In the not-too-distant past, there were no poke restaurants in metro Phoenix. Now, they're everywhere. And out of all the options, we prefer the minimalist interior, laid-back vibe, and local pedigree of Pokitrition in Chandler. Founded by ASU grads, Pokitrition offers the tradition poke options of rice or salad with seafood options like raw tuna, raw salmon, or cooked shrimp, dressed in a savory sauce and topped with items like cucumber, edamame, red cabbage, cilantro, masago, seaweed salad, crab salad and more. We like the freshness of the fish and the fact that most of the topping options are available with no upcharge. But Pokitrition really stands out for its Poke Wrap, also known as the Sushi Burrito. It's basically your standard poke rice bowl rolled up in wrap form, and it is the stuff that Instagram posts are made of.

Before sushi became something that you could pick up at your local Walmart, it was more often than not the special province of restaurants like Hiro Sushi in Scottsdale. This perennially popular mom-and-pop restaurant is lively and friendly, offering a first-rate sushi and sake bar with an expansive selection of fish and rolls. Thanks to the classic long-bar setup, you never have to feel awkward dining alone. Simply belly up to the bar and watch the chefs assemble all manner of nigiri, sashimi, and sushi rolls. It's more entertaining than bad karaoke. The sashimi dinner, featuring an array of sliced tuna and salmon, is a wonderful introduction to the pleasures of Hiro Sushi.

Whether you're a longtime ramen connoisseur or you were weaned on the cheap Styrofoam cup stuff, odds are good that you will find something to love about Tampopo Ramen. The strip mall restaurant in Tempe specializes in hakata-style ramen and tonkotsu — thin, straight noodles paired with an intensely flavored pork broth. The noodles are made fresh in-house, and the porky broth is deliciously apportioned with slices of pork and scallions, deepened with wood ear mushrooms, and bolstered with the requisite soft-boiled egg. It's a wonderful ramen bowl, and although it's the main reason to visit Tampopo, it's not the only reason: The restaurant also serves a great assortment of Japanese bar snacks.

Great Wall Cuisine is located in an older, west-side strip mall, but don't let that keep you from stopping in for a pot of tea and dim sum. Inside the cavernous dining room, this classic restaurant welcomes large parties with tables equipped with lazy Susans, while scruffy booths accommodate smaller parties. Highlights include classics like siu mai, steamed pork and shrimp dumplings; braised chicken feet; and hard-to-find specialties like duck tongue, a texture-rich treat that is slightly chewy and fatty. Arrive early (around 10 a.m.) on the weekend if you want to avoid waiting for a table. As always, it pays to come with a bigger group, as you'll get to sample more dishes.

Milk Run opened this year next to the beloved Pho Thanh restaurant in Phoenix, and they are already setting themselves apart with their playful offerings, which include boba floats, topped with scoops of their homemade ice cream in flavors like Lucky Charms; Nutella milk tea bobas, which are as indulgent and delicious as they sound; and lighter, fruit juice "sparkler" boba drinks. Their adorable refillable glass milk bottles are the icing on the cake at this wonderfully whimsical boba shop.

The unfortunately named "cheese tea" sounds pretty gnarly, invoking images of Cheddar melting into a cup of Lipton, but these whipped-cream-cheese-topped teas are all the rage in Singapore and China — and now, in Mesa. The cheese topping is a whipped combination of milk and cream cheese, sprinkled with matcha (green tea powder). It's lighter than whipped cream, with a slight saltiness balanced by a subtle sweetness. The tea upon which the cheese floats is not the syrupy peach tea you might expect, but an unsweetened green tea that has all the grassy, herbaceous qualities you'd want in a good one. Unapologetic in highlighting the complex savory-sweet line that cheese can walk — as well as the almost bitter flavor of a good green tea, the tannins balanced by the unexpected foil of creamy, whipped cheese and milk — it's a good drink. And the combination of the creamy, luscious whip playing against the earthy, icy green tea is unlike any beverage flavor-texture combination you've had before.

We live in a town where horchata, a seemingly ubiquitous, one-note drink, lives out many lives. Let's cross out stuff made from powder mix and focus on the real deal: Some are creamy and some are lean and refreshing. Some are sweeter than others. Some are rice-ier and some are very almond-heavy. Some are loaded with spices, chiefly Mexican cinnamon, although any warming spices are welcome. Some are made with barley instead of rice (technically, this is called cebada), while some come topped with espresso. At a few places, you can even get horchata with full chunks of melon and walnut floating around in it, which, while difficult to consume, isn't half-bad. But we'll throw our lot in with the classic, balanced, and milky style at Taquería Los Yaquis, parked outside Charlie's Phoenix every Thursday through Sunday and open very, very late. It's nowhere near too sweet, but it is just a touch on that end, and that's because the default salsa at Los Yaquis — the only salsa — is unapologetically, deliciously spicy and bitter. This is what horchata was made for.

If you don't like chocolate, skip ahead to the next category. (Also, what's wrong with you?) If you do like chocolate, you are in luck. The folks from Zak's and the folks from Super Chunk — two sweet shops (literally) in Scottsdale — have teamed up to make the richest, creamiest, most decadent dark chocolate ice cream we've ever tasted. You can get it at either shop, and we recommend you venture out to both — you know, purely as an experiment. So what if you have to eat twice as much ice cream? Maybe also sample the roasted strawberry ice cream at Super Chunk and stock up on chocolate bars at Zak's. You're conducting research — and supporting local businesses at the same time. Sweet!

We'll admit that the whole liquid nitrogen ice cream thing is probably a gimmick. If so, count us in on all the gimmicks, because Creamistry ice cream tastes fresh, sweet, and rich. There are many flavor options and mix-ins, and you can even get it dairy-free. This is something we can get used to, so we hope ice cream "created" with liquid nitrogen isn't just a fad that goes the way of fro-yo and (we're guessing) boba. We'd like to keep visiting Creamistry for a long time to come.

Sweet and fresh, light and delicious: That's what we look for in a doughnut. Something simple, something to pair perfectly with a cup of coffee to start the day off right. That's why we like Sweet Cream Donuts, located in southwest Phoenix. There are plenty of varieties available, from long johns, old-fashioneds, glazed, frosted with and without sprinkles, cinnamon rolls, cream- and jelly-filled, and more. All are great, but our favorite is the excellent apple fritter, the crispy, knobby, glazed exterior giving way to the light, moist insides. If you're not in the mood for something sweet, there's a fantastic croissant filled with ham and cheese. Sweet Cream does a little bit of everything, including sandwiches, boba teas, and Thrifty brand ice cream, but it's the doughnuts that keep us coming back for more.