178 LA VIDA SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2025.C0M | BEST OF PHOENIX 2025 B E S T R E T U R N COCINA MADRIGAL 1523 E. WOOD ST. 602-243-9000 COCINAMADRIGAL.COM When a fire in March 2024 led the Madrigal family to close their beloved restaurant “indefinitely,” diners were devastated. Where would they find the warmth of patri- arch Leo Madrigal or the comfort of the kitchen’s award-winning enchiladas? At the behest of Cocina Madrigal’s staff, the family reopened Cocina Madrigal, in food truck form, at a church about half a block from the restaurant’s brick-and-mortar location. Diners will find the majority of the Cocina Madrigal menu at this temporary eatery, including made-to-order guacamole, charred romaine salad and beef tenderloin tacos. The added good news that comes with this temporary pop-up? The restoration of Cocina Madrigal’s brick-and-mortar restau- rant will be completed this year. e e e B E S T M E X I C A N R E S T A U R A N T BACANORA 1301 GRAND AVE., #1 BACANORAPHX.COM Bacanora barely needs an introduction. The Grand Avenue restaurant is a darling of the Phoenix food scene, thanks to the creativity and talents of its owner, James Beard Award- winning chef Rene Andrade. The menu is filled with inspiration from Andrade’s child- hood in Sonora, Mexico. Smoky, rich beans absorb flavor from meats charred on the grill above them. Giant steaks steal the show, but sides and small plates are sleeper hits not to be missed. Make sure to ask about the daily specials and pair your meal with a delicious agave cocktail. Bacanora may not be your traditional Mexican restaurant, but that’s the point. It’s a love letter to Mexican flavor skill- fully expressed through culinary creativity and expertise. e e e B E S T N E W M E X I C A N R E S TA U R A N T MARISCO BOYS 2026 N. SEVENTH ST. MARISCOBOYS.COM Taco Boy’s is a well-loved local chain known for slinging tacos in casual digs. But its sibling restaurant takes a different approach. Marisco Boys opened on Seventh Avenue this spring. The new eatery is decked out with rich blue velvet chairs, a glowing bar and plenty of greenery. It’s the perfect spot for date night and offers a wide selection of dishes designed for sharing. We love the mountainous yellowtail tostada, the hearty portion of shrimp in the coctel de camaron and the fresh, fruit-forward cocktails. While Marisco Boys is decidedly more upscale than Taco Boys, this spot still knows how to have fun. Order a 32-ounce Modelo, for example, and it will arrive at the table in a free- standing, gold champagne chiller. End your visit with some elote flan and a pineapple- infused carajillo to sip. e e e B E S T M A S S I V E P O R T I O N S HUARACHIS TAQUERIA 814 N. CENTRAL AVE. 602-773-1413 HUARACHIS.COM Huarachis Taqueria, as its name implies, serves tacos. They’re tasty, hefty numbers served on pliant flour tortillas. But if we’re dining at James Beard Award-winning chef Rene Andrade’s casual sibling restaurant to Bacanora, we’re bringing a group and ordering family style. Huarachis makes it easy to do that during dinner hours, and just because they’re generous in portions, it doesn’t mean the team skimps on flavor. There are massive tortas perfect for two during lunch. The carne asada fries are an over-the-top, kitchen-sink-style indulgence that easily feeds four. Fries are piled with 10 ounces of steak, beans, queso, guacamole, salsa, crema and more. Then there are the platters, which arrive tableside on baking sheets, with ribeye, roasted chicken or carnitas at the center and surrounded by luscious beans, crisp potatoes, roasted elote and salsas. e e e B E S T V E G A N M E X I C A N F O O D TACOS VEGANOS 3301 E. INDIAN SCHOOL ROAD 602-675-2100 1579 N. DYSART ROAD, SUITE H, AVONDALE 480-699-8629 AZTACOSVEGANOS.COM The fun of going to a local taco shop, ordering at the counter, mixing and matching your taco order and then drizzling a rainbow of salsas on top of them shouldn’t be reserved only for those who eat meat. At Tacos Veganos, that experience is available to all. Both locations of this colorful Valley taqueria serve a wide range of plant-based options that can top tacos, fries, sopes or nachos and fill burritos or quesadillas. We particularly love the beer-battered cauli- flower and the plant-based al pastor, which is almost indiscernible from its pork counter- part. Round out your meal with a cold Corona, Mexican Coke or creamy horchata. e e e B E S T M E X I C A N F O O D T R U C K BAJA ROOTS BAJAROOTSAZ.COM When you’re out and about bar-hopping, what’s better than stumbling across a food truck? Well, when you’re out in downtown Phoenix, you may find Baja Roots, a truck serving some of the most vibrant Mexican street eats in town. Level up your night out with a trio of tacos al pastor, a crunchy, cheesy, satisfying vampiro or a hefty burrito. The truck is also known for its fusion dishes, including the spicy birria ramen, and specials such as birria nachos and loaded hot dogs. This Tijuana-style truck is often parked outside Cobra Arcade Bar on Second Street, where owner and chef Emilene Carillo works her magic. Stop by on the weekends until 2 a.m. for late-night eats to remember. e e e B E S T O A X A C A N R E S T A U R A N T LAS 15 SALSAS RESTAURANT OAXAQUEÑO 722 W. HATCHER ROAD 602-870-2056 LAS15SALSAS.COM Many restaurants in town serve mole. Typi- cally, it’s the hearty, dark, chocolate-laden kind. And while a delicious mole negro is available at Las 15 Salsas, the Oaxacan restaurant offers so much more. There’s mole verde, mole coloradito, mole amarillo and mole estofado. Don’t know what to pick? Order the mole trio and try three at once. The complex sauces can also be enjoyed over enchiladas, tamales and tlayudas, or simply drizzled over chips. The enormous menu goes on and on, including breakfast plates and shareable family-style platters. Order one of the well-balanced mezcal cocktails to sip on while you read through the options at this cozy Sunnyslope spot. As a bonus, if the weather is nice, sit outside on the patio underneath twinkle lights. e e e B E S T C H I H U A H U A N R E S T A U R A N T TESTAL MEXICAN KITCHEN 1325 GRAND AVE., #1 602-384-9993 TESTALPHX.COM Let’s start with the price: $7 or $8 for a legit burrito. If you’re famished, go ahead and order two. Even if you’re not, you’ll be tempted: These burritos are far from the city’s largest, but they might be dollar-for- dollar the tastiest. As you wait inside the restaurant, ogle their huge mural of Chihuahua. It’s the largest of Mexico’s states, landlocked against New Mexico and much of Texas, and its terrain, like Testal’s cuisine, is Mex with a dash of Tex — peppers, beef, pork and house-made flour tortillas. Where Testal excels is in the direct delivery of these strong flavors. The taco menu is highly disciplined, with only three options: carne asada, birria and adobada. The burritos branch out into ground beef, chicharrones, chile relleno and rajas (a creamy mix of onions and shredded poblanos). They offer vegan options and such. Fine. Ultimately, this table belongs to the carnivores. Once you sit down, the birria
