Food destinations within easy reach of Phoenix, worth the early start.
Food destinations within easy reach of Phoenix. worth the train, the rental car or the early start.
Famous for: Sonoran hot dogs, carne seca and UNESCO-recognised Mexican cooking
Tucson is the first US UNESCO City of Gastronomy, a two-hour drive south for Sonoran hot dogs, El Charro's century-old carne seca and deep Mexican cooking.
Famous for: Arizona wine tasting rooms and Main Street kitchens
Old Town Cottonwood anchors the Verde Valley Wine Trail, a 90-minute drive north for tasting rooms and Main Street kitchens you can walk between on foot.
Famous for: Patio dining under the red rocks and Verde Valley wine
Sedona is a two-hour drive north for red-rock patio dining and nearby Verde Valley wine, with Uptown restaurants and tasting rooms out in Cornville.
Famous for: Retro diners and Old West saloons with patios
Cave Creek is a 40-minute drive north into the high desert, an Old West town of retro diners, saloons and patio kitchens just past the edge of north Phoenix.
Famous for: Native American fine dining and Gila River community cooking
Chandler's Wild Horse Pass is a 30-minute drive south to Kai, Arizona's only AAA Five Diamond restaurant, on Gila River Indian Community land in the desert.