Top Restaurants in Downtown Phoenix

Top 12 Restaurants in Downtown Phoenix

Arizona, United States / By

Downtown Phoenix is one of the only walkable neighborhoods in the city. It is a vibrant space offering everything from markets to shopping hubs, convention centers, museums, theaters, and sports arenas. This neighborhood also boasts rich nightlife, featuring trendy bars, buzzing rooftop lounges, and eclectic music venues. Whether you want a late-night drink in a quiet bar or dance the night away at a lively club, this area has it all. It also features modern and historic hotels where you can retire after a busy day. One thing we can’t miss about downtown is its rich culinary scene. Imagine authentic Arizona dishes like Chimichanga, Sonoran hot dogs, burgers, burritos, and cheesy pizzas. You will also find abundant Italian, Thai, French, Japanese, and Sonoran-style Mexican food. In addition, you will find fine dining and grab-and-go options. Among many dining spaces, we have listed the top restaurants in Downtown Phoenix here in this blog.

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Table Of Contents
  1. The Arrogant Butcher
  2. Taco Chelo
  3. Pizzeria Bianco
  4. Bacanora
  5. Chilte
  6. The Kettle Black Kitchen & Pub
  7. Matt's Big Breakfast
  8. Lom Wong
  9. Wren & Wolf
  10. The Farish House
  11. Sottise
  12. Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour
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The Arrogant Butcher

The Arrogant Butcher
Try a BBQ pulled pork sandwich at The Arrogant Butcher. (Source: The Arrogant Butcher Facebook)

We start our list with The Arrogant Butcher. The name must have hinted at the restaurant’s pride in its food. It is among the top eateries downtown, serving juicy steaks and burgers. Whether you want a casual bite or a dinner with a show, this place has it all. It serves mouthwatering vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes at affordable rates.

The Butcher’s meatballs are a must-have item on the menu. They are soaked in spicy tomato sauce, garnished with ricotta cheese, and served with toasty garlic bread. The restaurant also serves the Butcher’s box, which features roasted half chicken, slow-roasted prime rib, BBQ short rib, New York strip, and filet mignon. It serves various salads, sandwiches, side dishes, and desserts. Don’t forget to try The Butcher’s Platter, which has a little bit of everything.

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Taco Chelo

Taco Chelo
Enjoy Tacos Gobernador at Taco Chelo. (Source: Taco Chelo Facebook)

Phoenix has never been shy about its love of Mexican food, and this is more evident downtown with its abundant Mexican cafes and restaurants. Taco Chelo is a popular local spot that is stylish, trendy, and serves the best tacos. It is a collaboration between internationally recognized artist Gennaro Garcia and chef Suny Santana. Both are Mexican and have used their love for Mexican and Sonoran food to create unique dishes at Taco Chelo.

This restaurant’s menu features tacos, vegetables, and beverages. You can start with chips or guacamole paired with flavorful salsa. Then, move to tacos, which come in handmade corn tortillas with cucumber, lime, and salsa on the side. You can choose from vegetables, fish, pork, beef, chicken, or Sonoran tacos. In addition, you can enjoy your meal with delicious cocktails or non-alcoholic beverages. The restaurant also serves draft beers.

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Pizzeria Bianco

Pizzeria Bianco
Indulge in cheesy pizzas at Pizzeria Bianco. (Source: Bianco Restaurants Facebook)

Phoenix residents love pizza, and there are many pizzerias downtown. Pizzeria Bianco is among the best pizza hubs in the city. It is located at Heritage Square, aka Heritage & Science Park. Owner Chris Bianco is a James Beard award-winning chef who started the first Pizzeria Bianco in the back corner of a grocery store in 1988. It has expanded to multiple locations in Phoenix, Arizona, California, and Los Angeles.

The downtown location still features the original menu, which includes Bianco’s infamous six staple pies: Wiseguy, Sonny Boy, Margherita, Rosa, Biancoverde, and Marinara. Its wood-fired pizza is a must-have, featuring a light, charred-at-the-edges crust and generous toppings of mozzarella, tomato sauce, and parmigiano reggiano. The pizzeria also serves small plates, salads, and sandwiches.

Bacanora

Bacanora PHX
The iconic Bacanora is all about grilled food.
(Source: Bacanora PHX Instagram)

If there is any restaurant dedicated to Sonoran cuisine in Phoenix, it has to be Bacanora. Owner René Andrade, the Nogales-born chef, prepares each dish meticulously and follows original recipes. Most of all, he uses Santa Maria Grill to create all of his signature dishes. Andrade chars steak, chicken, and veggies and finishes by drizzling Sonora’s signature spirit, bacanora.

This establishment offers fewer dishes than other restaurants but features ever-changing daily specials worth trying. It is housed in a triangular building with windows all over the place. This restaurant is ideal for informal dining rather than romantic dates. While Bacanora may not be your typical candlelit dinner, it will make you fall in love at first bite.

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Chilte

Chilte
Try chef-special dishes at Chilte. (Source: Chilte Facebook)

Next, Chilte is another Mexican restaurant in Downtown Phoenix. It is located in the Egyptian Motor Hotel on Grand Avenue. The couple Lawrence Smith and Aseret Arroyo launched Chilte as a food truck at the Mesa Farmers Market in September 2020. It created quite a buzz, especially its quesabirria tacos on squid-ink tortillas and tamales, which were a huge hit. Soon, the pair turned their food truck into a restaurant inside the Egyptian Motor Hotel.

Lawrence Smith, a former NFL player turned chef, has worked under renowned chefs such as Beau MacMillan, Rene Andrade, Peter McQuaid, and Alex Stratta. He incorporates delicacies like roasted grasshoppers, corn smut, and Oaxacan ants to create unique dishes. His legendary tacos birria de lengua and birria de cabeza are must-have items on the menu. Other famous dishes include Quesadilla, Chorizo Empanada, Chorizo Bolognese, and Birria tacos.

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The Kettle Black Kitchen & Pub

The Kettle Black Kitchen & Pub
Indulge in burgers at The Kettle Black Kitchen & Pub.
(Source: The Kettle Black Kitchen & Pub Facebook)

The Kettle Black Kitchen & Pub is your destination if you are looking for a pub downtown. It offers the typical pub atmosphere and a relaxed Irish-American vibe. The must-have item on the menu is fish and chips. Diners can follow that up with gourmet hamburgers, crab cakes, Kettle wings, and steak. They can dress casually and request indoor or outdoor dining.

This pub’s burgers are juicy and come in various versions, including Black Bean, Bacon Onion, Turkey, and 1st Street. Former diners highly rated its Philly Cheesesteak Fries, which consist of shaved ribeye, sauteed peppers and onions, and cheese sauce. Other famous items on the menu are steamed mussels and house-made Bavarian Pretzels. After the main course, diners can order anything from Brioche Bread Pudding, New York Cheesecake, or Dulce de Leche.

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Matt’s Big Breakfast

Matt's Big Breakfast
Have an avocado toast with sweet cherry tomatoes and crisp microgreens at Matt’s Big Breakfast. (Source: Matt’s Big Breakfast Facebook)

Start your day with a satisfying breakfast at Matt’s Big Breakfast. It opened its doors in late October 2004 in Downtown Phoenix and has been offering the best breakfast experience since. Expect cheese omelets, waffles, bacon, avocado toast, oats, and greens & beans. The restaurant also serves the delicious Five Spot Platter, a breakfast sandwich with two eggs, two slices of thick-cut bacon, grilled onions, potatoes, and American cheese.

The breakfast menu includes a salami scramble, the chop and chick, the Big Papa Burrito, griddlecakes, The Skinny, and The Hog & Chick. Matt’s Big Breakfast also has daily specials and an extensive lunch menu. It serves everything from sandwiches to BLTs, burgers, and salads. Moreover, this restaurant has been featured on many famous networks, including EATER, CNN, Food Network, The New York Times, and Bon Appetit.

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Lom Wong

Lom Wong
Try Lom Wong’s new dish: Laap Mu Muang.
(Source: Lom Wong Facebook)

Next, we have a Thai establishment on our list of the top restaurants in Downtown Phoenix. Lom Wong takes diners on an unforgettable culinary journey to Thailand‘s famous regions, such as Chiang Rai and Kanchanaburi. You don’t have to travel miles to enjoy Thai delicacies; you can easily savor Pad Kwang Toon, Tom Kha Gai, Won Pen’s fried chicken, Kung Shae Nam Pla, and other dishes at Lom Wong.

Yotaka and Alex Martin run this restaurant and are invested in the kitchen. They utilize their understanding of Thai cuisine and the experience of living in Thailand to create delicious dishes. Visitors can make reservations beforehand and enjoy fine dining. Larger groups will get the Arai Kodai experience, meaning I’m down to whatever. The restaurants serve people dishes without informing them beforehand what they are getting. It also customizes the experience based on diners’ allergies and dietary restrictions.

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Wren & Wolf

Wren and Wolf
Are you ready for a feast called Renaissance Seafood Tower at Wren and Wolf? (Source: Wren and Wolf Facebook)

Next, we have a renowned steakhouse in the middle of the bustling downtown. Wren & Wolf is the ideal destination for everything, from grabbing early morning coffee to enjoying a sumptuous dinner. This restaurant is open during breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner. It serves mouthwatering sandwiches, bagels, burritos, scrambled eggs, Dutch cast iron pancakes, bacon, and salmon for breakfast.

The lunch is served from 10:30 AM to 3 PM and features various salads, sandwiches, W & W spicy meatballs, burgers, mac & cheese, and steaks. The dinner menu includes Japanese Hibachi steak, 16oz Ribeye steak, Japanese A5 Wagyu, and 10oz Filet of beef tenderloin. It serves the impressive Renaissance Tower for seafood lovers, featuring oysters, shrimp, lobster, and crab stuffing. After dining at Wren & Wolf, head to the Trophy Room to enjoy delicious cocktails.

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The Farish House

The Farish House
Finish your meal with delicious desserts at The Farish House. (Source: The Farish House Facebook)

Family-owned Farish House is a cozy, European-inspired restaurant offering Mediterranean and French fare. It is housed in an elegant redbrick cottage, the 1899 Bride House, in the heart of Downtown Phoenix. This restaurant offers indoor dining in its three small dining rooms: The Champagne Room, the Canary Room, and the Audubon Room. It features 42 indoor seats and 32 seats on the patio.

This establishment offers a retro feel and retreat from modern life. It serves classics such as mac & cheese, duck confit cassoulet, cheeses and charcuteries, braised short ribs, and Angus ribeye. Desserts are impeccable, featuring delicious tiramisu, lemon crepe, Italian Ricotta Cake, and dark chocolate mousse. Furthermore, the Farish House has an extensive cocktail and spirit menu. It offers variations of beers, sparkling wines, white & rose wines, red wines, and non-alcoholic beverages.

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Sottise

Sottise
Savor picture-perfect pistou pasta at Sottise.
(Source: Sottise Facebook)

Are you ready for French cuisine in Downtown Phoenix? Sottise is the latest addition to downtown’s culinary scene, which pays homage to French classics: French-styled deviled eggs, fresh baguettes, roasted beets, scallop crudo, and beef bourguignon. The restaurant uses Armagnac, cognac, calvados, wine, and other substantial flavors to enhance the French flavors of each dish. It also uses Old World techniques, such as curing, fermenting, and pickling.

The establishment pairs the dishes with fine wines and handcrafted cocktails. Its wine list features nearly 100 bottles of French wine, and its cocktail list caters to the requirements of both light drinkers and extremely technical boozy sippers. In addition, it prepares cocktails in its unique Sottise way and includes European and Caribbean flavors. This modern French restaurant is easily recognizable due to its location in the historic Knipe House.

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Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour

Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour
Try delicious cocktails at Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour. (Source: Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour Facebook)

Finally, we list Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour among the top restaurants in Downtown Phoenix. It is located in the historic Luhrs Building and is a go-to destination for a stylish and sophisticated drinking experience. In addition, it has received several honors for its cocktail program, including World’s Best Cocktail Menu, Best Cocktail Bar, Best Beverage Program, and North America’s #44 Best Bar. This cocktail parlor serves new and classic cocktails, top-notch spirits, craft beers, and wines.

Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour is not only about drinks; it also serves excellent food, including delicious bar snacks, mouthwatering entrees, and delectable dishes. The restaurant’s favorites are Barbacoa tacos, shrimp tacos, green chili mac, Bangin’ shrimp, buffalo cauliflower, chicken sliders, proper fish & chips, and dragon dumpling burger. It hosts happy hours from 4 to 6 PM from Tuesday to Friday. Visitors can make reservations or walk in. The cocktail parlor follows a first come, first served policy during peak times.

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Food symbolizes love when words are inadequate. Food also represents the culture and habits of a specific place and helps people interact and come together. Likewise, Phoenix has slowly evolved into an oasis for foodies, boasting decades-old steakhouses, themed restaurants, and vibrant Mexican cafes. You will find many urban dining spaces downtown and enjoy various cuisines of different regions. Many restaurants serve the city’s best breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can pad your stomach first and then explore everything downtown offers.

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