Not all meals need tablecloths – and not every must-visit restaurant provides clear signage! From trailer tacos to Chinese chicken wings that you fetch from a window, peruse this gallery of the Valley’s most well-hidden culinary gems.
By Nikki Buchanan, Jess Harter, Mirelle Inglefield,
Leah LeMoine, M.V. Moorhead & Craig Outhier
Original photograpny by Angelina Aragon, James Deak, Alanna Goodman,
Mirelle Inglefield, Leah LeMoine & Chris Loomis
HITW Criteria
What distinguishes a hole-in-the-wall from any small, independent restaurant?
Size.
We proudly favored smaller restaurants for this roundup – the caves, the hovels, the shoeboxes. So, yes, size is important, but the opposite way.
Notoriety.
The less of it, the better! You might already be familiar with some of the obscure gems on this list, but we’re hoping not. The idea was to shine the light into some deserving shadows.
Holes.
Is your food order literally served out of one? Like though a window or pass-thru? That’s a best-case scenario, from our vantage.
Holes Hall of Fame
These lilliputian legends of Valley dining hardly need any introduction – we’ve written about them before and likely will again.
Little Miss BBQ
It’s easy to forget that Scott Holmes’s journey to culinary superstardom started just a decade ago out of a greasy walk-up on Washington Street, wedged between a tire shop and propane wholesaler. A HOF OG. littlemissbbq.com
Chino Bandido
Before moving to comfier digs, Frank and Eve Collins trailblazed Mexican-Asian fusion eats out of a 1,000-square-foot strip-mall space that sat 16 people. chinobandido.com
Harvey’s Wine burger
Is it a true “hole”? Maybe too cavernous. But the Camelback restaurant’s dive-y ambiance fits the model – and its patty melt (a PHOENIX Top 100 dish) is the best in town. harveyswineburger.com
Liyuen
Thematically, this South Phoenix Chinese favorite is unbeatable – its sticky-sweet jalapeño chicken wings are literally delivered to you out of a hole. In a wall. And they’re epic. liyuen-phoenix.com
Chula Seafood
Our maxim never to eat seafood out of holes was abandoned forever when Chula opened its original South Scottsdale location in a scrappy little strip-mall walk-up in 2016. chulasafood.com
Mel’s Diner
Irony alert: The real-life Grand Avenue diner that inspired the TV show Alice does not serve grits, and therefore you cannot kiss them. Regulars swear by the hash browns, though. mels-diner-phoenix. foodjoyy.net
Da Vang
Legend has it that U.S. Senator John McCain picked up a lifelong pho addiction during his five years as a Vietnam POW – and this threadbare Camelback classic served as his most reliable fix. davangrestaurant.dine.online
Dick’s Hideaway
Originally an overflow space for Richardson’s, this signage-free, coffin-size refuge now has an identity all its own. It’s basically a speakeasy – but for green chile stew, not martinis. richardsonsnm.com
The Chuckbox
Tempe’s campus-area burger shack was the Bad Jimmy’s of its day. Arguably still one of the best sub-$10 lunches in town.
thechuckbox.com
Tee Pee Mexican Restaurant
The elder statesman of Valley holes. East Phoenix diners have been plopping down on its red Naugahyde booths and wolfing down Tee Pee’s chiles rellenos since 1958. teepeemexicanfoodaz.com
CENTRAL/SOUTH PHOENIX
Chanpen Thai
2727 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix
602-276-3778, chanpenthaiphoenix.com
Why Go? Scientifically proven best pad Thai in the Valley.
“Yikes, this can’t be it,” you might think to yourself, pulling up to the shack-like micro-restaurant in a bombed-out-looking stretch of South Phoenix. Just chill, Kathie Lee. Inside, you’ll find clean, cozy booths, friendly service and, most critically, the greatest pad Thai in Greater Phoenix – a golden-ratio masterpiece of savoriness, sweetness and tamarind tang so perfectly balanced, it trounced every other notable version of the dish in our Best of the Valley taste-test a few years back. Running the place with her kids, matriarch chef Chanpen Ramonaitis supplements her everyday menu will killer blackboard specials such as crispy, samosa-like curry puffs and stir-fried pad kra (chile-basil) salmon. The family also operates a less hole-y Chanpen location in Tempe.
Gojo Ethiopian Restaurant
3015 E. Thomas Rd., Phoenix
602-840-3411
Why Go? Say wot? Best alternative to Café Lalibela north of the 202 freeway.
Tempe’s Café Lalibela remains a beloved, seminal Valley restaurant – but it’s no longer the only game in town for injera junkies. A little over a decade ago, chef-owner Zufan Alemu took over this blink-and-you’ll-miss-it spot where Bacchanal Greek Restaurant used to do its plate-smashing and opa-ing, leading a new wave of African cuisine in Central Phoenix. Like Lalibela, Alemu specializes in the wots (stews) and pureéd vegetable dishes of his native Ethiopia, scooped up in the spongy flatbread known as injera. For our money, Gojo’s meat-vegetable combo is the ideal starter pack, featuring hillocks of doro wot (chicken-and-egg stew), key wot (spicy beef stew) and alicha wot (lamb and potato) arrayed on an edible plate of injera.
My Mother’s Restaurant
4130 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix
602-279-7225, my-mothers.restaurants-world.com
Why Go? Holiday-level turkey dinners any day of the year.
Nobody makes comfort food like your mother, except maybe this durable, homey Uptown eatery named after her. The Platonic ideal of the turkey dinner, equipped with side options like stuffing, Irish potatoes, green beans or corn is great anytime, not just on Thanksgiving – indeed, considering the crowds, that holiday might be the only time it’s advisable not to order it. The savory pot roast is another flawlessly executed American classic. Both are enough for two meals; try to save room for the superb vegetable beef soup.
Malegria Café
1031 Grand Ave., Phoenix
602-245-3199, @malegria.cafe
Why Go? True HITW window serving terrific Mexican and Salvadoran grub.
For hole enthusiasts, the mere sight of this new Latin café on Grand Avenue is liable to get the pulse racing – just an adorable little walk-up window set in an ancient brick corner spot painted in safari mustard and azure, resolving into a plant-filled dining patio also done in fetching colors. Ultimately, however, it’s the remarkable food that closes the deal. Chef-owner Melina Ruan Serrano excels with an ever-changing blackboard menu of tacos and brunch-y Mexican-Salvadoran delicacies, including – on one recent visit – a Mexican street-food classic called pambazo, made by loading a bolillo roll with slow-cooked pork, potato, avocado and various pickled goodies, then dipping the entire package in a lively guajillo chile sauce and pan-frying it until the soggy bread crisps and caramelizes. And just like that – we’re pambazo fans.
One Love Café
4115 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix
480-535-2788, onelovecafephx.com
Why Go? Jerk chicken magic and awesome oxtail.
You might have to make a pass or two to find this camouflaged fast-casual Jamaican restaurant wedged between a liquor store and a vintage clothing shop just north of Camelback Road – but your vigilance will be rewarded. Homestyle Jamaican classics like sinus-clearing jerk chicken, aromatic goat curry and pepper-slathered escovich (crispy fried fish topped with a tangy, pickled hot sauce) demonstrate chef-owner Ray White’s mastery of his native cuisine, but his must-try dish is clearly the braised oxtail, studded with butter beans and cooked in a soy-based gravy until it achieves fall-off-the-bone gelatinous perfection. The sides are outstanding, too – palate-centering stewed cabbage, hearty mac and cheese, and wolf-down-able rice and peas.
Random AF Taqueria
2527 N. 32nd St., Phoenix
602-515-4768, @randomaftaqueria2020
Why Go? The best &*$@! food you’ll ever eat in a liquor store.
“It’s been a crazy ride – I’m very grateful,” birria whisperer Enrique Sanchez Garcia says of the journey that took him from top Valley kitchens to this jewel of a grill embedded in a brown-bag liquor store on 24th Street. Previously chef de cuisine at Arizona Country Club, Garcia started cooking on his own during the pandemic, serving his marvelous quesabirria creations at pop-ups and Valley events. One glowing review from dining influencer AZFoodie later, Garcia went viral, cultivating a fan base that was ready to support him when he opened his taqueria last May. Garcia’s famed birria grilled cheese, served on Noble Bread and fairly gushing with his slick, spicy consommé, remains his best-seller, but Random AF is no one-trick culinary pony – besides birria ramen and nutso birria eggrolls stuffed with beef, noodles and massive amounts of melted, mantle-y asadero cheese, Garcia’s joyously mercurial menu includes a white-whale Mexican hamburger than tends to sell out before noon. The drink selection is copious, too – it’s a liquor store!
Smash Grill
6050 N. 16th St., Phoenix
480-219-5665, smashgrillaz.com
Why Go? Pastrami eggrolls, yo.
Between licks of blue cheese ice cream from Sweet Republic next door, you might randomly espy this unassuming, closet-like strip-mall burgery on 16th Street – and well you should, because it’s a gem. Catering to the area’s growing Bukharian Jewish population, along with regular, grub-loving gentiles, owner Rony Yagudaev opened the joint last summer with an all-kosher menu of dialed-in super-burgers (e.g. the “Hanover” with bacon and a fried egg) and inventive small plates, headlined by his pastrami eggrolls – tasty cartridges of spiced beef and caramelized onion, wrapped tight and fried to a golden crisp with a side of herbaceous chimichurri. Yagudaev also dabbles in off-genre entrées like a curry-boosted chicken schnitzel sandwich. Paired with the artisanal licks next door, it’s our new favorite one-two comfort punch.
Tacos Huicho
Three Phoenix locations, tacoshuicho.com
Why Go? Best al pastor around.
There are a lot of al pastor poseurs out there, slapping some meat on a griddle and calling it good. Not Tacos Huicho. Here, thin slices of pork are marinated in chiles, spices, pineapple and achiote paste and stacked on a proper trompo (vertical spit) to be roasted deliciously slowly. Like Salma Hayek, this cooking method traces its lineage to the Lebanese immigrants who came to Mexico in the 19th century, bringing spit-roasted lamb shawarma with them. At this family-owned spot, you can get al pastor tucked into tacos or tortas, piled onto sopes or huaraches, stuffed into a gordita or arranged in an alambre. Not into pork? Fill your street tacos with carne asada, tripa (tripe), cabeza (head), or lengua (tongue).
NORTH PHOENIX
Café Balkan
21043 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix
602-283-5360, cafebalkanaz.com
Why Go? Bomb burek and other Balkan specialties.
Burek, a savory Balkan pie made of thin, flaky pastry dough that is filled with meat, feta cheese or spinach, is a specialty at this quaint café, where it’s offered by the whole pie or thick slice. Crispy, doughy and greasy in all the right ways, it’s best enjoyed with a side of tangy house-made yogurt to cut the pie’s richness. But to get the full Balkan experience, consider cevapi (ground beef sausages tucked into homemade pita), lamb shank smothered in rich gravy or creamy veal soup served with fluffy flatbread. Finish up with crempita – puff pastry filled with loads of luscious custard.
Gorditas Lily
13035 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix
602-675-0144, gorditaslily.square.site
Why Go? The Valley’s best gorditas.
Grabbing lunch at a mom-and-pop Mexican joint doesn’t usually lead one to ponder the principles of mechanical engineering. But the gorditas – flour tortillas that are griddled, split and stuffed with all kinds of goodies – at this bare-bones North Phoenix spot are so thin, and hold so much filling, that you’ll be hypothesizing about their tensile strength as you chow down. Or just turn off your brain and luxuriate in the silky rajas con queso, perky picadillo or the signature chicharrón, a saucy mélange of pork skin and carnitas. Great burros, too.
Las 15 Salsas Flavors of Oaxaca
722 W. Hatcher Rd., Phoenix
602-870-2056, las15salsas.com
Why Go? Arguably the best mole negro in the Valley.
With one bite of chef Elizabeth Hernandez’s mole, you’ll understand why the famously complex sauce was immortalized as a magical elixir in the novel Like Water for Chocolate. After immigrating to the U.S., Hernandez wanted to share the flavors of her Oaxacan homeland with her Sunnyslope neighbors. Since 2012, she’s been putting her hypnotizing mole negro on everything – plates of chicken, pizza-like tlayudas and baskets of chips. There are enmoladas (mole enchiladas) and mole estofado (stew). She makes red, green and yellow moles, too, and other Oaxacan delights like memelas (masa cakes with black beans and cheese) and agua de chilacoyote (a drink made with squash, honey and cinnamon). Muy sabroso!
Sushi Friend
8727 N. Central Ave., Phoenix
602-345-1312, yoursushifriend.com
Why Go? Best maki in the Valley.
Granted, Kevin Min’s cheerful North-Central sushi spot isn’t quite as hole-y today as it was five years ago, when in a fit of pandemic-induced inspiration, he went into business as an all-kitchen fast-casual. Expanding into an adjacent unit, the talented itamae now offers more seating and a genial, stay-awhile vibe. What hasn’t changed: his energetic open kitchen, flawless order fulfillment and awesomely deft mastery of raw fish. This is particularly true of his maki (cut rolls) – decisive yet restrained specimens of culinary design in which, for instance, Australian yellowtail comes together with sambal, cilantro, jalapeño and judicious squirts of tangy ponzu to trip all your flavor receptors just so. (That one is called the Kiro roll.) Made with perfectly prepared and perfumed rice, Sushi Friend sushi is also unusually portable – it performs just as well at home.
Tikka ‘N’ Taco
11001 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix
480-306-8124
Why Go? Indo-Mex mashup takes audience-pleasing fusion to the next level.
Classically trained in his native Hyderabad, chef-owner Shenoy Sangha first attempted Mexican seafood in this Sunnyslope-adjacent standalone. When that restaurant, Mariscos Cancún, failed to catch on, he reached into his culinary subconscious and shifted gears – locking in with rogan josh (slow-cooked lamb curry) tacos, paneer (Indian cheese) flautas and other exciting, inventive unions of Mexican and Indian culinary doctrine. “The neighborhood loved it!” he reports proudly, citing a review circulated in the nearby Royal Palms district online message board as a formative event since his opening last May. Sangha’s Indian-infused tacos are roll-your-eyes good, but the star of the menu is undoubtedly his Indian nachos, slathered in a cheesy, tomato-y, cashew-and-butter sauce instantly familiar to fans of butter chicken.
Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen
16816 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix
602-283-5600, topnotchislandflavorkitchen.net
Why Go? Glorious Caribbean cooking and family vibes.
Before Gayle and Curtis Reid took over this North Phoenix restaurant space in 2021, it had housed a revolving door of mediocre eateries. Like a warm island breeze, the Jamaican couple breathed new life – and new flavors – into its strip mall environs. Topnotch’s versions of Caribbean classics like jerk chicken, braised oxtails, curry goat and fried fish escovitch truly are top-notch – among the best we’ve had. Don’t miss Mum’s fried chicken, a family recipe handed down from Gayle’s grandmother. After Hurricane Melissa hit their homeland last fall, the big-hearted Reids took their hospitality on the road, delivering food and emergency supplies to their compatriots.
SCOTTSDALE
Amelia’s by EAT
8240 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale
602-499-5195, ameliasaz.com
Why Go? All-day café and wine bar is the closest North Scottsdale has to a “hole.”
It’s not an easy gig, being all things to all people, but charming Amelia’s pulls it off with breezy aplomb, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes – all scratch-made and locally sourced – with enough sex appeal to keep customers coming back on the regular. Cult favorites include herby egg salad toast with hot honey, Cobb salad with deviled eggs, Hatch green chile chicken enchiladas (wrapped in house-made corn tortillas) and a double-patty, bacon-studded burger with beef tallow skinny fries. For take-home: rotisserie chicken, grab-and-go items and bottled wines. And in a no-stone-left-unturned move, Amelia’s has a center-stage bar offering coffee, wine, cocktails and happy hour.
El Camino
7133 E. Stetson Dr., Scottsdale
480-573-7950, elcaminoarizona.com
Why Go? Best cheap eats in Old Town.
Used to be, sub-$10 burgers were like broccoli haircuts at a Gen Z prom – pretty much everywhere. Those days are gone! So, kudos to this grungy, industry-centric bar and grill in the old Merkin Vineyards spot in Old Town Scottsdale for keeping the fire alive. Granted, the prices have edged up slightly since its February 2025 opening, when a double smash burger and fries ran a mere $9.25, but its surviving cadre of single-digit menu items is still among the best in town, including a tangy-sweet sloppy Joe; aptly named Poverty Nachos that clock in under $8; and a grilled chicken quesadilla that costs less than a Budweiser. And, yes – the single smash burger, served with a side of hot, crispy, salty fries, remains a sub-$10 proposition, too. On the tail end of an Old Town bar crawl, El Camino is el superbo.
Chispa’s Fast & Fresh
8046 E. Thomas Rd., Scottsdale
480-590-0354, chispasfresh.com
Why Go? Fresh, homey Mexican food from a SoSco drive-thru window.
Owner Czarina Valenzuela – a third-generation member of the Corral family of Los Olivos Mexican Patio fame – opened this cute little outlet for homey, fresh-made Mexican food during the pandemic, when the drive-thru window, a leftover from former tenant Hopi Liquors, came in handy. Although the café offers indoor and patio seating, many customers still prefer drive-thru convenience, picking up excellent tacos, carne asada fries and flautas a la Mexicana on the fly. Enormous breakfast burritos (arguably the best in town), zippy salsa and seasonal horchatas are standouts, too. Chispa’s fabulous food may be fast, but it sure isn’t fast food.
EAST VALLEY
Bonnie’s Bread & Butter Co.
777 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler
928-494-2973, bonniesbreadandbutterco.com
Why Go? Wee fondue spot tucked into a Chandler strip mall.
Craft sandwiches, house-made chips, scratch soups and a relaxed pace set the stage for comforting meals at this Chandler hangout. What truly sets Bonnie Henderson’s apart, though, is a feature you don’t see at most cafes: a fondue menu. It comes three ways, pairing silky cheese blends with fresh bread and veggies, Hatch green chile dip with chips and pepper chunks, or warm chocolate with seasonal fruits and pastry pieces. Another memorable draw is the cult-favorite butter candle bread, a ring of freshly baked bread infused with sea salt and aromatic herbs and wrapped around a flickering candle made of whipped butter.
BoSa Kobe Hot Pot
414 W. University Dr., Tempe
480-566-9999, bosakobehotpots.com
Why Go? Out: apple fritters. In: all-you-can-eat hot pot.
With its tufted booths and street-front address, this hot pot diner admittedly isn’t very hole-ish – but it will be a pleasant surprise for folks who know BoSa more for glazed old-fashioneds and chocolate sprinkles than hearty, healthy Asian soup. Owned by Sovanna Srey and her cousin, BoSa Donuts kingpin Jackson Chao, this savory offshoot delivers hot pot bubbling at the table and ready to eat just a few minutes after ordering. Customers pick the broth flavor and meats they want, then head to a salad-bar-like situation to load up their bowls with fresh soup ingredients: mushrooms, noodles, meat dumplings, squash, greens and more. Various sauces (ponzu, sesame, red chili) are provided to jazz things up. It’s a hands-on, personalized ton of fun. Also with a Scottsdale location.
Eddie’s Philly Cheesesteaks & Hoagies
3016 N. Dobson Rd., Chandler
480-504-5274, eddiesphilly.website
Why Go? The Valley’s only Philly cheesesteak entirely sourced from Philly.
This Chandler counter-service spot keeps things simple, fast and laser-focused on East Coast comfort food done right, starting with the bread. Eddie’s flies in fresh Amoroso’s rolls straight from Philadelphia – the same iconic, slightly chewy, hinge-cut loaves used in countless Philly shops. It’s the foundation that gives every cheesesteak and hoagie that unmistakable Philly character. While the cheesesteaks – juicy, messy and satisfying in that classic, no-nonsense way – are the main draw, the hoagies get equal respect. Ever the hands-on perfectionist, owner and chief sandwich maker Eddie Shafeek creates his own sauces and coleslaw from scratch.
Experiment Coffee & Pastry
1135 W. Geneva Dr., Tempe
480-653-1649, experimentcoffeeandpastry.com
Why Go? The kouign-amann of your dreams.
One of Tempe’s most quietly brilliant bakeries, this artisanal, small-batch pastry lab in an industrial area off Southern Avenue treats butter, sugar and time as the building blocks of high art. At the center of it all is the kouign-amann, a decadent cross between a croissant and a sticky bun. The laminated, slow-fermented masterpiece is crisp on the outside, molten and buttery inside, and caramelized to a perfect amber sheen. The coffee program is equally dialed-in, led by a caramelized pistachio latte sprinkled with nutty crumbles. A second, less hole-y Experiment recently opened in Old Town Scottsdale.
Little Joe’s Italian Market
81 S. McQueen Rd., Gilbert
480-504-4072, littlejoesaz.com
Why Go? It’s like teleporting to the Bronx.
Grab a slice of East Coast Italian neighborhood culture at this shoebox-size Gilbert specialty shop that’s part grocery, part grab-and-go kitchen, and entirely built around the idea of feeding people well. Owner and chef Joe Gerace, a Bronx native, keeps things lively with harder-to-find specialties like veal cutlets, guanciale, porchetta and other staples. With no room for a full deli counter, just a small cold case, the menu hits social media fresh each morning. Cold-cut subs anchor the lineup daily, house-made pasta dishes roll out on Wednesdays and Roman-style pizzas pop up whenever inspiration strikes.
Vietshack
7510 S. Priest Dr., Tempe
480-306-8688, vietshack.com
Why Go? Best banh mi in the EV.
This south Tempe go-to spot has built a loyal following with its Vietnamese comfort food, street-stall ethos and modern, fast-casual edge. It expanded its dining room in 2025 and added pho to the menu, but regulars still flock to the crisp, herb-packed banh mi and generously portioned rice and noodle bowls. Be sure to check out the rotating lineup of Saturday specials, which can range from rice noodle soup with crab meatballs to chicken curry. The limited-batch dishes almost always sell out. Even with the recent upgrades, Vietshack keeps its vibe relaxed and its prices budget-friendly.
Yummy Box
1430 W. Warner Rd., Gilbert
480-664-1168, yummyboxaz.com
Why Go? Crazy-affordable Cantonese – and delicious, too.
Tucked into a modest Gilbert strip mall, this family-run Asian eatery lives up to its name with comforting Cantonese dishes in generous portions that turn most meals into two. A portion of the menu is familiar Americanized favorites, but the must-order is the Hainanese chicken rice – silky poached chicken served over aromatic broth-cooked rice with garlic sauce that adds brightness and heat. It’s a rare fast-casual find, and easily one of the Valley’s best versions (and just $9.95). Other crowd-pleasers include the spicy orange chicken, slightly sweet beef chow fun and Hong Kong-style wonton noodle soup.
WEST VALLEY
Abacus Inn Chinese Restaurant
3509 W. Thunderbird Rd., Phoenix
602-938-0528, theabacusinn.com
Why Go? Hot-and-sour soup that will beat any winter cold.
This very picture of the mom-and-pop neighborhood Chinese joint has been serving the 35th Avenue and Thunderbird Road area for decades. The menu of Chinese-American fare is fairly orthodox, but there are several standouts: the sweet, straightforward sesame chicken and the hearty and satisfying vegetable egg foo young, for instance. But the soups are the mainstay, especially when the weather is cool. The comforting egg flower and the sore-throat-soothing hot-and-sour are essential sides to a meal, while the sizzling rice, the vegetable and bean curd and the seafood with bean curd could serve as meals themselves.
Al’s Chicago’s Finest Gyros
5932 W. Bell Rd., Glendale
602-283-4045, alschicagogyros.com
Why Go? A taste of Chicago-style Greek-American cooking in Glendale.
Since Phoenix can sometimes feel like little more than a far-west suburb of Chicago, a business that touts itself as “Chicago’s Finest Greek, Chicago & Mediterranean Food” has a built-in clientele. It also has a lot to live up to. The menu at this pleasant, friendly diner offers the usual array of souvlaki, shawarma and falafel, as well as Windy City faves like hot dogs and Italian beef. But you won’t go wrong with the basic Chicago gyro, a generous heap of tender, fragrant meat spilling off a pita. For a slight upcharge, you can add “hummus and pop.”
Bitz-ee Mama’s Restaurant
7023 N. 58th Ave., Glendale
623-931-0562, bitz-ee-mamas.res-menu.com
Why Go? Crushable chilaquiles are the perfect way to start the día.
Some people could happily eat Mexican food three meals a day… and find two of them at this festive, grungy-good downtown Glendale standard, open for breakfast and lunch. The lunchtime tamales and pozole are terrific, but it’s the putative “most important meal of the day” where Bitz-ee’s really shines. The chilaquiles – made with shards of tortillas bathed in a comfortably warm, spicy sauce, verde or rojo, and topped with eggs any style (we prefer sunny-side up for maximum umami) – will leave your taste buds wide awake. The rest of you, maybe not so much – this hearty desayuno could tempt you back to bed for an early siesta.
Cuban Foods Bakery & Restaurant
10649 N. 43rd Ave., Phoenix
602-296-5759, cubanfoodsbakeryandrestaurant.com
Why Go? Best Cuban on the west side… punctuation notwithstanding.
A TV commercial from half a century ago asked, “What do you want, good grammar or good taste?” Restaurant reviewers, by their nature, want both. But given the choice: good taste every time. For years, this sandwich shop called itself Cuban Food’s. Somebody must have wised them up, because the sign now reads Cuban Food s. Under either name, this place serves drive-across-town-good Cubanos and medianoches: roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese and more joined in pressed perfection in crusty Cuban bread or a brioche-like roll, respectively, with a punctuating olive on top. There’s a tempting array of delectable desserts on display as well.
Davina’s BBQ & Soul Food Kitchen
5409 W Glendale Ave., Glendale
602-554-1366
Why Go? Best smoked chicken west of Central Avenue.
Tucked into the historic downtown Glendale strip, this one-woman show keeps it low-key – R&B on the speakers, mercurial business hours you’ll want to double-check before you go and Southern heart in every dish. The fried catfish steals the spotlight – hearty, perfectly seasoned and no sauce needed. Barbecue options include smoky beef ribs and hot links, and to round out the comfort parade, snag a side of the ultra-cheesy mac and cheese, collard greens, bombastic candied yams and peach cobbler for a sweet finish. (Back-up option: a terrific root beer float). With only a few tables, pickup or delivery is ideal – or squeeze into the hole.
Outta Bronx
8877 N. 107th Ave., Peoria
623-215-6000, outtabronxpeoria.com
Why Go? Two words: chopped cheese.
Popping into Outta Bronx is like teleporting to New York City – the space is cramped, the interactions are terse, the accents are non-rhotic and you might be waiting “on line” for a while. It’s worth it for the Italian and Jewish deli classics, from Joey’s meatball sub to an old-school Reuben. There are salads, burgers, wings, hot dogs and loaded fries, too, but the highlight for homesick New Yorkers is the chopped cheese, a bodega classic that’s like the lovechild of a cheeseburger and a cheesesteak – ground beef mixed with American and cheddar cheeses, griddled until melty and piled on a baguette with lettuce, tomatoes and pickles. Leave without a chopped cheese? Fuhgeddaboudit.
Tacos la Katrina
46135 N. Black Canyon Hwy., New River
602-699-0032
Why Go? Killer tacos and guacamole, served in a funky desert setting.
If a “hole-in-the-wall” is defined as a small, unassuming, out-of-the-way place with excellent food, then this food truck, parked in a gravel lot on a frontage road between New River and Anthem, definitely qualifies. Trust us, you won’t give a second’s thought to the lack of décor once you dive into the tacos, double-wrapped in pliant corn tortillas and piled high with carne asada, pastor, carnitas, shrimp, fish, chicken or the juiciest lengua in town. Besides the tacos, the short menu offers burritos, quesadillas, rice and beans, and perfectly creamy, delectably chunky guacamole with chips
