Best Of Phoenix^® 2021

Last year, when not much was open in Phoenix, we’d sometimes just drive around the city. The roads were usually empty, but being behind the wheel helped us feel closer to the places we missed, and hoped to visit again soon. Phoenix is a driving town. Our freeways and streets connect us to each other and to the life of the city.

As a way of paying tribute to our asphalt jungle — the highways and byways that take us to work, to play, and everywhere in between — we’ve themed the 2021 edition of Best of Phoenix “In the Fast Lane.”

In the pages ahead, you’ll find 350 categories celebrating our favorite news stories, bars, shops, athletes, bands, restaurants, art, and more. (There’s even a whole new section devoted to cannabis.) You’ll also see tributes to some of the Valley’s most iconic streets.

Welcome to Best of Phoenix 2021. Enjoy the ride.