180 LA VIDA SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2025.C0M | BEST OF PHOENIX 2025 has a tendency to disappear like a vapor. And the sublime Colorado burrito, with its mix of brick-red sauce, potatoes and pork, is a most convincing argument against cooking at home. e e e B E S T P U E B L A N R E S T A U R A N T EL RINCON POBLANO MEXICAN GRILL 3302 W. THOMAS ROAD, #1 602-301-1479 Puebla is the purported birthplace of some of Mexico’s most popular and recognizable dishes, such as mole poblano. That rich culi- nary history led chef and raconteur Anthony Bourdain to proclaim it “where the good cooks are from.” The Agustins are some very good cooks who are making dishes based on family recipes passed down over genera- tions. El Rincon Poblano’s mole is a signature menu item. The rich, earthy dish gets a hint of sweetness from chocolate and Mexican biscuit cookies. You could stop there and be very happy, but some of Puebla’s lesser- known dishes are some of El Rincon’s best. Try the restaurant’s pipian verde, a nutty and herbaceous pumpkin seed-based mole, or the cemita poblana, a torta filled with a thinly pounded, breaded piece of beef. No matter what you order, this family-run gem of a restaurant is packed with the history of Puebla and the Agustin family. e e e B E S T B U R R I T O S RITO’S 907 N. 14TH ST. 602-262-9842 1033 N. DOBSON ROAD, #101, MESA 480-264-0966 AND OTHER VALLEY LOCATIONS RITOSMEXICANFOOD.COM The bartender says he’s more of a heat guy. The question put to him: red chile or green chile on the burrito? You can’t go wrong, he explains. The green gives the beef a depth of flavor, with jalapenos, onions and tomatoes informing the immaculately soft shredded beef. The red is more straightforwardly picante and thus is the barkeep’s pick. Also optional are a roster of trappings: melted cheese, enchilada sauce, sour cream, guaca- mole and the chimichanga treatment, which includes deep frying. The only add-on to serve a practical purpose, which you’ll appreciate as you hammer-curl this chonk of a burrito, is the rice. It sops up the chile drip- pings like a white blouse collects a red wine spill. You could eat this burrito in the car over your good jeans and not lose a drip. You’ll be back for another — red or green, you can’t lose. Or take the Solomonic option: the red and green mix, for days when you hanker for rich flavors plus enough raw heat to make your nose run, just a little. e e e B E S T B R E A K F A S T B U R R I T O REGIO’S 1705 E. INDIAN SCHOOL ROAD 602-274-1999 REGIOSMEXICANFOODPHOENIX.COM Situated about as close as possible to the State Route 51 overpass without actually sitting under it, Regio’s might not look like much from the outside. That’s usually a sign that there’s some really good Mexican food to be found inside. Regio’s dining room is brighter and cleaner than most hole-in-the- wall eateries that are known for tasty, no-frills dishes. Breakfast is served all day, and while the menu won’t win prizes for uniqueness (nor should it strain to try), the usual breakfast burrito staples are available: steak, ham, bacon, sausage and potato, in various combinations. The burritos are large — don’t drop one on your foot — and come out hot and juicy. If you can down one in a single sitting, you’ll banish your hunger for days. If you really want a sense of how much food you just wolfed down, there’s a coin- operated carnival scale inside that’s just waiting to tell you what you’ll soon realize you didn’t really want to know. e e e B E S T F U N D I D O VALLE LUNA 16048 N. CAVE CREEK ROAD 602-867-9100 1949 W. RAY ROAD, CHANDLER 480-786-3100 AND OTHER VALLEY LOCATIONS VALLELUNA.COM If you’re on a diet, skip to the next category. Or maybe save this info for a cheat day. We know fundido isn’t the most, er, authentic and traditional dish. But damn, is it good. At Valle Luna, the fundido is their most popular dish, which speaks both to its tastiness and how well the local chain executes it. Basi- cally, their fundido is a chimichanga that benefits from a hearty helping of jalapeno cream cheese in the mix, turning a garden- variety calorie bomb into a nutritional Cher- nobyl. It’s spicy and savory and creamy all at the same time. We like it best with grilled shrimp, but you can also choose ground beef, shredded beef, shredded chicken, grilled chicken, pork or grilled steak. e e e B E S T C H I M I C H A N G A ROSITA’S PLACE 2310 E. MCDOWELL ROAD 602-244-9779 ROSITASPLACE.COM You’ll have your burrito deep-fried? Of course you will. That’s a chimichanga, and it is the heartiest staple of Tex-Mex cuisine. Humble spot Rosita’s Place is where to grab one. Use a fork and knife to bust through its crusty golden exterior to the treasure of your choice inside, where some of the flour tortilla is still a bit tender. Here, you get plenty of choices for the stuffing. There’s red and green chile, machaca beef, chorizo, chicken and for those who want the no-meat variety, beans. A dollop of sour cream on top makes matters even better. We love it enchi- lada style, where atop that sour cream is a generous ladle of enchilada sauce and gooey melted cheese. e e e B E S T TA C O S TA CARBON 5834 W. CAMELBACK ROAD, GLENDALE 602-341-3270 AND OTHER VALLEY LOCATIONS TACARBON.COM There are a hell of a lot of tacos in this town, and it’s no easy feat to pick the top dog out of the bunch — the sheer number of taquerias around the Valley make picking just one a challenging task. But naming this year’s crown is Ta Carbon, whose hunks of meat loaded up on silky yet crispy flour tortillas are singular for their simple yet ridiculously delectable experience. There’s something charming about the everyman presentation and delivery of these tacos, but their flavors are bold and anything but average. The array of Mexico’s top meat selections — including tripa, lengua, cabeza, al pastor, lorenza asada, campechano and the shop’s famous carne asada cooked on mesquite charcoal — make it impossible to go wrong. Hit the salsa bar, stack up these tacos as high as your ambition can imagine and you have a taco bursting with smoky, juicy flavors. e e e B E S T Q U E S A B I R R I A T A C O S TAQUERIA OBSON 8400 S. AVENIDA DEL YAQUI, GUADALUPE 602-552-2162 INSTAGRAM.COM/TAQUERIAOBSON Taqueria Obson is a no-frills flavor mecca parked right on the border of Tempe and Guadalupe — and their quesabirria tacos? Straight-up game-changers. This family-run joint taps into Sonoran street food roots with bold flavors straight from Ciudad Obregón, and the buzz has only grown louder across the Valley. The quesabirria tacos follow a crispy, cheesy ritual: Red-stained corn torti- llas hit the griddle with melty cheese and slow-cooked beef, folded up and grilled until the edges crunch just right. Add onions, cilantro and another handful of cheese for good measure. But the real MVP? That rich, beefy consommé on the side — perfect for dipping, sipping or straight-up chugging if no one’s watching. Once social feeds started flooding with Obson’s oozy cheese pulls and broth-soaked bites, the secret was out: This is a must-visit spot. e e e B E S T G O R D I T A S TACOS CHIWAS 1028 E. INDIAN SCHOOL ROAD 602-358-8830 127 W. MAIN ST., MESA 480-590-7163 TACOSCHIWAS.COM Tacos Chiwas makes excellent tacos, but if you’re in the mood to change it up or add something else to the mix, their gorditas are mighty. Small flatbreads are grilled and stuffed with the ingredients of your choice. You can go with picadillo if you want a ground beef mixed with potatoes and beans. The deshebrada roja has a nice kick with red shredded beef, beans and potatoes, or opt for the verde version of this one, trading the red beef for green. We don’t need meat to get weak in the knees about a gordita, and at this restaurant, it’s the rajas option we like best. Roasted poblanos are mixed with Anaheim
