Best Neighborhood Breakfast, Tempe 2013 | Essence Bakery Cafe | Food & Drink | Phoenix
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Best Neighborhood Breakfast, Tempe

Essence Bakery Cafe

Courtesy of Essence Bakery

If we could get away with having a few of chef Eugenia Theodosopoulous' heavenly macarons for breakfast every day, we would. But until then, we'll settle for the holy trinity of local, organic, and seasonal sunrise eats served up at her (and husband Gilles Combes') always-bustling counter-service café. On the sweet side, we're partial to the brioche French toast featuring a sinfully good hazelnut-topped banana-caramel sauce. For savory, we like the seasonal, veggie-filled French crepes topped with a crazy-creamy béchamel. And when it comes to specialty pastries, the croissants here are divine. Amen.

Best Neighborhood Breakfast, Southeast Valley

Yoli's Cafe

Yoli's is a kind of breakfast-at-a-friend's place. On a side street in downtown Chandler, the cozy little converted home serves up affordable ante meridian fare like skillets, burritos, omelets, and the Mornin' Monte, a comforting sandwich featuring egg whites, turkey, bacon, and Havarti cheese served on signature Hawaiian French toast with spicy and sweet marmalade. And its easygoing nature makes lingering over a cup of coffee feel as natural as the sound of frying bacon or the sight of the sun peeking over the still-dark desert mountains.

Best Sunday Brunch

The Mission

Lauren Saria

Whatever brunch spot you're thinking about at the moment probably isn't quite like The Mission. With its chandeliers, ornate mirrors, and backlit wall of salt blocks, the low-lit room takes on the kind of seductiveness usually reserved for moonlit evenings. And the modern Latin temptations from chef Matt Carter — comfortably spiced red chilaquiles with meltingly tender pork; delicate corn pancakes topped with Dungeness crab and heady smoked Oaxacan pasilla crema; and spicy Peruvian chicken with pecan-kissed waffles and bacon-studded maple syrup — are as apt to get you out of bed as back into it. Not such a bad thing for a relaxing weekend, especially with a fresh mimosa to help in the decision-making.

Best Downtown Lunch

Duck and Decanter

Jamie Peachey

Ask Phoenicians about the sandwiches at any location of the 40-year-old Duck and Decanter and they're likely to say the fresh and hearty hoagies (second lunch, anyone?) are as delectable now as the first time they had them. There are the classic customizable creations (think white albacore tuna on marble rye, seasoned roast beef with horseradish, and smoky braunschweiger with a slice of specialty cheese), as well as signature sandwiches like the Duckling, made with smoked duck and turkey breast, cream cheese, and cranberry relish on cranberry walnut bread. For a downtown "nooner" of the dependable sort, this Duck's no quack-up.

Best Diner

Welcome Diner

Jackie Mercandetti Photo

Former food truck owners Michael Babcock and Jenn Robinson have taken over this iconic, nine-seat diner at 10th and Roosevelt streets and turned it into a kind of roadside stop by way of the South. The best dish on the menu is the fried chicken buttermilk biscuit sandwich, featuring crispy chunks of buttermilk-battered meat (with a seasoning that would make the Colonel blush), melted cheddar, bacon, and thick, white, peppery sausage gravy between moist, tinged-brown biscuits. Then there's the killer red beans and rice and the country-style poutine slathered in cheddar cheese and sausage gravy. Southern comfort never felt so compact — or so cozy.

Best Bar Food

Pomeroy's

Lauren Cusimano

This Central Phoenix drinkery has been around long enough to understand the finer points of bar cuisine: no-fuss, greasy-spoon fare that perfectly complements whatever cheap domestic draft swill is poisoning your liver on any given sitting. A well-worn griddle is key, and a bedraggled short-order cook who takes great pride in the comestibles he sets forth is essential. It's all here at this windowless saloon, where daylight is anathema to the dining experience: a neighborhood-renowned grilled cheese, a patty melt that puts gourmet burgers three times its price to shame, and a turkey green chile melt that is just pleasantly greasy enough that you'll want extra napkins on hand. Oh, and one more thing: chili cheese fries. See you there.

Best Place to Eat at the Bar

Citizen Public House

Tirion Boan

At Citizen Public House, tables are almost an afterthought. This place takes its cocktails as seriously as its food, and while no one's inviting you into the kitchen, you can watch head bartender Richie Moe put the craft in craft cocktail as you relax at the beautiful bar. Chef Bernie Kantak's food takes no backseat, however. From his infamous chopped salad to the to-die-for (we hope not literally!) fried chicken, Kantak knows what we want and we keep coming back.

Best Place to Take a First Date

Postino Central

Evie Carpenter

First dates can be rough — whether it's thinking of something to say or figuring out where to go. Luckily, Postino Central can help you with the latter. This popular Central Phoenix wine cafe offers an urban-chic interior with exposed brick and bright accents, and a cozy patio giving diners an atmosphere that is romantic without being intimidating. Stop by Postino on Monday or Tuesday night and you may find yourself waiting for a table. The wine bar kicks off the week with a $20 board-and-bottle special that gives patrons the option of choosing any bottled wine (and believe us, they have quite a few) from their seasonal selection and a generous board of bruschetta for only $20. Cheap date? Try clever charmer. And though Postino might not be able to help you get the conversation going, with its mellow modern vibes, simple but tasty menu and enough liquid courage to spur a first kiss, it certainly can help you make a good first impression.

Best Romantic Dinner

House of Tricks

Forget the long-stemmed roses and strolling violinists, Robert and Robin Trick's cozy dining oasis in the heart of Tempe gets right to the point of romantic restaurants: great food, a cozy atmosphere, and no fluff. First, there's chef Kelly Fletcher's seasonally inspired menu, which mixes French and Southwest flavors into elegant plates of fresh salads, inventive appetizers, and grilled meats and fish. Then, there's the two historic bungalows, lush patio, and tree-covered bar. Throw in the candlelit tables and vintage stone fireplace, and it isn't hard to see why House of Tricks has put us in the mood for love for 25 years.

Best Steak House

Ben & Jack's

Like many New York steakhouses of yore, Ben & Jack's is a wood-paneled house of meat, with linen-topped tables, a glassed-in wine cellar, and leather padded chairs that can take on the likes of its one-pound hamburgers and a porterhouse (for two) weighing in at 44 ounces. From two alumni of venerated Manhattan steak joint Peter Luger's, the place is nothing short of spectacular — its excellent cuts of prime beef, dry-aged for the richest flavor possible; very good starters like Maryland crab cake; and boozy, old-school cocktails handled like works of art. And then there's that New York sirloin: thick, rich, and beefy, it makes for a magnificent memory.

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