Escape to Phoenix if you are a foodie. Phoenix is the nexus of food and a foodie’s paradise. In Phoenix, more focus is on modern American cuisine with seasonal and sustainable ingredients. Not just that, you will also get a sophisticated milieu around. You can enjoy a cocktail in a sleek, or urban gastro-lounge while dining. Have an experience of the farm-to-table ethos in a very rural form or dine against the backdrop of the dramatic vistas atop North Mountain. Have your food in the kind of ambiance you prefer. Enjoy the nosh in the hottest new restaurants in Phoenix.
Let’s take a glimpse of the best places to eat & drink in Phoenix right now.
1. Different Pointe of View
It resides atop Phoenix’s North Mountain serving the food in the panoramic vistas of the city below and the desert valley milieu in the distance. Chef Anthony DeMuro takes pride in serving up the most creative contemporary American menu. This food is known for distinct Mediterranean influences and locally originated ingredients. The elite fares include dishes like Hamachi Crudo served with blood orange, toasted pine nuts, crispy garlic chips, and scorched Ellensburg lamb loin combined with the caramelized onion rosti, sautéed kale, and root puree made of celery. Try pastry of chef Lara Coleman’s creations like the Tahitian vanilla bean crème Brulee. It is one of the best restaurants in Phoenix in 2022 on our list due to its food and ambiance.
2. Quiessence
Quiessence offers a truly authentic dining experience—farm-to-table. It lies on the farm at South Mountain of 10 ten-acre working farms just a short drive from downtown Phoenix. A team of mother and son owns and runs this restaurant and also serves as co-owner and executive chef. They boast of creating those classic meals with a modern twist by using farm produce on-site and sourced from other local farms. Handcrafted pappardelle pasta in a pork ragu with sweet potato, braised greens, and farmer’s cheese, as well as mixed grill Arizona lamb with young artichokes, asparagus, and green garlic, are among the rustic yet modern dishes on the menu. The meticulously curated wine collection includes worldwide and American wines, as well as a variety of indigenous Arizona types such as chardonnay from the Pillsbury Vineyard and Malvasia from Sand-Reckoner. You would get everything fresh here in this one of the unique and top restaurants in Phoenix.
3. Rusconi’s American Kitchen
Rusconi’s American Kitchen serves hearty regional American meals centered on seasonal farm vegetables. Chef Michael Rusconi, who attended the prestigious New England Culinary Institute in Vermont and has received accolades including Mobil Four-Star Awards, oversees a menu of recognizable American classics with contemporary influences, including white truffle scented mac-n-cheese made with white truffle cream and San Joaquin Gold cheese, and succulent buffalo sirloin steak served with butternut squash and goats cheese bread pudding, carrots, and cranberry garland. The inviting restaurant is decorated in a trendy oak and steel theme with a wide central skylight canopy that provides an airy, open space vibe.
4. El Chorro
El Chorro has become something of a Phoenix legend since it was converted from a girl’s school to a restaurant and lodge in 1937. In its early days, Hollywood luminaries such as John Wayne and Clark Gable were known to dine there, and the restaurant’s free sticky buns are a local custom. Diners can enjoy magnificent views of the surrounding topography from El Chorro’s location at the base of the Camelback and Mummy Mountains, which also has a patio area for open-air dining. The restaurant’s décor, which was meticulously restored in 2009, has an old-world charm. The cuisine combines traditional dishes with Southwestern characteristics, with much of the vegetables coming from El Chorro’s garden only. Also, try the pan-roasted giant shrimp with banana chipotle polenta and crispy sweet potatoes. Rocky Mountain rack of lamb served with Brussels sprouts, white puree, and blackberry jalapeno demi is also a loved dish by many customers.
5. Blue Hound Kitchen and Cocktails
The Blue Hound Kitchen and Cocktails is a contemporary gastro-lounge located within CityScape, Phoenix’s downtown entertainment area. The Blue Hound was founded in 2012 to give residents of the city a seasonal eatery. Chef Stephen Jones serves up delectable munchies such as charred pork belly sliders with kimchi and peanuts, and devilled eggs from Arizona’s Hickman’s Farm served with brioche, smoky ham, and Dijon in a smart, urban setting. With a carefully selected wine from Blue Hound’s in-house sommelier, wash down an entrée of crunchy fried bobwhite quail on a bed of foie gras cornbread with sausage and red bean sauce, followed by a delectable dessert of roasted apple fritters served with a hot toddy fluff and rosemary caramel.
Summing it up
Apart from this, some of the best casual restaurants in Phoenix are Palma, Rough Rider, Chico Malo, and many more where you can dine out. Eat out anywhere you wish to. Happy munching!
Also Read: Top 8 Family-Friendly Spots in Chicago You Must Visit