166 B EST FA R E W E L L Barrio Café When you say goodbye to an icon, it deserves a memorable farewell. Barrio Café was founded by Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza in 2002, and the restaurant became a corner- stone of Phoenix’s food community, blending rich flavors with artistic flair. So when the restaurant shuttered in May, it was a signifi- cant moment in the history of the Valley’s dining scene. The Ultimo Adios was a party and celebration of Esparza — not only for her culinary touch, but also for what she offered the Phoenix community. She was not only a fervent supporter of the Latino population, but has advocated for women, immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals with her activism. And the farewell to her and Barrio Café was marked by one important announcement: State representative Cesar Aguilar proclaimed June 2 Silvana Salcido Esparza Day. We will remember Barrio Café not only for the farewell but also as a symbol of the impact restaurants can have in a community. 22222 B EST R E T U R N Kristen Martinez Moodie Blacks 29 W. Southern Ave., Tempe instagram.com/moodieblacks Kristen Martinez said she’d never return to Arizona, but life had other plans. The noise rap artist who founded musical act Moodie Black toured with Puscifer in 2022 and moved back to the Valley in 2023, but her focus since returning has been on food. While Martinez was living in Minneapolis, she built a successful eatery centered on what she calls “new era Tex-Mex” that pulls from childhood memories growing up in El Paso, Texas. First getting off the ground in the Valley with the food trailer MB Food- house, serving taquitos, tacos and wings, Martinez has taken Moodie Blacks inside the kitchen of Tempe’s Yucca Tap Room. There, Martinez is serving a growing menu that includes smash burgers, hot chicken tortas and a selection of brunch bites on the weekend. And, there’s more good news for fans of Martinez: She hasn’t hung up her mic and is beginning to book shows for Moodie Black, too. 22222 B EST M E X I CA N R E STAU R A N T Bacanora 1301 Grand Ave. #1 bacanoraphx.com There’s really no competition when it comes to the most talked-about chef in Phoenix right now. Chef Rene Andrade is a man about town, making appearances on TV shows and partnering with friends and other companies to grow his brand. But his original restaurant remains one of the hottest tables in the Valley. Bacanora, a tiny space in the heart of the Grand Avenue arts district, is Andrade’s ode to his home state of Sonora, Mexico. Almost everything on the menu spends some time on the roaring wood-fired grill, producing smoky flavors that rival the artisanal agave spirits used in the restaurant’s cocktails. The menu is mostly made up of rotating specials, but the enormous tomahawk steak is a staple. Don’t skip the less flashy items, such as the rich, savory beans; bright and citrusy salads; and supple flour tortillas. B E ST L AT E- N I G H T M E X I CA N FO O D Baja Roots bajarootsaz.com There’s something so special about chowing down on a delicious meal under the glow of streetlights at the end of a fun night out. But what makes this experience even better is amazing food that shines at any time of day. Baja Roots is a local food truck that pops up around town. It frequently resides outside Cobra Arcade Bar in downtown Phoenix, where owner and chef Emilene Carillo serves her menu of Tijuana-style eats. Try tacos piled with carne asada, pollo, al pastor or veggies; crunchy vampiros; elote; savory quesabirria; or the customer-favorite spicy birria ramen. Also, there’s a secret menu with new items Carillo is playing around with — you just have to ask. Follow Baja Roots on Instagram to see where the truck will pop up next. 22222 B E ST M E X I CA N FO O D T RU C K Comiendo Con Memo 3100 W. Dobbins Road, Laveen Village 602-826-8652 instagram.com/comiendoconmemo_ Chips and salsa? Hardly. Take a seat under his tent, and Memo will saunter over with a smile and a greeting and a freshly charred slab of carne asada. He slices the meat into thin ribbons right under your nose and leaves it on a rustic wooden cutting board as a compli- mentary little nosh to tide you over while you decide what to order. Memo’s quesabirria is solid, and his tacos al pastor are made with a bold, flavorful marinade, but the grilled beef is the focus at this food truck compound in the middle of a field in Laveen. Whether you take it as tacos, vampiros or flanken-cut costillas, it arrives perfectly seasoned, sizzling and imbued with the scent of mesquite charcoal, alongside tortillas, a massive garnish plate and bowl of fresh whole Thai chiles to gnaw on for a little fiery zip. 22222 B E ST P U E B L A N FO O D El Rincon Poblano Mexican Grill 3302 W. Thomas Road 602-301-1479 You can’t spend all of your time eating Sonoran food, and why would you want to, anyway? It’s a big country down there, and little gems such as El Rincon Poblano feature regional specialties from parts of Mexico that aren’t just over the border. This partic- ular family-run restaurant serves a tight list of excellent homestyle specialties from Puebla, one of the most revered cradles of Mexican gastronomy. You’ll find the famous mole Poblano, a perfectly balanced blend of nuts, spices, chiles and — of course — a touch of chocolate. But the pipian verde is equally bracing, less sweet and nutty, built on ground pumpkin seeds and loads of herbs. The influ- ence of Lebanese immigrants is seen in tacos arabes, a lesser-known relative of tacos al pastor that marries seasoned pork with cara- melized onions. But arguably the most indis- pensable dish here is the cemita, Puebla’s signature torta, available with your choice of filling plied with avocado, onion, stringy Oaxaca cheese, house-pickled chipotle chiles and a pungent herb called papalo (when it’s in season), tucked into a fresh house-baked sesame roll. 22222 B E ST OAXACA N FO O D Oaxaca Restaurant 2316 W. Bethany Home Road 602-242-3840 7816 N. 27th Ave. 602-395-0867 This place has come a long way since the bowling alley. Once hidden away in Sunnys- lope’s Let It Roll Bowl, Oaxaca Restaurant now boasts two stand-alone Phoenix loca- tions. The standards like tacos, tortas and chilaquiles are here, but you can get those anywhere. Best to focus on the Oaxacan specialties of the house, such as memelitas — thick masa boats similar to sopes topped with black beans, Oaxacan cheese and tasajo, thin sheets of salted beef. Tamales Oaxaqueños, steamed in banana leaves, are deliciously fragrant, especially when smoth- ered with a complex mole negro. The tlayuda — a crunchy, pizza-sized tortilla piled high with all manner of toppings — is an awful lot of fun to share. The house flan might fool you. It doesn’t look like much, but its flavor is intense. And if your meal leaves you feeling inspired, a small market’s worth of chiles, spices and other Oaxacan specialty ingredi- ents are available to purchase and take home. 22222 B E ST C H I H UA H UA N FO O D Testal Mexican Kitchen 1325 Grand Ave., #1 602-384-9993 testalphx.com The burritos at Testal probably are unlike any you’ve tried before. First, you need to order at least two for a good-sized meal. And second, they’re not folded up into neat little parcels. These saucy bites are open on both ends, meaning the toppings and juices will run down your arms a little. But take one bite, and you won’t care at all. Super soft flour tortillas envelop rich, savory fillings, such as the bright red pork Colorado, cheesy rajas or shredded beef with green salsa. The best part about the burritos’ smaller size is that you can try multiple flavors per visit. The hearty fillings also can be served as tacos, inside gorditas or as bowls. Wash it all down with a Jamaica agua fresca or a bottle of pinole, a roasted sweet corn drink. Enjoy your meal inside, underneath a giant painted map of Chihuahua, or find a seat on the small patio, which often hosts live music.
