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 dishes: Ceviche, Lomo saltado, Anticuchos
Must 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.
Address: 4414 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013
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.
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.
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.
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.
