Two very different Arizona spots made the cut. One serves decadent buttery grits and the other focuses on plant-based eats. Both are delicious.
Sugar Jam The Southern Kitchen, a brunch spot in north Scottsdale, made the list with a recommendation for the lobster mac and cheese with fried shrimp. We also adore the French toast, made with two thick slices of challah bread doused in Grand Marnier and served with warm rum and pecan syrup.
Chef Dana Dumas launched Sugar Jam in 2014 as a bakeshop and bistro specializing in homemade pies. But along with a move a mile down the street in 2021, she expanded the concept to include a full breakfast and brunch menu plus cocktails. And while the hearty menu is sure to leave you stuffed, make sure to grab a pie to take home on your way out.
Early Bird Vegan earned the second spot, with its plant-based interpretations of a wide range of dishes. The restaurant is somewhat mobile, and currently serves customers at the Sonoran University of Health Sciences building in Tempe. Stop in or order for online pickup and choose between the BBQ Mac N Cheez Wrap with barbecue Jerk chick'n, a Buffalo chick'n sandwich, quinoa bowls, barbecue jackfruit quesadillas and more. The restaurant serves breakfast and lunch along with daily specials for each weekday.
Owner and chef Krystal Mack also offers catering and brings her cooking to different locations around the Valley with her food truck Trash Panda Vegan.
The Ebony list celebrates a multitude of businesses and people, "ranging from mom-and-pop shops to James Beard award-winning chefs and restaurants with cuisine selections that go from 100% plant-based to stick-to-your-ribs barbecue," the list says.
Arizona earning two spots on the list is an achievement, given the only 45 available spots for the whole country. The 45 total was inspired by Ebony Magazine's founding in 1945.
