Phoenix Guide
The 8 Best Lunch Spots in Phoenix
The best lunch in Phoenix is at Paper Bag Sandwich Co. for sandwiches, Pizzeria Bianco for pizza, Little Miss BBQ for brisket and Tacos Chiwas for tacos — plus four more spots that get you back before your 1 o’clock.
Lunch is the meal Phoenix does best. Some of the city’s most famous kitchens are only open in the daytime, the patios are perfect from October to April, and you can eat like a king for under $20.
Lunch is also our whole business, so we think about it a lot. These are the places our crew goes when we’re the ones who are hungry, sorted by what they do best.
Phoenix lunch spots at a glance
| # | Restaurant | Best For | Order This | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paper Bag Sandwich Co. | Quick Lunch | Hall Pass | Uptown | $$ |
| 2 | Pizzeria Bianco | Pizza | The Rosa | Downtown | $$ |
| 3 | Little Miss BBQ | BBQ | Brisket | Near Sky Harbor | $$ |
| 4 | Tacos Chiwas | Tacos | Barbacoa Tacos | Central Phoenix | $ |
| 5 | Pane Bianco | Italian Sandwiches | Italian Combo | Central Ave | $$ |
| 6 | Chula Seafood | Poke | Hawaiian Poke Bowl | Uptown Plaza | $$ |
| 7 | Middle Eastern Bakery & Deli | Cheap Eats | Shawarma | 16th St & Thomas | $ |
| 8 | Original ChopShop | Healthy Lunch | Teriyaki Chicken Bowl | Valley-wide | $$ |
01. Paper Bag Sandwich Co. — Best Sandwich Lunch in Phoenix
We built Paper Bag around lunch. We bake schiacciata every morning, build every sandwich to order and close when the bread runs out, usually mid-afternoon.
The Hall Pass (turkey, whipped ricotta, arugula, hot honey) is the most popular order for a reason. Want something lighter? The Field Day is all stracciatella, tomato, pesto and balsamic. Grab a cookie at Chewk’s, two doors down in The Frederick, on the way out.
- Order This:
- The Hall Pass, or the Field Day for a vegetarian lunch
- Good to Know:
- Order ahead online and skip the line. Feeding the whole office? We do catering with 24 hours’ notice.
- Hours:
- Tue–Sat 10:30 AM–4 PM · Sun 10:30 AM–3 PM
- Website:
- paperbagsandwich.co
02. Pizzeria Bianco — Best Pizza Lunch in Phoenix
Chris Bianco started making pizza in the back of a Phoenix grocery store in 1988 and moved to Heritage Square in 1997. Since then he’s won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest and another for Outstanding Restaurateur, and the pizzeria has become a pilgrimage.
Lunch is the easy way in. Order the Rosa (red onion, Parmigiano Reggiano, rosemary and Arizona pistachios) or the Wiseguy, with wood-roasted onion, house-smoked mozzarella and fennel sausage. Sandwiches are served until 4 PM.
- Order This:
- The Rosa or the Wiseguy, and a farmers market salad
- Good to Know:
- No reservations and no takeout. Lunch on a weekday is the low-stress move.
- Hours:
- Mon–Sat 11 AM–9 PM · Closed Sun
- Website:
- pizzeriabianco.com
03. Little Miss BBQ — Best BBQ Lunch in Phoenix
Little Miss BBQ is lunch only, and it’s worth planning your day around. People line up before the doors open for Central Texas–style brisket with peppery bark and a deep smoke ring.
Get brisket by the pound and a smoked pecan pie. They close when the meat runs out, so earlier is always better.
- Order This:
- Brisket by the pound, plus a personal smoked pecan pie
- Good to Know:
- Open Wednesday through Saturday for lunch. Get there before the 11 AM opening. There’s a second location in Sunnyslope.
- Website:
- littlemissbbq.com
04. Tacos Chiwas — Best Tacos for Lunch in Phoenix
Tacos Chiwas is a family-owned restaurant cooking Chihuahua-style food from recipes passed down through generations. The Indian School Road shop opens at 10 AM, so it works for an early lunch too.
Order a mix of tacos (barbacoa, al pastor and lengua are the favorites) and don’t skip the salsas.
- Order This:
- Barbacoa, al pastor and lengua tacos
- Good to Know:
- There’s also a Mesa location and a Tacos Chiwas at Sky Harbor’s Terminal 4 with a shorter menu.
- Hours:
- Mon–Sat 10 AM–9 PM · Sun 10 AM–4 PM
- Website:
- tacoschiwas.com
05. Pane Bianco — Best Lunch-Only Spot in Phoenix
Pane Bianco is Chris Bianco’s sandwich shop on Central Avenue, and dine-in is lunch only. That’s part of the charm: sandwiches on house-baked bread, salads and NY-style slices, then back to your day.
Get the Italian combo, stacked with mortadella, spicy soppressata, capicola and aged provolone. Split a salad if you’re with a friend.
- Order This:
- The Italian combo and a slice
- Good to Know:
- Lunch runs Monday through Saturday, 11 AM to 2:30 PM. Dinner is takeout pizza only, Wednesday through Saturday.
- Website:
- pizzeriabianco.com
06. Chula Seafood — Best Poke Bowl in Phoenix
Chula is a seafood market with a kitchen, so the fish in your lunch is the same fish in the case. The Uptown shop is counter service and moves fast.
The Hawaiian poke bowl is the classic, and the Hatch chile tuna melt is the best tuna melt in town. Fish tacos and burritos are on the menu too.
- Order This:
- The Hawaiian poke bowl or the Hatch chile tuna melt
- Good to Know:
- The kitchen opens at 11 AM. Sunday is an all-day happy hour.
- Hours:
- Mon–Thu 10 AM–8 PM · Fri–Sat 10 AM–9 PM · Sun 10 AM–8 PM
- Website:
- chulaseafood.com
07. Middle Eastern Bakery & Deli — Best Cheap Lunch in Phoenix
Middle Eastern Bakery & Deli is a market, a bakery and a lunch counter in one low pink building on 16th Street, just north of Thomas, and a longtime Phoenix favorite.
Order a shawarma plate or falafel, add a side of imjadara (lentils and rice) and leave with house-made baklava. Lunch for two here costs less than one entrée in a lot of places.
- Order This:
- Chicken shawarma or falafel, with imjadara on the side
- Good to Know:
- Shop the market on the way out for fresh pita, spices and pastries. Check hours before you go.
08. Original ChopShop — Best Healthy Lunch in Phoenix
When you want lunch that won’t put you to sleep at 2 PM, Original ChopShop is the Valley’s answer. It started here in Arizona and has locations all over town.
The teriyaki chicken bowl is the best seller, and the protein-packed salads hold up as a real meal.
- Order This:
- The teriyaki chicken bowl
- Good to Know:
- Order ahead in their app to skip the lunch line.
- Address:
- Multiple Phoenix-area locations
- Website:
- originalchopshop.com
The best lunch in Phoenix for how much time you’ve got
Lunch break or lunch meeting? Here’s where to go.
30 Minutes
Paper Bag or Tacos Chiwas. Order ahead at Paper Bag, or walk in at Chiwas. Either way, you’re back at your desk on time.
An Hour
Pane Bianco or Chula Seafood. Sit down, split a salad and still make your 1 o’clock.
Long Lunch
Pizzeria Bianco or Little Miss BBQ. Worth the wait. Clear your afternoon.
Best lunch in Phoenix by neighborhood
- Uptown:
- Paper Bag Sandwich Co. on Missouri Avenue, Chula Seafood in Uptown Plaza and Pane Bianco on Central.
- Downtown:
- Pizzeria Bianco at Heritage Square.
- Central Phoenix:
- Tacos Chiwas on Indian School Road and Middle Eastern Bakery & Deli on 16th Street.
- Near Sky Harbor:
- Little Miss BBQ on University Drive.
- Valley-wide:
- Original ChopShop has locations all over the Phoenix area.
How we picked
Lunch is our whole business, so we held this list to a lunch-specific standard:
- Locally owned or born in the Valley. You can get a chain lunch anywhere.
- Open when you need it. Every spot serves lunch at least five days a week (Little Miss BBQ gets a pass for being Little Miss BBQ).
- Worth leaving the office for. If it isn’t better than what’s in the break room, it isn’t on the list.
Know a lunch spot we should try? Tell us on Instagram.
Phoenix lunch FAQ
Where is the best lunch in Phoenix?
For sandwiches, Paper Bag Sandwich Co. in Uptown. For pizza, Pizzeria Bianco downtown. For barbecue, Little Miss BBQ near Sky Harbor. For tacos, Tacos Chiwas on Indian School Road.
What is the best lunch in downtown Phoenix?
Pizzeria Bianco at Heritage Square is the downtown lunch to plan around. It opens at 11 AM Monday through Saturday and serves sandwiches until 4 PM.
Where can I get a quick lunch in Phoenix?
Order ahead at Paper Bag Sandwich Co. or Original ChopShop, or walk into Tacos Chiwas. All three get you in and out in well under 30 minutes.
Where is the best cheap lunch in Phoenix?
Middle Eastern Bakery & Deli on 16th Street and Tacos Chiwas on Indian School Road both serve a filling lunch for well under $20.
Which Phoenix restaurants are only open for lunch?
Little Miss BBQ is lunch only, Wednesday through Saturday, and Pane Bianco’s dining room is open for lunch only, Monday through Saturday. Paper Bag closes mid-afternoon, once the day’s bread is gone.
Who caters office lunches in Phoenix?
Paper Bag Sandwich Co. caters office lunches and events with sandwich boxes and platters. Send a request through our catering page and we’ll reply within 24 hours.
More Phoenix food guides
- The 10 Best Places to Eat in Phoenix
- Our top ten across every category, from tacos and BBQ to sushi.
- The 8 Best Sandwiches in Phoenix
- Italian subs, hot pastrami, tuna melts and schiacciata.
- The Best Restaurants in Uptown Phoenix
- Our own neighborhood, block by block.
Sources: Pizzeria Bianco’s Heritage Square history, Visit Phoenix on Middle Eastern Bakery & Deli, Phoenix Magazine on Chula Uptown and each restaurant’s own website. Hours and menus change, so check with each restaurant before you go.
Photo Credits: Photos are courtesy of each restaurant and link to their source.
- Paper Bag Sandwich Co.: Paper Bag Sandwich Co.
- Pizzeria Bianco: Pizzeria Bianco
- Little Miss BBQ: Little Miss BBQ
- Tacos Chiwas: Tacos Chiwas
- Pane Bianco: Pane Bianco
- Chula Seafood: Chula Seafood
- Original ChopShop: Original ChopShop
Hungry for Lunch?
Try Paper Bag.
Fresh-baked schiacciata, real ingredients, built to order. Made fresh daily — once it’s gone, it’s gone.