Best Butcher 2024 | Arcadia Meat Market | Food & Drink | Phoenix
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Best Butcher

Arcadia Meat Market

Appearances aren't everything, but three seconds after you set foot in Arcadia Meat Market, you know you've landed someplace special. The display case looks like something you'd see while vacationing in Europe — brimming with stunning cuts of meat artfully trimmed to look as good as they taste. Sourced primarily in-state, the beef from Arizona Grass Raised Beef and pork and lamb from Chiricahua Pasture Raised are exceptional specimens, ranched and butchered with care. A small but smart selection of cured meats joins exceptional house-made sausages to round out the case, and the freezer is filled with all manner of meaty goodies to stock up for the future. Arcadia Meat Market also offers local fresh products such as pasta, eggs and greens, and premium pantry items from both Arizona and abroad. Most importantly, though, this is a place that can boast a great butcher shop's most indispensable asset: a staff that know their stuff and are happy to share their expertise.

Best Fish Shop

Nelson's Meat + Fish

Chris Nelson has carved out a niche as the Valley's premier purveyor of top-notch specialty seafood. His small but stunning case, at both the Phoenix and Scottsdale locations, is always jam-packed with a wild variety of ocean critters, ranging from straightforward favorites such as cod and salmon to all kinds of seasonal specialties rarely seen around these parts. Live sea urchin? Razor clams? Fresh smelt and sardines? Watch the shop's Instagram feed and wait for your favorites to pop up. What's more, Nelson's features a great selection of meats, prepared foods and pantry items, including an array of premium tinned seafood. And kitchen specials such as clam chowder, a killer Wednesday lobster roll, weekly specials like the Thursday crudo and one of the best chilled seafood towers in town make this a great stop even if you prefer to let somebody else do the work.

Best Sandos

Fatboy Sandos

Fatboy Sandos in Mesa has pioneered Japanese-style sandos in the Southwest. These Japanese sandwiches feature thick, slightly sweet and ultrasoft milk bread imported directly from Japan. The shop's bestseller, the Japanese Egg Salad Sando, offers a unique twist with a wasabi-like kick from Dijon, creaminess from amber eggs and the richness of Japanese mayo made with egg yolk. Alongside the egg salad, they serve pork katsu, shrimp ebi katsu and eggplant katsu sandos, all topped with katsu sauce, purple cabbage, Dijon and Japanese mayo. The Fruit & Cream Sando, filled with mandarin pieces, strawberries or kiwi, offers a sweet finish for dessert. Fatboy Sandos brings a slice of Japan to the heart of Mesa's Asian District.

  • 1920 W. Broadway Road #103, Mesa, 85202 Map

Best Hamburgers

Stoop Kid

Stoop Kid

Inside downtown Phoenix's shipping container food hall is a tiny counter spot serving bagels in the morning and burgers for lunch and dinner. And those burgers are worth the wait. The brisket patties are smashed until perfectly thin and crispy around the edges before they are layered with a variety of toppings and sauces. The Stoop Burger puts a spin on a classic with cheddar, caramelized onions, Dijonnaise and housemade dill pickles. The pickles pack a vinegary punch that cuts through the sharp cheese and rich meat for a flavor-packed bite. The Cheez Wiz takes the concept of a cheeseburger to new heights as it's piled with cheddar, American and Gruyere cheeses. And the Burner rounds things out with a little candied jalapeño heat. The burgers come a la carte, so order some tots or curly fries on the side.

Best Hot Dogs

Ted's Hot Dogs

Natalie Miranda

What separates Ted's Hot Dogs from other hot dog joints? Fire. Once you navigate the always long line and place your order, the crew slaps your chosen sausages on a live charcoal grill, poking and tearing them just enough to let the smoke penetrate the casings and develop some crispy charred edges. But there's more to it than that. The lone Arizona outpost of this western New York mini-chain slings the Sahlen's sausages of its home turf — perhaps a touch timid for those who prefer an aggressively seasoned dog, but still an excellent-quality sausage — and dresses to order from an extensive list of toppings. The all-beef is the top dog, but don't snooze on the tasty Italian sausages and the excellent uncured white hot from Schreiner's (a local boy!), pale and plump and dynamite with a little mustard and onions.

Best Chicken Wings

Valley Wings

Chicken wings are a fairly ubiquitous food, found everywhere from upscale gastropubs to a grocery store freezer case. But Valley Wings' three metro Phoenix locations are still our favorite place to pick up the poultry. The local chain may not have as many flavor options as other eateries, but what they do, they do well. Our go-to order is the honey hot wings, which live up to their name by delivering a noticeable spice kick along with a pleasant sweetness. Whatever flavor you choose, the wings are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It's a combination that keeps us coming back for more.

Best Chopped Cheese

Meat the Cheese

New York City's favorite sandwich has a cult following among its devoted followers. Nowhere can you find a better example of a chopped cheese apostle spreading the good gospel of the sandwich than Travis Angelini, who runs food truck Meat the Cheese. Since March 2021, Angelini has been slinging the sandwiches, which originated in Spanish Harlem and consist of ground beef sauteed with onions and cheese and placed on a hero roll with a hefty servings of fixings. And these hoagies are seriously tasty. Most of the time, the truck is outside Yilo Arcadia at 44th Street and Thomas Road. But since it's mobile, the only way to know for sure where to grab yourself one of these delectable sandwiches is to check the truck's Instagram page. While several other spots around town serve chopped cheese, Angelini's focus and the simplicity of his truck's mission have elevated the sandwich to a higher realm.

Best Barbecue

Little Miss BBQ

Jackie Mercandetti

Scott and Bekke Holmes, competition pitmasters turned restaurateurs, continue to win our vote for the outstanding barbecue smoked at Little Miss BBQ. Its two Phoenix locations serve glistening, tender brisket, meaty, mahogany-colored ribs and moist, succulent turkey, all inspired by Texas Hill Country-style 'cue and the techniques of its exceptional pitmasters. You could visit simply for the beautifully smoked meat smorgasbord, but Little Miss BBQ's sides and sweets are no slouches, either. We don't skip the ranch-style beans that are studded with chunks of smoked meat or the creamy mac and cheese. And, whether you eat it there or take it home, Bekke's personal-sized smoked pecan pie is an ideal sweet ending. If you're downtown on Roosevelt Row, you can find a taste of Little Miss at its new sibling concept, Full Speed Chicken and Ribs. The spot straddles fried chicken and barbecue staples, with the Holmeses' outstanding St. Louis-style pork ribs and pulled pork on the menu.

Best Pizza

Mimi Forno Italiano

Tirion Boan

Something that frequently takes Phoenix newcomers or visitors a while to get used to is the fact that much of the Valley's best food is found in strip malls. And that certainly holds true for Mimi Forno Italiano. This small, neighborhood restaurant is tucked next to a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Laveen. You might miss it if not for the crowds of customers picking up pizza boxes and the enticing aroma of garlic butter that fills the parking lot. Inside, you'll probably have to wait for a table. We recommend snagging a seat at the bar where you can order a glass of wine and take in the surroundings. Families share giant pizzas, couples make googly eyes over desserts and those takeout orders continue to fly out the door. The pizza menu is split into two sections, red and white, with tons of options for each. We're partial to the Polpetta, a meat lovers-style pie topped with homemade meatballs, and the Capricciosa with ham, artichokes, mushrooms and flavorful olives. The pizzas also can be folded over to create many different types of calzones. All of the varieties come with a tender, bubbly crust that will leave you fighting over the last piece.

Best Salads

Perfect Pear Bistro

Restaurant salads are often predictable at best to sad, droopy or just plain weird at worst. Suffering through slimy lettuce, rubbery cherry tomatoes, wedge salads drowning in dressing or cardboardy kale Caesars adds insult to injury when you're trying to eat right. But family-owned East Valley mini-chain Perfect Pear Bistro will make you eager to devour greens and superfoods. It features 10 entree salads with interesting ingredient combinations, delicious housemade dressings and a wide choice of add-on proteins including chicken, shrimp, salmon and mock chik'n or falafel for vegans. The Perfect Pear Classic is a lovely and surprising balance of sweet, savory, herbal and tart thanks to pears (of course), dried cranberries, gorgonzola, mint, red onions and toasted hazelnuts topped with cider vinaigrette. The Baja lime will satisfy your Southwestern cravings, while Strawberry Fields adds naughty bacon to the fruity mix (though you can ask to leave it off). Many items sport other, guiltless protein sources such as quinoa, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. There are also quinoa bowls, tacos, pasta, sandwiches, soups and a full bar, including wine, craft beer and specialty cocktails, so it's ideal for groups of disparate diners and drinkers.

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