Top Five Phoenix Food and Drink Slideshows of 2019

Not ready to look forward yet? Or would you like to reflect on the previous calendar year? We have you more than covered. Here are our favorite food and drink slideshows from the Phoenix dining scene.

21 Bygone Restaurants in Greater Phoenix — Then and Now

Though essentially gone, reminders linger everywhere. The My Florist sign on McDowell Road, stories of purse stools at Mary Elaine’s, and what the Obamas ordered at the old stair-step Macayo’s. The Phoenix area has had some fascinating restaurants. Don & Charlie’s and Pink Pony fed famous athletes for decades. Designer Glen Guyett made Valley eateries legendary for iconic signs like the one outside Bill Johnson’s Big Apple. The first McDonald’s franchise put up the chain’s first golden arches in central Phoenix. Here’s a look at 21 favorite Valley restaurants that have closed, and what those same spots look like now.

The Best Cafe Review Photos of 2019

In 2019 we've visited a number of restaurants for Cafe Reviews — everything from pasta at a busy Asian supermarket to the follow-up locations of Little Miss BBQ and Chula Seafood. Plus some showstopping paella at Talavera. In addition to the spot-on descriptions and depictions from our food critic Chris Malloy, we've also seen some stunning food and restaurant photography from Jackie Mercandetti. These are our favorites.

Our Favorite Dining Rooms in Greater Phoenix in 2019

Do you love an elegant dining room? A stunning view? A garden-heavy patio, or just a garden? Maybe a sleek bar with soft lighting? Or a look inside the kitchen? For some of us, the restaurant’s whole vibe is as important as its food and drink. It's the same thinking behind a hole-in-the-wall eatery with some amazing kung pao. If you’re interested in what some restaurants that we've visited this year have done with their spaces across metropolitan Phoenix, you might want to give this slideshow a spin.

Visual Aid: 2019’s Most Notable Restaurant Closings in Greater Phoenix

In the past 12 months, we've seen some amazing new restaurants and bars crop up in the Phoenix area. Many of these will stay with the Valley for years to come. However, we also saw some surprising closures, everything from Mill Avenue and Scottsdale stalwarts to classic Valley restaurants to second locations gone wrong. Here are some of the more notable restaurant closings in greater Phoenix in 2019.

Visual Aid: Best of Phoenix 2019's Top Dishes

Best fries, pizza, chocolate? Honey, we know them all. But if you’re unconvinced on our choices, we definitely did some explaining. And we might have gotten a little poetic on a couple descriptions. Here is a visual guide to our top dishes around town from Best of Phoenix 2019.