About this guide
The restaurants listed are noteworthy and randomly selected from our rotating master list. We suggest that you confirm information, and we solicit your help in correcting any errors in the guide. We also ask readers to send us complaints in writing when one of the listed restaurants fails to meet expectations. Please note that, unless otherwise indicated, the listed restaurants offer free parking and recommend reservations for peak hours and large groups. Price categories reflect average dinner entrée prices; drinks, tax and tip are extra.
$=under $10 | $$=$11-$15 | $$$=$16-$25 | $$$$=$26 and over
Avasa
Pan-Asian
6430 S. McClintock Dr., Tempe
480-272-6380, avasarestaurant.com
The “pan” here presumably refers to the token presence of pad Thai, kung pao chicken and a handful of Chinese-American appetizers, but don’t be fooled – this is an Indian restaurant, and you’d be remiss not to explore chef Sai Jammula’s fresh, fusion-istic take on South Indian cooking. $$
Ban Chan
korean
2909 S. Dobson Rd., Mesa
480-414-2525
This pleasant little Korean restaurant features excellent dishes such as spicy pan-fried octopus and squid, Korean-style pork belly (sam-gyeopsal) and monkfish stew (agujjim), a favorite with the regulars. It’s a valuable addition to the Valley’s Korean dining scene. $-$$
Caldwell County Mexi-Q
Barbecue
546 N. Gilbert Rd., Gilbert
480-813-3727, ccmexiq.com
This terrific hybrid smokehouse from longtime Valley barbecue kingpin Clay Caldwell and his talented pitmaster, Jimmy Perez, might have invented Arizona’s barbecue style. Consider their signature birria taco served with a cup of luscious, lime-tinted consommé or green chile pork burrito made with Perez’s smoked pork shoulder and seasoned with pasilla peppers and other Southwestern spices. $-$$
Espiritu
Latin/Seafood
123 W. Main St., Mesa
480-398-8129, espiritumesa.com
Like its English analog, “espiritu” means spirit, like the kind you drink, but also soul, genius and energy, all words that embody the intention and vibe at this spirited bar-restaurant, a dark, slender beauty owned by Armando Hernandez and Nadia Holguin (Tacos Chiwas) and Rene Andrade (Bacanora). The kitchen is helmed by Andrade’s talented cousin and former Ghost Ranch kitchen-mate Roberto Centeno, whose seafood-centric menu offers vivid, chile-sparked ceviche and aguachile, shrimp taquitos and a terrific dry-aged burger. $$-$$$
Dragon Flame Chinese Grill
Northern Chinese
909 E. Lemon St., Tempe
602-803-3800, dragonflame.us
Northern Chinese barbecue is the specialty at this permanently parked food truck in Tempe, and much of the cuisine is pretty spicy. But owner Kun Mao generally tones it down for the gringos, with slam-dunk regional gems like shimeji mushrooms wrapped in bacon, splashed with barbecue sauce and slapped on the grill until the still-crisp mushrooms become slightly limp and the bacon sizzles. $-$$
Four Peaks Brewing Co.
burgers/pizza
1340 E. Eighth St., Tempe
480-303-9967, fourpeaks.com
Award-winning ales may be the draw for the college folks who keep this cavernous but friendly place humming, but the food is terrific, too. Great burgers, pizza and wraps, and when you don’t feel like drinking per se, try the amazing beer shakes – milkshakes made with stouts and porters. $-$$
Joe’s Farm Grill
American
3000 E. Ray Rd., Gilbert
480-563-4745, joesfarmgrill.com
Gilbert serial entrepreneur Joe Johnston converted the house in which he grew up into a flashback-to-the-’60s restaurant, featuring excellent hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken baskets, fries and milkshakes – all made with fresh, top-notch ingredients. $-$$
Kai
Contemporary Native American
5594 W. Wild Horse Pass Blvd. (Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass), Chandler
602-225-0100, wildhorsepassresort.com
Explore contemporary, seasonal spins on indigenous regional cuisine at Arizona’s only AAA Four Diamond, Forbes Five Star dining destination. The impeccable service and remarkable desert vistas overlooking the Estrella Mountains only bolster this high-end resort restaurant’s natural charms. $$$$
La Tiendita
Colombian
456 W. Main St., Mesa
480-898-5546
Owner German Prado runs a Colombian grocery and restaurant featuring traditional dishes from the old country. He’ll insist you try small fried empanadas served with a thin cilantro and jalapeño sauce, and arepas – thick, griddled corn cakes filled with oozy, salty white cheese. And you should. $-$$
Mae-Khong Thai Tapas & Bar
Thai
1649 S. Stapley Dr., Mesa
480-702-0367
At this unassuming strip-mall restaurant in Mesa, chef-owner Thomas Samuel serves versions of family recipes originating in Thailand’s northeastern region of Isan. $$
Old Town Taste
Chinese
1845 E. Broadway Rd., Tempe
480-702-7101, oldtowntaste.com
If you’re looking for a regional Chinese restaurant to roust you out of your General Tso comfort zone, this Tempe offering is well-suited to the task. The restaurant has dual specialties: brothy, offal-centric Shandong cuisine and spicy, garlicky, pungent Sichuan cooking. From the latter, Chongqing spicy chicken provides a crash course in the use of Sichuan peppercorns: vaguely citrusy, and more “numbing” than “hot.” The house’s special dry pot offers a more humane application, used sparingly to spark up a medley of shrimp, squid, quail egg and lotus root, all in a spicy, sweet slick of chile oil. $$-$$$
Pop Pot & Tea
Taiwanese
2015 N. Dobson Rd., Chandler
480-219-9466, poppotaz.com
This cute Taiwanese restaurant turns out many of the island’s most famous drinks and dishes, including boba tea and hot pot offered in 20 variations. The snack section of the menu, rife with street foods from Taiwan’s famous night markets, includes crispy, salt-flecked popcorn chicken, crunchy deep-fried century eggs and juicy Taiwanese sausages. $$
Shimogamo
Japanese
2051 W. Warner Rd, Chandler
480-899-7191, shimogamoaz.com
Traditionalists and iconoclasts will both be happy at this serenely elegant Japanese restaurant, which offers everything from saikyo-yaki and chirashi-zushi to seafood wonton wraps and portobello beef rolls. Don’t miss the monkfish pâté. $$-$$$$
Tipsy Chicken
Korean
1933 W. Main St., Mesa
480-265-8766, tipsychickenaz.com
A center-stage bar and touches of neon give this friendly strip mall storefront a trendy, youthful vibe. It’s a relaxed place to hang out over Korean fried chicken and Korean street food, with a Korean beer or soju to wash it all down. $$
Venezia’s New York Style Pizzeria
Pizza/Italian
744 W. Ray Rd., Gilbert
480-786-3200, venezias.com
This family-owned pizza joint gives loyal diners a New York feel with a touch of Italy. Enjoy award-winning pizza along with delicious calzones, stromboli, sandwiches and wings. Multiple Valley locations. $$
Zu & Pocha
Japanese/Korean
1212 E. Apache Blvd., Tempe
480-590-2903, zuandpocha.com
Self-described as a “modern seafood eatery and drinkery with a Korean touch,” Zu & Pocha’s beautiful bar is a good hangout for ice-cold beers and plump oysters on the half shell. Squid ink pasta, smothered in garlicky, Parmesan-enriched pollack roe sauce, is a standout on the entrée menu. $$$
