Our recent staycation in Phoenix was filled with surprises!
Lon's at the Hermosa Inn - what a gem!
One of the beauties of living in Arizona is the proximity to so many great destinations. Want to have brunch on the beach in San Diego? It’s a mere six-hour drive. Fancy a day snowshoeing on pristine trails in the woods? Flagstaff is right up the road. Need a few days away to unwind filled with terrific meals, and soaking up some rays? The Valley of the Sun is here for you. We had a recent staycation in Phoenix that yielded a few new restaurant finds that we had to share!
La Santisima Gourmet Taco Shop
This is such a great spot for authentic, award-winning central Mexican food including guacamole, tacos, and mole. Everything we tried was excellent and included a few unexpected twists - think chunks of fresh mango in the guacamole, horchata from their special family recipe with fruit and nuts in it, and tacos filled with so many delicious choices from pink mole chicken to marinated filet mignon with a variety of chilies, toasted crispy melted Oaxacan cheese, and spicy pecan salsa. This will be a regular stop for us because there are so many flavors that I can’t stop thinking about. This place has been under our radar until now, but not anymore!
GreekTown Restaurant
We were staying in Central Phoenix this trip which is a different part of the city than we usually frequent. The resort we were at had a great fine dining restaurant but not much in the way of anything else for dinner, so we headed out on a scouting trip. After a quick Google maps search, we landed on GreekTown. With over 800 glowing five-star reviews, we figured it was a good bet. How have we never been here?? George, the owner, has been in this location for 50 years! He and his son are in charge of the most welcoming, convivial Greek party I’ve ever experienced. Plates were broken, cries of “Opa” were in the air, and the FOOD! So delicious - every bite better than the last. George is such a great host and there was a whole crew of regulars ready to advise us - “don’t miss the lamb chops”, “get the calamari, you won’t regret it!”, “the dessert is to die for”. We can’t wait to go back to this place - everything we ate was perfect!
Otro Cafe
Another central Phoenix hideaway that we haven’t eaten at until now! We loved the chill vibes, great servers, and the menu filled with so many of our favorites. We chowed down on posole, pork belly tacos, unique salads topped with serrano ham, and grilled lamb ribs with a smoky chile sauce. The menu online is only a portion of their current offerings which include breakfast all day - a Shumate family favorite is breakfast for dinner. This is one of several restaurants we visited which had won lots of awards for “Best of” from a few years back. In a world in which the newest hottest thing is on everyone’s list, I’m a big fan of the solid performer who is still making magic happen every night of the week in a restaurant filled with appreciative guests in the know.
Lon’s at the Hermosa
While this is by no means an exhaustive list, we couldn’t miss waxing poetic about Lon’s. This is one of our go-to special occasion destinations. My sister and I have birthdays four days apart, and two of the last three birthday celebrations have been at Lon’s. They have a beautiful courtyard and an equally special restaurant space. We’ve enjoyed a relaxed Saturday morning brunch and several incredible dinners with friends and family that rank among some of my favorite experiences in AZ. Service that is attentive but not pretentious or overly involved, the freshest local ingredients and preparations, and a fantastic dessert menu make Lon’s a treasure. Perfect for a romantic dinner, brunch with the girls, or just because. Don’t miss the churro tree!
Enjoy exploring these great places on your next trip to the Valley:
La Santisima
La Santisima | Best mexican food in Phoenix (lasantisimagourmet.com)
602-254-6330
1919 N. 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ
GreekTown Restaurant
Greek Town Restaurant - Best Greek Restaurant in Phoenix
602-674-8881
8519 N. 7th Street, Phoenix, AZ
Otro Cafe
602-266-0831
6035 N. 7th Street, Phoenix, AZ
Lon’s at the Hermosa
Restaurants in Paradise Valley AZ | LON's | Hermosa Inn
602-955-7878
5532 N. Palo Cristi Road, Paradise Valley, AZ