The walkable core, from Heritage Square's Pizzeria Bianco to the Roosevelt Row arts district, the Garfield diners and the Grand Avenue galleries where Bacanora cooks.
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.
Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix is Chris Bianco's wood-fired pizzeria in Heritage Square, the James Beard kitchen long called the best pizza in America.
Signature: Wiseguy, Rosa, Margherita
Order: The Wiseguy, with wood-roasted onion, smoked mozzarella and fennel sausage.
Tip: The Heritage Square original has stood at 623 Adams since 1997; arrive at open or expect a wait, no reservations for small parties.
Pa'La Downtown is a wood-fired Mediterranean room on Washington Street, the larger sibling of the original 24th Street bungalow, built around grill and oven.
Signature: Wood-fired fish, Paella, Seasonal vegetables
Order: Whatever fish is on the grill and the seasonal paella when it runs.
Tip: The original tiny Pa'La sits at 2107 N 24th Street; the downtown room has the full-service kitchen.
POMO Pizzeria Napoletana in downtown Phoenix is an AVPN-certified Neapolitan pizzeria, baking pies to Naples standards in a wood-fired oven.
Signature: Margherita, Marinara, Wood-fired pizza
Order: The Margherita, judged against the AVPN's true-Neapolitan certification.
Tip: On 1st Street near Roosevelt Row; the lunch pizza-and-salad combo is the value play.
Gallo Blanco in the historic Garfield district is Doug Robson's street-taco and brunch room, a Mexico City-born chef's casual spot with strong veggie options.
Signature: Street tacos, Weekend brunch, Vegetarian plates
Order: A spread of street tacos and the savory weekend brunch.
Tip: On Pierce Street in Garfield, next to Welcome Diner; the bar pours craft beer and specialty drinks.
The Original Carolina's Mexican Food on Mohave Street has stretched its thin house flour tortillas since 1968, a Valenzuela family standard in Phoenix.
Signature: Flour tortillas, Bean burros, Red chile
Order: A bean-and-cheese burro on the tissue-thin house flour tortilla.
Tip: Buy a stack of the tortillas to take home; the line moves fast at lunch.
Lo-Lo's Chicken & Waffles on South Central is Larry White's soul-food flagship, the Phoenix room that built a small chain on fried chicken and waffles.
Signature: Chicken and waffles, Catfish, Mac and cheese
Order: The fried chicken and waffles, the plate that built the whole menu.
Tip: The Central Avenue flagship is the original; expect a wait at weekend breakfast.
Welcome Diner on Pierce Street is a Southern-leaning room in a vintage diner car, anchoring the Garfield corner with biscuits and a small cocktail list.
Signature: Fried chicken biscuit, Hush puppies, Cocktails
Order: The fried chicken biscuit, the plate that anchors the menu.
Tip: The patio and the original diner car both seat; weekend brunch fills early.
Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour in the historic Luhrs Building is Ross Simon's downtown cocktail lounge, open since 2014 with a book-length drinks menu.
Signature drink: Globally inspired cocktail menu
Food: Asian-leaning bar bites
Order: Whatever themed cocktail is on the current illustrated menu; the list reads like a book.
Tip: The 160-seat room fills on weekends; the upstairs lounge is the quieter perch.
Little Rituals is an award-winning cocktail bar on the fourth-floor terrace of the downtown Phoenix Marriott, pouring seasonal drinks with a city-view patio.
Signature drink: Seasonal craft cocktails
Food: Small plates
Order: A seasonal cocktail on the open-air fourth-floor terrace.
Tip: Take the hotel elevator to the fourth floor; the terrace is the seat at sunset.
Little Rituals is an award-winning cocktail bar on the fourth-floor terrace of the downtown Phoenix Marriott, pouring seasonal craft drinks with an open-air city view.
Tip: Take the hotel elevator to the fourth floor; the open-air terrace is the seat at sunset.
Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour in the historic Luhrs Building is Ross Simon's downtown cocktail lounge, open since 2014 with a book-length drinks menu.
Tip: The 160-seat room fills on weekends; the upstairs lounge is the quieter late-night perch.