221 B EST E AST E R N E U RO P E A N M A R K E T A to Z Polish Market 17221 N. Litchfield Road, Surprise 623-444-5885 atozpolishmarket.com The name isn’t a boast. There are times when it feels like A to Z literally has everything. Of course, it’s impossible to squeeze all of Eastern Europe into a market in Surprise, no matter how well-stocked, but Lord knows they’ve tried. Though you’ll find plenty of products from Ukraine, Lithuania, Czechia, Germany and other countries in the region, Polish food is the specialty here, and they have it in spades. The shelves are lined with endless bottles of pickles and sauerkraut, jams, juices, soups and more. In particular, there’s an extensive selec- tion of alcoholic beverages imported from Eastern European countries. The true knee- buckler, however, is the deli case, crammed with dozens of sausages, hams and forcemeats, and a dizzying selection of imported cheese. Even better, if you don’t feel like cooking, the hot deli serves up a rotating selection of popular Polish dishes, packed to order and ready to eat at home. B EST BU TC H E R Arcadia Meat Market 3950 E. Indian School Road 602-595-4310 arcadiameatmarket.com Appearances aren’t everything, but three seconds after you set foot in Arcadia Meat Market, you know you’ve landed someplace special. The display case looks like some- thing you’d see while vacationing in Europe — brimming with stunning cuts of meat artfully trimmed to look as good as they taste. Sourced primarily in-state, the beef from Arizona Grass Raised Beef and pork and lamb from Chiricahua Pasture Raised are exceptional specimens, ranched and butchered with care. A small but smart selection of cured meats joins exceptional house-made sausages to round out the case, and the freezer is filled with all manner of meaty goodies to stock up for the future. Arcadia Meat Market also offers local fresh products such as pasta, eggs and greens, and premium pantry items from both Arizona and abroad. Most importantly, though, this is a place that can boast a great butcher shop’s most indispensable asset: a staff that know their stuff and are happy to share their expertise. 22222 B E ST F I S H S H O P Nelson’s Meat + Fish 2415 E. Indian School Road 602-596-4069 14224 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale 480-935-3736 meat.fish Chris Nelson has carved out a niche as the Valley’s premier purveyor of top-notch specialty seafood. His small but stunning case, at both the Phoenix and Scottsdale locations, is always jam-packed with a wild variety of ocean critters, ranging from straightforward favorites such as cod and salmon to all kinds of seasonal specialties rarely seen around these parts. Live sea urchin? Razor clams? Fresh smelt and sardines? Watch the shop’s Instagram feed and wait for your favorites to pop up. What’s more, Nelson’s features a great selection of meats, prepared foods and pantry items, including an array of premium tinned seafood. And kitchen specials such as clam chowder, a killer Wednesday lobster roll, weekly specials like the Thursday crudo and one of the best chilled seafood towers in town make this a great stop even if you prefer to let somebody else do the work. B E ST SA N D O S Fatboy Sandos 1920 W. Broadway Road, #103, Mesa 623-259-6034 instagram.com/fatboysandos Fatboy Sandos in Mesa has pioneered Japa- nese-style sandos in the Southwest. These Japanese sandwiches feature thick, slightly sweet and ultrasoft milk bread imported directly from Japan. The shop’s bestseller, the Japanese Egg Salad Sando, offers a unique twist with a wasabi-like kick from Dijon, creaminess from amber eggs and the richness of Japanese mayo made with egg yolk. Along- side the egg salad, they serve pork katsu, shrimp ebi katsu and eggplant katsu sandos, all topped with katsu sauce, purple cabbage, Dijon and Japanese mayo. The Fruit & Cream Sando, filled with mandarin pieces, strawber- ries or kiwi, offers a sweet finish for dessert. Fatboy Sandos brings a slice of Japan to the heart of Mesa’s Asian District. 22222 B E ST H A M BU RG E RS Stoop Kid 901 N. First St., #107 getstoopkid.com Inside downtown Phoenix’s shipping container food hall is a tiny counter spot serving bagels in the morning and burgers
