Arizona · best-of list
The 11 Best Restaurants in Arizona
All 11 restaurants our route editors picked in Arizona, across 7 destinations, gathered in one list. Each one is a stop on a route you can open and copy into a trip.
Our curated picks
11 restaurants in Arizona, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Catalina Foothills 2 picks
Blue Willow
Catalina Foothills · On our Tucson New Year's Eve route
A long-running breakfast and lunch spot on Campbell Avenue with a shaded patio.
Hacienda del Sol
Catalina Foothills · On our Tucson New Year's Eve route
A 1929 hillside guest ranch whose Grill serves brunch with city views; it hosts a New Year's Eve dinner and dance.
Tip: Reserve brunch on the terrace for Jan 1.
Photo: Ken Bosma · CC BY 2.0
Downtown Phoenix 2 picks
Durant's
Downtown Phoenix · On our Phoenix New Year's Eve route
Steakhouse on Central Avenue since 1950, entered through the kitchen, with red booths kept through a 2025 renovation.
Tip: It reopened in December 2025 under new owners; book NYE well ahead.
Pizzeria Bianco
Downtown Phoenix · On our Phoenix New Year's Eve route
Chris Bianco's wood-fired pizzeria in a 1929 brick building in Heritage Square, open here since 1996.
Tip: Wait for a table with a drink at Bar Bianco in the old house next door.
Downtown Tucson 2 picks
Charro Steak & Del Rey
Downtown Tucson · On our Tucson New Year's Eve route
The El Charro family's downtown steakhouse on Broadway, with Sonoran-style steaks and seafood in a big, lively room.
Tip: Reserve ahead for New Year's Eve.
El Charro Café
Downtown Tucson · On our Tucson New Year's Eve route
Opened in 1922 and run by the same family, known for carne seca dried on the roof and chimichangas.
Tip: Book the original El Presidio location for an early Dec 31 dinner.
Grand Canyon 2 picks
Arizona Steakhouse
Grand Canyon · On our Grand Canyon & Arizona route
Southwestern steakhouse at Bright Angel Lodge with big canyon windows.
Tip: No reservations; arrive at opening for a window table.
Photo: David Carlson · Google
El Tovar Dining Room
Grand Canyon · On our Grand Canyon & Arizona route
Historic 1905 lodge dining room steps from the rim.
Tip: Closed fall 2026 during South Rim water restrictions; expected back around Dec. Check grandcanyonlodges.com/alerts.
Photo: David Chavez · Google
Papago Park & Camelback 1 pick
La Grande Orange
Papago Park & Camelback · On our Phoenix New Year's Eve route
Arcadia's long-running cafe, bakery and market at 40th Street and Campbell, busy with brunch crowds.
Tip: Order at the counter and grab a patio table after the Camelback hike.
Phoenix 1 pick
Matt's Big Breakfast
Phoenix · On our Grand Canyon & Arizona route
Downtown diner known for thick bacon, griddle cakes and long weekend lines.
Tip: Weekday mornings mean shorter waits.
Photo: A Z · Google
Sedona 1 pick
Elote Cafe
Sedona · On our Grand Canyon & Arizona route
Chef Jeff Smedstad's modern Mexican cooking; the roasted-corn elote is a staple.
Tip: Book a reservation well ahead.
Photo: Elote Cafe · Google
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the restaurants in Arizona?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 11 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Arizona has the most restaurants on this list?
Catalina Foothills, Downtown Phoenix, Downtown Tucson and Grand Canyon lead with 2 each; the other picks are spread across 3 more destinations.
More lists for Arizona
Best restaurants nearby
Destinations on this list
- Catalina Foothills 2 on this list
- Downtown Phoenix 2 on this list
- Downtown Tucson 2 on this list
- Grand Canyon 2 on this list
- Papago Park & Camelback 1 on this list
- Phoenix 1 on this list
- Sedona 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.