Hidden Gem: A Quick and Satisfying Bite in Cave Creek

You could very well go inside Indian Village and not realize there's a small restaurant in the back of the shop. As you enter, you are met with blankets, shirts, jewelry, and other merchandise. But in a small corner in the back is where you'll find a booth with someone waiting to take your order from a handwritten paper menu.

Your options are Native American, Mexican, or a combination of both. Think freshly fried taco shells stuffed with your choice of chicken or beef, topped with lettuce and tomatoes. And if you like crunchy tacos, you will now be looking no further. There are also a variety of choices of enchiladas. And the "big fat homemade" tamales are just as advertised. The filling is a flavorful shredded beef. It comes covered in sauce and cheese — which is almost unnecessary since the tamale is just fine on its own.

Keep an eye and ear out for your order, as the cooks prepare plates and slides them out the back window without much order. The dining room interior can get a bit cramped, so it may be best to take your food out back to the picnic area —weather permitting, of course.

But be sure to leave room for some Indian fry bread, the flagship order of Indian Village. Whether you order it plain or with a combination of honey, powdered sugar, and cinnamon, the warm, soft bread is the star of the menu.

If you’re in Cave Creek and would like a quick and inexpensive place to eat, find a parking spot wherever you can and head into Indian Village.

Indian Village.
6746 East Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek; 480-488-2827. Daily 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.