Food · Phoenix · United States
What to eat in Phoenix
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Phoenix, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: DPPed, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Sonoran hot dog, Chimichanga and Cheese crisp. Visit a couple of the hot dog stands that set up in south Phoenix in the evening and compare toppings and salsas. In summer, locals eat late and outdoors only after sunset; patios have misters and heaters for the season.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Sonoran hot dog
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 4
- Tipping
- Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, $1–$2 per drink at a counter, 15–20% for…
- Food experiences
- 4
9 foods to try
Street food
1.Sonoran hot dog
A bacon-wrapped hot dog in a soft, split bolillo roll, piled with pinto beans, onions, tomatoes, jalapeño salsa, mustard and mayonnaise, often with a roasted chile on the side. It came north from Hermosillo in Sonora.
Where: Hot dog stands and food trucks across south and west Phoenix, especially in the evening.
Dish
2.Chimichanga
A burrito deep-fried until crisp, filled with shredded beef or chicken and topped with sauce, cheese and sour cream. Arizona restaurants in Tucson and Phoenix both claim to have invented it.
Where: Sonoran-style Mexican restaurants across the Valley.
Snack · Vegetarian
3.Cheese crisp
An Arizona speciality: a large, thin flour tortilla baked flat until crisp and covered with melted cheese, sometimes with green chiles. It is shared like a pizza at the start of the meal.
Where: Old-school Mexican restaurants across Phoenix and Tucson.
Street food
4.Carne asada tacos
Mesquite-grilled beef chopped and served in small corn or thin Sonoran flour tortillas with guacamole, salsa and grilled onions. Sonoran flour tortillas are famously large and almost translucent.
Where: Taquerías and taco trucks in south and west Phoenix, and Mexican bakeries selling fresh tortillas.
Bakery · Vegetarian
5.Fry bread and Navajo tacos
Puffy, chewy discs of deep-fried dough, eaten with honey and powdered sugar or topped with beans, meat, lettuce and cheese as a Navajo taco. Fry bread is an important, if complicated, Native food tradition.
Where: Native-owned restaurants and stands in Phoenix and at fairs, powwows and the Heard Museum's events.
Drink · Vegetarian
6.Prickly pear
The magenta fruit of the prickly pear cactus is turned into syrup for margaritas and lemonade, as well as candy, jam and ice cream. Its sweet, slightly melon-like flavour is the taste of the desert.
Where: Bars and restaurants across the Valley, and gift shops for candies and syrups.
Breakfast
7.Machaca
Dried, shredded beef rehydrated and cooked with eggs, onions and chiles, a Sonoran ranch dish served in burritos or with tortillas for breakfast.
Where: Mexican breakfast spots and taquerías across Phoenix.
Dish · Vegetarian
8.Pizzeria Bianco pizza
Chris Bianco's wood-fired pizzas, made with local ingredients, helped put Phoenix on the national food map and remain a pilgrimage for pizza fans.
Where: The original Pizzeria Bianco in Heritage Square downtown, plus a few other locations in the Valley.
Dish
9.Mariscos and aguachile
Sinaloan and Sonoran seafood: raw shrimp cured in lime and chile as aguachile, tostadas piled with ceviche and Mexican shrimp cocktails. It is especially popular on hot days.
Where: Mariscos restaurants and trucks in south and west Phoenix.
Food experiences
Sonoran hot dog crawl
Visit a couple of the hot dog stands that set up in south Phoenix in the evening and compare toppings and salsas.
Taco trucks after dark
Many of the best taco trucks operate in the evening, when it is cooler; carne asada and al pastor are the standard orders.
Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market
On Saturday mornings, local growers sell citrus, dates, honey and prepared food near Roosevelt Row; hours shift earlier in summer.
Resort brunch
Weekend brunch on a resort terrace with views of Camelback Mountain is a Valley tradition in the winter season.
Quick bites and street food
- Sonoran hot dog — Hot dog stands and food trucks across south and west Phoenix, especially in the evening.
- Cheese crisp — Old-school Mexican restaurants across Phoenix and Tucson.
- Carne asada tacos — Taquerías and taco trucks in south and west Phoenix, and Mexican bakeries selling fresh tortillas.
- Fry bread and Navajo tacos — Native-owned restaurants and stands in Phoenix and at fairs, powwows and the Heard Museum's events.
- Machaca — Mexican breakfast spots and taquerías across Phoenix.
Vegetarian options
Of the 9 foods in this guide, 4 are usually vegetarian: Cheese crisp, Fry bread and Navajo tacos, Prickly pear and Pizzeria Bianco pizza. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- In summer, locals eat late and outdoors only after sunset; patios have misters and heaters for the season.
- Book winter and spring weekend dinners in Scottsdale ahead, especially during spring training and big golf events.
- Ask for 'Christmas' if you want both red and green chile sauce on a dish where both are offered.
- Resort restaurants add service charges in some cases; read the bill before tipping.
- Sales tax is added at the register and an 18–20% tip is expected at sit-down restaurants.
Tipping
Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, $1–$2 per drink at a counter, 15–20% for taxis and ride-hailing, and a few dollars per bag for hotel porters.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| The Valley | The Phoenix metropolitan area |
| Haboob | A large dust storm, common in monsoon season |
| Snowbirds | Winter residents from colder states and Canada |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Phoenix famous for?
Sonoran hot dog, Chimichanga, Cheese crisp and Carne asada tacos. A bacon-wrapped hot dog in a soft, split bolillo roll, piled with pinto beans, onions, tomatoes, jalapeño salsa, mustard and mayonnaise, often with a roasted chile on the side.
+Is Phoenix good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Cheese crisp, Fry bread and Navajo tacos and Prickly pear.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Phoenix?
Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, $1–$2 per drink at a counter, 15–20% for taxis and ride-hailing, and a few dollars per bag for hotel porters.