So much of what we love about the Valley is what it puts in our bodies, from vegan tacos to fruited sour beers to local habanero hot sauce.
Best Burger
Paradise Valley Burger Co.
The fiendish geniuses behind the Crème Brûlée Burger understandably get the PM staff pick. We’ll send them our endocrinology bill. 4001 E. Bell Rd., Phoenix, 602-535-4930, paradisevalleyburger-company.com
Best Patio
LON’s at The Hermosa Inn
So vast, so sylvan, so gorgeous. There really is nothing like the saltillo-tiled patio at the Hermosa Inn, in terms of pure patio pulchritude. The new Lylo Swim Club at Rise Uptown is special, too, in a pool party kind of way. 5532 N. Palo Cristi Rd., Paradise Valley, 602-955-7878, lons.com
Best Fancy Tacos
CRUJiente Tacos
Chef Rich Hinojosa’s gourmet tacos are so beautiful, you feel bad shoveling them in. Awesome happy hour, too. 3961 E . Camelback Rd., Phoenix, 602-687-7777, crutacos.com
Best Down-Home Tacos
Tacos Huicho
It’s the al pastor that clinched a staff-vote victory for this Midtown taqueria: sweet, smoky and shaved right off the trompo. 1941 E. Oak St., Phoenix, 480-398-6766, tacoshuichoaz.com
Best Sushi
Hana Japanese Cuisine
The Valley sushi scene took a pair of painful hits with the closure of Yasu and Nobuo in 2020-2021, but at least we still have Lori Hashimoto and her irreplaceable Uptown seafood lab. 5524 N. Seventh Ave., Phoenix, 602-973-1238, hanajapaneseeatery.com
Best Steakhouse
Steak 44
If you want to feel like you’re dining with Jersey mob bosses, you go to Durant’s. If you want the most reliably perfect steaks, shrimp cocktails and martinis in town, and are willing to pay for the pleasure, you hit the 44. 5101 N. 44th St. Phoenix, 602-271-4400, steak44.com
Best Bottle Shop
Trevor’s Liquor
Much more than a mere grab-and-go shop, South Scottsdale’s fancy new craft booze playground beats out neighborhood faves like Hidden Track and Arcadia Premium. 7340 E. McDowell Rd., Scottsdale, 480-581-8923, trevors.com
Best Italian
North Italia
This one almost started a PM civil war. Some of us were, like, “What?! It’s gotta be Andreoli!” Others said, “C’mon, it’s obviously Tratto.” But this farmhouse-style favorite had the votes behind its own passionate fanbase. Italian is like that. Multiple locations. northitalia.com
Best Chinese
Chou’s
This is an infinitely more complicated question than 10 or even five years ago, before the Valley’s recent groundswell of regional Chinese eateries. Aptly, this specialist of Dongbei (northeastern) Chinese cuisine gets the nod. Two locations. chouskitchen.com
Best Everyday Pizza
Barro’s
Chewy, old-school crusts, rampant nostalgia elevates this Valley pizza chain in our staff vote. Now with 44 (!) locations in Phoenix and Tucson. barrospizza.com
Best Fancy Pizza
Pizzeria Bianco
It’s this little out-of-the-way spot we know about. Few know of its existence. You’re welcome! Multiple locations. pizzeriabianco.com
