Phoenix Guide
The 10 Best Places to Eat in Phoenix
The best places to eat in Phoenix right now are Paper Bag Sandwich Co. for sandwiches, Taco Viva for tacos, Cibo for pizza, Little Miss BBQ for brisket and Matt’s Big Breakfast for breakfast — plus five more local favorites below.
Phoenix is one of the best food cities in the country, and it’s not a secret anymore. Three metro Phoenix spots landed on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in 2026, and Michelin inspectors visited Arizona for the first time this year. The hard part isn’t finding good food here. It’s knowing where to start.
So when friends ask us where to eat in Phoenix, this is the list we send: the places we eat on our days off, the spots we argue about and the orders we’d bet our lunch money on. Every one of these best restaurants in Phoenix is independently owned or born here in the Valley, and together they cover everything from a quick lunch to date night.
Phoenix restaurants at a glance
| # | Restaurant | Best For | Order This | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paper Bag Sandwich Co. | Lunch | Hall Pass | Uptown | $$ |
| 2 | Taco Viva | Tacos | Carne Asada Fries | Biltmore Area | $ |
| 3 | Cibo Urban Pizzeria | Date Night | Diavola Pizza | Downtown | $$ |
| 4 | Chewk’s Cookies | Dessert | Chocolate Chunk | Uptown | $ |
| 5 | Little Miss BBQ | BBQ | Brisket by the Pound | Near Sky Harbor | $$ |
| 6 | Thai Recipe Bistro | Thai | Green Curry | Central Phoenix | $$ |
| 7 | Original ChopShop | Healthy Lunch | Teriyaki Chicken Bowl | Valley-wide | $$ |
| 8 | Monroe’s Hot Chicken | Spicy Food | Fried Chicken Sandwich | Downtown | $ |
| 9 | Matt’s Big Breakfast | Breakfast | Chop & Chick | Downtown | $ |
| 10 | Harumi Sushi & Sake | Sushi | H3 Roll | Downtown | $$ |
01. Paper Bag Sandwich Co. — Best Sandwiches in Phoenix
We bake our schiacciata every morning, stack it with real ingredients, and stop when it’s gone. No heat lamps, no pre-sliced deli trays, no sad lettuce — just scratch-made sandwiches worth leaving the office for.
First timers should start with the Hall Pass: turkey, whipped ricotta, arugula, hot honey and cracked black pepper. Meat lovers go straight for the Group Project — ham, prosciutto, salami, hot capicola, provolone and pickled pepper aioli. The Field Day, with stracciatella and pesto, is the best vegetarian sandwich in town. We’ll fight you on that.
- Order This:
- The Hall Pass. Back for round two? The Lunch Money (roast beef, horseradish crema, caramelized onions).
- Good to Know:
- Bread is baked fresh daily and sandwiches can sell out. Come early or order ahead online. Closed Mondays.
- Hours:
- Tue–Sat 10:30 AM–4 PM · Sun 10:30 AM–3 PM
- Website:
- paperbagsandwich.co
02. Taco Viva — Best Tacos in Phoenix
Taco Viva opened on Indian School Road in 2024, and Yelp has already ranked it No. 52 on its Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2026. In a city with a taco shop on every corner, that says a lot.
The order everyone talks about is the carne asada fries: loaded, seriously spicy and a Best of Phoenix winner. Add a couple of the bright red al pastor tacos for the table and fight over the fries. There’s a drive-thru if you’re in a hurry.
- Order This:
- Carne asada fries, plus al pastor tacos
- Good to Know:
- The fries bring real heat. Ask if you’re spice-shy.
- Website:
- tacoviva.com
03. Cibo Urban Pizzeria — Best Pizza in Phoenix for Date Night
Cibo lives in a restored 1913 bungalow downtown, with exposed brick, small dining rooms and one of the best shady patios in the city. The pizza is thin, wood-fired and Neapolitan in spirit: blistered crust, simple toppings, done right.
Get the Diavola (spicy salame) if you want some heat, or the Dolce Vita, finished with burrata, speck, arugula and balsamic. Then save room: the Nutella crêpe is the dessert people drive across town for.
- Order This:
- The Diavola or the Dolce Vita, then the Nutella crêpe
- Good to Know:
- Grab a patio table on a nice evening. It’s the move from October through April.
- Address:
- 603 N 5th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003
- Website:
- cibophoenix.com
04. Chewk’s Cookies — Best Cookies in Phoenix
Chewk’s started in 2021 as a food truck run by two Grand Canyon University students, Hunter Breshears and Mike Blum, and grew into one of Phoenix’s favorite cookie shops. The cookies are big, thick and chewy in the middle — exactly what the name promises.
They’re also our neighbors. Chewk’s is in The Frederick, the same mid-century complex on Missouri Avenue as Paper Bag, so a sandwich-then-cookie lunch is a short walk across the courtyard.
- Order This:
- Chocolate chunk (there’s a gluten-free version too)
- Good to Know:
- It’s in The Frederick with Paper Bag. Sandwich first, cookie second.
- Website:
- chewkscookies.com
05. Little Miss BBQ — Best BBQ in Phoenix
The line outside Little Miss BBQ is a Phoenix landmark on its own. People queue before the doors open for Central Texas–style smoked meats, and the brisket is the reason: peppery bark, a deep smoke ring and tender enough to pull apart with a fork.
Ask a regular what they order and the answer is almost always brisket. Grab a smoked pecan pie on your way out. It’s lunch-only and they close when the meat runs out, so plan around it.
- 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, and know they close when they sell out. There’s a second location in Sunnyslope.
- Website:
- littlemissbbq.com
06. Thai Recipe Bistro — Best Thai Food in Phoenix
Tucked onto 7th Street between McDowell and Thomas, Thai Recipe Bistro is the kind of place regulars try to keep to themselves: bright, balanced, made-to-order Thai food at fair prices, with a cozy neighborhood feel.
The green curry is the dish reviewers rave about, and portions are big enough for two meals. Tell them how hot you want it — they mean it. There are plenty of vegan-friendly dishes, too.
- Order This:
- Green curry at your heat level, plus fried rice for the table
- Good to Know:
- Parking is tight at lunch, with a small lot and some street spots nearby.
- Website:
- thairecipebistro.com
07. Original ChopShop — Best Healthy Bowls and Salads in Phoenix
When you want something fresh that still keeps you full, Original ChopShop is the Valley’s answer. It was born here in Arizona and now has locations all over town, which makes it the easiest pick on this list to fit into a busy day.
The teriyaki chicken bowl is the best seller for a reason, and the açaí bowl is the morning move. Fast, consistent and actually good for you.
- Order This:
- Teriyaki chicken bowl, or an açaí bowl for breakfast
- Good to Know:
- Order ahead in their app at lunch to skip the line.
- Address:
- Multiple Phoenix-area locations
- Website:
- originalchopshop.com
08. Monroe’s Hot Chicken — Best Hot Chicken in Phoenix
Nashville-style hot chicken, done properly, in downtown Phoenix. Monroe’s has six heat levels, from “Southern” with no heat at all up to “What Da Cluck!,” which you have to sign a waiver to order.
Most people land in the middle. Brave people sign the waiver. Everyone needs more napkins.
- Order This:
- The fried chicken sandwich (southern slaw, pickles and kick-it-up sauce on a toasted brioche bun) at Medium or Hot
- Good to Know:
- The chicken is fried in 100% peanut oil, so skip it with a peanut allergy. Vegan and gluten-free sandwiches are on the menu, and there’s a Tempe location too.
- Website:
- monroeshotchicken.com
09. Matt’s Big Breakfast — Best Breakfast in Phoenix
A downtown institution since 2004. Matt’s cooks everything from scratch with good ingredients, and the formula has earned it a spot on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and a line out the door most weekends.
The plate to get is the Chop & Chick: a skillet-seared Iowa pork chop with two eggs, potatoes, toast and homemade preserves. It made Phoenix New Times’ list of 100 favorite dishes, and it’s the kind of breakfast (or weekend brunch) that carries you straight through to dinner.
- Order This:
- The Chop & Chick, plus blueberry griddle cakes for the table
- Good to Know:
- Weekends get busy, so go early. Other locations include Biltmore Plaza, Glendale, Gilbert and Sky Harbor’s Terminal 4.
- Address:
- 825 N 1st St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
- Website:
- mattsbigbreakfast.com
10. Harumi Sushi & Sake — Best Sushi in Phoenix
Harumi opened downtown in 2013, outgrew its tiny original spot and moved to the base of the U.S. Bank Tower. There’s a second location in Peoria.
The focus is clean, traditional Japanese food at a fair price — their own site promises “just pure good Japanese food.” Order the H3 roll (spicy tuna, spicy salmon and avocado) and the Harumi Roll, the house signature with shrimp tempura and crab topped with tuna, and don’t skip the salads, which local critics have called the surprise star of the menu.
- Order This:
- The H3 roll, the Harumi Roll and a salad
- Good to Know:
- A great pre-game spot before a Suns or Diamondbacks game.
- Address:
- 101 N 1st Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003
- Website:
- harumisushiaz.com
Where to eat in Phoenix by neighborhood
Most of this list is within about a 20-minute drive in central Phoenix. Here’s how it breaks down by area.
- Downtown:
- Cibo Urban Pizzeria, Matt’s Big Breakfast, Monroe’s Hot Chicken and Harumi Sushi & Sake are all within about a mile of each other, close to the ballpark and the arena.
- Uptown:
- Paper Bag Sandwich Co. and Chewk’s Cookies are neighbors in The Frederick at 1215 E Missouri Ave. Sandwich first, cookie second.
- Biltmore Area:
- Taco Viva on Indian School Road at 28th Street.
- Central Phoenix:
- Thai Recipe Bistro on 7th Street, between McDowell and Thomas.
- Near Sky Harbor:
- Little Miss BBQ on University Drive, a short drive from the airport. There’s a second one in Sunnyslope.
- Valley-wide:
- Original ChopShop has locations all over the Phoenix area.
How to eat your way through Phoenix in one day
Only have a day? Here’s the route we’d take, all within a short drive in central Phoenix.
Breakfast
Matt’s Big Breakfast. Get there early, order the Chop & Chick and walk it off around Roosevelt Row.
Lunch
Paper Bag + Chewk’s. A Hall Pass at Paper Bag, then a chocolate chunk cookie across the courtyard at Chewk’s.
Dinner
Cibo Urban Pizzeria. Wood-fired pizza on the bungalow patio, and a Nutella crêpe to finish.
How we picked
This isn’t an algorithm or a paid placement. We’re a local sandwich shop in Uptown Phoenix, and this list comes from where our team actually eats. Every spot had to clear three bars:
- Locally owned or born in the Valley. You can get a national chain anywhere. This list is Phoenix.
- The best at one thing. Each pick owns its category: the best tacos, the best brisket, the best breakfast.
- Worth going back to. We’ve eaten at every one more than once, and we’d send our own families.
We update this guide as the Phoenix food scene changes. Think we missed somewhere? Tell us on Instagram.
Phoenix food FAQ
What is the best place to eat in Phoenix?
It depends on what you’re craving. Our top picks are Paper Bag Sandwich Co. for lunch, Taco Viva for tacos (No. 52 on Yelp’s 2026 Top 100), Little Miss BBQ for brisket and Cibo Urban Pizzeria for date night.
Where is the best lunch in Phoenix?
For the best lunch in central Phoenix, try Paper Bag Sandwich Co. in Uptown for scratch-made sandwiches on fresh-baked schiacciata, Little Miss BBQ for brisket (it’s lunch-only), or Original ChopShop for something lighter.
What food is Phoenix known for?
Phoenix is best known for Sonoran-style Mexican food — carne asada, tacos and Sonoran hot dogs — plus excellent pizza, Texas-style barbecue and a fast-growing independent restaurant scene.
What are the best cheap eats in Phoenix?
Taco Viva, Monroe’s Hot Chicken, Matt’s Big Breakfast and Chewk’s Cookies all deliver a lot of food and flavor for under $20 a person.
Where is the best sandwich in Phoenix?
We’re biased, but Paper Bag Sandwich Co. at 1215 E Missouri Ave in Uptown Phoenix. The bread is baked fresh every morning and every sandwich is built to order. Start with the Hall Pass.
What are the best restaurants in downtown Phoenix?
Downtown standouts include Cibo Urban Pizzeria, Matt’s Big Breakfast, Monroe’s Hot Chicken and Harumi Sushi & Sake, all within a few minutes of each other.
Sources: Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat 2026 (ABC15), Phoenix New Times on Taco Viva, Visit Phoenix on Cibo, The State Press on Monroe’s, Phoenix New Times on Harumi 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.
- Taco Viva: Taco Viva on Instagram
- Cibo Urban Pizzeria: Cibo Urban Pizzeria
- Chewk’s Cookies: Chewk’s Cookies
- Little Miss BBQ: Little Miss BBQ
- Thai Recipe Bistro: Thai Recipe Bistro
- Original ChopShop: Original ChopShop
- Monroe’s Hot Chicken: Monroe’s Hot Chicken on Instagram
- Matt’s Big Breakfast: Matt’s Big Breakfast
- Harumi Sushi & Sake: Harumi Sushi & Sake
Craving a Great Sandwich?
Try Paper Bag.
Fresh-baked schiacciata, real ingredients, built to order. Made fresh daily — once it’s gone, it’s gone.