The 13 best restaurants in downtown Phoenix

Each year, we publish a long and thorough list of the top 100 restaurants in Phoenix. It includes exceptional eateries that span the Valley, with locations anywhere from Peoria to Gilbert and South Phoenix to north Scottsdale.

But what if you're just visiting and your hotel is downtown? Or maybe you're heading to the city center for a sporting event or concert.

Well, from our 2025 edition of the Top 100 list, 13 restaurants are in the heart of Phoenix. A few are sprinkled throughout the ever-evolving Grand Avenue arts district. A couple find their homes along Roosevelt Row. And some have settled in historic parts of the downtown Phoenix core.

Here are the 13 best restaurants in downtown Phoenix.

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Grill master Rene Andrade of Bacanora is 2024's Best Chef Southwest.

JM Photo

Bacanora

1301 Grand Ave. #1

One man. One grill. One of our most fun places to eat, period. Bacanora has fast become one of Phoenix’s signature Mexican restaurants thanks to the skills of Rene Andrade who has cooked in well-regarded fine dining restaurants throughout the Valley. Bacanora is his sizzling, mesquite-touched, chiltepin-dusted return to the food of his home region, Sonora, Mexico. On any given night (or Sunday brunch morning), the menu offers just a handful of items, many rotating. One night there might be grilled octopus. On another, a version of the shrimp aguachiles Andrade sold in his youth. Beef is a Bacanora cornerstone, whether brick-thick steaks crusted on the grill or shards of carne asada — among the best in our carne asada-crazed town. Masterfully, seemingly effortlessly, Andrade adds the touches of an accomplished chef with diverse experience to Sonoran food, slightly elevating dishes yet somehow keeping them as humble as those of trucks and family-run taquerias. His radish-and-cucumber salad is clean and light, lifted by olive oil and queso fresco. His beans are plump and stewy; they make you marvel at how much flavor beans can contain. His caramelo is phenomenal. Built on a crisp, fragrant flour tortilla, slicked with melted cheese and heaped with shreds of wildly rich grilled beef, it’s the kind of plate that might haunt your hungry daydreams forever.

Bad Jimmy's

108 E. Pierce St.

Part casual burger shop, part cocktail bar and all hipster hangout, Bad Jimmy’s has left its glowing red neon mark on downtown Phoenix. What started as a pop-up that served smash burgers is now a brick-and-mortar destination. In the former home of The Breadfruit and Rum Bar on Pierce Street, the team serves a tight menu of classic burgers and waffle fries. Specials rotate and are worth trying each time. The wings are a hot commodity, as are swirls of vanilla soft serve topped with shiny verdant drips of olive oil. Whether you’re stopping in for a greasy meal after a night spent at the surrounding bars or grabbing a quick burger and a soda for lunch, this downtown Phoenix spot is sure to satisfy.

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The "Me Vale Madre" sign at Chilte was made by local artist Ize.

Allison Young

Chilte

765 Grand Ave.

Chilte continues to garner praise. With humble beginnings as a food truck to opening its brick-and-mortar in the revamped Egyptian Motor Hotel on Grand Avenue in 2023, the modern Mexican restaurant helmed by couple Lawrence "LT" Smith and Aseret Arroyo has captured the attention — and appetites — of local foodies. Try the birria, which is stuffed into hand-pressed squid ink tortillas or a Benny Blanco flour tortilla and served alongside a savory miso consommé, as well as the mole de la casa and quesadilla with grasshoppers. Chilte also has generated lots of buzz outside of the Valley, with accolades from Esquire and Bon Appetit magazines — and in fall 2024, Food and Wine named Smith one of the best new chefs in America. Contrary to the restaurant’s mantra of “Me vale madre,” the care and attention the team brings to their food is evident. Chilte’s menu changes seasonally, and the owners often host collaboration events with other chefs, making it worth a visit, and a revisit, regularly.

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Nestled in a charming central Phoenix neighborhood, this 1913 bungalow has been home to Cibo since 2005.

Cibo Pizzeria

Cibo Pizzeria

603 N. Fifth Ave.

For a desert town, Phoenix has a surprisingly large number of Italian restaurants. Cibo Pizzeria (it's pronounced CHEE-boh) is one of the best. The downtown restaurant serves signature wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas, salads, saltimbocca bread and fresh limoncello made from a family recipe by chef Guido Saccone. But aside from the house-made pasta, killer burrata and wine list, Cibo also boasts some next-level atmosphere. The lush garden patio is one of the finest in Phoenix — between the lights and the gentle chatter, it literally twinkles — and the 1913 bungalow, with its exposed brick, creaky hardwood floors, and soft glow from the windows, doesn't hurt the vibe, either. Reservations are highly recommended. Would-be weekend walk-ins take note: It's usually all booked up.

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A trio of vegan tacos from Earth Plant Based Cuisine.

Allison Young

Earth Plant Based Cuisine

1325 Gand Ave. #7

Mexican food often is heavy on the opposite of vegan food: lots of meat, lots of cheese. Earth Plant Based Cuisine on Grand Avenue has a different vision, though. This small family-owned business packs big flavor into its menu, along with a desire to show customers what going green and being vegan is all about. The tables and ceilings are made from wood pallets, and the countertops and prep tables are from repurposed materials. The friendly staff is eager to guide you, but in our experience, you can't go wrong with the street-style corn, the carnitas made with seasoned mushrooms or the Baja burrito with beer-battered "shrimp." Save room for a milkshake made with soy-based ice cream and almond milk.

Huarachis Taqueria

814 N. Central Ave.

Huarachis Taqueria is, in some ways, a classic younger sibling. It’s always mentioned alongside James Beard Award-winning chef Rene Andrade’s first, hot-ticket Grand Avenue eatery, Bacanora. That’s in part because there is some overlap with the menu and the two downtown restaurants are a stone’s throw from each other. But, Huarachis shines on its own, bathed in the electric pink neon hue of its sign. Its menu builds on Andrade’s approach to serving Sonoran cuisine with “puro amor” while also having some fun. There are shareable snacks including a creamy, spicy frijole dip, a gut-busting half-sheet pan of loaded asada fries and one of Phoenix’s most imaginative restaurant cocktail programs. Bring a group and plan to share one of Huarachis’ platters for the main event. Choose from ribeye, roasted chicken or smoked-and-confited pork carnitas. These meats are served with a cornucopia of accompaniments including crispy potatoes, “world famous” pinto beans, lightly charred elote, salsas and more that can be tucked into one of Huarachis’ pliant tortillas. These festive plates, plus an energetic dining room and an engaged staff keep us coming back for more.

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Dining room walls at LeDu Thai are enveloped in a rich emerald green.

Natasha Yee

LeDu Thai

915 N. Fifth St.

From the outside, LeDu Thai is unassuming. The white stucco building sits back from the sidewalk, with an Edison-bulb-strewn patio lighting the way. Inside, this new downtown Phoenix eatery pops, from its vibrant decor to its bold dishes. The name LeDu comes from a Thai word that means “season.” The owners aim to celebrate family recipes using a rotating array of ingredients. The menu includes well-known southern Thai dishes, such as green papaya salad, pad thai and mango sticky rice, as well as less well-tread options. LeDu’s vegetarian riff on larb serves meaty oyster mushrooms in place of ground pork. The mushrooms are the ideal vehicle to take on the dish’s fiery chile-lime dressing. Among larger plates, try LeDu’s rendition of the comforting, zesty northern Thai curry noodle soup kao soi.

Lom Wong

218 E. Portland St.

Regional Thai restaurant Lom Wong, set in a black bungalow at Second and Portland streets in downtown Phoenix, packs a piquant punch. Owners Yotaka and Alex Martin have firsthand experience with the robust flavors. Yotaka grew up in San Maket, Chiang Rai, a village in northern Thailand. She spent her childhood cooking traditional dishes alongside her mother and grandmother. Alex met Yotaka in Thailand, and the two began traveling the country together, returning to northern Thailand to dice shallots and stir-fry crab with Yotaka’s family whenever they had the chance. The menu at Lom Wong, which features dishes such as charcoal-grilled Thai sausage and eggplant in hand-pounded curry paste, is meant to be shared. Boozy cocktails complement the food well. Thunder’s Piña Colada includes fresh coconut cream and fish sauce, while the Bo Sang is crafted with vodka, lychee and rose water.

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Pizzeria Bianco, Chris Bianco's storied restaurant is located in downtown Phoenix's Historic Heritage Square.

Jacob Tyler Dunn

Pizzeria Bianco

623 E. Adams St.

Somehow, Phoenix is a pizza town, known far and wide for its innovative pies. Actually, we know how, and why: It's because of Chris Bianco, the passionate Bronx-born proprietor of his eponymous pizzeria. Bianco's pizzas date back to 1988, but since 1996 he's been in his Heritage Square location, serving Neapolitan-style pies to ever-longer lines and inspiring a whole generation of young American pizzaioli. Bianco won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2003 — the first pizzaiolo to ever earn the accolade. Over time, Bianco has extended his empire to include multiple locations of Pizzeria Bianco, as well as other spots like Tratto, Bar Bianco, Pane Bianco and a dizzying list of collaborations and projects that culminated in his second James Beard Award — for Outstanding Restaurateur — in 2022. Nowadays, you don't have to travel far to find delicious wood-fired pizza in the Valley. But if you'd prefer to go to the source, Bianco's margherita pie — tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil — at his 42-seat brick restaurant remains as vital as ever. That wood-burning oven is still very much lit.

Pomo Pizzeria

705 N. First St. #120

Lively and fun, Pomo Pizzeria is the type of place that quickly becomes the go-to place for friends to gather on a Friday night or co-workers to bond after work. Since 2009, the pizza here has reflected the baking style of Northern Italy, where the crust is less dough and more crunch. Cooked in a pecan and oak wood-burning oven, the pizza has a rustic, smoky quality. There are at least 18 flavor choices, including everything from a simple margherita pie to the Quattro Stagioni — a combination of sausage, cremini mushrooms, salame parma, Gaeta olives and mozzarella cheese. There is little room for error with the ingredients since the crust is thin and the toppings are fresh. But Pomo doesn’t just make pizza. The appetizer menu includes potato croquettes and eggplant parmigiana. Salads can accompany appetizers or pies. And for dessert, enjoy a delicate panna cotta or a cannoli trio for the perfect end to your Italian meal.

Pretty Penny

509 E. Roosevelt St.

Downtown Phoenix’s Roosevelt Row is replete with places to eat and drink. Pretty Penny adds a dose of luxury, serving seafood towers, well-crafted pastas and steaks from a sleek, warm space. The restaurant recently moved across the street into the former home of bar and restaurant Disco Dragon. Pretty Penny is the result of a notable culinary collaboration. Downtown barmen Sam Olguin and Brenon Stuart, who own Killer Whale Sex Club and F.Y.P.M., teamed up with two alumni of Scottsdale's Virtù family of restaurants, chef Marcelino Ramos and hospitality pro Ivan Herrera. The team sets the tone with a complimentary pour of celebratory bubbles. From there, try Ramos’ fan-favorite octopus tostada or the creamy, spicy lamb ragu with paccheri noodles. You’ll see the affable chef moving between the hidden kitchen and a guest-facing chef’s bar, finishing dishes there before dropping them off to diners. The bar menu is equally thoughtful, technique-driven and flavor-forward. The charred tomato martini, with its floral hint of basil, is the perfect pairing with pasta.

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Descend underground for a meal and cocktails at Rough Rider.

Kyla Hein

Rough Rider

1001 N. Central Ave.

Tucked into the basement of the Ten-0-One Building, this downtown Phoenix speakeasy lives up to its classification. Those in the know head to the elevators and take the middle one down to the basement. When the doors open, you swear something magical is about to happen in Rough Rider’s dark and brooding space where the 19th and 21st centuries unite. The moody bar is a nod to a bygone era with wood furnishings and high ceilings. Cozy nooks throughout the expansive space provide intimacy for couples or small groups wishing for a bit of privacy while sipping on thoughtful Victorian-era-inspired libations with quippy names such as Happy Birthday Mr. President and Garden of Edith. The food menu packs equal punch with a raw bar and entrees including chicory-rubbed duck and a bone-in pork chop marinated in black garlic. A fried cauliflower sharable gets a fish and chips treatment as the crunchy cruciferous vegetable is served with malt vinegar aioli and pickled onions.

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Sottise's fruits de mer is a showstopper.

Allison Young

Sottise

1025 N. Second St.

The quaint white bungalow features hanging string lights and a large porch. If not for the diners noshing on seafood towers and escargot, one could easily mistake it for a family home. But this French eatery serves specialties decidedly more sophisticated than what mom used to make, including a buttery, glossy gray Kaluga caviar that will set you back a cool $150 for 30 grams. Baked brie with Calvados brandy-infused honey and hazelnut vinaigrette, and pesto pasta with crushed pistachios and torn basil, are less of a splurge but equally delicious. Enjoy the French fare as you dine at marble tables. The bistro’s rustic interior showcases exposed brick, washed wood floors and green plants that climb the walls. And the vino here is just as good as the fromage. Sottise is the sister to Melrose District’s Progress restaurant and wine shop and boasts plenty of wine from around the world, ranging from a citrusy sparkling rosé to an organic gamay with notes of raspberry and plum.