221 FOOD & DRINK BEST SANDWICHES SANDWICH APPRENTICE INSTAGRAM.COM/SANDWICH.APPRENTICE In the heart of the city, one man’s obsession pushed him beyond the bounds of freshness and farm-to-table curation. His is a haunted, imperfect soul on an eternal quest for a most elusive prey: the perfect sandwich. Each week, Alex Schreivogel, the chef mastermind behind Sandwich Apprentice, chases his own white whale as he creates a brand-new sand- wich within a strict framework. Every ingre- dient must be in-season (or pickled during peak season), made from scratch and most, if not all, ingredients should be locally sourced. He considers the ratio of ingredients such that each bite encapsulates a consistent gastro- nomical experience — the “pursuit of the perfect bite” as Schreivogel calls it. As per the Sandwich Apprentice tagline, it’s a “sucka- free sandwich,” an ode to the infinite possibil- ities of one of humanity’s greatest inventions. His fixation has become a Sisyphean task. Yet given his weekly sellouts, as Camus would tell us: We must imagine Schreivogel happy. i i i BEST SMASHBURGERS STOOP KID 901 N. FIRST ST., #107 GETSTOOPKID.COM The finest smashburger in town is brought to you by the burger-flipping folks inside The Churchill at a spot named after one of the best characters from the Nickelodeon cartoon show “Hey Arnold!” What separates the finest smashburger in town is that smashed brisket patty Stoop Kid uses. Get it classic or gussied up with fancy sauce, caramelized onions and a brioche bun — it doesn’t matter. It’s great any which way. Gild the lily with a side order of crisp curly fries or tater tots, or just focus on the burger, which is best eaten amid the hustle and bustle of The Churchill’s vibrant atmo- sphere. As of this fall, uptown folks can also chow down inside Joy Lush Club. i i i BEST HAMBURGERS HARVEY’S WINEBURGER 4812 N. 16TH ST. 602-248-9550 HARVEYSWINEBURGER.COM You can get a good burger virtually anywhere in Phoenix. Harvey’s Wineburgers elevates the basic meat-and-bun combo using a not- so-secret ingredient: an eponymous splash of vino delivered on the flat-top. It adds a subtle richness to any burger you order, though we’re partial to the garlic patty melt, an umami bomb that enlists bacon, mushrooms and garlic sauce. Harvey’s doesn’t offer takeout, which means that you’ll be enjoying your meal in the neighborhood bar atmo- sphere, complete with Christmas lights, pool tables and nary a window to interrupt your view of dinner. BEST VEGGIE BURGER BAD JIMMY’S 108 E. PIERCE ST. 480-386-0129 505 W. UNIVERSITY DRIVE, TEMPE 480-748-2199 AND OTHER VALLEY LOCATIONS BADJIMMYS.COM His Instagram-famous smashburgers — dripping with juices that spill from Arizona- grown beef patties — get the most love. But when James Piazza, the owner of Bad Jimmy’s, came up with the recipe for his Where’s the Beef? burger, he did so with the same attention to detail that he brings to his red meat versions. This no-beef burger deserves the spotlight for its high-mainte- nance veggie patty. Piazza could’ve phoned it in like other burger spots with mass- produced frozen vegan patties or premade plant-based proteins off a Sysco truck. Instead, his made-from-scratch patty combines soy-based chorizo, chickpeas, roasted carrots, sauteed onion and just enough white wine to deglaze the pan. It’s dredged in panko and dipped in a tempura- style batter made with uber-high-pressure bubbly water dispensed from the restau- rant’s Hoshizaki Toki highball machine. After the kitchen fries it to a golden brown perfection, the crunchy patty gets topped with American cheese and a homemade sauce made of Dijon mustard, honey and kewpie mayo. The result is a texture-rich umami bomb that you will smash, savagely. i i i BEST HOT DOGS TED’S HOT DOGS 1755 E. BROADWAY ROAD, TEMPE 480-968-6678 2700 E. GERMANN ROAD, CHANDLER 480-275-3152 TEDSHOTDOGS.COM Ted’s Hot Dogs continues to reign supreme in glizzyland. Thank charcoal — every dog gets broiled over live hardwood coals instead of a flat-top or steam tray. Simple as that. It’s the same method Greek immigrant Theo- dore Liaros used in 1927 when he started selling hot dogs for $0.22 out of a tool shed back in Buffalo, New York. Ted’s landed in Tempe in the 1980s, and the char hasn’t changed since: crisp skin and a little smoke on every bite. It’s been an institution in the Valley since its arrival, and on the eve of its 100th anniversary, Ted’s added a second location in Chandler earlier in 2026, building on its decades-long legacy of slingin’ broiled dogs in the Phoenix metro. BEST CHICKEN WINGS THE DIRTY DRUMMER 2303 N. 44TH ST. 602-840-2726 THEDIRTYDRUMMER.COM The Dirty Drummer, long known for its stellar live music, has also carved out a repu- tation for serving some of the richest bar food in the Valley. In this open kitchen, the double-dipped wings reign supreme. Fried until crispy, these outlaw country wings get sauced, then put on the grill until they develop a caramelized char, then sauced again. The result marries two beautiful wing- making traditions: the juiciness of a good fry and the smokiness of the grill, with the flavored sealed layer upon layer. It’s like getting Waylon and Willie on the same album. We aren’t sure that Hank did it this way, as Waylon asked, but if he did, he would probably get a dozen lemon pepper dipped in their hot Buffalo sauce and call it a day, because these wings are so good they can stop the music. i i i BEST FRIED CHICKEN LO-LO’S CHICKEN AND WAFFLES 1220 S. CENTRAL AVE. 602-340-1304 3133 N. SCOTTSDALE ROAD, SCOTTSDALE 480-945-1920 LOLOSCHICKENANDWAFFLES.COM The story of Lo-Lo’s Chicken and Waffles starts decades before Larry White opened his first restaurant. His grandmother is Elizabeth White, proprietor of the legendary Mrs. White’s Golden Rule Cafe, a Valley mainstay since 1964. That award- winning eatery in Downtown Phoenix is where Larry honed his skills before opening up his own joint in 2002. It’s not just KFC and Coca-Cola that have a secret recipe; Lo-Lo’s chicken has perfected its namesake dish, which arrives at your table piping hot, sublimely crispy and expertly seasoned. Lo-Lo’s, much like his grandma’s spot, is a soul food destination that also serves clas- sics like catfish and fried green tomatoes. But the chicken, fittingly, remains the unchallenged star. i i i BEST BARBECUE LITTLE MISS BBQ 4301 E. UNIVERSITY DRIVE 602-437-1177 8901 N. SEVENTH ST. 602-314-6922 LITTLEMISSBBQ.COM The aroma of smoldering pecan wood scents the air as people eager to order dinosaur- sized beef ribs patiently wait in collapsible camp chairs near smokers tucked beneath a low-slung metal roof. Central Texas this ain’t, but Little Miss BBQ’s reverential homage to Hill Country barbecue would be at home in the Lone Star State. Scott and Bekke Holmes channeled their competition barbecue prowess into two stellar Phoenix smokehouses that not only sate diners ravenous for moist, top-tier brisket but also started a barbecue arms race around the Valley. At the meat counter, you’re greeted with a small slice of beef glistening in the chef’s outstretched hand like a sacrament. Take it and make your meat selections, either by the pound, in a sandwich or tucked into a burrito. The brisket is a must, but don’t over- look other meats — the turkey is succulent, the pork belly lacquered with the candied appeal of bacon. The pitmasters cure bris- kets for seven days to create a transcendent pastrami available only on Thursdays. Stave off the meat sweats with creamy macaroni and cheese or ranch-style pinto beans, and finish up with Bekke’s smoked pecan pie.