Best of Phoenix: Top 10 Mexican Restaurants

What can go wrong with the dish full of cheese, dough and beef in the best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix? Ask Gordon Ramsay and he will tell you that your tongue can definitely differentiate between the average fare at the best restaurants in Phoenix and badly put together enchiladas, chimichanga, tamale, burrito, birria, menudo or pozole and the classy, simple fare we will introduce you to at the ten best restaurants in Phoenix area or Mexican restaurants on this side of the Southwest Phoenix border. We do believe average food is never the best and that the best food at these restaurants is like keeping a lamp under the basket. No matter what you do the food is too good and will eventually win you over right away. So let’s start right away!

Barrio Café’s chef Silvana Salcido Esparza has been awarded and nominated by James Beard himself for the authentic and classic Mexican dishes you can try at this tiny hole-in-the-wall type of best restaurants in Phoenix area. Her Mexican dishes like the slow-roasted tortas of marinated pork wrapped in a banana leaf and called the cochinita pibil, the pomegranate seeds guacamole side-serve, the light and fluffy fish tacos peppered with generous shots of over 250 tequilas is just too good to pass by without trying. The caramelized goat’s milk dessert of Churros Rellenos looks heavy but tastes incredibly right after the savory round and is definitely not excessive or expensive. You, of course, need to bring in a healthy appetite and craving for Mexican food as you head to the location of Barrio Café, the best of the best restaurants in Phoenix located at #2814 of North 16th Street in Phoenix.

Chef Silvana is a food icon featured in very many cooking magazines and books for her creative approach to the Latin staple diet with a creative twist for the original Mexican food concepts and its side dishes in the best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix. Especially her weekend fare like the Sunday brunch menu has the huevos divorciados entrée and the classic huevos rancheros with a Holland cheese salsa mix where the eggs for both dishes are prepared separate for each dish and then served with the salsa and red pickled onions. They are open Tuesdays to Thursdays from 11 to 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 to 10.30 pm and on Sundays from 11 to 9 pm. They close on Mondays and their happy hours are 2 to 5 pm Tuesdays to Saturdays. Enjoy not just the food and margaritas but also the live music, because if it is anything traditionally Mexican and tastes good, then this gem among the best restaurants in the Phoenix area is where you will find it. Especially Mexican food and margaritas made of tequilas under the expert guidance of Silvana and her team.

The Crooked Sky Farms at Phoenix is from where the best Phoenix, Arizona produce is supplied to the historic Taco Guild where the policy is simple and organic. The best food is always fresh and organic, right? According to the USA Today, the Travel Channel and Food Network this second-to-none phoenix restaurants tacos should be on your bucket list as it definitely is the best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix.

The Taco Guild is a place for worshiping the tacos and one among the best restaurants in Phoenix. In a sense, their location is a historic Phoenix building that was once a church. And they have an assortment of tacos like the molida lamb with sweet potato hay, chipotle cherry steak, the Creole aioli, the chile aioli, the New World taco with blue cheese and poblano straws and more that you will surely worship. The ambience is cathedral-like with live music and excellent spirits to match the tacos and Mexican dishes. The gastro-pub which is located in what was once a church-premises uses only farm-fresh ingredients while taking the best of both the old recipes and techniques to create new dishes that are more suitable to the best restaurants in Phoenix area, their modern tastes and presentations of traditional and classy Mexican food. You should also try the starters like the grilled street corn or the grilled Romaine salad before you munch on the tacos. And yes stay true to Mexican foods as you also try out their tres-leche cake as dessert to top the divine annatto-braised enchiladas of chicken or the savory spicy al pastor tacos of braised and marinated pork. Their web address is http://tacoguild.com and you can find them at # 546 East Osborn Road.

This is a small chain of best restaurants in Phoenix with modern yet traditional Mexican fare with a twist that sets it apart and has allowed it to win many awards for being among the best restaurants in Phoenix area. As the name suggests the two best items are the tequila and the tacos no matter which location of the Blanco Tacos you try. The modernity of the food means they use far less grease and oil while placing an accent on the fresh foods, cheeses and salads. The liquor collection is so large that making cocktails and margaritas can be a profession in its own right with over a million combinations possible from their fascinating range. The slow-cooked pork barbequed tacos are the winners of many of their awards and you have to taste it to know why. The live music is exemplary and their Scottsdale location is a happy party every Friday and Saturday night with even live DJs.

The Tamale Store located at # 15842 of North Cave Creek Road in Phoenix is a family-run business and they know their tamales and its making at the best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix for many years now. They make it with lots of canola, olive or other healthy oils and use the traditional ways of making the tamales in small batches from lard-free, house-made masa. This goes excellently with the pork red chile and the adobada sauce that accompanies it. Take your pick of the best tamales in all sorts of shapes and varieties at one of the best restaurants in Phoenix area and try out the Arizona Cornbread which is a savoury mix with a sweet tinge and the Colby Jack tamale which is unique to the Tamale Store. Want to try the vegan options at this jewel among the best restaurants in Phoenix? That’s healthy and encouraged too by rotating the seasonal veggies and fruits in the recipes.

Los Dos Molinas is located at #8646 of South Central Avenue and its owner and inspiration of the best among the best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix chef Victoria Chavez have been around since the 1970s. The modernity of the best restaurants in Phoenix and this one is a personalized experience where the daughters remain involved and everything is made by hand from the start. The meaning of Los Dos Molinas means two grinders in Mexican and came to be because of the timeless gift of two old-styled chilli grinders given to the Chef Victoria and her husband Eddie by their grandparents. Almost 50 years later the traditions continue with the daughters also included in the cooking. The must-try dishes at this gem among the best restaurants in Phoenix area are the Adovada ribs with dollops of peppers, and blue corn spicy tamales that pack a mind-numbing punch and a few of the milder dishes like the aromatic garlic shrimps, beef and bean tostadas and many more. They have locations at Ahwatukee, Tempe, and Uptown too.

This unique CRUjiente Tacos restaurant serves tiny but flavorful street tacos that are just about two bites of blessed Mexican flavors from the best restaurants in Phoenix. They also stock well over 50 wines and tequilas, and a collection of well-aged Spanish wines, canned, bottled, craft or draft beers, bourbons and more CRUjiente special cocktails to wash those tacos down with while exercising the best Mexican alcoholic options with belly-filling tacos. Do try the pork belly, the day-and-a-half beef short rib, the undeniable Korean fried chicken, the whitefish ceviche and a horde of entrees and forerunners like the tortillas, chorizo, watermelon jalapeño salad, queso with tortilla chips and the well-roasted poblano. They are located at the #3961 of East Camelback Road of Phoenix in Arizona. You will enjoy the modern seating, ambiance and the totally inventive dozens of craft beer cocktails like the whiskey chaser and more straight out of the best restaurants in the Phoenix area. Make a full lunch date or even an early night dinner of this option and just sit back and enjoy true blue-blooded Mexican food at this one among the best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix.

Tacos Sahuaro is located at #2320 of North 32nd Street and has been the best restaurants in Phoenix business since the year 2009. The simple eatery offers handmade tortillas, chicharrón, chorizo, chicken and Carne asada. Look out for the bright entrance of the best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix with a smiling saguaro feasting on authentic Mexican food because that is what you should be doing at this reputed taqueria on the East side of Phoenix. Mexican food is far more than just the tacos. But at the Tacos Sahuaro, the one thing you should never discount as one-of-a-kind is the tacos of pork and side dishes that revel in unique sauces and side dishes to be eaten with platters of tacos.

This modern and always-full Sunnyslope best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix eatery has fast caught up with the best restaurants for Mexican food in Phoenix and has plenty of space on its open patio and cozy interior spaces too. What you must try is the salsa trio with an avocado and lentil salad, served with chipotle aioli on the corn elotes sprinkled with cotija cheese and chilly powder. The drinks are extremely modestly priced and a Whisky sour with a Mexican twist the El Santa is hardly 5 USD every day Mondays to Fridays between the happy hours from 3 to 6 pm. The main dishes are simply superb and a choice between fresh and crispy red snapper dishes or barbacoa beef tacos for the mains.

The Ladera Taverna y Cocina is just a year old and is located at #8729 on North of Central Avenue and offers you the best Mexican brunch in town. Want to eat to your fullest for brunch in just 4 USD at one of the best restaurants in the Phoenix area? Try the brunch and the 4USD mimosas with dulce de leche French toast, chicken enchiladas and barbacoa hash. And yes their full platter always includes that must-try barbacoa, which features corn cake, cotija cheese, cilantro, guajillo salsa, elotes, and more.

The Gallo Blanco is located at #928 East of Pierce Street. You can call them on 602*327*0880 or contact them on info@galloblancocafe.com. They are open Tuesdays to Thursdays from 11 am to 10 pm, On Fridays from 11 am to midnight, On Saturdays for extended hours starting 8 am to midnight and on Sundays from 8 am to 10 pm. The owner cum chef is Doug Robson who is Mexican born to parents with English, French and Vietnamese heritage in his blood . His idea of healthy food for the best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix is borne out in the classic dishes for breakfast like the any-time huevos rancheros, the 2-sided Pescado del dia, the poached shrimp ceviche downed with a quaint heady full margarita. The happy hours are 3 pm to 6 pm and when you love the food and reciprocated for an hour each day. Tuesdays are special and its always happy times from open till they finally pull the shutters. They also have a sister restaurant at otrocafe.com in the Garfield district of Phoenix downtown.

This restaurant has an assortment of dishes and wines that you must try out such as the steak Mexicano, the chile relleno, the chicken mole, the delicious Mango Margarita, the very many salsas at the outdoor salsa bar, well-aged Mexican wines and the super aromatic gourmet options of the Casa Corazon’s house favorites will bedazzle not just your taste buds but your senses in total. The food is always organic and locally procured so it is always fresh. And fresh food is always the secret ingredient for special food at the Casa Corazon. Beginning from the wall art, the beautiful salsa bar, the gourmet menu of Mexican delicacies, the heady tequila or wines menu and the preparations of each and every dish is done almost as a ritual and with extreme care at the Casa Corazon. Try their uniquely flavored house-made salsas that are more than a dozen in variety, their enticing taco garnishes, the extra hot Morita smoky salsa, the fresh tortilla chips, the creamy salsa from pineapples or the spicy fresh pepper Serrano salsa. You are sure to return to the salsa bar more than once. Don’t hesitate as the spread has been laid out just for you!

This beautiful orange colored building is located at #2637, North of 16th street on the south of Thomas Road in Phoenix of Arizona. Every opportunity at the Casa Corazon is never limited for options be it take-away, dine-in, open breakfasts, buffet lunches, or fine dinners. Call them on 602* 334*1917 or visit their website at info@casacorazonrestaurant.com. They are open daily from 10 am to 10 pm inclusive of the special Sundays.
As we close in to our parting notes we wish to point out that whether it be the enchiladas, churros, tacos life in the Valley of the Sun at Phoenix would be incomplete without the best picks of the breakfast nirvana burritos, unique chilaquiles recipes with tortilla chips, the salsa and fresh garnishes, the best red beans with peppery picadillo, beefy Roja desebrada or cheesy rajas, the guacamoles, nachos and quesadillas. They will leave you bewitched and wanting to taste more and more of the tang and spice at the best restaurants in Phoenix. Uptown, Downtown, East or West of Phoenix, Arcadia or Central Avenue perhaps Phoenix is home to the best Mexican restaurants in Phoenix and in the USA. And yes why not? The dining experience at any of the ten best restaurants in Phoenix area we just led you through is a fine-dining Mexican experience beyond compare. Go ahead, and try out one or all of them. We hope you will enjoy the meals we have suggested at will revert to us with your assent that these are definitely the best Mexican foods in the world! Happy dining...