Top-Rated Restaurants in Phoenix AZ
Although the culinary scene in Phoenix has only begun gaining the recognition and attention it deserves, there’s no doubt that the food here is unforgettable and an essential gustatory experience.
Owing to its location in the Upper Sonoran Desert, the city produces an astonishingly wide array of high-quality crops that only serve to elevate the local food scene.
If the idea of experiencing the United States’ diverse cuisines is appealing to you, you should consider Arizona. The state capital manages to combine age-old traditional ingredients with contemporary techniques so there’s always something new, delicious, and interesting to be sampled.
Let’s take a peek at seven top-rated restaurants in Phoenix AZ which can all be reached by booking a local limo service.
1. Chelsea’s Kitchen
Location: 5040 N 40th St, Phoenix, AZ 85018-2137
Must-try: Key lime pie, white sangria
Considered a “Hidden Gem” in the local culinary scene, this top-rated restaurant in Phoenix AZ offers great ambiance, excellent service, and lip-smacking food. The restaurant celebrates American southwest cuisine. They’re well-known for their melt-in-your-mouth surf & turf, tacos, and green chili cornbread.
This modern casual dining restaurant uses locally sourced ingredients and has a selection of craft beer, wines and cocktails as well.
As you enter the Chelsea’s you’ll be immediately greeted by the restaurant’s own smoke yard as well as a wood-burning rotisserie and grill.
In addition to the amazing food, Chelsea’s Kitchen’s ambiance wouldn’t be complete without the stunning fireplace and patio set up where customers have the option of dining.
2. Pa’La Kitchen
Location: 132 E Washington St Phoenix, AZ 85004-2341
Must-try: Orecchiette with gulf shrimp
A relatively new establishment that serves wood-fired Italian-fusion cuisine, Pa’La’s popularity has been steadily growing as it launched a second location in downtown Phoenix. This restaurant offers diners a beautiful open space, a well-stocked bar, and a homey ambiance. It offers stylish dining and is a great place for hanging out after work. It’s a great combination of urban and suburban tastes.
Pa’La serves a predominantly seafood menu, a variety of tapas as well as bowls and mains. Every item on the menu is perfectly cooked in the restaurant’s signature wood-fired oven.
If you’re in the mood for some wine, Pa’La has a decent wine selection. Paired with its delectable cuisine, Pa’La is a great place for almost any event whether it be a business meeting, a family meal, or a romantic date.
This restaurant accepts reservations.
3. Rusconi’s American Kitchen
Location: 10637 N Tatum Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85028-6088
Must-try: Blackberry glazed salmon with fingerling potatoes, carrots, and baby cabbage
Home to authentic handcrafted American cuisine from Chef Michael Rusconi, this restaurant offers a hearty selection of homegrown American staples with a creative twist. Rusconi’s American Kitchen’s menu includes a wide variety of dishes that features unique and native ingredients from the Valley. Earthy flavors from their wood-burning grill cooked with American flair bring unparalleled sophistication and flavors to Rusconi’s cuisine.
Chef Michael Rusconi operates on the belief that great dishes come from the best ingredients that are handled with love, respect, and the proper technique. Chef Rusconi has long been a proponent of sustainable food even before it became en vogue. He has earned a handful of Mobil 4 Star Awards and nominations from the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame.
4. Character Distinctive Dining
Location: 218 E Portland St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States
Must-try: Chopped salad with arugula, couscous, dried sweet corn, marinated tomatoes, asiago cheese, pepitas, dried currants, and creamy pesto buttermilk dressing
Character Distinctive Dining offers traditional yet elevated American cuisine. How? They offer an “inventive” menu that has international influences and is meticulously planned and changed every three to six months. From family favorites like sea bass, filet mignon, and scallops right down to BBQ Chicken Sliders, diners will enjoy tasting Kasperski’s unique take on classic favorites.
Character Distinctive Dining is the brainchild of Scottsdale restaurateur Peter Kasperski, the chef behind some of Arizona’s best-loved restaurants which include Kazimierz World Wine Bar, Sea Saw, and Cowboy Ciao.
This restaurant also features a cocktail-paired food and drinks menu. When you finally do visit Character, don’t forget to take a little detour and pay a visit to ‘Alias’, a speakeasy located right behind the restaurant.
Fun fact: Alias is also owned by the chef of Character Distinctive Dining, Peter Kasperski!
5. Bobby-Q
Location: 8501 N 27th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85051-4063
Must-try: Pulled pork, prime rib
Quite a few dining establishments boast about their barbecued food, but Bobby Q’s is among the frontrunners where grilled food is concerned. Rated as one of the top 30 barbecue joints in the United States, Bobby Q’s cuisine is a culmination of signature barbecue dishes from around the country.
Years of culinary expertise along with Bobby Q’s slow-cooking secrets make this restaurant truly exceptional. You can’t help but admire Bobby-Q’s smoked-over Tennessee hickory with the perfect spice blend for some kick.
Bobby-Q’s Executive Chef Mark Hittle hits all the right notes and delivers on savory and sweet-tooth cravings. With its rustic interiors, this restaurant is as easy on the eyes as it is on the palate. Place your online order today.
6. Valentine
Location: 4130 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013, United States
Must-try: Hurricane cocktail, dry-aged pork chop with a tepache glaze, and a side of creamy corn grits
Looking for the perfect place for your morning coffee, afternoon brunch, or high tea? Valentine won’t disappoint. This Phoenix restaurant offers a laid-back vibe that’s a popular choice for coffee, cocktails, wine as well as all sorts of meals.
Choosing to keep things simple and uncomplicated, this establishment features Southwestern, Sonoran, and Italian cuisine with specific emphasis on desert-inspired takes on classics like steak and eggs with a side of beans and refreshing crudos.
Got a sugar craving coming on? Valentine is the perfect restaurant to try.
7. Chilte Tacos
Location: Various (Stay up-to-date with Chilte Tacos latest locations)
Must-try: Thanksgiving special duck fat chicken carnitas
Chilte Tacos offers on-the-go Mexican food to Arizona locals and tourists. As a food truck, the popular Mexican food establishment and its much-loved tacos are known to make special appearances during events in the Valley.
From oozing quesa birria to the smokey red sauces made from relleno chillies, their menu features duck, barbacoa, and chicken carnitas too! What’s more, they’ve got something for vegan patrons as well.
This sought-after food pop-up only has a few items on its menu but what it does serve is so good you can’t help but come back for more. Since they change their menu monthly, however, you may not get that chance.
