Looking for a great restaurant to try over the holidays? Here are 10 local favorites to try, as featured in the latest issue of Experience AZ magazine.
Franco’s Italian Caffé
What to know: Franco’s is the creation of Tuscan-born Franco Fazzuoli, who had three wildly popular Italian restaurants in Phoenix starting in the 1980s before leaving the Valley in 2006 to follow his daughters to New York, where they were studying ballet. While in New York, he opened a well-received Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village. Luckily for Arizona diners, Franco came back and is more creative and innovative than ever. Franco’s creates the perfect blend of traditional and progressive. The pastas are all homemade, but they are done in ways that you have never experienced.
Don’t miss: Go to Franco’s with a group of friends and let everyone order something different. Ask for an extra plate if you need to and then sample everything. The parade of palate pleasers will have you scrambling for a thesaurus so you can figure out different ways to say, “Wow.”
Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails
A decadent menu free of butter and heavy cream brings big taste without that heavy feeling afterward. It also saves room for dessert.
Citizen Public House
Known for its amaro meatloaf, don’t miss The Original Chopped Salad, which is so good, it has its own Facebook page.
elements
From its extraordinary views of Paradise Valley to its acclaimed innovative offerings, elements is a highlight among Scottsdale’s luxury dining options.
Little Miss BBQ
This local hot spot with a retro vibe specializes in Central Texas–style BBQ and traditional sides.
Los Dos Molinos
Los Dos Molinos is an iconic, family-owned Phoenix restaurant that features festive decor and a kick of spice in its dishes.
Sumo Maya
This hip hot spot does a delicious job deconstructing traditional Mexican and Japanese dishes and re-imagining them to make them their own.
Tarbell’s
The magical and upscale restaurant and bar serves American fare paired with global wines in a chic space.
The Stockyards
In 1947, The Stockyards, Arizona’s Original Steakhouse, opened its doors for the first time with a menu focused solely on its historical past: beef.
Windsor
Windsor is a neighborhood bar and restaurant that serves global comfort food and retro cocktails in one of the most hip, romantice restaurants in Central Phoenix.
