About 2 hours by carDrive south on I-10 from Phoenix
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.
About 1.5 hours by carDrive north on I-17 then SR-260 to Cottonwood
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.
About 2 hours by carDrive north on I-17 to SR-179
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.
About 40 minutes by carDrive north on Cave Creek Road from Phoenix
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.
About 30 minutes by carDrive south on I-10 to Wild Horse Pass Boulevard
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.