The Phoenix dining scene continues to evolve with a bevy of new eateries kicking off this year, offering everything from zesty Mexican cuisines to hearty American dishes and exotic Ramen, reflecting a growing trend where diners are hungry for novel and globally inspired flavors. Phoenix New Times has highlighted a selection of these spots, including Feta Cowboy, a fusion eatery from the creators of Pita Jungle that promises a culinary blend where Southwest meets Mediterranean inside a Tempe storefront.
Alongside, Cien Fuegos offers an all-day menu emphasizing seafood right on the 16th Street corridor, drawing on the legacy of the Verdugo family's existing establishment, Casa Corazon. Then there's Green Chile Love, which has graduated from a food truck to a fixed address, still slinging out Hatch green chile-stuffed creations. Dynamite Beer Co. has filled the Huss Brewing Co.-shaped hole in Uptown Plaza, boasting an array of brews paired with classic bar bites. These openings indicate a city's taste buds expecting something beyond the routine culinary experience, and judging by these newcomers, Phoenix's appetite for dining diversity is wildly robust.
From the fast-casual to the refined, a survey detailed by AZ Family found that Phoenix residents dine out approximately 4.6 times per month, hinting at an upward trend from the previous year and revealing that casual dining tops the preferences followed closely by fast food and fast casual establishments, with contemporary casual and bar and grills completing the top five restaurant types favored by locals.
Seeking out fresh dining experiences doesn't mean a shortage of options, from Condesa with its well-received Mexican fare to the perfection-rated sandwiches and burgers at The Melt, and from Flour & Thyme's upscale diner ambiance paired with seafood and wine to Mixela's sushi and tapas twists and Mister Pio's Peruvian delights. The metro Phoenix area is as diverse as it is satisfying for foodie explorers. Specialty spots like Trolley Car Coffee and the recently opened Mensho Ramen, which boasts a near-perfect diner rating, prove that there's no shortage of variety—or quality, for that matter—as locals and visitors alike continue to seek out spots that offer not just a meal but an escape from the day-to-day.
