Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
430
Start with the guacamole and the bacon-wrapped shrimp, and then maybe order the
same thing again. Then, do not pass up the buttermilk chicken with the heavenly mashed
sweet potatoes. If you're really hungry, opt for the pork
osso buco
(pork shank) with green
chile sauce. The space is dark and a bit rustic, with a ranch feel and cowboy art on the
walls.
6933 N. Seventh St.
&
602/264-0700.
www.sierrabonitagrill.com. Reservations recommended. Main
courses $9-$28. AE, DC, MC, V. Sun-Mon 11am-9pm; Tues-Thurs 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11am-11pm.
Vincent's Market Bistro
FRENCH Located in back of the ever-popular Vin-
cent's restaurant, this casual place does a respectable job of conjuring up a casual back-
street bistro in Paris. It's quaint without being froufrou. This place stays packed on
Saturday mornings when Vincent's farmers' market attracts crowds of shoppers in search
of gourmet snacks and fresh produce. Be sure to order the coq au vin. You can also get
great dinners to go.
3930 E. Camelback Rd.
&
602/224-3727.
www.vincentsoncamelback.com. Main courses $7-$16. AE,
DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Fri 7am-8pm; Sat-Sun 7am-2pm (June-Sept closed Mon).
Inexpensive
Delux
AMERICAN With a sleek and stylish decor, a very limited menu (you'd
better like burgers), and one of the best selections of draft beers in the Valley, this is the
ultimate ultrahip burger-and-beer joint. The burgers get my vote for best burgers in the
city, but it's the cute Barbie-size shopping carts full of crispy french fries that are the real
reason to dine here. Talk about your guilty pleasures—it just doesn't get much better than
a cart of fries and a pint of Old Rasputin imperial stout. If you're not a fan of burgers,
don't despair; there are great salads and a few nonbeef sandwiches.
In the Biltmore Plaza, 3146 E. Camelback Rd.
&
602/522-2288.
www.deluxburger.com. Reservations not
accepted. Main courses $6-$13. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am-2am.
13
Pane Bianco
Finds
LIGHT FARE Chris Bianco, owner of downtown's immensely
popular Pizzeria Bianco (see below), has another winner on his hands with this casual
counter-service bakery and sandwich shop not far from the Heard Museum. The menu
consists of only four sandwiches and a couple of salads, but all the breads are baked on
the premises in a wood-fired oven. The house-made mozzarella is exquisitely fresh and is
served both as a caprese salad with tomatoes and basil and in a focaccia sandwich with
the same ingredients. And that focaccia? The best in Phoenix.
4404 N. Central Ave.
&
602/234-2100.
www.pizzeriabianco.com. Reservations not accepted. Sand-
wiches and salads $8. AE, MC, V. Tues-Sat 11am-3pm.
DOWNTOWN, SOUTH PHOENIX & THE AIRPORT AREA
Expensive
Quiessence
Finds
NEW AMERICAN This place is as far from a typical Phoe-
nix/Scottsdale dining experience as you can get without going to the airport and getting
on a plane. Quiessence is set at the back of a shady pecan grove not far from South
Mountain Park and is surrounded by organic vegetable gardens. These gardens, and the
freshness of the ingredients they provide, is what makes the food here so wonderful;
the rural setting is what makes Quiessence truly special. Fresh, seasonal ingredients are the
rule here, so the menu changes often. Be sure to start your meal with the Chef 's Spread, a
platter of cheeses, terrines, and house-made salami.
