Best German Restaurant 2022 | Haus Murphy's | Food & Drink | Phoenix
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Best German Restaurant

Haus Murphy's

Jennifer Goldberg

When you're craving a plate of schnitzel or bratwurst with a side of sauerkraut or spätzle, the obvious choice is Haus Murphy's. It's got an outstanding menu, homey German decor, and shots of German spirits that will have you wishing you'd donned your lederhosen for a spirited night of polka tunes. You can sit inside at long tables or head outside to enjoy the biergarten with its strings of lights and rows of hanging flags, but you don't have to get a big meal to experience a taste of Germany in Glendale. We love getting a giant pretzel with a 32-ounce beer, or skipping ahead to a dessert of apple strudel or Black Forest cake. And we feel great taking our vegetarian friends knowing they'll have options, as well. Naturally, it's our go-to destination for Oktoberfest, because we know the food, drink, and celebratory atmosphere will transport us not just to another country, but to a whole other world.

Best Italian Restaurant

Andreoli Italian Grocer

Jackie Mercandetti Photo

There aren't many restaurants that can say that they've been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and that their chef has been nominated for a James Beard Award. But you know who can? Andreoli Italian Grocer in Scottsdale. The cozy neighborhood joint just wants you to enjoy its delicious, authentic Italian food, whether it's by sitting in the red-ceilinged dining room, picking up takeout either at the counter inside or at the drive-thru window, or grabbing a refrigerated meal from the cold case. The rich, meaty fusilli with pork rib meat got a well-deserved spotlight on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and the Gnocchi alla Corsara, house-made potato gnocchi with pesto, cream, and tomato sauce, is another standout. You can also take meats, cheeses, desserts, and dry goods home to make your own Italian creations.

Best French Restaurant

Le Sans Souci

Lauren Cusimano

Assuming you don't live in or near Cave Creek, it may take you a while to get up to Le Sans Souci. But we promise the drive is worth it. Open since the '90s, Le Sans Souci (it means "without worry") serves authentic French fare during brunch, lunch, and dinner in its cozy, tiled dining room. We always want to start with the onion soup, preferably topped with melted cheese and a small piece of bread. The Crepes Delice, two crepes packed with mushrooms and crab in a bechamel sauce, is rich and filling, or if we're craving something more casual, the croque monsieur sandwich takes us back to afternoons in Paris cafes. And with a dessert menu that offers classic delights such as crème brûlée and cherries jubilee, we always leave Le Sans Souci full and satisfied.

Best Caribbean Restaurant

Ms. Martha's Caribbean Kitchen

First thing you should know about Ms. Martha's Caribbean Kitchen: Check the hours before you go. This hidden gem only stays open till 6 p.m. on several nights of the week, so if you're looking to enjoy some Caribbean food for dinner, you'll want to show up early to grab some takeout. Second thing you should know about Ms. Martha's: The food is outstanding. The brown stew chicken meal features fall-off-the-bone poultry made savory with a melange of herbs and spices, and the customer-favorite oxtails are impossibly rich and meaty. We like the entrees served with Ms. Martha's rice and beans, or possibly the fried plantains. And don't forget to start with one of the meat pies. There's so much to explore on the menu that repeat visits are a must.

Best Vietnamese Restaurant

Pho Thanh

Lauren Cusimano

The first indication that Pho Thanh is the place to be is the packed parking lot. Wedge your car in wherever you can, and head inside. Through the doors, you'll be welcomed by a bustling room filled with tables of families sharing plates, friends slurping noodles from rich broth, and servers packaging food to go. Start your meal with an order of banh hoi chao tom, or ground shrimp skewered with a stick of sugarcane, served as deconstructed spring rolls. Soak rice paper shells in water until pliable enough to wrap around the shrimp, fresh veggies, and aromatic mint leaves. The best way to tackle the rest of the menu is by sharing. Bring a group and dig in to the best Vietnamese food you'll find in Phoenix.

Best Thai Restaurant

Glai Baan

Jacob Tyler Dunn

If we were on death row and had to pick a local dish to be our last meal, Glai Baan's sumptuous and creamy panang curry would be near the top of our list. A rich and flavorful medley of beef, peppers, basil, and bamboo shoots, it tastes as good as it smells (and it smells like a dream). It's a dish that the restaurant has run out of on more than one occasion, and for good reason. It's a testament to Glai Baan's deep bench of delicacies that their curry is just the tip of their flavor iceberg. This little shop on Osborn has a bevy of soups, side dishes, finger foods, and street-style noodles to fill your appetite. Just don't ask the staff what a son-in-law egg is. Be an adult and Google it so they don't have to explain it for the 6,000th time.

Best Korean Food

Stone Tofu House

Stone Korean Tofu House is the type of place that both pleases tofu lovers and convinces tofu skeptics. It may look like an average chain restaurant in a shopping center parking lot, but this spot specializes in bubbling, bright red soups that stain your mouth and satisfy your soul. Servers bring black clay pots of the boiling stuff to the table, and deliver a little bowl of raw eggs. Crack an egg directly into the soup, and stir until it cooks. The soups come filled with house-made tofu along with dumplings, veggies, and assorted seafood and meats. Other essential dishes include beef bulgogi, a dish of marinated ribeye, and four different kinds of bibimbap. Sit inside or on the small patio, where you can watch the light rail sail by while you dig into a steamy soup.

Best Japanese Restaurant

Hana Japanese Eatery

Jacob Tyler Dunn

There's more to Japanese food than just sushi, but Hana Japanese Eatery does that, too, and does it with style and flair. Hana has been creating authentic Japanese dishes for 15 years, led by Lori Hashimoto and her family. The chicken tatsuta-age and ika kara-age are battered in potato starch and fried, a technique used by Japanese cooks for lighter, crispier breading — and the taste makes all the difference. The uni (sea urchin), a Japanese delicacy, with quail egg will provide an out-of-this-world experience with a creaminess that will blow your mind. If you love sushi, don't skip the restaurant's signature Hana Pride roll, a cucumber-wrapped creation incorporating six varieties of seafood with pickled burdock root, avocado, asparagus and sprouts.

Best Chinese Restaurant

Chou's Kitchen

Jacob Tyler Dunn

Tucked into a plaza on Apache Boulevard and Dorsey Lane, and conveniently located right across the street from a light rail stop, Chou's Kitchen is nestled in the heart of Tempe and is the go-to place for northeastern Chinese food. Since 2011, Sunny and Lulu Zhao have been bringing traditional flavors from the Dongbei region to those seeking tastes of the far East. ASU students and anyone else seeking hearty portions are happy to chow down on Chou's large lineup of stir-fried noodles, hot pot in clay pots, and orange chicken dishes. We love the eggplant with potatoes and jalapeños, and the pan-fried beef pies are not to be missed, but we love Chou's most of all because they're one of the few places in town to get soup dumplings (traditionally known as xiao long bao). They're on the menu as Steam Juicy Pork Dumplings, and we can't get enough of them.

Best Noodles

Shaanxi Garden

Jacob Tyler Dunn

The menu at Shaanxi Garden, a restaurant in the corner spot of a Dobson Road strip mall in Mesa, offers an overwhelming amount of dishes. But the noodles are the star. Plump, inch-thick ribbons that seem to go on forever fill bowls packed with rich savory soups, crispy stir-fried meats, and all the fixings. For meat eaters, the spicy cumin lamb noodles might be the perfect way to warm up on a cold day. Regardless of the weather, Shaanxi's noodles hit all the right chewy, bready, satisfying notes of the perfect carb. Slide into a booth, grab a bowl of noodles, and on Friday and Saturday nights, listen to a guzheng or Chinese harp performance throughout your meal.

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