Best Pastry Chef 2024 | Crystal Kass | Food & Drink | Phoenix
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Best Pastry Chef

Crystal Kass

Valentine pastry chef Crystal Kass has been on a heater. On the heels of a James Beard Award nomination in 2023, Eater named her one of five "Pastry Chefs Defining Restaurants Right Now." Valentine regularly ends up on lists locally and nationally for its work, often citing baked goods and desserts coming from Kass and her team. And in 2024, the pastry chef racked up a second nomination from the James Beard Foundation, widely recognized as the top honor in food. It's for good reason. Kass' inventive, craveable pastries and sweet endings to a meal pay homage to Southwestern ingredients, just as the rest of the restaurant and bar do. That may mean a beautifully laminated white Sonoaran wheat pastry stuffed with the fixings for a Sonoran hot dog. Or, to kick off dinner, a pretzel that is baked then fried for a rich, crisp exterior that can be slathered with guinea hen butter and local honeycomb. No matter what you order at Valentine, don't skip dessert. Kass rotates those items regularly, often working spicy and savory elements into these uniquely Arizona treats.

Best Place to Take a Foodie

Uchi

The expansion of an out-of-town restaurant group can come with its fair share of questions. Will it fit the community? How can it hold up to the original? Is this place a chain? Walking into Uchi, an Austin, Texas, import from James Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole, those nagging questions are quickly answered. The space is airy and luxe with sandy wood and gold tones. There's a charged-up energy, but it's not overwhelmingly loud. And, that's also a good thing, because you'll want to take time to chat with your server — and they want you to. That's because the restaurant aims to create a sushi bar experience at every seat, so the staff works to curate the flow of your meal. While sushi is the main draw at Uchi, featuring splurgy options with fish flown in fresh from Japan's Toyosu Market or a 10-course omakase, the Old Town Scottsdale menu includes an expansive selection of hot and cold dishes, salads, tempura and inventive rolls. And, while this meal could be spendy, there are ways to be thriftier by popping in during happy hour or working with your server to curate an omakase that fits your budget.

Best Restaurant to Take a Geek

Wally Burger

From comic books to movies to cosplay, superheroes have taken over the culture. At Wally Burger in Glendale, you'll find that masked men and caped crusaders can even be part of your dining experience. The brightly colored dining room is stuffed with retro video games, action figures, posters and life-size renditions of Superman, Captain America and other heroes. There's lots to look at, but don't get so wrapped up in the decor that you forget about your food. Wally Burger serves simple family fare such as burgers, chicken sandwiches and gyros. Whether you've got some superhero-loving kids or if you're just a kid at heart, Wally Burger is a fun and unique place to dine.

Best Place to Treat Your Mom

Lon's at The Hermosa

Jackie Mercandetti

Is it your mom's birthday? Maybe Mother's Day is coming up, and you want to treat her to brunch. Lon's at The Hermosa is the perfect place. This scenic brunch destination has a picturesque patio filled with blooming flowers and the soft ripple of the central water fountain. Tables are sprinkled throughout, situated underneath umbrellas and the dappled shade of large, old trees. Your mom will feel special before she's even seen the mimosa menu. Pick your bubbly and fruit flavor, and then dig into some shared appetizers such as the famous sticky monkey bread or rock shrimp cocktail. Next, enjoy a fresh salad or one of the restaurant's brunch entrees ranging from a loaded eggs Benedict to strawberry pancakes. After eating, sit and enjoy the songbirds tweeting in the trees, or take a jaunt around the gorgeous grounds of The Hermosa Inn.

Best Place to Eat Before a Downtown Event

Harumi Sushi

If you haven't been to Harumi Sushi in a while, it's time to go back. The restaurant has moved and upgraded its space to become one of the more swanky, stylish spots in downtown Phoenix. Light wood tones contrast with warm lighting and modern furniture, providing the perfect destination for an elevated lunch meeting or an intimate date night. Pair some shishito peppers or dumplings with craft cocktails and sake options, and then dig into some fresh and expertly crafted rolls. We love the sampler platter, which allows customers to enjoy three different types of rolls, each served as a half-order.

Best Place to Eat Before a Glendale Event

Los Arbolitos de Cajeme

If you're looking for culinary excellence at Westgate, the best advice might be to look somewhere else. But if you need to grab a nearby bite before a movie or a game, Los Arbolitos de Cajeme is a surprisingly nice catch in an ocean of mediocre chains. These seafood specialists hail from Sonora, Mexico, and while they might not have the charm of your neighborhood mariscos joint, they sling some very respectable seafood. Raw and citrus-cured concoctions such as ceviche tostadas, fishbowl-sized cocktails and the massive Torre Arbolitos are built with quality seafood and deftly dressed. Giant stone molcajetes teem with complex sauces and ocean critters that — rare for mariscos joints — are perfectly cooked. And the grilled octopus is one of the menu's highlights, perfectly seasoned, tender and juicy, served sizzling with just a splash of smoky house morita chile sauce.

Best Place to Find a Pop-Up

Sauvage Wine Bar and Shop

Geri Koeppel

Sauvage Wine Bar and Shop owner Chris Lingua says he set out to create a space "welcoming in people that do things that make people feel good and sharing them with the community." While, as far as Esquire is concerned, that can mean "natty-wine-fueled dance parties" inside the historic Helen Anderson House, it also is a place that's hosting some of the most interesting dining in the city. Among Sauvage's current rotation of chef-driven pop-ups is Cesar Velasco's wood-fired Otra Pizzeria; sister-owned deli and bakery Sorelle; and Nordborg, helmed by former Bacanora and Huarachis Taqueria chef Derek Christensen. And, you can also see Sauvage in the light of day when Harlem Coffee Co. sets up for morning beverage service. Stay tuned to the wine bar's social media for the latest pop-ups, which can also include one-off events featuring local chefs who have their own restaurants but are changing up venues, and sometimes cuisine.

Best Cook-It-Yourself Restaurant

Mr. Baan's Bar & Mookata

Dominic Armato

How often does Phoenix get to say that it's on the bleeding edge of a dining trend? You can't swing a side of beef without hitting a Korean barbecue or a hot pot joint these days. But until Mr. Baan's popped up last year, your options for mookata were to travel to San Francisco or Thailand, which is mind-boggling, because mookata — Thailand's answer to both styles of dining in one package — couldn't have been better designed to appeal to Phoenix's meaty, cook-it-yourself sensibilities. At the center of the table, over a live coal fire, sits a perforated aluminum grill surrounded by a moat of bubbling pork broth, ready for piles of marinated meats and vegetables. As you grill garlicky pork belly, lemongrass-scented beef and sweet, peppery chicken thighs over the fire, their juices and seasonings drip down into the soup, which is filled to the brim with fresh vegetables, noodles, chunks of tofu and eggs. Throw in a fun outdoor patio and a stellar tropical cocktail menu, and you've got one of the best ways to spend an evening with a bunch of friends.

Best Late-Night Eats

Cornish Pasty Co.

Shelby Moore

The perfect drunk food is a topic debated with the intensity of intergalactic aliens and whatever happened to J. Edgar Hoover. But one item that needs to be a part of the enthusiastic conversation is the humble pasty — specifically those from the local institution that is Cornish Pasty Co. Because it's not enough that several of Cornish's locations are open until 1 a.m. on weekends. It's also that the pasty truly is the perfect drunk food. It's shortcrust pastry (perfect for soaking up an evening's worth of booze) that's tailored to your various drunken cravings. Be it something traditional (The Oggie), a deconstructed hamburger (The Royale with Cheese), more premium tastes like pesto chicken and a Cubano or dessert pasties, Cornish's offerings will meet you where you're at (drunk and ravenous). Plus, there's no need for fancy silverware, and you can keep drinking with a massive Guinness (or two).

Best Underground Restaurant

Rough Rider

Kyla Hein

To get to Rough Rider, you have to take the elevator down from the ground floor — but not just any elevator. It's gotta be the middle one. But once you pass that test, you're in for a treat. That is, if there's space to get a seat. The small, rustic, Teddy Roosevelt-themed space is both parts cozy and bustling, like something out of 1900s New York or Chicago. With wood paneling and dim lighting, the aura is moody and perfect for a date night. And then there are the food and drinks. The restaurant is known for serving oysters and a range of other seafood dishes, as well as chops of meat like ribeye and duck breast. Shareable dishes like salads, baked crab dip and roasted cauliflower make good options for the not-quite-so-hungry. Rough Rider's seasoned bartenders can serve up any drink, but the house specialty is the joint's boozy tea punches. The tasteful libations and soothing ambiance make this the best subterranean spot in the Valley.

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