Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue

We have only five words for you regarding Cave Creek’s Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue. Pulled Pork and Coleslaw Sandwich! It’s a trademark delicacy that people drive all the way to Cave Creek to enjoy, served on a toasted, buttered bun and piled high with the best pulled pork around. The combination of hot, smoky, moist […]

Buffalo Chip Saloon

This good-times country bar and grill brims with Stetson hats, neon beer signs, and caddies full of barbecue sauce. It’s an ideal spot for watching a Packers game, taking free dancing lessons on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday nights, and catching some live country music and cover rock. It is also huge: 6,000 square feet, with […]

Cartwright’s Modern Cuisine

Upscale surf ‘n’ turf joint wrapped in a Sonoran ranch house theme. The place does a few things right other than atmosphere: spicy house sausage made from beef, elk and buffalo; ahi nachos with Manchego cheese; and a chocolate cowboy s’more that’ll give diabetics a death wish. Is it worth driving all the way out […]

Cave Creek Coffee Co.

There’s little we love more than an afternoon hike through the Jewell of the Creek Preserve, then a quick jump over to the Cave Creek Coffee Company for wine tasting, good food and a little live music. After a post-hike cabernet, we go for the Vegetarian Sandwich, piled with roasted Portobello mushroom, fresh mozzarella, tomato […]

Cave Creek Smokehouse

Good spot to take out-of-towners for a look at what remains of the Wild West. It’s a tourist trap, but at least the tourists are not brought in by the busload. Besides, locals eat here, too. They come for the dandy burgers, ribs, steak, and fried chicken.

Cave Creek Smokehouse Grill & Pour House

Cave Creek Smokehouse is, shockingly enough, a BBQ joint with a large patio in Cave Creek. Their signature dish is a smoked brisket lasagna which is also exactly what it sounds like. Beyond the food though, Cave Creek Smokehouse also host a staggering number of events virtually every day of ever week. It’s an excellent […]

Cave Creek Tap Haus

Cave Creek Tap Haus features a full bar, over 50 beers on tap and serves up an eclectic mix of American, Mexican and German food. They also have live music weekly, a beer club and what they advertise as “The Best Bears Den in Phoenix” for any wayward Chicagoan.

El Encanto Mexican Restaurant

The original El Encanto is a romantic Old-World Mission-style restaurant right in the heart of Cave Creek. Nestled alongside a pretty pond under a covered patio, this Valley perennial might be the only place in town where you can mingle with playful ducks, turtles, owls, and a blue heron while you eat. And what eats! […]

Heart and Soul Cafe

This cute little cafe with a ’57 Chevy in the middle of the room (and a dining table in the middle of the Chevy) offersoptions to make your breakfast seem anything but everyday. It’s a favorite place for pancakes in particular, with the Bacon Blue Pancakes topping our list of favorite breakfast dishes. The dish […]

The Hideaway Grill

This trendy bar hangout has become a national destination for bikers from all over the country-and not just because it’s owned by a motorcycle fanatic. It might be the Famous Hideaway Pizza, a pie that’s known only to ever have been eaten alone on one occasion. It’s great for sharing, is what we’re saying; piled […]

The Horny Toad

This rustic-looking restaurant just might convince your friends and relatives from back East that cowboys are not yet extinct. We promise that the barbecued spare ribs and the apple cobbler will get a “Yee haw!” outta ’em.