Sonoran-style grilled beef, thin-sliced skirt or flank cooked hard over mesquite until charred at the edges, then chopped and folded into tacos or a giant flour tortilla.
Carne asada is the heart of Sonoran ranch cooking, where families grilled thin-cut beef over mesquite for tacos, burros and weekend cookouts. Arizona inherited the tradition directly from northern Sonora, and the Valley's neighbourhood grills built their names on it. The best versions char the beef over open flame and serve it with the region's oversized flour tortillas, salsa and grilled onions.
4 editor picks for Carne asada in Phoenix, ranked by editorial score. All Phoenix signature dishes · Carne asada across every city.
Bacanora ★ 4.8
grand-avenue · 1301 NW Grand Ave Unit 1, Phoenix, AZ 85007
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.
Asadero Norte de Sonora ★ 4.4
central-phoenix · 122 N 16th St, Phoenix, AZ 85034
Asadero Norte de Sonora on 16th Street is a neighbourhood Sonoran grill, turning out mesquite carne asada wrapped in house-made flour tortillas.
Cocina Madrigal ★ 4.3
south-phoenix · 4044 S 16th St, Phoenix, AZ 85040
Cocina Madrigal in South Phoenix is Leo Madrigal's from-scratch Mexican room, plating handcrafted tacos and homemade enchiladas with house specialties.
Tacos Huicho ★ 4.2
north-phoenix · 3831 E Thunderbird Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85032
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.