James Beard Award winning chefs and restaurants to know in metro Phoenix
Winning a James Beard Award is one of the highest honors a chef or restaurant can receive. It is basically the Oscars of the food industry.
The Republic
For many travelers, an outstanding hotel includes a flavorful gourmet meal to go with the comfortable beds.
Many Phoenix resorts have restaurants that have been highlighted among the best in the U.S., including two that were included in OpenTable and Kayak’s joint list of the top 100 hotel restaurants.
On Aug. 20, another Phoenix hotel restaurant achieved such an honor. T. Cook’s, an upscale Mediterranean restaurant at Royal Palms Resort & Spa in Phoenix, was ranked in USA TODAY 10BEST’s list of the nation’s best hotel restaurants as part of its 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards.
Royal Palms is no stranger to national accolades. Travel + Leisure readers named it the fourth-best Arizona resort of 2025 and it was one of the first Arizona properties recognized by the Michelin Guide.
Why USA TODAY readers love T. Cook’s
T. Cook’s at Royal Palms Resort offers a rotating menu of cuisine from Northern Italy, Greece and Spain, with entrees including prime beef ribeye, chicken piccata and Skuna Bay salmon.
USA TODAY readers enjoyed T. Cook’s for its combination of “a Mediterranean feast experience with an elegant desert setting.” It cited the ambiance, which features high vaulted ceilings with chandeliers, outdoor patios with fireplaces and bougainvillea plants and views of Camelback Mountain.
This historic Arizona hotel was also honored by USA TODAY
Royal Palms Resort was not the only Arizona hotel that was honored in USA TODAY 10BEST’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
Arizona Biltmore was named the No. 6 destination resort hotel. Readers also ranked the Biltmore’s fitness center and hotel pool among the top 10 in the nation.
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USA TODAY 10BEST Top 10 Hotel Restaurants 2025
1. Kuro at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
2. Chez Philippe at The Peabody in Memphis, Tennessee.
3. The Wharf Restaurant at Madison Beach Hotel in Madison, Connecticut.
4. T. Cook’s at Royal Palms Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona.
5. The Left Bank at The Weston in Weston, Vermont.
6. Mohonk Mountain House’s Main Dining Room in New Paltz, New York.
7. The Shipwright’s Daughter at The Whaler’s Inn in Mystic, Connecticut.
8. Palato Italian Kitchen and Lounge at HALL Park Hotel in Frisco, Texas.
9. The Social Haus at Green O in Greenough, Montana.
10. Lido Restaurant & Lounge at Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa in Pismo Beach, California.
Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com.
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Dining and Cooking