The 7th Street and Central Avenue spine running through Midtown, lined with taquerias, Oaxacan rooms, coffee bars and the city's growing run of neighbourhood kitchens.
Tratto in Phoenix is Chris Bianco's Italian trattoria at Town & Country, a white-tablecloth room of handmade pasta built around seasonal Southwest produce.
Signature: Handmade rigatoni, Seasonal pasta, Roman dishes
Order: Whatever pasta is on the day's handmade list; the menu turns with the season.
Tip: Tratto runs Tuesday to Saturday dinner only, next to the Town & Country Pizzeria Bianco; reservations fill fast.
Marisco Boys on North 7th Street is a 2025 seafood room from the Taco Boy's team, plating Sonoran and Sinaloan mariscos in a converted mid-century bakery.
Signature: Raw oysters, Marinated octopus, Aguachile
Order: Raw oysters with salsa negra mignonette and the marinated deep-fried octopus.
Tip: Built in a converted mid-century bakery; the long bar is good for a solo aguachile and a michelada.
Otro Cafe in Midtown Phoenix is Doug Robson's Oaxacan-leaning room, the breakfast-and-tacos counterpart to his Gallo Blanco, with local and organic sourcing.
Signature: Oaxacan plates, Street tacos, Weekend brunch
Order: The Oaxacan-style plates at dinner or the breakfast tacos at the weekend.
Tip: On 7th Street in Midtown; the breakfast and weekend brunch menu is the room's strongest hour.
Tacos Chiwas on Indian School Road is a family-run Chihuahua-style room, plating gorditas and tacos from recipes carried up from northern Mexico.
Signature: Gorditas, Tacos, Salsa bar
Order: A made-to-order gordita stuffed at the counter, plus a run at the salsa bar.
Tip: Cash and card both work; the Mesa sibling on Main Street keeps the same recipes.
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.
Pizzeria Bianco Town & Country is Chris Bianco's second Phoenix pizzeria at 20th and Camelback, with a wider menu of pasta and sandwiches alongside the pies.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Meatball sandwich, Chicken cacciatore
Order: A wood-fired pie plus the house meatball sandwich.
Tip: Sits next to Tratto at The Shops at Town & Country; this room is more relaxed than the Heritage Square original.
Joyride Taco House on Central Avenue is a bright patio taco room from the LGO group, pouring margaritas alongside street tacos under string lights.
Signature: Street tacos, Margaritas, Patio dining
Order: A trio of street tacos with a frozen margarita on the patio.
Tip: Happy hour runs the bar; the misted patio is the seat for shoulder-season evenings.
El Chullo Peruvian Restaurant on 7th Avenue is a family-run Andean and coastal room, plating ceviche, lomo saltado and anticuchos with a full bar.
Signature: Ceviche, Lomo saltado, Anticuchos
Order: The ceviche to start and lomo saltado for the table.
Tip: The 7th Avenue room is the current location; weekends bring pisco-led specials.
The Womack on North 7th Street is a 1960s-style cocktail-and-music lounge, a tribute to the historic Phoenix room Chez Nous with classic drinks and soul.
Signature drink: Classic cocktails
Food: Bar snacks
Order: A classic cocktail with a soul record on the turntable.
Tip: Live music and DJ nights run late; the room nods to the old Chez Nous lounge.
The Womack on North 7th Street is a 1960s-style cocktail and music lounge, a tribute to the old Phoenix room Chez Nous with DJ and live soul nights running late.
Tip: Music nights and DJ sets run late on weekends; the room nods to the historic Chez Nous lounge.