194 LA VIDA SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2025.C0M | BEST OF PHOENIX 2025 pulse: banda musicians blasting live brass, Chicano rappers on the mic, mariachi bands stirring nostalgia and even a Selena tribute act that gets the crowd singing “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.” Add in local food vendors, kids’ activities and classic lowrider camaraderie, and you’ve got an event that feels more like a reunion than a car show. And don’t leave early — the post-show cruise is a tradition, with hundreds of cars rolling down Avenida del Yaqui as spectators line the sidewalks and flood social media with footage. Guada- lupe doesn’t just host a car show — it lives it. e e e B E S T C H I C A N O A R T S P A C E XOLO COFFEE 2428 N. 16TH ST., SUITE C 480-721-2295 XOLOCOFFEE.COM At first glance, Xolo Coffee looks like your average cafecito spot tucked in a strip mall off 16th Street — but step inside and you’ll find it’s more like a dynamic gallery of Chicano pride. The space is home to “Visions in Paint,” a rotating exhibit of Mexican-American and lowrider-inspired artwork that includes vintage photography, pinstriped trunk-lid paintings and portraits that appear out of an old East L.A. photo album. The chairs rock custom tuck-and-roll, and chrome is every- where, including a Dayton wire wheel which doubles as a flower pot. Even the espresso machine is custom-painted. But the artistry doesn’t stop at the espresso bar. Next door, there’s a tattoo shop with the same old-school soul. It’s owned by the same family and run by El Whyner, a local legend who’s part photog- rapher, part tattoo artist, part custom car builder, part Lowrider Magazine photogra- pher and writer — and full-on culture keeper. Pop-ups here are legendary: lowriders packed into the lot, wartime sirens screaming, zoot suits and hoop earrings in full effect. Xolo Coffee: curated caffeine, handmade snacks, chrome and cultura. e e e B E S T B I L I N G U A L B O O K S T O R E PALABRAS 906 W. ROOSEVELT ST., #2 602-595-9600 PALABRASBOOKSTORE.COM There’s a reason Palabras is a repeat Best of Phoenix winner. The bilingual bookstore began as owner Rosaura “Chawa” Magaña’s brainchild in 2015 and moved to various Phoenix locations with one outcome in mind: to create a space for BIPOC voices across intersections. Now, Palabras has called a mural-covered store on Roosevelt Street just west of Seventh Avenue home since December 2020. The bookstore is a colorful world of bilingual artistry, but more than that, it’s become a community hub. Find hand- painted signs about human rights next to Spanish books on LGBTQ+ liberation or hang out for their BIPOC open mic every second Saturday of the month. And do make sure to grab a coffee or tea at the Cuentos Cafe while you’re browsing for your next read. e e e B E S T M E X I C A N I M P O R T S S T O R E MEXICAN ARTS IMPORTS 340 N. 24TH. ST. 602-275-9552 MEXICANARTSIMPORTS.COM Many longtime Phoenicians know that the best place in town to find something cool, colorful and perfect for any gift-giving occa- sion is Mexican Arts Imports. You would have to spend hours at the one physical location on 24th Street to really see it all and even then, you’d probably miss something amazing. The sheer array of colors dazzles the eye as you look at some of the greatest Mexican pottery, artifacts, dolls, metal work and random fantastic finds that cover every wall, shelf and corner of the shop. Want a Día de los Muertos figurine? Done. How about a beautiful sacred heart cross in your favorite colors? Done. You have to see it to believe it and if your out-of- town visitors want to take back something authentic from the Southwest, this is the place. e e e B E S T C H A M P I O N O F L A T I N O A R T I S T S XICO INC. 829 N. FIRST AVE. 480-833-5875 XICO.ORG A lot of great local things are turning 50 this year: Italian eatery Avanti, Alice Cooper’s “Welcome to My Nightmare” and Xico Inc. Five decades on, its mission, “increased recog- nition of the cultural contributions of Latino and Indigenous people by advancing appreci- ation for and visibility of Latino and Indige- nous art,” remains as vital as ever. Located in a century-old building in downtown Phoenix, Xico hosts art shows; runs classes on print- making and other mediums; and sells items made by local artisans. We make it a point to stop at Xico during the monthly First Friday to see the latest exhibit, maybe buy a little print or a cool pair of earrings in the shop and hop over to the adjacent Barcoa Agaveria for a cocktail.
