178 LA VIDA BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT BACANORA 1301 GRAND AVE., #1 BACANORAPHX.COM On a recent Monday night at Bacanora, the restaurant was packed not long after opening. Fragrant smoke spilled from the open kitchen. The cooks laughed together and the servers sang along to 2000s pop hits as they took orders and refilled waters. This is the back- drop for the city’s most outstanding Mexican food. Chef Rene Andrade’s much-celebrated eatery draws diners to Grand Avenue with the flavors of Sonora dialed to perfection on the wood-fired grill. Platters of meat, like the pollo asado and bone-in ribeye, are the stars here, supported by a bright, tangy scallop crudo and the beloved frijoles con queso. The new Southwest Michelin Guide recognized Andrade with the Young Chef Award, but Phoenix diners have known for years that his food is something special. i i i BEST NEIGHBORHOOD MEXICAN RESTAURANT CASA REYNOSO 3138 S. MILL AVE., TEMPE 480-966-0776 CASAREYNOSO.COM A few miles south of Arizona State Universi- ty’s Tempe campus, in the corner of a busy shopping center off Mill Avenue, servers at Casa Reynoso cruise through the dining room, dropping off bowls of chips and small carafes of red salsa. They stop to chat with regulars and families tucked into bright orange booths framed in hacienda-style arches. The Reynoso family has cooked its Globe-Miami-style Mexican food from the cheerful restaurant since 1984. One meal makes it clear why the restaurant has staying power. The menu is all comfort, with cheese crisps, massive combination and chile plates, tacos and burritos. The restaurant’s signa- ture Gollo Burro is elegantly straightfor- ward: a flour tortilla filled with green chile, pinto beans, onions and cheese, topped with melted butter. It’s a warm, nostalgic hug of a dish that doesn’t overwhelm with heat, balancing vibrant chile and creamy beans. Plan your trip accordingly: This place hums with diners even in off-hours, and cash will save you on card fees. i i i BEST CASH-ONLY MEXICAN RESTAURANT EL NORTEÑO 1002 N. SEVENTH AVE. 602-254-4629 ELNORTENOAZ.COM Cash is still king at this downtown Phoenix mainstay at Roosevelt Street and Seventh Avenue. Apple Pay-less since the early ’80s, this frills-free outpost has served massive Sonoran-style enchiladas, delicious flautas and top-rated breakfast burritos for decades. The restaurant’s whole deal is decidedly old- school, down to the “copyright 2011” and years-forgotten COVID updates on its low-fi website. But throwbacks ain’t really draw- backs when the prices are this low and the portions this immense. The catch, sorta, is that they’re cash-only. Hit up a bank on the way or stomach a $3 ATM surcharge on loca- tion to land you a big ol’ burrito. It’s worth every penny. i i i BEST PERUVIAN RESTAURANT EL CHULLO PERUVIAN RESTAURANT & BAR 4414 N. SEVENTH AVE. 602-314-4453 ELCHULLORESTAURANT.COM Fans of pisco sours and tallarines saltado don’t have many great options in the Valley. Thankfully for us Peruvian food enthusiasts, Esperanza Luzcando and José Ramírez Sánchez brought the flavors of their home when they opened the original location of El Chullo on Seventh Street back in 2014. While that location has since closed, the Melrose Curve outpost on Seventh and Turney avenues still satiates our need for fish, meats and veggies. And don’t sleep on El Chullo’s ceviche and fish fillets. They’re low-key some of the best seafood fare you’ll find in the Valley. BEST VENEZUELAN FOOD QUE CHEVERE 142 W. MAIN ST., MESA 480-474-4954 QUECHEVEREAZ.COM Que Chevere’s humble roots began on four wheels. Owners Orvid Cutler and Maria Fernanda ran the business as a food truck for four years before opening on Mesa’s Main Street in 2021. The pair still operate their food truck, though the main attraction is the brick-and-mortar, where you find all the arepas, patacones and cachapas your heart can handle. The arepas, corn flatbreads stuffed with shredded meats and beans, are savory jewels. The patacon, a sandwich-style dish in which fried plantains replace bread, is a rare find in the Valley. For a more tradi- tional dish, there’s also Que Chevere’s take on the pepito, which is similar to the Mexican torta, featuring French bread heaped with steak, pork, chicken, bacon, ketchup and mayo, a 10-car pileup of deli- ciousness. Arrive hungry, and eat with napkins handy. i i i BEST LATIN AMERICAN RESTAURANT THE MISSION 3815 N. BROWN AVE., SCOTTSDALE 480-636-5005 AND OTHER VALLEY LOCATIONS THEMISSIONAZ.COM When this spot opened in, yes, an old mission in Old Town Scottsdale in 2008, it was remarkable for its moody, candlelit atmosphere and backlit Himalayan pink salt block wall (which later went viral for guests licking it) as well as then-exotic Latin ingre- dients like aji amarillo. Over time, The Mission has become a cornerstone of the Valley food scene, with locations in Kierland and Gilbert, while continuing to evolve (hamachi collar pastor, anyone?). Chef Matt Carter and team always impress, so bring guests confidently. (Trust us, our sophisti- cated friends who have been all over the world loved it.) Start with a margarita and an order of tableside guacamole. From there, the helpful, friendly servers can steer you toward plates to share. The duck carnitas empanada remains a top choice, and anything with steak or wild Sea of Cortez shrimp is a winner, as are the roasted pork shoulder tacos. i i i BEST COMEBACK AZ TACO KING 2030 W. CAMELBACK ROAD 480-410-1914 AZ-TACO-KING.COM When one door closes, another opens — or so the saying goes. Not very often are those the exact same door. AZ Taco King made a heck of a comeback this year after a turbu- lent time for its owners. Ilse Jazmin “Jazz” Valenzula Sears and her husband, Samuel, originally opened their birria haven in an old Pizza Hut on Camelback Road. Lines quickly snaked out the door, the parking lot over- flowed and Sears realized she needed more space. So she left, opening in Avondale in 2023 and Glendale in 2024. Trouble was, it was hard to staff up and customers didn’t seem to find the new spots. So she closed up shop and returned to her days of catering out of a food truck. Then thieves stole her gener- ator. Just as hope seemed lost, the landlord of the old Pizza Hut reached out to ask if she’d like to come back. Two years and a whole lot of hardship later, the birria pots are bubbling once again on Camelback Road. i i i BEST MEXICAN FOOD TRUCK BAJA ROOTS BAJA-ROOTS-AZ.SQUARE.SITE The blue neon glow of Baja Roots shines like a beacon. This late-night spot is the stuff of dreams for anyone out in downtown Phoenix when the bars close. Creative fusion dishes somehow taste even better at 1 a.m. The food truck specializes in mesquite cooking and Tijuana-style recipes, with