BEST RESTAURANTS 2013

Average Entrée Cost:
$ = $10 and under; $$ = $11-$19;
$$$ = $20-$30; $$$$ = $30+
 

Pizzicletta
Flagstaff
Recommended by Dawn Kish

Established: 2011
Cuisine: Italian
Chef: Caleb Schiff
Price: $$
Open: Dinner
Information: 203 W. Phoenix Avenue, Flagstaff, 928-774-3242, www.pizzicletta.com

Chef-owner Caleb Schiff spent months riding his bicycle (bicicletta) through Italy, sustaining himself on pizza and gelato. Now he applies what he learned about freshness and simplicity to the short but oh-so-sweet menu at his tiny pizza joint, housed in a wedge-shaped historic building. Using the domed wood-burning oven he built himself, Schiff turns out lavishly topped Neapolitan-style pies, antipasti and dreamy Tuscan-style gelato, the recipe gleaned from a gelato-making friend in Italy. Customers call ahead to reserve a loaf of Schiff’s rustic bread, offered Friday through Sunday.

"A friend took me there, and I loved the building, the owner, the fresh ingredients, the wine list and the divine pizzas."

— Dawn Kish

 

Asi Es La Vida
Phoenix
Recommended by Kerrick James

Established: 2002
Cuisine: Regional Mexican
Chef: Irving Rodriguez
Price: $$
Open: Lunch, Dinner
Information: 3602 N. 24th Street, Phoenix, 602-952-1255

Once upon a time long, long ago (like the early ’90s), there was a Mexican restaurant called Such Is Life, which created a stir for turning out regional Mexican dishes instead of the usual cheddar-cheese-topped AZ-Mex standards. When the Rodriguez family bought the business 10 years later, they changed the name to Asi Es La Vida (“such is life” in Spanish), but kept the same commitment to authenticity. Their faintly upscale little place is adorable, thanks to brightly colored walls, plants, Mexican art and furniture, and the menu hews to tradition, offering cochinita pibil (Yucatan), molé poblano (Puebla), ceviche (coastal) and sincronizadas (Chihuahua).

“I love the watermelon agua fresca; oh my God, it’s like nectar. This is truly a family restaurant, offering real Mexican food, not Mexican-American food, in a relaxed atmosphere.”

— Kerrick James
 

The Steak Out
Sonoita
Recommended by Paul Markow

Established: 1951
Cuisine: American/Steaks
Chef: Vince Govier
Price: $$-$$$
Open: Lunch (Sa-Su), Dinner
Information:  3200 S. Sonoita Highway, Sonoita, 520-455-5205, www.azsteakout.com

The original building (Sonoita Mercantile, back in the day) burned down in 1997, and when this popular steakhouse was rebuilt in 1999, owners Grace and Michael Wystrach invited local ranchers to brand the walls. Decorated with saddles, bronze statues, oxen yokes, wagon-wheel chandeliers and cowboy art, the place is an ode to the Old West, offering mesquite-grilled steaks, homemade pinto beans and country music on weekend nights. Nowadays, there’s a second location in Marana, but it’s hard to beat the original for emulating the Cowboy Way in an iconic, far-as-the-eye-can-see Western setting.

“There’s always a film crew or a celebrity at another table, because the grasslands of Sonoita look like somewhere else. If you’re not drinking wine, you invariably end up doing so at this fun-looking log-cabin-ish place, which serves great steaks and burgers.”

— Paul Markow
 

Cliff Dwellers Lodge
Marble Canyon
Recommended by David Zickl

Established: 1951
Cuisine: American/Modern American
Chef: John Cochran
Price: $-$$$
Open: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Information: 928-355-2261, www.cliffdwellerslodge.com

Fly-fishers and river-rafters flock to this rustic old lodge because of its proximity to Lees Ferry on the Colorado River. A hard bed, clean sheets and a meal (decent or otherwise) are generally their only requirements. Instead, they’re treated to hearty breakfasts and first-rate lunches, both served with spectacular views of the Vermilion Cliffs. Come nightfall, looming peaks and a sky full of stars provide a romantic backdrop for inspired dinners of Alaskan king crab legs, New Zealand rack of lamb and sesame-crusted ahi, drizzled with wasabi sauce.
A super-friendly service staff makes the experience all the more delicious.

“When I first saw this run-down 1950s motel, I assumed its restaurant would be a-shot-and-a-beer cowboy joint, where I’d be lucky to get a cheeseburger. I was shocked by the sophistication of the food. They work hard at feeding people well.”

— David Zickl
 

Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano
Sedona
Recommended by Derek von Briesen

Established: 1995
Cuisine: Italian
Chef: Lisa Dahl
Price: $$-$$$
Open: Lunch, Dinner
Information:  2321 W. State Route 89A, Sedona, 928-282-5219, www.dahlanddiluca.com

With its crystal chandeliers, heavy draperies, gorgeous table settings and Italian art, this multi-award-winning Red Rock Country mainstay exudes Old World charm. Chef-owner Lisa Dahl (who wrote The Elixir of Life cookbook in 2010) is committed to local, organic ingredients whenever possible, turning out picture-perfect salads, rustic soups, house-made pastas and Italian classics (think scampi fra diavolo, fettuccine primavera and veal saltimbocca), as well as the occasional inspired creation such as grilled Scottish salmon finished with a limoncello reduction. The global wine list, which features Super Tuscans and other regional Italian wines, impresses for its breadth and affordability.

“You can tell how good a restaurant is going to be by the quality of its bread. Dahl & Di Luca rolls out great bread and wonderful pasta. The menu spans a nice range, and you can get dressed up and take clients there or go in wearing jeans and hiking boots.”

— Derek von Briesen
 

Dara Thai Café
Williams
Recommended by Mark Lipczynski

Established: 2008
Cuisine: Thai
Chef: Pranee Adachi
Price: $-$$
Open: Lunch, Dinner
Information: 145 W. Route 66, Suite C, Williams, 928-635-2201

Pranee Adachi and her daughter, Jarunee Krathinthong, own and operate this small, cozy place, where houseplants and café curtains conjure Grandma’s house — if Grandma were from Thailand. Adachi, who learned her fresh-ingredients philosophy from her own mother (a caterer in Thailand), makes everything from scratch, including her own curry paste and coconut ice cream. Customers, in turn, rave about her curries, Pad Thai, Dara tofu and award-winning Evil Jungle Princess, marveling that some of the most authentic Thai food in the state is found in Williams.

“It’s just a little no-frills hole in the wall, but the food is very authentic and very, very good. You don’t expect to find that in a meat-and-potatoes town like Williams.”

— Mark Lipczynski
 

Los Hermanos
Superior
Recommended by Elias Butler

Established: 1976
Cuisine: Mexican/American
Chef: Richard Tameron
Price: $
Open: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Information: 835 W. U.S. Route 60, Superior, 520-689-5465

Founded by six brothers (hermanos in Spanish), this no-frills operation — outfitted in vinyl and Formica — offers honest, made-from-scratch AZ-Mex at its basic best. Thick house-made chips and plenty-hot salsa are the prelude to enchiladas, tostadas, posole and the best refried beans for miles around. Some people save room for dessert empanadas; others just fill up on ultra-thin, transparent tortillas (made with lard, yay!) cranked out from the adjacent tortilla factory, which also is owned by the Tameron family and their one lone hermano with a different surname: Donlin.

“I make it a point to stop at Los Hermanos every time I’m in Superior. It feels like old-school Arizona. The tortillas are awesome and the green chile is especially delectable. I always get some to take home.”

— Elias Butler
 

Caffe Torino
Oro Valley
Recommended by Jack Dykinga

Established: 2000
Cuisine: Northern Italian
Chef: Daniela Borella
Price: $-$$$
Open: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Information: 10325 N. La Canada Drive, Tucson, 520-297-3777, caffetorinotucson.com/

Daniela Borella says her Italian-born mother (from Torino) and father (from Bologna) offer inspiration and support at her intimate, upscale neighborhood restaurant, hung with vintage family photos and the work of local artists. So it’s no wonder her lasagna (made with Dad’s Bolognese) and her spaghetti with meatballs are legendary. Although veal Marsala, chicken Valdostana and bistecca alla Toscana (not to mention white tablecloths and an extensive wine list, peppered with Italian labels) suggest fine dining, Borella insists that it’s her adherence to fresh ingredients and simple, well-prepared dishes that wins her such a loyal following of locals, golfers and, yes, photographers.

“I’ve been going to Caffe Torino — and taking other photographers there — since it first opened. It’s everybody’s favorite place because the food is fresh and simple and, like Cheers, everybody knows your name.”

— Jack Dykinga
 

Indian Gardens Oak Creek Market
Oak Creek Canyon
Recommended by Suzanne Mathia

Established: 1984
Cuisine: American
Chef: Daniel Garland
Price: $
Open: Breakfast, Lunch, Early Dinner
Information: 3951 N. State Route 89A, Sedona, 928-282-7702, facebook.com/indiangardens/

Situated on the winding road through Oak Creek Canyon, this rustic, flower-bordered country store has been operated by various members of the Garland family (of Garland’s Lodge fame) since the ’80s. Now that Daniel Garland has made it his baby, the recently remodeled place, finished with local rock, has blossomed into an artisanal way station, stocked with craft beer, Arizona wines and locally sourced products. In the fall, the kitchen turns Oak Creek apples into applesauce, apple butter and apple muffins. But tourists and locals show up all year long for excellent homemade soups and gourmet sandwiches, garnished with local tomatoes and house-made organic pesto when the season allows.

“Indian Gardens has always been my favorite stop-off point after early morning shoots up the canyon. After a long hike, there’s nothing better than a great sandwich and a really good cup of tea in their beautiful, secluded garden under a canopy of trees.”

— Suzanne Mathia
 

Booga Red’s
Springerville
Recommended by George Stocking

Established: 1980
Cuisine: Mexican/American
Chefs: Gaby Ruiz, Tina Irigoyen
Price: $-$$
Open:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Information:  521 E. Main Street, Springerville, 928-333-2640

Edgar Merrill — a red-haired, rough-and-tumble carpenter with the nickname “Booga Red” — opened this down-home Mexican/American restaurant (and built its bar) 32 years ago, and it hasn’t changed much since. Now it’s owned and operated by Merrill’s granddaughter Melissa Madariaga and her husband, Buster, who still turn out praiseworthy huevos rancheros, chicken-fried steak and St. John’s tacos (filled with ground beef and griddled in the shell). Filled with hunting trophies and frequented by locals who hunt, fish and cowboy, the place is famous for both its red and green chile, made from generations-old family recipes.

“On the Mogollon Rim, green chile is a dish, not a garnish like it is in New Mexico. Booga Red’s green chile is the best I’ve ever had — not on-fire hot, just flavorful — and made just the way I like it: about 85 percent green chile and 15 percent meat.”

— George Stocking