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Restaurant Guide

Restaurants in Central Phoenix 135 Results
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Aiello's Fine Italian Dining				1 User Reviews
5202 N. Central Ave.	Italian	$$$, $$$$	Central Phoenix
With crisp white tablecloths and a handsome granite bar, Joe and Myrah Aiello’s namesake restaurant feels like a special occasion place, except that it’s worthy of frequent visits. For one thing, they’ll welcome you like a regular, and the prices are quite accessible. Highlights... More >>

Barrio Cafe				Write a Review
2814 N. 16th St.	Contemporary, Mexican	$$, $$$	Central Phoenix
Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza brings magic to this art-filled hole-in-the-wall, with regional specialties of central-southern Mexico. For extra impact, she adds French accents, with marvelous results. Dishes change monthly, but highlights include posole verde, spinach-crab-mushroom-cheese crepes,... More >>

Cherryblossom Noodle Cafe				1 User Reviews
914 E. Camelback Rd.	Italian, Japanese	$$, $$$	Central Phoenix
Homey, unpretentious Japanese noodle shop that never disappoints and is sure to leave you as sated as a sumo wrestler at an all-you-can-eat steak house. Go for the specials, like the Cajun-fried shrimp with the crunchy heads still on the bodies or the small, whole squid in a tomato-anchovy... More >>

City Bakery				Write a Review
215 E. Grant St.	American, Bakery, Breakfast	$$	Central Phoenix
Tucked into part of a 1918 warehouse that had been renovated and turned into the cavernous Bentley Projects art gallery, City Bakery is a stylish outpost of Scottsdale’s Arcadia Farms, which also does a brisk business in feeding visitors to the Phoenix Art Museum, The Heard Museum, and the... More >>

City Bakery				Write a Review
600 East Washington St.	American, Bakery	$$	Central Phoenix

Da Vang				Write a Review
4538 N. 19th Ave.	Vietnamese	$, $$	Central Phoenix
Among people who love real-deal Vietnamese food, Da Vang has quite the following. It’s been around for 18 years and is owned by the Ly family. The vibe is friendly and seat-yourself casual, and service is swift. With 79 items, the menu seems sprawling, but just look at the common... More >>

Durant's				3 User Reviews
2611 N. Central Ave.	American, Seafood, Steak House	$$$, $$$$	Central Phoenix
The first and last word in old-school cool. For more than half a century, the house Jack Durant built has served up class by the barrelful as well as classics like sautéed chicken livers, oysters Rockefeller, lamb chops with mint jelly, and Delmonico steaks, to name a few. Serious... More >>

Fuego Bistro				Write a Review
713 E. Palo Verde Drive	Cuban, South American, Southwestern	$$, $$$$	Central Phoenix
Tucked away in the courtyard of Fountain Court, behind Apollo’s Lounge on Seventh Street, Fuego Bistro is one of the best-hidden spots in central Phoenix. It’s tiny, too (there are only seven tables inside and a handful out on the patio) so it helps to call ahead. Though some of the... More >>

Hana Japanese Eatery				Write a Review
5524 North Seventh Avenue	Japanese	$$	Central Phoenix
The sushi at this humble neighborhood eatery is quite impressive -- think oversized slabs of extremely fresh aji, silky sake, and buttery hamachi, elegantly draped over compact rice balls. But the rest of the menu shines as well, from salads with homemade dressings and tender clams steamed in... More >>

Lisa G Cafe Wine Bar				Write a Review
2337 N. 7th St.	American, Italian, Wine Bar	$$	Central Phoenix
Situated in a cozy Coronado bungalow that used to be Ye Ol Sandwich Shoppe, this intimate spot has a clean, modern look, like a page torn from the West Elm furniture catalog. Owner Lisa Giungo is a familiar face from other local hot spots, such as La Grande Orange, My Florist, and City Bakery,... More >>

Lo Lo's Chicken & Waffles				1 User Reviews
10 W. Yuma St.	Breakfast, Southern / Soul Food	$, $$	Central Phoenix
Fried chicken simply doesn't get any better than this, unless it's paired with waffles. Everything on the soul food menu is homemade and completely addictive, with luscious catfish, red snapper, omelets, greens, mac 'n' cheese, and red velvet cake. Leave the diet at the door. More >>

Lola Tapas				Write a Review
800 E. Camelback Rd.	Spanish, Wine Bar	$$$	Central Phoenix
Beautiful little tapas restaurant from Daniel and Felicia Ruiz Wayne, the people who brought us Lux Coffeebar on Central Avenue. Since selling their java joint, they’ve devoted themselves to Spanish cuisine and culture with as much energy as they once put into their espresso. The result is... More >>

Matt's Big Breakfast				2 User Reviews
801 N. 1st St.	American, Breakfast, Brunch, Diner	$, $$	Central Phoenix
This small, crowded breakfast nook has a big, hungry following. Owner Matt Pool’s usually there, slinging a pitcher of orange juice and greeting people who come through the door. The day’s specials are scribbled on a chalkboard behind the counter, where people sit down to a good cup of... More >>

Mrs. White's Golden Rule Cafe				Write a Review
808 E. Jefferson St.	Southern / Soul Food	$$	Central Phoenix
Mrs. White’s is an institution when it comes to soul food in Phoenix. Décor is minimal, with the menu written on the walls, yet there’s plenty of atmosphere. Just like visiting a small soul food eatery in the Deep South, with excellent catfish, smothered chicken, oxtails,... More >>

Pane Bianco				Write a Review
4404 N. Central Ave.	American, Bakery, California Cuisine, Health / Vegetarian	$, $$	Central Phoenix
Celeb chef Chris Bianco has worked his magic again, this time concentrating on a tiny menu of sandwiches and salads. Fare is takeout only, and it’s expensive, but it’s worth the work for farmers’-market-fresh quality. Anything with homemade mozzarella is a marvel. More >>

Persian Garden Cafe				2 User Reviews
1335 W. Thomas Rd.	Greek / Mediterranean, Persian	$$, $$$	Central Phoenix
This is the place to go for stunning Persian, Mediterranean, vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Herbs and spices take center stage, adding spark, and sometimes shock, to stir-fries, stews, pastas, and chicken, fish and lamb dishes. Fresh and healthful is king at this low-cost cafe. More >>

Phoenix Ranch Market				Write a Review
1602 E. Roosevelt St.	Bakery, Grocery / Market, Mexican	$, $$	Central Phoenix
The biggest Ranch Market to date in Arizona, with about 53,000 square feet of Mexican foodstuffs in one space. This blockbuster supermercado boasts its own food court, a pescadería with a mariscos stand at which to eat ceviche, a tortillería pumping out tortillas nonstop, an agua... More >>

Pizzeria Bianco				5 User Reviews
623 E. Adams St.	Pizza	$$	Central Phoenix
Absolutely outstanding pizza, spun by a master Italian craftsman. Every ingredient is fresh and bursting with flavor. Try the Wiseguy model -- roasted onions, smoked mozzarella and fennel sausage. Top-notch salads and desserts, too. Stop in at the wine bar next door while waiting for your table. More >>

Richardson's Cuisine of New Mexico				Write a Review
1582 E. Bethany Home Rd.	Southwestern	$$, $$$	Central Phoenix
One of the coolest restaurants in Arizona, and maybe even the United States. With a dark, pueblo-like interior decorated with burnished copper and Native American rugs, Richardson’s is known for its superb margaritas on the rocks and some of the best chips and salsa in town, as well as for... More >>

The Roosevelt				Write a Review
816 North 3rd Street	American, Brewpub / Pub Fare	$, $$	Central Phoenix
Even though it’s technically a bar, we have a hard time setting foot in The Roosevelt without getting a bite to eat, too. Sure, the drink selection is outstanding – a few good wines and a long list of regional craft brews, including a quaffable Four Peaks pale ale that serves as the... More >>

The Rose & Crown Pub				Write a Review
623 E. Adams St.	American, Brewpub / Pub Fare, English / Irish	$$	Central Phoenix
Located in a gorgeous historic building adjacent to the wildly popular Pizzeria Bianco, this hip British pub boasts a few things its famous neighbor doesn’t: a dozen beers on tap, several dozen more by the bottle, and, depending on what time you show up, no wait for a table. The... More >>

Thai Elephant				3 User Reviews
20 W. Adams St.	Barbecue, Breakfast, Thai	$$	Central Phoenix
Thai Elephant is likable all around, which makes sense considering that it’s owned by the same family who runs Thai Basil in Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Chandler. At lunch, the menu is streamlined to suit the busy downtown crowd, while at dinner, there are considerably more options, from... More >>

Tradiciones				3 User Reviews
1602 E. Roosevelt St.	Mexican	$, $$	Central Phoenix
Phoenix Ranch Market’s new sit-down restaurant is almost as entertaining as the grocery store’s over-the-top fiesta. From the singing mariachi trio and waitresses in frilly traditional outfits, to the rustic decor and courtyard, everything at Tradiciones plays into the Mexican village... More >>

Trente-Cinq 35				Write a Review
2333 N. 7th St.	Continental, French	$$$, $$$$	Central Phoenix
Jean-Claude Van Damme, a.k.a. “the Muscles from Brussels,” ain’t got nothing on Lionel Geuskens, the Belgian-born proprietor of Trente-Cinq 35. Geuskens is a black belt in the culinary arts, and though his “mussels” may not be from Brussels, they form a key dish in his... More >>

Welcome Diner				Write a Review
924 E. Roosevelt St.	American, Diner	$	Central Phoenix
A Matchbox-size, 200-square-foot Depression-era diner, renovated back to its Rockwell-esque glory, with a blue interior and red counter. Outside seating also available. Menu is short order with flair. Call for more info. More >>