

i know i'll think of more as soon as i post this

[Leanne]

Green Chili Cheeseburger- Richardson's/Dicks Hideaway
Garlic Plate- Richardson's/Dick's Hideaway
Pot Roast- Phoenix City Grill
Nicole's Favorite Extra Crisp- Spinatos
Red Curry Chicken, Thai Hot- Thai Lahna
Ooey Gooey cupcakes- LGO/Tammi Coe
English Muffins- LGO/MJ Bread
Calamari Salad- The Cove
Table Side Guacamole- Barrio Café
Hamachi Collar – Kampai

[geg5150]

There are a few things that I have to have when I come in from Chicago.

Can't believe no one's mentioned Chino!

Jade Red Chix -- Chino Bandino
Carne Adovado -- Richardson's
Tacos from Ranch Market
Wine Burger from Tally's
Griddled Corn Cakes at Phoenix City Grille
Anything from Cyclo
Croque Monsieur from LGO

Sad that I won't be back in PHX until Christmas time.

[Poerz]

Good additions. Tuesday is taco Tuesday at Ranch Market with tacos priced at just a buck.

[PopcornSally]

I had to get in on this one:

Buttermilk pancakes at Oak's Diner in Cave Creek
French fries at Cafe Bink in Carefree
Cinnamon rolls and sticky buns at Big Buns in Carefree
Old fashioned donut at Rainbow Donuts on Cave Creek Rd. in Phx.

So now you see I am a sucker for sugar+butter and starchy stuff in general :) I am looking forward to trying some of the savory items listed here, if I can ever stop eating donuts and the like.

[bortukan]

My favorites at the informal-type places we go to most often:
Clare burro, cheese chile relleno: Restaurant Mexico
Caramel macaron: Essence Bakery
Kaddo pumpkin: Kabab Palace
Brick oven bread: Classic Italian Pizza
Capacollo, salami, and provolone sub: DeFalco's

More upscale, I loved the moules and frites at Trente-Cinq 35 before it closed, sigh.

[Jen76]

I am going to stick to inexpensive eateries since I cannot afford to eat at the high end places, and as such, have little experience with them. I also live in Tempe, work in Chandler, and have family in Mesa, so this is where I tend to eat:

My favorite burger: Chuckbox or Giant Hamburgers in Mesa
The Oggie: Cornish Pasty Company
Hummus with chicken and pine nuts, Nachos, Chicken Shawarma pita: Pita Jungle
Spicy Garlic Green Beans: Pho Chandler (I like these more than Cyclo - actually, I'm not a big fan of Cyclo in general)
#22 (curry chicken rice noodle soup): Saigon Pho
Pho in general: Pho 68
Foot long hot dog and onion rings: Ted's Hot Dogs
Cheesecake: Giant Hamburgers in Mesa (they don't make it in house, but it is still to die for. I don't know what bakery they get it from.)
Szechuan Pork: Nee House
Baklava, tiramisu and Turkish coffee: Byblos
Big, cheap, floppy, greasy NY-style slice of pizza: Venezia's
Chocolate and chili gelato: Gelato 64
Liverwurst sandwich: Best European Meats and Deli

Non-eatery food items:

Pork Beer brats: Sunflower Market
Squid Salad: Mekong
Watermelon (most of the time better than what I've gotten at chain grocers): Superstition Ranch Market
Romanian Mici/Mititei, handmade head cheese: Best European Meats and Deli
Spices, Imported Roasted Red Pepper Spread, and Sour Cherry juice: Haji Baba
Unusual things you can't get anywhere else: Lee Lee and Mekong

[kmarg]

Love the Big Lists!

Eggs Bene Jalepeno @ Rich's Dick's
Testosterone Salad @ Cowboy Ciao
Tortilla Soup @ Delux (or Houston's, chain or not)
Grill charred wings @ JT's
Free beef jerky @ Roaring Fork
Scotch Beef @ Tarbell's
Stuffed masshed potato steak @ Eddie's
Chicken Fried Chicken @ Over Easy
Arugula & Proscuitto Pizza @ Grazie

[avandelay]

Ahh yes, the Ball O'Steak--a long time Eddie Matney favorite.

[Seth Chadwick]

Indian Fry Bread - Fry Bread House
Extra Crispy Cheese Crisp - Manuel's (28th Street location)
Chicken Romano - Red Devil (31st Street location)
All Beef Jumbo Frank - Ted's Hot Dogs
Eggs Benedict - Acacia Cafe
Hush Puppies - Restaurant 28
Boiled Won Tons - China Chili
Cheese Sliders - Windy City Sliders
Onion Rings - Dillion's
Eggs Maximillian - Harlow's
Straw Sandwich - Miracle Mile Deli
Garlic and Leek Bread - Durant's

[ziggylu]

Have to respond again to add the beans at Joe's BBQ

[winedubar]

lobster roll and duck fat fries - noca
truffled mac n' cheese - lon's
durants debris - durants
bbq pork chop w/ broken rice - da vang's
turkey sub - mcgurkee's
pulled pork sandwich - cibo
banana ooey gooey cupcake - tammie coe
fruitti de mar salad - lisa g
meatball - lisa g
bean taco - frybread house
foie gras appetizer - sophie's bistro
cherries jubilee - voltaire
breakfast torta - gallo blanco
yankee flannel - orange table
meatloaf - matt's big breakfast lunch special
ceviche - phx ranch market
hamachi kama - hana

just off the top of my head ;)

[kjhart]

Spiedini and the Sonny Boy from Pizzeria Bianco
Pita Jungle's Hummus
Machaca burrito from Carolina's
Veggie tacos at Gallo Blanco

[Booger]

Machaca Burrito from Carolina's is on my list too (although I would add, make it enchilada style).

[AguasFrescas]

Second the Spiedini! Bianco's Rosa is my all time favorite pizza.

Platano Frito con Crema and Frijoles at Eliana's. Try the pupusas too.

[crsin]

Tomato, mozzarella, basil sandwich: Pane Bianco
Delux Burger/sweet potato fries: Delux
Tomato, queso oaxaca salad: Los Sombreros
Stuffed pork chop: Cowboy Ciao
Flat Iron steak: Rancho Pinot
Street Tacos: Phoenix Ranch Market

[meleyna]

Not Phoenix, but the tomato and oaxaca salad at Cafe Elote in Sedona is fantastic. It comes with a cider vinagrette rather than usual balsamic, which is so bright and fresh tasting.

[crsin]

It's more than likely the same dish, since it's from the same chef and the ingredients sound identical. There's some overlap b/w the menus at LS and Cafe Elote.

[meleyna]

My fault, thanks for pointing that out! I read it, but it obviously didn't click. :)

[ziggylu]

Sauteed green beans - Cyclo
Pink Champagne cupcakes - Barb's Bakery
Falafel - Spices
Cream of Mushroom soup - Durants
Chopped Stetson - Cowboy Ciao
Lamb Adobo - Los Sombreros
Mexican Pot de Creme - Cowboy Ciao

[Jess321]

Second the Stetson Chopped! (note my icon) Had it last night for the millionth time...still as good as ever. Also...Cuppa Red Hot Chocolate from Cowboy Ciao is droolworthy if you like chocolate and spicy.

[crsin]

agreed on both accounts. Those were the first things to pop into my head when I read the thread, before I saw ziggylu had already covered them...great stuff.

[Firenza00]

Carne Adovada - Dick's Hideaway

[duck833]

Steak Frite - Zinc Bistro

[andyeats]

agree! it's a fantastic value...

[andyeats]

Commuter w/ bacon and avocado: La Grande Orange
Short ribs: Cyclo
Salted Butter Caramel, Real Mint Chip, Basil Lime Sorbet: Sweet Republic
Pistacchio, Mistico, Vesuvio...basically any flavor: Arlecchino Gelateria
Waffle: Matt's Big Breakfast
Chicken Kabob Wrap: The Greek Wraps

[drobe30]

Wow, Andy! You and I have very similar tastes when it comes to breakfast. I couldn't agree more on the two morning delights you threw out there. I also add the spicy mustard to the commuter though.