Chicken and corn is prepared on a wood-fired grill on Dec. 23, 2025, at Huarachis Taqueria in Phoenix, named one of USA Today’s Restaurants of the Year for 2026.
Joe Rondone/The Republic
USA TODAY Network, Reuters
Last month, the former Washington Post dining critic was in Phoenix for a conference and asked me where to go for lunch, dinner and cocktails.
As I thought about where to send him, a few thoughts came to mind. He needed to try Mexican food from Sonora, an Arizona-centric spot and something with history and views. I wanted to send him to places I knew he couldn’t find in D.C. that I also knew wouldn’t disappoint. (They didn’t. He enjoyed them all.)
It got me thinking about where I send out-of-towners in general and I thought you might like my recommendations to share with your next visitor, too.
Here are the three restaurants and bars where every first-time visitor to Phoenix should go.
Huarachis Taqueria for lunch
Rene Andrade’s pink downtown restaurant and a Michelin Bib Gourmand spot, Huarachis shows off the Sonoran mesquite-fire cooking the chef is known for. (Want to talk accolades? Andrade won a James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest in 2024, the Michelin Young Chef award in 2026 and Huarachis was named a USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year in 2026.)
The vibe is dance-in-your-chair upbeat and as far as the menu, you can’t go wrong following your bliss, but it’s probably wise to try the restaurant’s namesake, an oblong fried masa dough base topped with beans, avocado escabeche and your choice of fried mushrooms, fish, crispy potatoes, lengua (tongue) or chicharron. I’m a big fan of Huarachis’ tripe-anything because the fried texture makes it a great, crunchy bite.
Don’t skip the papas brava.
Details: 814 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-773-1413, huarachis.com.
Geordie’s for a cocktail and a beautiful view
Geordie’s Lounge is where I hang out with friends when I’m in the mood for a grown-up bar where I can actually catch up with a friend. There’s no need to shout over the music or fight for the bartender’s attention. And that’s a big part of its appeal.
Relax on the sofas inside or, weather permitting, choose the balcony tables and watch Phoenix twinkle beneath you as you sip on your favorite cocktail. I’ll have a French 75 or Hugo Spritz and finish the evening with a glass of Sauternes for dessert. The view is just as sweet.
Details: 2501 E. Telawa Trail, Phoenix. 602-955-4079, wrigleymansion.com.
Valentine for dinner
Finish the evening at Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant Valentine, with an optional nightcap at bar 1912 next door. Built inside a former 1957 laundromat called Paris Laundromat, it is a true homage to Arizona, starting with its name, which is Arizona’s statehood day (Feb. 14, 1912), and carrying on with a menu crafted from hyperlocal ingredients.
Don’t skip the elote pasta, a play on cacio e pepe made with a twirl of Sonoran wheat house-made tagliarini coated in corn butter and pepper sauce and topped with crunchy corn and goatija cheese. It’s a cool twist on elote, the iconic Mexican street corn snack.
If you’re in the mood for dessert and want a touch of nostalgia and a sense of place, order their play on fig Newtons. It’s a fig madeleine in the shape of a saguaro cactus (iconically Arizona), served with a side of fig ice cream.
Details: 4130 N. Seventh Ave., Phoenix. 602-612-2961, valentinephx.com.
Reach the restaurant critic at BAnooshahr@azcentral.com. Follow @baharcreative on Instagram.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 3 Phoenix restaurants our dining critic sends all 1st-time visitors
Reporting by Bahar Anooshahr, Arizona Republic / Arizona Republic
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Copyright Reuters or USA Today via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published November 9, 2026 at 4:02 AM.
Dining and Cooking