With no shortage of Chicago transplants, the Valley has a strong deep-dish pizza game. Vero, however, is head and shoulders above the rest thanks to its consistently authentic hearty crust and some of the best-tasting toppings of any place selling Windy City-style pies. Ingredients like spinach, Roma tomatoes and basil are always fresh and full of life. The meatballs, marinated chicken and Italian beef — which you can dress up with hot giardiniera if you really miss a taste of home — blow away the common ham and pepperoni. And ricotta, Pecorino Romano and Asiago cheeses add a gourmet touch. Even better, you can choose from predesigned pizzas that are named after Chicago places and landmarks, like the Lake Shore Drive, Wrigley Field, Lincoln Park or our favorite, the Water Tower Place with fresh garlic, sauteed spinach and mushrooms topped with Asiago cheese. Fun fact: Vero used to be Buddyz but rebranded in 2021 and is no longer confused with Buddy's Pizza, the original Detroit-style pizza with a completely different composition.

In between the car payment expense of the $250 omakase and the all-you-can-eat chumbuckets, there's a band of neighborhood sushi joints that targets the intersection of quality and affordability. In Phoenix, the former is harder to come by than the latter. But Sushi Nakano is not only among the best sushi joints in town, it's also the undisputed champion of sushi bang for your buck. For just a few dollars more than the average sushi joint, Leo Nakano offers a short menu of simple nigiri and rolls that are a quantum leap beyond his contemporaries. The texture of Nakano's rice is sublime, perfectly seasoned with the requisite balance of sour, salty and sweet. His fish is carefully sourced and expertly prepared, and his rolls — though tipping a cap to popular Americanized sushi standards — are lighter and more restrained than the usual schlocky mayo maki. Specials are always sharp, and if you really want to do a blowout meal, his omakase is an object lesson in preparing sushi creatively while still honoring its integrity.

We're always proud when a local restaurant goes national. And in the case of poke joint Koibito Poke, it's certainly well-deserved. Koibito offers a number of signature bowls; the salmon bowl (salmon, house sauce, cucumber, edamame, green onion, ginger, crab mix and sesame seeds) is a popular option, and there's a keto bowl (cauliflower rice, ahi tuna, salmon, sriracha aioli, cucumber, green onion, Brussels sprouts, kale and sesame seeds) if you're watching your carbs. But we prefer to design our own bowl of raw fish, and it's inevitably heavy on Koibito's Hawaiian tuna. The marinade, with notes of soy and ginger, gives the fish a rich flavor and a silky texture. We're happy to share the greatness that is Koibito Poke with three other states and counting.

There's really no argument when it comes to naming the best ramen in the Valley. Origami Ramen Bar takes the title by a landslide. The restaurant's owner and chef, Yusuke Kuroda, grew up in Osaka, Japan, and worked at Nobu's Beverly Hills restaurant. In 2020, he traded the glamour of Los Angeles for Phoenix where he brought his talents to his own restaurant on Ray Road. There, he makes excellent tempura rice bowls, dumplings and chicken katsu. But the star is the ramen, which comes with original, miso, spicy or unique black broth. Our favorite is the Black Soy bowl, made with a mix of chicken and pork broth topped with chicken chashu and black garlic oil, which gives it a super savory flavor. Sweet corn kernels offer a bright contrast, creating a sweet and salty bite. Two varieties of noodles are available. The bouncy, curly noodles have great chew, while the thin noodles are smooth and perfect for slurping. Stop in on a cool afternoon for a steaming hot bowl of the best ramen in town.

Dim sum translates to "touch the heart," and we know we always leave filled with love (and food) after a visit to Phoenix Palace. The Chandler eatery serves dim sum daily along with a full menu of Cantonese entrees. Here's how it works: One of many servers offers drinks and leaves an order form with Cantonese characters with matching translations on the table. The dim sum carts follow; a server removes the lid from each container to expose the contents and briefly describes each food. The less-expensive options include barbecue pork buns, shui mai and scallop dumplings. Then there are slightly more expensive items, such as roast duck, steamed chicken feet coated in a tangy sauce and beef tripe, a meaty yet gelatinous dish with a hint of ginger. Whatever you choose, it'll be a meal to remember.

There are increasingly more restaurant options at Mekong Plaza in Mesa, but Happy Baos continues to sell the best dumplings in town. Find the restaurant inside the plaza, close to but not inside the food court. The small eatery features pictures decorating the walls to help customers decide on their order. We're partial to the signature dumplings, thick, doughy handmade specimens that have a satisfying bite and oh-so-good chew. Inside, they're filled with pork and shrimp, pork and cabbage, or chicken and cabbage. If you can't choose, the 20-piece dumpling combo has a little something for everyone. Along with these shui jiao dumplings, Happy Baos also serves bao buns, xiao long bao soup dumplings, noodle soups and rice dishes.

The irony of Urbanh Café's location merely adds to its charm. Across the street, you'll find the spindly, stingy sandwiches of California banh mi titan Lee's Sandwiches. But just a punt return touchdown away, on the other side of Warner Road, this tiny storefront shop — mostly carryout, with just a couple of tables — slings some of the best banh mi in town. There's nothing fancy here, just good eats, including the usual suspects like Vietnamese charcuterie, grilled pork and chicken, sausage or fried eggs, all slipped into crackling French baguettes with a smear of pâté, a dash of Maggi and pickled vegetables with cilantro and jalapeño. The difference is in quality ingredients, careful assembly and a bread-to-filling ratio that doesn't feel like a bait and switch.

A tiny strip mall restaurant that only serves takeout, Kabob Grill N Go has gained national attention thanks entirely to its exceptional food. One taste and the flavors stick in your head, leaving you with an instant craving for more. Tony and Hasmik Chilingaryan opened the restaurant in May 2020 and since then have earned rave reviews from The Arizona Republic, The New York Times, Yelp and yours truly. At the front counter, the available meats are on display in a refrigerated case. Seasoned beef koobideh, barg, chicken thighs and pork ribs are skewered on dangerous-looking swords, waiting for their turn in the fire. Tony mans the grill, which often fills the space with mesquite smoke, adding an element of Arizona to the otherwise Armenian flavors. Since receiving so much acclaim, the small restaurant often sells out far before closing time. So make sure to call ahead and place an order to secure the takeout you've been dreaming of.

Pan au raisin. Ham and Gruyere croissants. Fresh-baked baguettes. JL Patisserie is a carb-lover's dream. This French bakery is helmed by skillful chef and patisserie expert Jenna Leurquin, and her attention to detail carries through everything on the menu. And we're not the only ones who love this bakery. It was a semifinalist in the 2023 James Beard Awards, competing against bakeries from all over the country. For those who want to learn for themselves how to create the buttery layers of croissants, the perfect domed shells for macarons or the technique to pipe eclairs, the bakery also hosts cooking classes at its original Scottsdale location. Otherwise, leave it to the pros and stop in for a pastry and a latte to brighten your morning.

Custard trifles, mini banoffee pies, Bakewell tarts, millionaire's shortbread slices and sausage rolls are tasty treats for Americans to try. For Brits, they are an essential taste of home. Walking into The Great Gadsby Bakery in Gilbert is like a sigh of relief for those homesick for the flavors of the U.K. And the bakery isn't just serving standard versions of these hard-to-find treats. The baked goods made here are exceptional. The sausage roll has a golden, flaky, buttery pastry that envelops a rich meat filling. The caramel used in many items is cooked to the perfect point of gooey, salty toffee-flavored goodness. And the tarts are made with precision more frequently found in French patisseries. The bakery can sell out early, so we recommend getting there before lunch and ordering a box of pastries to go and a hot sausage roll to eat on the way home.