Sonoran-style grilled beef, thin-sliced skirt or flank cooked hard over mesquite until charred at the edges, then chopped and folded into tacos or a giant flour tortilla.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
Carne asada is the heart of Sonoran ranch cooking, where families grilled thin-cut beef over mesquite for tacos, burros and weekend cookouts. Arizona inherited the tradition directly from northern Sonora, and the Valley's neighbourhood grills built their names on it. The best versions char the beef over open flame and serve it with the region's oversized flour tortillas, salsa and grilled onions.
Tip from the editors. Get the grill hot enough to char the edges fast; carne asada wants smoke and a hard sear, not a slow cook.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Asadero Norte de Sonora on 16th Street is a neighbourhood Sonoran grill, turning out mesquite carne asada wrapped in house-made flour tortillas.
Signature: Carne asada, House flour tortillas, Barbacoa
Order: Carne asada tacos on the giant house-made flour tortillas.
Tip: Closed Wednesdays; the grilled chicken is as good as the beef if the asada line is long.
Bacanora in Phoenix is Rene Andrade's wood-fired Sonoran room on Grand Avenue, the kitchen that won the 2024 James Beard Best Chef Southwest award.
Signature: Wood-fired tomahawk, Chiltepin salsa, Agave cocktails
Order: Anything off the open flame, finished with chiltepin Andrade hauls from his family's Sonoran ranch.
Tip: The room seats about 32 and books out fast; reserve well ahead or aim for an early weeknight seating.
Tacos Huicho on Thunderbird Road is a Sinaloan-style taqueria known for vertical-spit al pastor, carne asada and tortas, with a busy north Phoenix taco line.
Signature: Al pastor, Carne asada tacos, Tortas
Order: Al pastor tacos carved off the trompo.
Tip: Cash-friendly and quick; the al pastor is the order, with pineapple from the spit.
Cocina Madrigal in South Phoenix is Leo Madrigal's from-scratch Mexican room, plating handcrafted tacos and homemade enchiladas with house specialties.
Signature: Handcrafted tacos, Homemade enchiladas, Mole
Order: The handmade enchiladas and a plate of the day's specialty tacos.
Tip: On 16th Street near the Wood Street tracks; weekends fill, the patio is the cool-month seat.
More cities are in research. Want carne asada covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.