Food & Drink

We don't know if breakfast is actually the most important meal of the day, but if you eat it at Butterfield's it'll certainly be the most delicious. The longtime Scottsdale favorite is packed every Saturday and Sunday with hungry diners, so be prepared for a wait, but trust us, it's worth it. When you sit down, you'll get to choose from an extensive menu, including pancakes (try the Oreo Cookie S'mores Cake if you don't mind the sugar rush), scramblers (we like the Popeye Scramble, which comes loaded with bacon, onion, baby spinach, and jack cheese), omelets, French toast, skillets, and Benedicts. We also save room for the ultra-fresh-squeezed orange juice. There's lots to choose from on the lunch menu as well, but we tend to stick to the options on the a.m. side. It's the best reason we can think of to rise and shine.

Born in 1997, Bar Bianco came out of a need to occupy would-be Pizzeria Bianco diners during Disneyland-level wait times. They managed to do it all these years with beer and wine alone, but recently, staff stepped in to make the bar a destination in its own right, with updated snacks and a cocktail program that would change with the seasons and reflect Chris Bianco's knack for sourcing the state's best produce. Cider is made from Willcox wine country apples, spritzers from fresh hibiscus, Bloody Marys from Bianco-brand tomatoes. Cocktails are sweetened with nutty orgeat syrup made from Arizona pistachios — and the list goes on. 

It all starts with a comfortable, air-conditioned van ride that whisks you into the wide-open spaces of the Sonoran Desert. Or a fruit orchard, where a rustically elegant dining table has already been set. No matter where your fancy outdoor fête happens, you can count on the presence of a local chef, who will prepare a four- or five-course meal on-site. If enjoying a gourmet meal in a scenic outdoor setting sounds like your kind of culinary adventure, you may already be familiar with Cloth & Flame. The Valley-based outdoor dining and retreat company specializes in throwing "wilderness dinners" in beautiful outdoor spots around Arizona and a handful of other Western states. The company just launched last year, but it's already inspiring lots of Instagram envy among local foodists.

If you've ever attempted to purchase tickets to the Devour Culinary Classic, only to learn that it's already sold out, you're not alone. There's a reason that this mega-popular event, organized by Local First Arizona, has become one of the most highly anticipated spring events in metro Phoenix. The two-day food and drink smorgasbord — the culmination of a whole week of Devour food events — brings together a who's-who of local and regional culinary talent. Here's the place to rub elbows with many of the region's top chefs, restaurateurs, mixologists, makers, brewers, and vintners. If you manage to score tickets, you can rely on a heady mix of high-quality food and drink, gorgeous spring weather, and big crowds. The Devour Culinary Classic seems poised to get even bigger and better next year — to accommodate its growth, the festival is moving from the Phoenix Art Museum to the far more spacious Desert Botanical Garden in 2018.

As fine dining in metro Phoenix becomes increasingly dominated by corporate resorts and super-charged restaurant groups, it's exciting to witness a young, talented chef strike out on his own. That's precisely what TJ Culp did this past year with Restaurant Progress, a 37-seat upscale neighborhood restaurant that opened in the Melrose District early in 2017. Culp is a young veteran chef who cut his teeth as a corporate opener for Fox Restaurant Concepts, and went on to launch the popular Pop-Up PHX dinner series. At Restaurant Progress, the chef-owner is the brains behind an increasingly rare local specimen: a strong, independent neighborhood restaurant that stays open past 10 p.m. and offers a refined American menu that changes regularly and shifts with the seasons. Restaurant Progress showcases the chef's talent for playing with disparate flavors and textures, and proves that culinary savvy and hard work can still amount to great things in this town.

At any given Italian restaurant, often a decent-to-good Aperol spritz or Negroni and a handful of apertifs and digestifs on the bar shelf are all that's required of the barmen. But bartenders are raising the status quo for cocktail programs at emerging restaurants. This all is no more apparent than in Phoenix, where, more and more often, great craft cocktails arrive for the public in the context of an exciting restaurant rather than in a standalone bar. Still, Tratto barman Blaise Faber could have mailed it in with some simple twists on Italian classics, maybe stocked a few esoteric Italian liqueurs, and called it a very good craft cocktail program at Phoenix's most exciting new restaurant. But, evidently, Faber was shooting for more. Whatever the case, it's clear that Faber has far exceeded any expectations except for perhaps those he holds for himself. It's apparent that he has been studious, crafting obscure, Old World-sounding Italian liqueurs from scratch (in addition to stocking the Valley's most exotic collection of Italian amari — again, going beyond expectations). He has a passion for whipping up truly inventive cocktails that feel genuinely Italian and, often, very Arizonan as well, incorporating the local flora and creating the feeling of time and place that has always been the modus operandi for Tratto's Chris Bianco himself. Hats off to Faber. He's the right man for the job.

Chef Kevin Binkley's retooled fine-dining flagship is often discussed in terms of numbers: 22 courses served over a leisurely three-hour-long meal, for about $160 per person (not counting optional beverage pairings and a service fee). True, metro Phoenix doesn't have a reputation for indulging or rewarding this kind of extravagant culinary endeavor, but maybe we can make an exception for Binkley's, which last fall moved into the historic home that formerly housed Bink's Midtown. Dinner starts on the patio, where someone hands you a cocktail featuring herbs grown on the premises. Several amuse-bouches later — perhaps a wonderful foie gras slider, or freshly picked baby radishes wrapped in green goddess dressing foam — you find yourself sitting in the intimate bar area, lost in a plate of thinly sliced black-foot jamón ibérico. The final courses are served in the dining room, where Binkley and his team fuss over you in a room so intimate and relaxed, it feels a little like having dinner at a friend's house — a friend who happens to have a mastery of French and modernist technique. In spite of its laidback airs, Binkley's is certainly not for everyone; the cost of admission will automatically price out many diners. If you can swing it, though, a night here can feel like several fine dinners condensed into a single evening.

Chris Bianco's cookbook isn't really a cookbook. It's more like spending the day with the James Beard-winning, Oprah-hailed, Jimmy Kimmel's fellow fly-fisherman chef who has stopped what he is doing to teach you how to cook something astounding in 15 minutes. There are recipes for pizza, for meatballs, for focaccia, for Sunday gravy, beets roasted with fig leaves, custard, and lemon cookies. There's also Chris in every recipe: a story, an inspiration, a family tale. The book is more than a book: It's a Chris Bianco omnibus, taking a willing participant through the Candy Land of his restaurants, creations, and motivations. And most of all, for us, it's a reminder of how lucky we are that the mastermind behind Pizzeria Bianco and many other local enterprises chose to come to Phoenix — and, ultimately, to stay.

Fusion cuisine is a popular concept in today's food scene, but we think Soundbite brings the idea to a whole new level. Part food truck, part mobile radio station, it brings together two longtime Valley favorites: Short Leash Hot Dogs and National Public Radio member station KJZZ-FM. Short Leash's gourmet creations get served near the front of the bright blue truck, while the back boasts a fully functional radio studio plus a pull-out stage area for live performances. You can find Soundbite set up at community happenings such as Short Leash's Wurst Festival Ever and Mesa Arts Center's Spark! After Dark festival, or try to catch them at one of their early-morning Coffee Brakes events, when they serve Press Coffee to the masses. It all sounds delicious to us.

Like all things indie and cool, we first discovered Olivia Girard's Le Dinersaur through Instagram. The self-taught baker began getting attention for her small-batch sandwich-making, delivering individual lunches around town via email and text ordering. Then, she upped her game with the sweet stuff: geometric pastries that carried as much appeal in front of the camera as they did on the palate. Among some of the more photographed and favorite are her hybrid churover (a churro popover) and her diamond-shaped, herb-infused shortbread. In keeping with the hipster vibe, Le Dinersaur pastries can only be found through pop-up parties at uber-trendy locations like Camelback Flowershop and The Darkroom or in the display cases of Instagram-minded cafes like Berdena's.

The number of food trucks on the streets of Phoenix these days means that it's pretty easy to find one when you want. The size of the gatherings can range from a single vehicle to dozens, like at the annual Street Eats festival. But our favorite place to be handed food through a side window is Food Truck Fridays, put on by Rad Food Trucks. Each week from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., a rotating assortment of trucks lines up in front of the Arizona Department of Corrections at 16th Avenue and Jefferson Street (insert prison-food joke here). There are about five to seven trucks each week, and choices often include Adam Allison's Left Coast Burrito Co., perennial favorite Q Up! Barbeque, Korean fusion eatery Hibachibot, and build-your-own-bowl joint The Wandering Donkey. If you're not within walking distance, there's plenty of free parking near the State Capitol, and there are a number of picnic tables for lunching al fresco. Check out Rad Food Trucks on their Instagram, @radfoodtrucks, for the weekly schedule.

Truly, we are living in the golden age of metro Phoenix food trucks. All around town at weekly events, workday stops, and annual festivals, aficionados of nearly every kind of cuisine can find a restaurant on wheels to suit their tastes. But there's no other food we'd rather eat out of a truck than the South American dishes served by husband-and-wife team Fabian and Julie Ocampo of Que Sazon. Fabian hails from Colombia, but the couple arrived in the Valley in 2014 via St. Louis, bringing their culinary prowess with them. There's nothing on the Que Sazon menu we don't love, from the arepas (think a South American cornmeal cake resting on a bed of hearty fare like chicken and mango or pork and chorizo) to the savory chicken empanadas. But our favorite dish is the El Duro bowl, a mouthwatering tangle of slow-roasted pork, black beans, and rice topped with spicy barbecue sauce, crispy plantain chips, and cotija cheese, which invariably comes with a warm smile and sincere thank you from Julie.

It would take an iron will to resist the surplus of delicious foods awaiting you at Mekong Plaza, the shopping and dining complex in Mesa that's home to the Mekong Supermarket and more than a dozen restaurants. You can easily make a day out of exploring the Asian snack bars, boba tea joints, noodle bars, and well-stocked Asian grocers at Mekong. You'll find everything from fragrant pho at unPhogettable, sous vide bowls at Kingo Bowl, dim sum brunch at Mekong Restaurant, delicious Chinese pastries at AA Ozzy Bakery, and boba tea in every flavor imaginable at Tea, Snow & Coffee. Bring your food-obsessed friend and prepare to stay awhile.

Kai, the marquee restaurant at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass Resort, is one of the most highly decorated restaurants in Arizona. It's currently the only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star restaurant in the state, accolades it's earned for consistently high levels of service. But what really makes Kai an Arizona original is its menu, which weaves elements of Pima and Maricopa culture and tradition into an uncommon offering of Native American-influenced fare. Heirloom Arizona ingredients, game, and vegetables, sourced locally from the Gila River Indian Community, frequently make an appearance on the plate. The best overview is achieved through one of the restaurant's tasting menus, which feature dishes like mesquite-charred hahl soup, served with buffalo brisket cooked for 32 hours, and then wrapped in the softly spicy richness of I'itoi onions.

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High-end resort cooking is not often as clever or locally inspired as Weft & Warp Art Bar + Kitchen, the restaurant at the recently debuted Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Spa. Local flavors and ingredients accent many of the menu's fine dining staples, often to delightful effect. Simple but refined small-plate offerings include Arizona-grown Medjool dates, sliced and served with fresh cream and pistachio crumbles. Crow's Dairy goat cheese dumplings are rolled in dark onion ash and served on a rich, buttery tangle of spaghetti squash. And a Sonoran "risotto," made with local wheat berries, wild rice, and quinoa, is richly textured and surprisingly indulgent. Desserts take a local turn as well, including a dense chocolate mesquite tar, and a springy, moist olive oil cake featuring — what else? — locally sourced olive oil.

"Farm-to-table," like "organic" and "artisanal," is a food world buzz term that's been rendered almost meaningless by virtue of being overused. But farm-to-table is more than just a marketing cliché at Quiessence, the fine dining restaurant located at the end of a bucolic lane at The Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix. The menu incorporates ingredients plucked from around the neighborhood — it just so happens that the neighborhood in question encompasses a 10-acre working farm. The restaurant's tasting menu is the best way to sample what's in season at The Farm. Dishes feature cut herbs, edible flowers, and produce grown on-site or sourced from local purveyors. Arizona-raised beef frequently makes an appearance on the menu. If you take pleasure in local ingredients, especially those rooted in the earth mere hours before landing on your plate, Quiessence will provide.

Duza's Kitchen is the kind of quiet neighborhood cafe whose reputation is built mostly by word of mouth. Tucked into the historic Coronado neighborhood, the breakfast-and lunch-only restaurant offers a refined, globally inspired menu that seems to offer something for everyone. The brunch menu, designed by chef-owner Mensur Duzic, runs the gamut from apple-spiced hot cereal to French crepes to Mexican breakfast tortas. With a dining room replete with local art and tables dressed in fresh flowers, and a spacious outdoor patio with tables tucked into the shade of mature cottonwoods, the setting is ideal for a cozy weekend brunch.

Phoenix Public Market Cafe has become an essential downtown lunch spot, and it's not hard to see why. The location, just outside the fray of the business district, where parking is plentiful, is ideal. The menu is diverse enough to accommodate everyone from your vegan roommate to your pork belly-loving co-workers. True, the dining room can get pretty loud at the height of the lunch rush, and there always seems to be at least one Macbook-wielding hipster taking up an entire table. But the counter-service setup is efficient, and the well-designed menu offers light offerings (salads and rice bowls) and heartier fare (sandwiches, burgers, and rotisserie chicken). Whether your downtown Phoenix lunch means a solo salad on the go, a business meeting over burgers, or a coffee and pastry date, Phoenix Public Market Cafe is the place.

Dear cocktail lovers: You've heard it before and you'll hear it again — Crudo, the modern Italian eatery in the heart of Arcadia, has one of the best happy hours around. A list of classics rings in 14 deep, from the Bee's Knees to the Negroni, the margarita to the Sazerac. You can even swing by with friends who prefer wine (nine options, from Loire Valley bubbly to Chilean syrah) or beer (a double barrel ale from Firestone Walker, in Paso Robles, for $3? Yeah, your friends are gonna dig this place). Introduce them to timeless bar snacks like the Fresno chile vinaigrette-drenched crispy pig ears, or the salty truffled bacon popcorn, which feeds the appetite and drives thirst. Believe us that damage can be done in two hours. And we always come back for more.

If you mashed up your favorite neighborhood bar with your favorite food truck, the results might look something like The Bar and Neatly's. The Bar is a laid-back neighborhood spot where Motown music plays on full blast, and a portrait of The Dude (that would be Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski from The Big Lebowski) hangs behind the bar. Neatly's, which is operated by the same folks behind The Stand in Arcadia, is tucked in the rear of the room, adjacent to the bar. The food stall's menu plays on the theme of an old-school laundromat; many of the menu items are "pressed" and "folded." Highlights include the Ironing Board Sliders, three excellent sliders served on buttery, crispy sourdough bread. Pressed sandwiches like the Italiano, served with an apricot mostarda on the side, are indulgent and well-executed. Best of all, the food is designed to be enjoyed from the comfort of your bar stool.

Cibo has all the hallmarks of a romantic restaurant and then some. It's situated inside a historic downtown bungalow with a lovely outdoor patio, where shade trees and flowering plants set the scene for romance. The restaurant's menu is populated by delicious, shareable dishes, including antipasti and wood-fired pizza. The wine list is carefully curated to be deep but not overwhelming. Service is uniformly cheerful yet not too intrusive. If there is one word that summarizes the Cibo experience, though, it's "intimate." Whether you're seated indoors or on the shady patio (which is lit up by twinkly lights in the evening), the intimacy of the restaurant is conducive to every kind of romantic gesture, whether that means "accidentally" brushing up against your date's arm, or ordering a Nutella-stuffed crepe dessert that begs to be shared. It's not an accident that Cibo has been the site of more than one marriage proposal, and no doubt its romantic legacy will continue to build with time.

In a city where patio dining is as ubiquitous as desert sunshine, Ocotillo in central Phoenix manages to take the concept of eating and drinking in the great outdoors to an impressive new level. The restaurant and bar, situated on a sprawling compound, was clearly designed with outdoor dining in mind. The well-manicured courtyard is nicely landscaped with desert flora and seems to offer comfortable patio seating in every direction. The restaurant's main covered patio is equipped with its own standalone bar, resulting in a space that can easily turn into a cheery beer garden. There is also more intimate seating overlooking a fire pit, and a standalone coffee bar with bike parking. There is lots of room to drink, eat, and stretch out at Ocotillo, where the generous patio space is particularly kind to groups and bigger parties.

Around since 2011, the pocket-size 32 Shea was originally a drive-thru photo lab, and you can tell right away. Now, the place is a cafe and coffee shop with lunch and light cocktails, which all turns into a dark-yet-cozy lounge and restaurant by 4 p.m. The drive-thru is still in use, but there's also a dog-friendly patio. The area is enclosed with trees, plants, cactuses, and an industrial steel fence, and comes equipped with misters and heaters depending on the time of year. Shea 32 also offers Yappy Hour every Saturday during their eight-month season, and often hosts events with local pet, groomer, and adoption businesses. Water dishes and dog toys are also available to four-legged guests. Thanks to drinks and dogs, this spot is definitely a point of pride in the Sheaborhood.

Hotel restaurants — even the coffee shops — are pricey, so we were thrilled to learn during a recent staycation at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa that the on-site restaurant Stonegrill offers a $10 buffet for kids 4 to 12 at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We don't know about you, but our little ones can really pack it away, making this an incredible deal. Best of all, the waitstaff kindly looked the other way when we raided the kids' french fry pile. And maybe their chicken strips, too.

You can take us out to the ballgame, but you better buy us something tastier than peanuts and Cracker Jack. Fortunately, the fine folks at Chase Field come up with new and interesting menu items at the start of each new Diamondbacks season. This year, we're loving the unabashedly indulgent Chipotle Chorizo Dog, a wonder of a meal that starts with a footlong hot dog and piles on jack cheese sauce, chorizo, pico de gallo, and a chipotle aioli. It's enough for one very hungry person or two who just want to try it. All the elements work here — the dog is a sturdy base for the chorizo, which is just spicy enough; the fresh veggies of the pico; and the creamy chipotle sauce. It's glorious trash food, and we mean that in a good way. The ballpark tries to be helpful by putting nutritional information on its menu items; we maybe didn't need to know that our game-day treat packs in 1,270 calories, but it's a small price to pay for something so delicious.

Two hours might seem like a long way to drive for breakfast, but we'd travel for days to get to Coppa Café. This sweet café on Flagstaff's main drag (not Route 66 — the other main drag — the useful one with the Target) is mismatched in all the right ways with vintage tables and chairs, flowers on the table, and if you're lucky, a guy in the corner playing classical guitar. Match that with amazing food — we tried the prosciutto and egg tarte flambé, a.k.a. breakfast pizza. Call it anything you want: It was delicious, and the house-made bacon is a must-try, even if you're stuffed. Coppa Café is open for brunch and dinner, as well as happy hour. We'll be back.

There are new spots in Phoenix that keep turning out the grub until 1 or 2 a.m., but for the real late-nighters, the show-closers, the after-party drinkers, there is only one place in town that can offer the comfort and grease we all inevitably crave after closing time. Grand Avenue Pizza Company slings slices of pepperoni, cheese, veggie, and a nightly "special slice" until 4 a.m. every night they are open (they are closed Monday and Tuesday). These slices are large, classic New York-sized triangles that come with just the right amount of grease and just the right amount of crispness to fill your stomach and put you to sleep when it's finally time to call it a night, or in this case, a morning.

Modern steakhouses tend to follow a template: dark wood, dim lighting, slick luxury, and a menu where practically everything is a la carte. Nothing wrong with that, we suppose, but for our special-occasion meals, we want an experience that you can't find all over metro Phoenix. What sets the Stockyards apart isn't just its history, which is long and fascinating (the restaurant, which has been around since 1947, stands on what used to be the world's largest cattle feedlot). The service is outstanding; listen to a waiter discuss where cuts of beef fall on the spectrum of flavor and tenderness, and you can tell that the staff really know their stuff when it comes to steak, and perhaps just as important, care deeply about the diners' satisfaction. The interior is classy without being pretentious, and the food is just what you want from a steakhouse meal, from the basket of biscuits and cornbread that come out first; top-quality, expertly prepared steaks in a variety of cuts that come with a first course and a side (try the Parmesan potato stack); and a satisfying dessert menu. And to top off the experience, go to the 1889 Saloon on the far side of the restaurant for a nightcap in the lap of Gilded Age-style luxury.

Diner 50 is a funky breakfast and lunch spot situated amid the drab, sun-bleached junkyards and industrial work yards of 19th Avenue and Buckeye Road. If you can look past the somewhat gritty location, you'll be rewarded with one of the most elaborate '50s-themed dining rooms in the city. But you're here for the food, and Diner 50 delivers on that as well. You'll find all the breakfast classics here, from thick, fluffy, Frisbee-size buttermilk pancakes soaked in butter and maple syrup to a hearty rib-eye steak platter, which comes with a well-cooked steak, a couple of eggs, and your choice of home fries or hash browns. Lunch is good too, particularly the house meatloaf. And here's a pro tip: Ask about the semisecret Mexican breakfast menu.

Mrs. White's Golden Rule Cafe is not merely the oldest soul food restaurant in town, it happens to be the most satisfying. The longtime Jefferson Street staple is a touchstone of Southern cooking and hospitality, delivering favorites like piping hot, extra-juicy fried chicken; smothered pork chops; fried catfish; and a smothered chicken-fried steak that will make you ditch whatever diet you're on in a hurry. If you're lucky, there will be meaty, flavorful oxtails during your visit, which are regularly featured on the menu. Traditional sides like sweet potatoes, fried okra, and macaroni and cheese are first-rate, too. Part of the appeal of Mrs. White's is that so much about it has remained blissfully unchanged over the decades. The best seat in the house is at the counter, where the scent of freshly fried chicken is most pronounced, and where patrons still gather to discuss the day's events, just as they have for years.

Back in jolly old England, it's not uncommon to find pubs that are hundreds of years old. We don't have that kind of architectural history here in Phoenix, but we do what we can. The Rose & Crown has only been around for about 10 years, but it resides in what qualifies in these parts as a very old building: the Silva House, built in 1900 and now one of the historic homes turned businesses in downtown's Heritage Square. The antique atmosphere gives The Rose & Crown an Old World vibe that we enjoy. What we also enjoy are the selection of more than 50 domestic and imported beers; a menu that includes standard American fare plus British classics like Scotch egg, fish and chips, and shepherd's pie; weekly events like trivia night; and the proximity to downtown Phoenix venues like Chase Field and Talking Stick Resort Arena, which makes Rose & Crown one of our favorite spots for a pint after a night out.

If you're looking for leprechauns, you came to the wrong place: The Kettle Black is Irish without being in-your-face about it. After all, the most authentically Irish pub will always be the one with good music, good conversation, and a good pint (not necessarily in that order), not the one with the most shamrocks on the walls. And if you can add a good fish and chips or a bowl of steamed mussels to that list, well, more power to you. Owner Tom Montgomery knew that when he started the popular Tim Finnegan's out near Metrocenter years ago, and has elevated both the menu and the setting with the opening of Kettle Black early last year. Fact-checkers would do well to notice the Gaelic on the hallway chalkboard (though, pound to a penny, they won't be able to translate it), or the green, white, and gold that adorn Biggie's portrait in the dining room. Everyone else will probably just enjoy their pint (Guinness or otherwise) in the cheery atmosphere, pleasantly surprised to discover that this downtown Phoenix gem just so happens to be an emerald.

Zur Kate (it means "to the old smokehouse") is the kind of restaurant you don't see very often these days. The Bavarian-style decor (complete with antlers, hanging plants, and German-themed wall hangings) probably hasn't changed much since the restaurant opened in 1983, and we can't recall any other local restaurant that regularly hosts accordion players. But this all makes for the perfect backdrop to Zur Kate's comprehensive menu of authentic German fare. Meals start out with a basket of rye bread, then it's time to pick an entrée. We're partial to the jager schnitzel, a piece of breaded pork loin topped with a brown mushroom gravy with onions and spices. Another good choice is the very tender and tangy sauerbraten, a beef roast marinated in vinegar. The Hausmacher bratwurst, Zur Kate's boldly flavored signature sausage, can be ordered on its own as a meal or added to your entrée for a small extra cost. There are also plenty of German beers, wines, and liqueurs to choose from. If you go, however, note that Zur Kate gets very busy on the weekends, and reservations are not accepted.

When we want some of the best Italian food we've had this side of the pond, we make a visit to Marcellino Ristorante in Old Town Scottsdale. Ditto when we're looking for impeccable service, or an ideal spot for a romantic or celebratory atmosphere. Really, we'll find any excuse to eat there. Chef Marcellino Verzino never fails to us impress us with his food and his attention to his guests; we see him greeting diners nearly every time we visit. And we can't get enough of the food, whether it's an appetizer like the grilled jumbo shrimp on a feta cheese croquette; entrees such as gnocchi in a creamy gorgonzola sauce, chicken breast layered with prosciutto and fontina; or classic Italian desserts like panna cotta and tiramisu.

We look for three things in an Italian deli: a good selection of groceries, friendly service, and of course, delicious prepared food. Niccoli's has all three in a small strip-mall storefront in uptown Phoenix. The narrow aisles of the grocery section are packed with everything you need to play Marcella Hazan at home, including all shapes and sizes of dried pasta, canned tomatoes, olive oil, jars of giardiniera, and more, and the deli cases have plenty of meats and cheeses to choose from. Niccoli's serves Italian entrees, pizza, salads, and sandwiches in its small dining room, or you can order them to go. They also do catering, in case you need enough lasagna, chicken Parm, or cold cuts to feed a crowd. Our favorite menu item is the excellent Italian sub, a hearty sandwich that comes with Genoa salami, capicolla, mortadella, ham, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pepperoncini, and dressing on a fresh-baked roll.

Vincent on Camelback has been around long enough to qualify as a local institution (the restaurant recently celebrated its 30th anniversary), but its light-handed fusion of French culinary tradition and Southwestern flavors often still feels revelatory. Wild boar loin, intensified with habanero sauce, is both intriguing and delicious. A roasted rack of lamb, jazzed up with a spicy pepper jelly, is almost ludicrously rich in flavor. Duck confit, an old standard that's buoyed with citrus sauce, is terrific. Plus, Vincent delivers all the virtues that you want from a classic French bistro: white tablecloth ambiance, attentive service, a bread basket filled with homemade mini croissants, and a winning wine list that goes on for days.

Metro Phoenix doesn't suffer from a lack of great Vietnamese restaurants, but Song Lynn stands out as an exceptional destination for Vietnamese cooking. The menu is extensive, offering staples like gorgeously fresh spring rolls (Song Lynn offers three versions), pork-laden banh mi sandwiches, and a terrific house pho special that involves slivers of flank steak, meatballs, and brisket. There is also a full vegetarian menu, and the photo-rich menu, fully annotated and labeled, makes this is a great spot for those new to Vietnamese cooking. Service is very friendly, and the comfortable, modern dining room only adds to the pleasure of eating at this west-side gem.

Smile Lao Thai, located in a Tempe strip mall, delivers a varied and delightful menu of Thai and Lao specialties. Come here for the deftly made curries, including a wonderfully creamy and mint-colored avocado curry, and a very fragrant pumpkin curry infused with sweet basil. You'll also find excellent renditions of mainstream Thai staples like pad si ew, Thai fried rice, and tom yum soup, plus harder-to-find dishes like larb, a minced chicken salad perfumed effusively with mint and lemongrass. The casual yet refined ambiance at Smile Lao Thai makes it suitable for a quick lunch, but also smart enough for a nice dinner.

Far north Phoenix's swanky outdoor mall, Desert Ridge, seems like an unlikely setting for a high-end Korean barbecue restaurant. It takes guts to pull off that kind of endeavor, but chef Hyunwoo Lee proves he's up to the challenge with Sizzle, a slick restaurant with a menu designed to appeal to both newbies and longtime Korean barbecue aficionados. Unlike traditional Korean barbecue joints, the restaurant has dedicated chefs to man the tableside grills. No matter who's cooking, though, the results are generally delightful. A big part of Sizzle's success rests on use of high-quality ingredients, which include prime beef and heritage pork, coupled with skillful execution. The results are beautifully seared cuts of rib eye, skirt steak, tongue, and brisket, tender and awash in flavor. Just try to resist the house bulgogi, infused with a garlicky marinade and then beautifully charred over the fire before your eyes.

Unfortunately, it's easy enough to let Nobuo at Teeter House slip off your culinary radar. The restaurant has been quietly operating out of a historic bungalow in Heritage Square for almost a decade. It's become such a fixture of downtown dining that it's relatively easy to take for granted what it meant for downtown Phoenix to finally land its very own highly refined yet unassuming izakaya. Rather than let that happen, though, it's worth shelling out some bucks for a delicious refresher on the virtues of Nobuo. Chef Fukuda's tasting menu is always a treat; it has been known to include highlights like Miyazaki wagyu beef, exquisitely braised to reveal every layer of flavor. Another major highlight of dining at Nobuo is the chef's famous sashimi spoons, bite-sized servings of raw fish artfully arranged on white ceramic spoons, which often feature unconventional ingredients like nuts, olive oil, and even cheese. Regardless of what's on the menu during your visit, it will very likely taste divine.

As regional Chinese cooking blossoms in metro Phoenix, Chou's Kitchen continues to shine as one of the most satisfying destinations for traditional Chinese food. The restaurant's focus is on the cuisine of northeastern China, a regional variety that's still not as heartily celebrated as other provincial foodways. At Chou's Kitchen, though, the cold-weather cuisine of the Dongbei region is celebrated with a menu teeming with specialties like plump pork and chive dumplings; meat pies and homemade potstickers; cold noodle bowls that sing with notes of cilantro and chile paste; cumin-scented lamb; and the eternal comfort of a bowl of zhajiangmian, homemade wheat noodles topped with pork. The extensive menu at Chou's rewards repeat visits, and it's easy to unearth a new and unexpected dish with every meal.

Growing up in Phoenix, our favorite chain Mexican restaurants always offered a hamburger on the kids' menu for unadventurous tykes. But we were shocked to see ham and cheese and bacon sandwiches on the menu of a sophisticated Chinese restaurant in Tempe. Turns out, that's part of what makes Asian Fusion Café so authentic. Diners are a thing in China, and we're thrilled, because we love this one. We rarely order from the American side of Asian Fusion's menu, but our dining companions do, and then they demand dessert — also good, since the cold case is packed with creative options and a big machine spits out the softest shaved ice you can imagine.

For a true Arabian experience, unadorned and as you would find it in the Arabian Gulf, Mandi House delivers. The no-frills restaurant is lined with booths topped with napkin dispensers, and one wall is reserved for traditional seating on floor cushions. Your soda will come in a can, not a glass, and you will notice a few kernels of rice dotting the recently occupied tables. That's because the food here is all about the rice, ideally eaten by hand and crowned with a perfectly charred piece of fish, chicken, or meat. Though they offer some pan-Arabian specialties, like the ubiquitous hummus and falafel, their specialty is Yemeni food, from a country far from the fertile valleys of Lebanon and the Mediterranean. So, it's best to stick with Arabian Gulf classics, like fassoulia, a rich fava bean, onion, garlic, and herb dish served with warm flatbread. Their namesake mandi, a saffron-rubbed baked chicken served atop flavorful broth- and spice-enriched rice along with yogurt and a tangy tomato salsa, is pure comfort food. But their chicken muthbi, a chargrilled version of the dish, is even better. Fish here is marinated in spices before being butterflied, grilled, and presented on a metal platter of rice that would easily be shareable. This is not your "Mediterranean" gyro sandwich and Greek salad joint — it is real Arabian home cooking, offering a true taste of regional Middle Eastern food in a town awash with hummus and babaganoush.

Phoenix is blessed with some seriously great Iranian food, from white tablecloth restaurants serving lavish jeweled rices and skewers of perfectly cooked filet, to small bakeries serving fresh stuffed savory pastries and breads. AZ Kabob House is the most casual of the sit-down restaurants, offering counter service in a bright, airy space in a strip mall. The interior is cheerful but not lavish, and the menu includes less traditional fare, like Greek salads and hummus, but their Persian specialties, like tender, ground beef kubideh kabobs served over saffron rice; homemade doogh, a salted mint and yogurt drink; and gormeh sabzi, a lamb and herb stew, are some of the best versions of these classic Persian dishes anywhere in town. And we believe they are the only ones in town serving dizzi, an utterly luscious mashed meat and potato stew served with a rich bone broth and warm, fresh-baked bread that could be the most satisfying of all Persian comfort foods. Affordable prices and consistently good, solid Iranian classics make it the best place in Phoenix to get your Persian fix.

Nandini is home to the same kind of Punjabi-inflected menu you'll find at most Indian restaurants around the Valley, where classics like tandoori chicken and chicken tikka are still the centerpiece of every menu. But at this Tempe outpost, the curries are thick and satisfying, the butter chicken melt-in-your-mouth, and the service friendly and fast. From street food appetizers called chaat to well-executed tandoori dishes and those wonderful curries, Nandini covers the basics — and even has an entire page of the menu devoted to different kids of naan bread. Come at lunch for an inexpensive buffet or relax over dinner. Don't skip the milky rice pudding for dessert.

The small Central America country of Belize has a culinary canon that reflects the influence of ancient, rustic Mayan foods, modern Mexican street fare, and trade-town-style Caribbean dishes tinged with Spanish and African touches. The staple dish of Belize, a hearty plate of coconut rice and beans served with a tangy, black pepper-heavy potato salad, fried sweet plantains, and rich, stewed chicken, is a good representation of the country's food culture. In Chandler, you can get your first taste of the real deal at Elvira's, which opened this year. Simple and homey, their star dish has nothing spicy or exotic about it. The rice and beans are topped with shredded coconut and laced with black pepper. The plantains prove to be a lovely, sweet counterpart to the subtle chicken, and the potato salad is perhaps the most flavorful element on the plate, with the potatoes and boiled egg dancing in a creamy, slightly sweet and tangy dressing along with chopped onions and small beans. Their stewed chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender, with a rich broth that begs to be poured over the rice along with a hearty dash of Marie Sharp's Habanero Pepper Sauce. On the weekends, the owners, Luis and Elvira, offer specials like Belize-style tamales and whole grilled fish, that are "pure Belizean." As the first restaurant of its kind in the Valley, it is a welcome addition.

There are an increasing number of gluten-free menus popping up at restaurants around town, but one of the only 100 percent gluten-free options in the Valley is Grabbagreen. Thankfully for GF diners, there are four branches across the city, and several more opening soon. The fast-casual shop doesn't bother subbing in gluten-free carbs; instead, they focus on offering clean, whole foods that are naturally gluten-free, with hearty grain bowls like the Patagonia, stuffed with black beans, cilantro, corn, quinoa, red onion, bell pepper, and steak, tossed in a garlicky chimichurri sauce. They also offer salads, soups, fresh juices, kale-leaf-wrapped breakfast burritos, and chia and coconut mango breakfast bowls. It's the kind of place where you can eat gluten-free without a second thought, special request, or apology, and that's pretty great.

Veggie Village is a pleasant north-central Phoenix restaurant that specializes in vegetarian cooking with a distinctly Chinese and southeast Asian bent. And it's uniformly wonderful. Appetizers like fried enoki mushrooms and vegetable-stuffed pot stickers are well-executed and flavorful, and there is a fine selection of hearty, beautifully seasoned soups. It's hard to miss the real stuff in faux meat-laden entrees like sweet and sour "chicken" and "mutton" curry. The dishes might not be made with real animal protein, but the use of vegetables and seasonings is so deft, you might not notice anything is missing.

Vegan House has been quietly feeding the downtown Phoenix crowd for about two years now. It took over a space on Adams Street notorious for turning over restaurants, but this unassuming vegan spot has defied the odds and become something of a mainstay. The secret to its success may very well be in its quirky and diverse menu. You'll find standard appetizers like lettuce wraps and fried tofu, but also unexpected highlights like a strong faux-seafood menu. Gems include the green curry seafood, featuring a delightfully silky curry studded with well-seasoned vegan "shrimp." Sandwiches, noodle bowls, and wraps round out the menu. The lunch menu, especially, offers both good flavors and great value, a virtuous combination that will hopefully keep Vegan House around for years to come.

Looking to take your grocery shopping to the next level? Look no further than the Uptown Farmers Market. Every week, more than 60 vendors set up shop in the North Phoenix Baptist Church parking lot selling everything from organic greens and grass-fed beef to artisan soaps and ceramics. The community pop-up also puts together live music, food trucks, and a fair amount of outdoor seating so stroller-pushing, dog-walking visitors can turn their shopping into an all-morning affair. The market is open year round on Saturday mornings and moves indoors during the summer months. It also holds morning hours on Wednesdays throughout the fall so reusable bag-toting shoppers can keep their fridges stocked throughout the week.

Country Velador (she's the pastry chef for Cowboy Ciao) and her super-sweet husband, Sergio, had already made a mark with Super Chunk, their adorable candy shop (featuring everything from meringues to caramels to caneles, all house-made) but now they've opened an adjacent market with house-made bagels and bread, sandwiches, salads, more baked goods, housewares, and party supplies. Pizza's coming soon. And so's a lot more. Stop by for a coffee drink and stay for any and all of the above. We can't wait to see what these two overachievers cook up next.

Upon approaching Lee Lee, you'd be forgiven the mistake of identifying it as a Chinese market. After all, they call themselves an "Oriental market," and just inside the door there is an entire section dedicated to Buddha statues and tables upon which to keep said statues. But a walk through the aisles reveals that it is so much more. Lee Lee circles the globe. There is an entire row dedicated to the shrimp pastes, lemon grasses, and pickled vegetables of Thailand. Middle Eastern ingredients strangely share an aisle with imports from the Netherlands; nevertheless, you'll find everything from zaatar to Persian sugar candy stuffed on the shelves. Walk down India's row and you'll taste the curry leaves and masala blends, whose fragrance cannot be contained by their flimsy plastic packaging. Continue to the back of the store to peruse a vast selection of Japanese beers and sake. And in the produce aisle, feast your eyes on Sri Lankan banana flowers, the infamous durian fruits, and Filipino plantains. This is an international market in the truest sense, with something for everyone.

A visit to Yasha From Russia is an immersive experience, beginning with the oversize Russian nesting dolls that adorn the exterior of the building. Inside, there is a vast selection of Russian wines and beers, which are worth buying for the amazing bottles alone. There is a small section of picked, canned, jarred, and dry goods, a deli counter slinging the likes of head cheese, as well as prepared foods like a very decent borscht. They have a selection of caviar (of course), but the real highlight of the market might be the frozen section. Coolers throughout the shop hold bins and bins of homemade pelmeni dumplings stuffed with everything from mashed potatoes and onions to ground pork to sweet cheese. They are purchased by the pound and can be taken home and boiled. The staff will be happy to explain to you that when the dumpling floats, you still should leave it another few minutes in the boiling water before fishing them out and serving alongside sour cream. There is no place in Phoenix quite like this East European shop.

Asiana Market is in a class of its own. The sprawling grocery store is located in a Mesa strip mall, but once you pass through the doors, you will feel like you're in a supermarket in Seoul. From kalbi potato chips to fresh rice cakes for dubboki and specialty cuts of meat like cross-cut cow's foot, this market has every Korean staple imaginable. Shop for them to the sound of K-pop playing gently over the speakers. One of the best parts of the shop is the prepared-food counter. There, you can watch the army of Korean women frying, baking, and boiling dishes like glass noodles, mung bean pancakes, fish cakes, and Korean fried chicken. Their prepacked lunch boxes come stuffed with rice, meat, glass noodles, rice cakes, bibimbap, and a seaweed salad, and every takeaway order is given with a free bottle of water. There is nothing not to love.

Everything about Ruze Cake House is beautiful: the decor, the baked goods, even the drinks are lovely and colorful and supremely Instagrammable. But the appeal of the Old Town Scottsdale bakery goes far beyond its aesthetics. The goods here are delicious and made with the utmost care; the selection is constantly changing but can include macarons, cookies, cupcakes, sweet and savory croissants, marshmallows, pies, sweet rolls, and more. We love the macarons for ourselves, and the Arizona- and cactus-shaped cookies that come in a variety of icing designs make excellent gifts. Also, Ruze still produces the elegant custom wedding cakes that gave the company their start. And these days, the beverage menu is developing its own dedicated fan base: The bakery sells Cartel coffee along with a number of signature beverages, including a hot-pink concoction called the Ruze, which is made from prickly-pear tea, prickly-pear syrup, milk, and tapioca pearls.

Housed in a small strip mall on North Scottsdale Road, this shop is easy to miss. Once inside, you'll find ramshackle shelves stuffed with Persian, Middle Eastern, and Indian ingredients, canned goods, dried beans, and sweets, in no discernable order. There's a small produce section and a dairy fridge filled with treats like Iranian clotted cream, feta cheeses, and doogh, a salty yogurt drink in both carbonated and flat versions. But the real reason to visit this shop is the stone-oven bakery tucked in the back, just behind the register. There, a team of bakers make thin, chewy, sesame-encrusted sangak bread; delicate rounds of lavash; and thick, pillowy ovals of barberi bread. Not all the breads are available every day, or even all day, but if you call ahead, you can walk out with a stack of flatbread still hot and steaming through its paper wrapping. It is the best Persian bread in the state, and maybe even the best flatbread, period. Pick it up along with a chunk of feta and some fresh herbs or clotted cream and honey.

Jewel's has long been a favorite for gluten-free fans in Phoenix, and they continue to be the best place around for fresh-baked loaves of flaxseed bread, burger buns, brownies, muffins, and all manner of typically "off-limits" carb-laden goodness. Even those who aren't gluten-free can appreciate the indulgent, super-moist salted-caramel brownies, cranberry scones, and chocolate-white chocolate chip cookies.

Here's what our vegan friends say about treats from Treehouse Bakery: "These are really good!" Here's what our non-vegan friends say about treats from Treehouse Bakery: "These are vegan? Wow, these are really good!" Any misconceptions you may be carrying about vegan desserts being less tasty than "regular" ones can now be left at the door. Step inside the cheerful pink-and-white storefront near Roosevelt Street and Grand Avenue, and you'll see a small but enticing selection of pastries, cookies, brownies, scones, and more. We love the light, moist lemon cupcakes, the rich brownies, and the flaky house-made toaster pastries. Treehouse also does birthday cakes, wedding cakes, and large orders of cupcakes in a variety of flavors, such as red velvet, apple pie, French toast, pistachio, and peanut butter. Some can even be made gluten-free. In short, Treehouse isn't just a great vegan bakery — it's a great bakery, full stop.

It's a good thing Sweeties wasn't around when we were kids, because this place would have blown our minds — not to mention our pocket money and our teeth. Think of a candy you love now, or loved in your youth. Go ahead. Now go to Sweeties and see if they carry it. They will. They totally will! They've got everything — this place is a superstore specializing only in candy. Every name brand (and some you didn't know existed), every variation of it (although we hope the strawberry nut-flavored M&Ms we saw recently were an aberration and not a real thing). Taffy in pretty much every imaginable flavor, color-coded candy. Candy shaped like rocks and LEGOs. You get the idea. What are you waiting for? Go load up a cart at Sweeties. Just don't forget to brush your teeth after your visit.

By now, you've either seen it in Valley restaurants or you're already a big fan of Homeboy's Hot Sauce. Jacob Cutino launched his local hot sauce line in spring 2015, and there are currently three flavors (not counting seasonal offerings). The first two sauces were the bright-red yet mild-in-flavor jalapeno, and the golden-yellow habanero. The new guy is the green-hued verde — an incognito way to crank up the heat on guacamole, or to dress a hot dog as a substitute relish. The sauces are gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and include no artificial preservatives. Find Homeboy's Hot Sauce at restaurants like Pig & Pickle, The Market by Jennifer's, and La Grande Orange, as well area markets like Uptown Farmers Market and Gilbert Farmers Market and on the YouTube sensation, Hot Ones.

We always had heard great things about SoSoBa from our neighbors to the north (that's Flagstaffians, not Canadians), so we were stoked when we found out we were getting our very own location of the self-described "unabashedly inauthentic" Asian food joint down on Roosevelt Row. As it turns out, SoSoBa may not be authentic, but it is delicious, and the dish we keep coming back for is the General Tso's Cauliflower, which features a large pile of the veggie flash-fried with General Tso sauce, fresh Thai chilies, peanuts, garlic chips, and scallions. The cauliflower is cooked to just the right consistency, and the tangy sweetness of the sauce is bold without being overpowering. The dish is located on the shared-plates section of the menu, but if you're anything like us, you'll want to get your own and scarf down the whole thing. And since SoSoBa is open until midnight Sunday through Wednesday and 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, almost any time is the right time to spend a while with the General.

Paleo, keto, Whole30 — there are a lot of diets out there these days that tell you not to eat bread. Well, you can pry our carbs from our cold, dead, gluten-loving hands. We love bread, and in metro Phoenix, we love it best from Jerusalem Bakery. Husband-and-wife team Lior and Lily Ben-Shushan never let us down when it comes to their rotating selection of bread creations, which includes several varieties of challah, sourdough rye, French toast cinnamon loaf, pita, and our personal favorite, a round Moroccan herb bread. The bakery's storefront has very limited hours, so if your mouth is watering just reading this, try to pick up a loaf (or two) at the weekly Phoenix Public Market.

A good bagel should be chewy but not squishy, dense enough to be substantial but not so firm that it's hard to eat. It's a fine line to walk, but the folks at The Nosh Café in Ahwatukee do the best job in town. The neighborhood joint switched over from bagels only to a full breakfast and lunch restaurant several years back, and we're very glad that the expanded menu hasn't diminished the quality of the bagels. There are more than a dozen varieties to choose from, including onion, garlic, salt, spinach Parmesan, cinnamon sugar, and our favorite, the "Works" (a.k.a. the everything bagel). A Works bagel with lox, cream cheese, tomato, red onion, and capers is about as perfect a breakfast as we can imagine, but there are plenty of other things to choose from on the menu, like breakfast burros, scrambles, and French toast. And for lunch, you've got your choice from a long list of salads and sandwiches. This place is very popular on weekends, so go early for the best bagel selection.

Let's be frank: You will probably want more than just one slice when you go to My Slice of the Pie Pizzeria, a quirky Arcadia pizza joint that marries New York pizza-making traditions with Southwest-inspired flavors. But if you're looking to whet your appetite with just a slice or two, the restaurant offers pizza by the slice daily. There are two very good options: a deliciously chewy, oversize New York-style slice, and a Southwestern slice featuring the restaurant's signature jalapeno-tomato cream. Both are excellent, and for a small upcharge, you can trick out your slice with extra toppings. While you're here, though, you may as well upgrade to a full pie — might we suggest the deliciously sweet-spicy Al Pastor pizza? Just when you thought pizza couldn't possibly get any better, My Slice of the Pie proves that the form still holds many possibilities.

Forno 301 is a destination for seriously great pizza. On most nights, you'll spot Italian-born pizzaiolo and owner Luca Gagliano working the wood-fired oven, where slabs of gorgeous dough swell over the crackling heat. There are about a dozen Neapolitan-style pizzas on the menu, including the brilliantly composed Testosterone, a "ballsy" pizza that features puddles of soft mozzarella, a lovely tomato sauce, prosciutto — and a couple of eggs. The best part is using your pizza crust to sop up the runny molten yolk that drips onto your pizza pan. If egg on your pizza sounds like too much, try the Forno rendition of the classic 4 Stagioni ("four seasons") pizza, which is one of the best in town.

If there's ever a sandwich you'll need to walk off, it's the generously proportioned Crispy Chicken at Worth Takeaway. The craft sandwich consists of crispy chicken breast that is only soft or soggy in the best way where the Sriracha-honey spread and mayonnaise has been slathered on thick. You'll also find Bibb lettuce and sweet and spicy pickles made in house between those slices of Proof ciabatta bread. If you're cutting carbs, the Crispy Chicken can be served without bread at all, or on a bed of Steadfast Farm greens. When dining in, you'll be surrounded by sleek, clean, modern desert decor, and will hear the slight hum of a fridge packed with cold 12-ounce sodas and a selection of Danzeisen Dairy milk flavors. But back to the sandwich, which comes wrapped and in halves, so you can easily bring the rest home with you. If you dare eat the whole thing, or pair it with some house-made sea salt potato chips, we suggest strolling through charming downtown Mesa instead of taking a much-needed nap.

If you think avocado toast has jumped the shark, order one at Berdena's and get back to us. This tiny boutique coffee shop in Old Town Scottsdale is simple and sweet, with an itty-bitty menu and seriously good espresso. And with their avocado toast, they prove that the best dishes are often the most humble ... made with pretentious ingredients, of course. Fresh avocado is mashed onto a thick cut of artisanal, whole-grain bread. Streams of lemon juice flow through each fork imprint. The kicker is the combination of red pepper flakes and chunks of good sea salt sprinkled on top, resulting in a delicious, highly Instagrammable piece of toast. Economists like to say that avocado toast — a trending menu item that usually runs $10 and up — is a perfect example of why millenials can't buy homes. We say keep paying rent and head to Berdena's — might as well enjoy that avo-smash life, brah.

There is a certain purist attitude prevalent among some grilled cheese aficionados; namely, that anything besides bread, cheese, and butter is disrespectful to the spirit of the sandwich. We say that if you stick it in a grilled cheese sandwich and it tastes good, that's good enough for us. Local mobile eatery The Gorilla Cheese Truck appeals to fans on both sides of the issue. Our favorite selection from the truck is the Hawaii 5.0, a decadent creation that takes a traditional grilled cheese and stuffs it with smoked pork, green chiles, grilled pineapple, bacon, tomato, bacon jam, and Sriracha aioli for an unforgettable mix of spicy, sweet, and savory flavors. But we also enjoy the Caprese sandwich, which comes with mozzarella, tomato, basil, and bacon jam, and yes, even the O.G., a purist's dream that blends colby jack, Muenster, and havarti on sourdough. Basically, give us melted cheese on toasted bread and we're there for it.

Time was, you had to manage to catch the Aioli Burger food truck around town if you wanted one of their award-winning hamburgers. Then, at the end of 2016, the good people of Phoenix caught a break when a brick-and-mortar location opened in north central Phoenix. Now, we always know where to find specialties like the Italiano Burger with its mozzarella, balsamic reduction, and crispy pancetta, or the Black & Blue, which comes with blue cheese, bacon, and caramelized onions. And the burgers aren't the only thing we crave on the menu; the warm pretzel bites and burrata caprese salad are two starters we never say no to. There's something for everyone at Aioli, from a falafel burger for the herbivores and to-die-for shakes and floats to an appealing kids' menu and even a snack for four-legged patrons.

DK Dogs in Phoenix specializes in Euro-style hot dogs, with distinctly Danish roots. If you have not experienced the pleasures of a Danish dog, prepare yourself for the house dog, which features an all-beef frank squeezed into a gently toasted, hollowed-out baguette, garnished with a mustard-like secret sauce. Along with classic Danish street dogs, DK Dogs offers specialty dogs like The Nordic, a well-balanced dog topped with havarti cheese, red pickled cabbage, and a sprinkling of fried onions. For formidable appetites, there's The Pastrami Dog, a hot dog buried under a small mound of chopped pastrami and sauerkraut, and sluiced with Thousand Island dressing. The sheer novelty of the menu is enough to merit a visit to DK Dogs. But it's the unabashedly flavorful quality of these fully loaded dogs that make DK Dogs a winner in our books.

AZ Fry Guy started its life as a food truck, but now this family-run restaurant is a thriving outpost of Southern cooking, tucked into a strip mall just a stone's throw away from Interstate 10 in Avondale. Although the menu is replete with all manner of deep-fried Southern eats (including delicious fried seafood), the thing to order at least once are the fried chicken strips, which are beautifully seasoned and very finely breaded. The chicken is shatteringly crisp on the outside, with the succulence of the meat deliciously preserved on the inside. Get it with a side of the extra-cheesy macaroni and cheese for one of the most satisfying meals on the west side or anywhere.

In the beginning, there were plain old french fries. Then came curly fries, waffle fries, shoestring fries, sweet potato fries, zucchini fries, carrot fries ... we could go on and on. But if you're craving a new variation on an old theme, we recommend parking yourself at the Kimpton Hotel Palomar in downtown Phoenix's CityScape complex. The hotel's Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails serves corn grit fries, thick, delicately crispy sticks worth swooning over. Break one open, and you'll find creamy grits flecked with cheese and bacon. They're served with a dish of pomodoro sauce, and we love them all on their own as a small plate or appetizer or alongside one of Blue Hound's excellent burgers or sandwiches.

The Mill Avenue stalwart that is the Rúla Búla Irish Pub — located in the historic Andre Building toward the north end of the strip — offers a pretty impressive menu of classic Irish dishes and pub fare. But we're not here for that. The Beginnings portion of the lunch and dinner menu offers three kinds of wings: Buffalo wings, Guinness barbecue wings, and the Rúla Búla House Wings — a combination of the first two. We recommend the third option. Though plates are portioned for two to share as an appetizer, this would make a filling meal for one. The wings are served on oval-shaped plates and adorned with minced parsley — they are sizable and meaty, and the goopy, sweet, and spicy house sauce seems to have been generously slathered on each drum and wing. An order of wings comes with ranch dressing, healthy little stalks of celery, and an uplifting atmosphere inside the pub or out on the twinkle-lighted patio.

Little Miss BBQ is notorious for attracting long lines, especially on weekend mornings. But local barbecue aficionados don't bother to complain about the lines, because it's always worth the wait for Little Miss Barbecue's central Texas-style barbecue. The menu is short enough to memorize, a collection of gorgeously smoked pork ribs, turkey, sausage, and of course, brisket. The highlight of any barbecue lover's week is getting to the counter and picking out your cut of brisket. If you're extra-lucky, perhaps your dish will come with a side of gorgeous burnt ends. This is traditional slow and low barbecue, perfumed with Arizona oak and pecan, and still the best in town.

Chula Seafood is an all-in-one source for high-quality and sustainably caught seafood in the desert. The family-owned and -operated shop specializes in fresh seafood caught off the Pacific Coast, which is delivered straight to this small, friendly fish market and restaurant in Scottsdale. The selection varies, but you can usually count on restaurant-grade yellowfin tuna and swordfish, along with a revolving menu of other freshly caught seafood. The restaurant side of Chula Seafood features a comfy and casual nautical-themed dining room. The menu is modest in size, but the quality of the fish more than makes up for the selection. Come for dishes like ultra-fresh Hawaiian-style poke bowls, a pretty wonderful tuna confit sandwich, and house-smoked salmon. If you can't make it to San Diego Bay yourself, a visit to Chula Seafood is the next best thing.

A sushi restaurant isn't where we were expecting to find a Parmesan cream scallop so good it elicits moans of pleasure, but hey, love works in mysterious ways. Yasu isn't one of the better-known sushi joints in town, but it should be. From the freshness of the ingredients to the dimly lit, intimate setting and the welcoming service (sit at the bar, and chef/owner Yasu Hashino will probably be there to give you a smile and offer to answer questions about the menu), Yasu provides a consistently satisfying dining experience. And while we've had plenty of great dishes there, the Parmesan cream scallop, a perfectly cooked one-bite wonder smothered in a rich, cheesy, lightly browned sauce, is the thing we order again and again, and remember fondly until the next time we can belly up to the sushi bar.

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.

Eating late is something you're supposed to avoid. But what if you're like, really hungry? What if you've spent the night dancing or bar-hopping or hauling yourself out of Lyft cars? If that's the case, the glowing sign of Arizona Donut Co. is like a beacon in the night, and the lobby — staying well-lit at all hours of the night — seems like it's too good to be true. The 24-hour Tempe doughnut shop has a colorful array behind the glass, allowing you to look and choose your own toasted coconut, apple crumb, blueberry powder, raspberry cream, or double chocolate — among others — to take home or eat on the spot. Arizona Donut Co. also features boba drinks, coffee, anytime sandwich and breakfast items — and 24-hour delivery. Customers get a free doughnut on National Doughnut Day, because of course.

You know what we look for in a coffee shop? A bar. Which is why we can never resist Lux, the (sometimes tragically) hip coffee bar hidden in plain sight off Central Avenue in the heart of Phoenix. From dawn past dusk, you can plug in your laptop, gather your friends, or both. There's art on the walls (our favorite pieces are by painter Randy Slack, a regular contributor) and music on the speakers (everything from classical to indie to Motown). Most of the chairs are comfy. No one will nudge you away, but you might feel compelled to order breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a few between-meal pastries. And did we mention there's a full bar?

One coffee shop (now with several locations) showed up in the earliest days of Phoenix's coffee scene and offers far more than a hip setting for your laptop. Cartel sets a high bar for sourcing and purchasing high-quality green coffee beans. No roaster in town is perfect, but we feel Cartel is equipping itself with the tools to last as a roaster for home brewers, wholesale clients, and in-shop sippers alike.

Five years ago, cold-brew coffee was the exception, less common than hot-drip coffee and espresso poured over ice. Now it's the rule, both at indie coffee shops and at Starbucks alike. Lower temperatures don't extract the acids that give hot coffee floral and acidic fruit-forward flavors, so you'll end up with something smoother, with notes that are more chocolate-like and nutty — when done well, at least. Year after year, be Coffee, using beans that could be described as well-developed, though certainly far from roasty, burnt, or smoky, seems to have figured out an equation that leads to the nearly perfect cup (at least, in our opinion). Best of all, they are consistent, unlike their competitors, which seem to treat iced coffee as an afterthought. Even better, the cold brew is strong. This is very important in Phoenix, where the sun shines hot, and a perfect-strength iced coffee becomes watery and weak, if not the moment you step outside, then the moment after. be Coffee's cold brew gives you some wiggle room. Extra credit for be Coffee.

Before Alec Baldwin's best line was probably something delivered as Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock, the blue-eyed scene stealer was well-known for the heatedly delivered, "Coffee's for closers only," from an early scene in 1992's Glengarry Glen Ross. As scary as he seemed in the role of Blake the big shot, that's not half as scary as a gnarly hangover. Allow us to present a local cure: the Coffee is For Closers cocktail from House Brasserie in Scottsdale. The drink consists of Press cold brew coffee, Tia Maria dark liqueur, demerara (a type of sugar), and lemon peel. The concoction runs you $12, but it will give you that boost of caffeine along with a little morning-after swill needed to make up for the night before. Nothing like drinking spiked, Baldwin-inspired coffee in a lovely Old Town Scottsdale environment.

What's better than a glass of rosé? A glass of sweet, slushy rosé. Mora has a twist on this year's hottest — er, coldest — drink, frosé, with their Rosé Snowcone. A Provencal rosé wine is blended with grapefruit, watermelon, peaches, and pink peppercorn tincture, then served over shaved ice. It's tart, citrusy, with the perfect icy crunch. Scooch over, wine cooler. This trend is here to stay.

You can't go wrong with either of the two frozen cocktails that the bartenders at Ladera tap swiftly out of slushy machines. Recite eenie-meenie if you must, but if you end up with the Mango La Sandunga, a tropical and tiki-evoking mixture of tequila, bitter orange Aperol aperitif, a nutty almond syrup called orgeat (it's in your mai tai), mango, and pineapple, consider yourself blessed. The other option, the less complex mezcolada, is straightforward and delightful all the same — essentially, a smoky piña colada (and only $5 at happy hour).

The team behind Counter Intuitive, one of the Valley's most creative cocktail bars, made a splash when they opened UnderTow in Arcadia. What they got was an underground tiki bar, decked out like a real-life below-deck cargo bay — with crashing thunder coming through speakers, lightning effects, and LCD screens depicting ocean-scapes. Meanwhile, top-talent bartenders shake and stir old- and new-school tiki drinks alike. UnderTow's mai tai is the best in town, no doubt about it, as are other historical stalwarts of the genre, like the Zombie. And you can order a classic Jungle Bird, but you might opt for one of the bar's many originals, like a stirred version — the Stirred Bird — that drinks like a tropical Negroni, made with rum, Campari, lime oils, and house-made pineapple syrup.

When it's hot, there's no cooler thing to do than sip any one of Rum Bar's creative, Caribbean-inspired concoctions. We like the fact that although owner Dwayne Allen consistently puts together an impressive list of original cocktails that changes twice a year to match Phoenix's two seasons (hot and less hot, but always sunny), he makes sure that the most iconic rum drinks — mojitos, piña coladas, and daiquiris — are far from cliche treatments. We are sure that you would be hard-pressed to find better versions of any of the aforementioned rum cocktails elsewhere in town. A shaded and misted back patio is the cherry atop the equation, especially if you're one to enjoy the occasional cigar, which Rum Bar offers an assortment of as well.

It's easier than ever to find a well-made classic cocktail, if not the ever-elusive, perfect ideal. It's obvious that while the bartenders at Bitter & Twisted are chasing perfection, they also want to provide guests with something memorable. That's certainly the case with the B&T martini, engineered to be served chillier than any in town, or their series of Negroni cocktails that have been batched and done sous vide with floral flavors such as chamomile, Earl Grey, or rose. And with regards to punch, what's very old — old English, that is — is made anew with Bitter & Twisted's take on the centuries-old milk punch, where spirits meet milk. We'll spare you the details, but the end product is a drink so smooth and luscious you'd swear you're drinking, well, milk, and maybe you kind of are, and yet it isn't the least bit opaque, nor does it taste milky — just booze beautifully rounded by seasonally picked flavors, combining with a texture that makes your mouth feel downright fancy. The drink is served in a handsome teacup, swimming with a fabulously large and crystal-clear ice cube.

It's strange that a drink as elemental and refreshing as the mint julep — just sugar, bourbon, and mint beneath a mound of melting ice — could come to be thought of as something to be employed on only one day out of the 365 we get each year: the day of the Kentucky Derby. Well, owner Micah Olson put the mint julep center stage at his Southern concept, Okra, where the drink has its own section of the menu, home to historical variants and some modern takes alike. In fact, bourbon, whether in an Old Fashioned, a Manhattan, or something different entirely, gets star treatment here.

On a beverage menu that shifts both subtly and frequently alongside the dishes at Tratto, one cocktail sticks around through the seasons: the Durum Old Fashioned. It should be said, though, that it has moving parts as well, as bourbons cycle through it at Blaise Faber's whim (sometimes it's Arizona Distilling Company's desert durum wheat whiskey, other times it's 107-proof W.L. Weller bourbon from Kentucky). But the mix is always secured by Faber's very own cordial crafted from Arizona-grown durum wheat and dates. The drink also gets dotted with Workhorse Rye coffee bitters, made by a friend in San Francisco with deep Tucson roots.

This is a tough call. Arizona's young wine industry is beginning to produce a number of standouts, and try as we might, we haven't yet sampled them all. Rock star Maynard James Keenan's Caduceus Cellars, which has a tasting room in Jerome, produces some excellent reds, but at 50 bucks-plus, they're a little pricey for us. For value, it's hard to beat Provisioner, the off-label of Page Springs Cellars. The reds, whites, and rosés are all under $15. But for the best balance of price and taste, we're going against the grain — or grape — and selecting a white from Cochise County, film director Sam Pillsbury's Symphony Sweet Lies Reserve, a blend of grenache gris and muscat grapes, which checks out for about $25. We liked it so much when we first had it paired with seafood at Little Cleo's at The Yard in Phoenix that we ordered a six-pack the next day.

Wine in a can? We'll admit, we were skeptical. After all, we had been hurt before by brands that based their entire appeal on edgy packaging. But then, Arizona-based winery and trusted favorite Dos Cabezas introduced its 2016 Carbonated Pink, and everything changed. The unbottled bubbly, a mostly grenache blend served in a 700-milliliter tallboy can, quickly became a spring and summer essential. Refreshing in both flavor and figure, the Carbonated Pink is now a status symbol for Phoenix scenesters and self-appointed sommeliers alike. Unfortunately, being the most coveted can at the bar does come with caveats. It's sold out online and only available in select restaurants around town, so getting your hands on one only makes the first sip taste that much sweeter.

We've all seen it. Just like independently owned bookstores and record shops, warehouse-style stores have all but obliterated the existence of mom-and-pop wine merchants. That's why we're over the moon about Hidden Track Bottle Shop. Don't let its small size fool you. It's tiny, but its offerings are mighty. Every bottle of wine on the shelves has been handpicked and tasted by the owners. This means that not only can Hidden Track lay claim to having the most interesting and surprising wine selection in metro Phoenix, but the staff has the knowledge to educate and enlighten consumers, too.

We love a road trip as much as the next person, but when the mood strikes to sample Arizona grapes on a Monday night, what's an oenophile to do? Trekking two hours north to the Verde Valley or three hours south to Willcox just doesn't cut it. Thank goodness for Winery 101. At this tasting room in Peoria, you can sample up to 14 wines made from grapes grown in Arizona. Owners Irlyn and Gavin Gallifant showcase two lines: Gallifant Cellars and Southpaw Cellars. Gallifant offers single-varietal wines, such as the earthy and peppery zinfandel, while Southpaw is all blends. Stop by the tasting room Thursday to Monday for a red, white, or "sweet" flight. Or, if you plan to play hooky from work the next day, head north to Winery 101's Cottonwood location.

Around 2014, the world of apple cider beyond Martinelli's and Woodchuck bubbled up into the public consciousness, and America's most on-trend food cities became obsessed with the stuff. Entire cider-centric bars and restaurants popped up, and they sourced heirloom apple ciders from New England and Canada's remaining operations, and found funky and bone-dry ciders from Spain, and many more across Europe. Some trends die, but it seems cider stuck — and until FnB remodeled their bodega shop into the FnBar, there really wasn't a solid cider list in town. Just as Pavle Milic has done for so many years by believing in Arizona wine, he has given Phoenicians what they didn't know they wanted with cider. Salud!

We dare you to find someone who doesn't love Huss Brewing's Scottsdale Blonde. This German-style kölsch somehow manages to satisfy both craft brew aficionados and beer newbies — no easy feat. How does it work its witchy magic on us? It's well-balanced and crisp, light and refreshing. And what's with that delightful, ever-so-slight sweetness on the finish? It's impossible to drink just one glass of the Scottsdale Blonde, which is why we suggest you hit up Huss Brewing's tasting room during happy hour, when you can get a pitcher for the price of a pint. This beer gets bonus points for its availability in cans, making the Blonde poolside-ready.

Figuratively speaking, The Shop Beer Company has come a long way since their previous setup brewing under the same roof as Cartel Coffee Lab in Tempe. Physically, however, they moved a minute's drive away into a beautiful little house that feels light, airy, and right at home in the Southwest. What isn't little is their beer selection. What used to be just a handful of beers anchored by their F.Y.I.T.M., a clean IPA with a dirty mouth and a "sneaky" 10.1 percent ABV, is now over a dozen suds long, tapping everything from two darker nitro beers to lighter witbiers and juicy IPAs clocking in at a modest 7.2 percent ABV. These guys have range, legs, and even a cool food truck (Fire & Foraged) that calls their brewery home base. This is a real neighborhood spot worth the drive wherever you live.

You'd think that beer fans might've cooled off on Arizona Wilderness by now, a few years after a red-hot start when they were called 2013's best new brewery by RateBeer.com. But beer fans not only love beverage-rating even more than their counterparts in the wine and spirits world — they appear to be loyal, too. Granted, it's easy when a brewery keeps you on your toes like Wilderness does, with their undying commitment to experimentation, all while cycling in the Valley's best grains (durum wheat, organic barley), fruits (citrus, peaches), spices (so many), and even vegetables (sweet potatoes, beets) for their beers — and then often aging them in esoteric barrels (gin, scotch, tequila, French oak). They've also collaborated with the world's best breweries. The operation darts in so many directions that it will make your head spin just looking at their daily offerings — and that's before the first sip. You can't get their beer on tap outside of their own operation quite yet, but they've been steadily upping their canning and bottling, and that's been a huge step for those who may not be able to make a habit out of driving to Gilbert to drink beer.

With a name like Arizona Distilling Co., the team here couldn't just crank out generic whiskeys and vodkas and expect to be embraced by discerning Valley drinkers. So they made a gin that sourced eight botanicals from lush northern Arizona. When they whipped up a whiskey, they started with desert durum wheat that's resting on a few hundred years of Phoenix agricultural history. Cracking open either is the closest thing we have to terroir in the spirit sector of Phoenix's beverage industry. When so many grain spirits taste the same, Arizona Distilling Company has created a unique, award-winning roster.

Counter Intuitive is a unicorn: top-shelf bartenders making some of the most thoughtful and technically sound cocktails in town while also seeing that those drinks are actually very fun to imbibe, in an environment that's far from stuffy. Being able to attwract the cocktail snobs, fellow bartenders, clubgoers on their way to cross the street to Old Town's entertainment district, and generally anyone who enjoys a good drink, all at once? That's a breath of fresh air, and with it they pretty much cover the bases — an inclusive and impressive feat that any good bar could learn from. Looking to step up your cocktail game? Consider Counter Intuitive, if you haven't swung through already. It's okay if the rest if your crew wants scotch and soda or whiskey sours — C.I. can do those as well, of course, and they're happy to.