Archive All Issues April 2013

BEST RESTAURANTS 2013

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There are many wonderful restaurants in Arizona, and every April, we spotlight some of the best. This month, we''re at it again, but instead of having an editorial board make the picks, we enlisted the help of 10 of our favorite food-loving photographers.

Featured in the April 2013 Issue of Arizona Highways

Dawn Kish
Dawn Kish
BY: Nikki Buchanan

Months spent traversing Italy by bicycle inform the menu at Flagstaff's Pizzicletta, a Neapolitan pizzeria and favorite of photographer Dawn Kish.

Best Restaurants

Pizzicletta

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

Best Restaurants

The food isn't the only authentically Mexican thing about Asi Es La Vida, where the walls are adorned with symbols of traditional Mexican culture.

Asi Es La Vida

PHOENIX

Recommended by Kerrick James

ESTABLISHED: 2002

CUISINE: Regional Mexican

CHEF: Irving Rodriguez

PRICE: $$

OPEN: Lunch, Dinner INFORMATION: 3602 Ν. 24th Street, Phoenix, 602-952-1255

"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

www.arizonahighways.com 19

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

"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."

Best Restaurants 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

"When I first saw this rundown 1950s motel, I assumed its restaurant would be a-shot-and-abeer 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

"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

Best Restaurants

"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-andpotatoes town like Williams."

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

Los Hermanos SUPERIOR

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

A destination for cowboys and anyone else who appreciates a no-frills meal, Los Hermanos has been serving up madefrom-scratch AZ-Mex food for more than two decades.

Caffe Torino

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, www.caffetorinoorovalley.com

"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

www.arizonahighways.com

INDIAN GARDENS OAK CREEK MARKET ESPRESSO GROCERIES COLD BEER LIQUORS 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, www.oakcreekmarket.com 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

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