The 5 best bites we tasted at Phoenix restaurants in March

Every month, the Phoenix New Times food team travels around the Valley on the hunt for delicious bites to eat. We hit up everything from hole-in-the-wall spots to fine dining destinations and the best dishes of all never cease to amaze. In March, we tucked in to some standout sandwiches, tasted top-notch tacos and snacked on refreshing seafood. Here are the best bites we tried at Phoenix restaurants last month.

Tacos al Pastor at Taqueria El Fundador

3245 W. Van Buren St.

Anyone who loves tacos and has lived in the Valley for a while has probably heard of, and maybe enjoyed, the tacos at Taqueria El Fundador. This West Valley spot has been locally owned and operated since 1985 and consistently churns out some of the tastiest tacos in town. Its most famous menu item are the tacos al pastor, filled with tender pork sliced straight off the spinning trompo behind the counter. The juicy meat is then topped with a sprinkle of pineapple cubes, raw onion and cilantro and a spoonful of roasty red salsa. Loaded up on double-stacked corn tortillas, these street-style bites are a real treat – especially on Tuesdays when they go for just $1.50 apiece.

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Chula Seafood was recently named the best seafood spot in Arizona. Our go-to order puts a spin on a diner classic.

Tirion Boan

Green Chile Tuna Melt at Chula Seafood

Multiple locations

Chula Seafood was recently named the best spot for seafood in all of Arizona. So we had to stop by for our favorite sandwich. Chula sells excellent poke bowls, fried fish and grilled entrees. But the green chile tuna melt is always our go-to order. Big lumps of confit albacore are piled onto toasted Noble bread, topped with Hatch green chiles and held together with melty Oaxaca cheese. The sandwich is great on its own, but it levels up into essential eats territory when dipped in an accompanying side of herbaceous chimichurri.

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Sushi-grade salmon was the star of this well-balanced dish.

Tirion Boan

Salmon Crudo at The Market by Jennifer's

3603 E. Indian School Road

Tucked around the side of the Gaslight Square shopping plaza in Arcadia, The Market by Jennifer's quietly churns out a tasty menu for brunch and dinner. And throughout the year, they host a series of events including a monthly wine pairing dinner. In March, the dinner paired rose wines with a delectable selection of courses. The salmon crudo was a standout. Thin slices of raw salmon were layered with orange and grapefruit segments, shaved radish and Fresno chiles. The cool, fresh ingredients were topped with a honey and citrus vinaigrette and sprinkled with sea salt flakes. The dish was bright and refreshing, with flavors enhancing the sushi-grade salmon while letting it shine.

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The Cuban sandwich from Worth Takeaway.

Sara Crocker

Cuban at Worth Takeaway

218 W. Main St., Mesa

Worth Takeaway has been a staple in downtown Mesa for craft food in a chic, casual space for nearly a decade. The restaurant is known for its craveable sandwiches, especially its crispy chicken, but during a recent visit, it was the Cuban sandwich that got our attention. Worth's pressed sandwich is made with shredded pork, smoked ham, havarti, house pickles and dijonnaise. The cheese and mustard-aioli add a creaminess that melts into the soft interior of the hoagie, which is layered with rich pork. The pickles add a pop that cuts through the decadence of the sandwich, making Worth's rendition of this classic sandwich sing.

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The Sonora burger from Main Burgers is topped with chiltepin, bacon and costra de queso.

Sara Crocker

Sonora Burger at Main Burgers

161 W. Main St., Mesa

The Sonora burger at Main Burgers takes the things that are great about a classic burger – griddled beef, melted cheese, crisp bacon – and amplifies them. The cheese is griddled and studded with bacon bits. It's a salty, crisp foil to earthy caramelized onions and the zing of chiltepin. Brought to life by the team behind Tacos Chiwas, Santo Arcadia and other awarded Valley eateries, Mesa's newest fast-casual burger joint is bringing finesse and layers of flavor to each sandwich.