Of all the many improbable, beautiful, soul-stirring sights a person can see in Phoenix, the fish case at Nelson's might be the most consistently fantastic. When it comes to the art of sourcing marine life, Chris Nelson has powers somewhere between Harry Houdini and Pablo Escobar. Like magic, an iced rainbow of fish appears in the case every morning the shop opens. Glistening purple octopus. Halibut like vanilla ice cream. Salmon more orange than a magic marker. Oysters that glisten like living creatures in their blue shells and slide over your tongue with a hypnotic rush of brine. Scallops that hit you like a sweet sea wave. Sure, you have to fork over some serious change for the specimens that Nelson overnights to his shop from across the globe. But dropping the ocean into the desert is well worth the splurge.

It's true that a good burger starts with fresh, high-quality beef. But for us, what makes or breaks the burger are the toppings, the extras that turn that simplest of handheld foods into a memorable dining experience. Aioli Gourmet Burgers never disappoints on that score; its lineup of options includes the New Mexico (cheddar cheese, Hatch green chile, and green chile aioli), the Fresh Prince (provolone, shaved rib-eye, pepperoncini, caramelized onion, tomato, and garlic aioli), and a rotating monthly special. We love pretty much everything else on Aioli's menu, too, from the pretzel bites with cheese sauce to the caprese salad to the meal-capping milkshakes. Add in the bright, cheerful dining room and friendly service, and you've got a neighborhood eatery we come back to again and again.

"Perfect" is not a word we throw around often, so believe us when we say that Pane Bianco's mozzarella, tomato, and basil sandwich is pretty much perfect. From the freshly baked bread and the thick slab of mozzarella to the crisp tomato slice and fragrant basil, this is a sandwich we can't help but order over and over again, despite the fact that every sandwich on Pane Bianco's menu is consistently good. In the event you feel like exploring more of the options, Francesca's meatball sandwich is filling without being heavy, and we love the albacore tuna salad sandwich with red onion, celery, raisins, olives, and arugula for being a lighter, but still delicious, option.

The Seventh Avenue home of Short Leash Hotdogs & Rollover Doughnuts is housed in a building that was an Italian joint, grilled cheese shop, and well-known hamburger spot. But hopefully, now, the Melrose District address will long be home to a hot dog restaurant. And not just hot dogs, but also doughnuts, beer, and some pretty fantastic cheese curds. Why are we so crazy about hot dogs? Short Leash offers upscale dogs, if we may, ranging from special-occasion orders like The Bear to an everyday lunch dish like The Lady. Start by choosing your meat — bratwurst, regular hot dog, all-beef, spicy beer hot, chicken, or vegetarian. Then, your dog is topped with with chipotle cream cheese, sauteed onion, and fried pickle, and wrapped in naan. You'll get a savory, textured, irresistible result.

Brined for 24 hours and sizzled in cast iron, the fried chicken at Christian Buze's north Scottsdale soul-food restaurant can hang with the most famous version of the dish in town — that of his grandmother, Elizabeth White of Golden Rule Cafe fame. The breast is hot and juicy. Darker cuts ripple with a robust, Thanksgiving-conjuring depth. Breading has the texture and detail of a landscape, though all of its grooves and intricacies fall swiftly to your big, eager bites. The meat, too, is uncommonly well seasoned. Buze deploys an 11-spice blend, embellishing the flavor of the bird but not enough to drown out its goodness. Not long after getting your plate, you'll be staring down at gnawed-clean bones and red-checked paper smudged with grease, thinking about your next visit.

When you see a restaurant with duck fat fries on the menu, you're probably going to take out your smartphone to Google if Guy Fieri has ever visited the establishment. To our knowledge, the Food Network star has yet to claim Arizona Wilderness as a province of his Flavortown empire, which means he's missing out on the best fried potatoes in the state. Flavored with rosemary, thyme, and garlic aioli, this zesty side dish almost overshadows the burgers and brews that put this pub on the map. (Rumor has it duck fat is a little healthier for you, too, but we're not nutritionists.) In fact, you can get the fries covered with pulled pork, cheese, or bacon, and forget the entree altogether. Let's hope Fieri never discovers the brewery, so there are more fries for the locals.

Roosevelt Row is known for cocktails, galleries, and maybe a craft beer, which is what makes Trapp Haus BBQ all the more worth a visit. The inside is welcoming, with a bar and a narrow dining room, complete with murals and painted-on barbecue lingo. Proprietor Phil "the Grill" Johnson is a seasoned barbecue master, offering a tight menu of food, beer, and cocktails. The must-try order is the Jumbo Philly Crack Wings. They can come naked or with sauce, but we recommend the sauced version. You get about half a dozen, but these are meaty, smoked wings, fringed with a little bit of crisp and crunch on the edge. These are the ultimate barbecued wings, and you're going to appreciate that roll of paper towels on the table.

Though Scott Holmes' Sunnyslope location may be a half-step behind his OG spot, this pound-for-pound barbecue champ reigns supreme. Sure, his fatty brisket is legendary, but other meats speak just as truly to his Jedi skills. Holmes smokes turkey. It is some of the juiciest poultry you'll ever eat. Holmes brines and smokes pastrami for a Thursday special. One bite in, and your smile will meet behind your hair at the back of your head. Holmes cups sides of jalapeno grits. Good luck finding better grits in town. Holmes changes woods frequently, mixes a hypnotic mustard sauce, and just made a risky but triumphant foray into burritos — and still, the man lights up like a kid on his birthday whenever he talks about smoked meat. Forget the pyramids and the Great Wall, Little Miss BBQ is a wonder of the world.

Bianco? Again? Yep, until somebody catches him. In 2019, Chris Bianco, who won his James Beard Award in 2003, is at the top of his game. How is this possible? The pope of pizza is continually drilling down into all the nuances of his processes: evaluating, re-evaluating, and making them better. He and his brother Marco are continually testing new flour compositions. Chris is always sourcing from new farmers, always going the extra mile to capture the most true and beautiful flavors he can. His cheeseless marinara pie ripples with tomato flavor — swirled from tomatoes he cans. But as is the case with his pistachio-and-Parm-powered Rosa, many of Chris's best pies don't even use them. Instead, many cede even more spotlight to blistered house-made mozzarella, simple but orchestral ingredient unions, and the chewy, shattering mastery of his crust.

True Neapolitan pizza can be a thing of beauty, and Pomo's version is as close as you'll get to the truth in this town. Stefano Fabbri's pizzerias are certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, the Naples-based organization that decides which pies are truly authentic. Earning this certification isn't easy. Crust must be a certain height. Dough must be of specific proportions. Pizza must cook in 90 seconds. Fabbri checks all these boxes. The personal-size pies that emerge from his gold-tiled oven have the fantastically puffy crust ("cornicione") and slightly soupy centers of the real deal. Toppings are spare but smart. Whether rich with porcini or heady with anchovy and Sicilian oregano, these pizzas stand out in a pizza town. And being so true to Neapolitan standards, the pizzas at Pomo are so light you might even be able to scarf two.