Day-by-day eating plans for Phoenix. weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.

Day-by-day plans

Phoenix weekend: Sonoran dogs, James Beard plates ★ 4.7

First-time visitor, two days2 days

A weekend that pulls the Valley's defining foods into a single loop: the best pizza in the country, a James Beard Sonoran dinner, taquerias and a midnight bacon-wrapped dog.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: pizza pilgrimage, Sonoran dinner, midnight dog

    Morning
    Start downtown with a stroll through Heritage Square, then an early lunch at Pizzeria Bianco for the Wiseguy before the line builds.
    Afternoon
    Drive 16th Street for a gordita at Tacos Chiwas, then a cocktail at Bitter & Twisted in the Luhrs Building.
    Evening
    Dinner at Bacanora on Grand Avenue for Rene Andrade's wood-fired Sonoran cooking, then a late bacon-wrapped Sonoran dog from El Sabroso Hot Dogs.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: market morning, farm lunch, tiki nightcap

    Morning
    Breakfast at Matt's Big Breakfast downtown, then browse the Roosevelt Row Sunday Arts and Farmers Market for produce and local makers.
    Afternoon
    Drive south for a garden lunch at Morning Glory Cafe at The Farm at South Mountain.
    Evening
    Dinner at Steak 44 in Arcadia for a dry-aged prime cut, then a rum cocktail in the ship's hold at UnderTow nearby on Indian School Road.

Scottsdale loop: fine dining and Arizona wine ★ 4.6

Special occasion, two days2 days

A two-day plan built around the Valley's top tables and the Old Town Scottsdale wine trail, from FnB and Kai to tasting rooms pouring Arizona wine.

  1. Day 1: Day one: Old Town wine trail and FnB

    Morning
    Coffee and a pastry in Old Town Scottsdale, then a walk through the Marshall Way galleries.
    Afternoon
    Taste Arizona wine at the LDV Winery Tasting Room and Carlson Creek on the Old Town wine trail.
    Evening
    Dinner at FnB for Charleen Badman's vegetable-forward, James Beard-winning cooking, paired from Pavle Milic's all-Arizona list.

  2. Day 2: Day two: Latin lunch, tasting dinner at Kai

    Morning
    Brunch at The Henry on Camelback before the drive south.
    Afternoon
    Lunch and tableside guacamole at The Mission in Old Town Scottsdale.
    Evening
    Drive to Chandler for the AAA Five Diamond tasting at Kai at Wild Horse Pass, with tribal buffalo and Gila River ingredients.

Phoenix on a budget: tacos, tortas and dogs ★ 4.4

Budget eater, two days2 days

Two days of the Valley's best cheap eats: Sonoran dogs, birria tacos, giant tortas, fry bread and old-guard Mexican rooms, almost all under $15.

  1. Day 1: Day one: tortas, tortillas and a Sonoran dog

    Morning
    Buy warm flour tortillas at Carolina's and a bean-and-cheese burro for breakfast.
    Afternoon
    Lunch on an overstuffed torta at Los Reyes de la Torta on 7th Street, then birria tacos at Taqueria El Fundador.
    Evening
    End the night with a bacon-wrapped Sonoran dog from El Sabroso Hot Dogs, open into the small hours.

  2. Day 2: Day two: fry bread, carne asada and soul food

    Morning
    Savoury fry bread at The Fry Bread House, a James Beard America's Classics winner.
    Afternoon
    Carne asada tacos on house tortillas at Asadero Norte de Sonora.
    Evening
    Dinner of chicken and waffles at Lo-Lo's Chicken & Waffles on South Central.
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