Best Churros CHURROS DON LENCHO 7615 West Lower Buckeye Road @churrosdonlencho Since opening in 2020, Churros Don Lencho has quickly become a churro go-to, drawing crowds to its practi- cally middle-of-nowhere location. Parked most nights behind an AutoZone on Lower Buckeye Road, the food truck’s location may not be fancy, but the churros are. Thin, crispy, and just the right amount of dense, the freshly fried doughy delights could easily pass for a fancy dessert at an upscale resort. Founder Edwin Tlaseca got the idea to make churros during a trip to Jalisco, Mexico, where his family is from. Afterward, he got down to recipe-testing until he had the perfect crispy-on-the-outside, soft-in-the-middle balance. Not only are they a deal — get 12 churros ($12), six churros ($6), filled churros ($2), or the churro sundae ($9), a six-churro treat topped with ice cream, whipped cream, and sprinkles — the treats are vegan, meaning even more people can experience what Churros Don Lencho has to offer. sauce and green sauce) with potatoes and beans; ground beef with carrots, celery, potatoes, and beans; and the standout rajas gordita, which comes with roasted poblano peppers, Anaheim peppers, onions, asadero cheese, and beans. All offer incredible flavor with just the right amount of spice. Depending on how hungry you are, you’re going to need at least two for a meal, so we recommend mixing and matching in order to experience what Tacos Chiwas has to offer. Best Nachos COCINA 10 KITCHEN AT CRESCENT BALLROOM 308 North Second Avenue 602-716-2222 crescentphx.com 170 We love melted cheese on tortilla chips, whether it’s at the movie theater or a fast- food joint or a trendy eatery. But of all the nachos we’ve tried (and trust us, we’ve tried a lot), we haven’t found any we like better than the chips and cheese at Cocina 10 Kitchen, the restaurant at Crescent Ballroom. Of course, there’s way more to the I-10 Nachos than just chips and cheese. Order them and you’ll see what we mean. The chips come buried under an avalanche of refried beans, cheddar cheese, Oaxaca cheese, cilantro, cotija cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream. It’s messy, delicious, and more than enough to share. Add carne asada for extra flavor, then head into whatever show is going on at Crescent that evening. Best Enchiladas COCINA MADRIGAL TACOS + TEQUILA 4044 South 16th Street 602-243-9000 cocinamadrigal.com Cocina Madrigal Tacos + Tequila looks like a hidden gem, except everyone knows about it, especially since Yelp put it at the top of their Top 100 Places to Eat in 2022. (By the way, that’s a national list, not a local one.) The little restaurant tucked on a resi- dential street in south Phoenix draws a crowd every day of the week. This neigh- borhood joint serves an eclectic menu of burgers, sandwiches, tacos, and burritos. But the enchiladas are the star: warm, soft, and unbelievably good . You get to choose from chicken, beef birria, barbacoa green chile, or wild mushroom (our favorite). You can also mix and match, the better to try what Cocina Madrigal has to offer. Each satisfying plate is served with two enchiladas, warm tortillas, rice, and beans. Best Burritos EL NORTEÑO 1002 North Seventh Avenue 602-254-4629 elnortenoaz.com You know a burrito is good when people are willing to wait in the Arizona sun for it. To order your food at El Norteño, a tiny eatery in west Phoenix, you enter a small indoor space that holds maybe two people. Then, you stand around in the parking lot until your food is ready. There’s a small covered patio with a few tables, but most patrons get their food to go. Believe us when we say, the food is worth it. They open at 7:30 a.m. so folks on their way to work can grab a hearty, delicious breakfast burrito (we like the chorizo, egg, and potato). Around lunch, there’s a line to order dishes like the machaca burrito (machaca is El Norteño’s specialty). We like the Arizona burro, a massive, two-meal creation that includes carne asada, rice, potato, beans, sour cream, and guacamole. In addition to nearly two dozen burrito options, El Norteño offers a full menu of tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and more. Just remember to bring cash — the estab- lishment doesn’t take credit or debit. Best Chimichangas RITO’S MEXICAN FOOD 5813 North Seventh Street 602-368-6726 And other Valley locations ritosmexicanfood.com To the first person who saw a burrito and thought, “I should deep-fry this and top it BEST OF PHOENIX 2022 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX202W.C0M | SEPTEMBER 29, 2022