It's always nice when local restaurants get a little national media recognition. And recently, Phoenix and Arizona as a whole havebeen popping up on lists and in articles ranging from Food & Wine magazine to Thrillist.
National Geographic recently shared aguide to visiting and eating in Tucson, highlighting must-visit Mexican restaurants including Seis, Boca Tacos Y Tequila, El Charro and Tania's 33. The New York Times showed Arizona some love, as did Esquire Magazine and the fierce army of Yelp reviewers.
When a local favorite gets named best in the country, the warm and fuzzies of local pride swell. Maybe there's even a little sense of we-told-you-so in there. We know how good our local dining scene is, andnow the nation can, too.
Here are the Arizona restaurants thatmade the national newsthis year.
Our top picks:The 10 best new restaurants in metro Phoenix
Tratto makes The New York Times'The Restaurant List'
Last Fall, the New York Times dropped its anticipated 'The Restaurant List'featuring "The 50 places in America we're most excited about right now." The list is unranked, meaning there is no top spot or winner, but for one local Phoenix restaurant, the mention itself was a prize.
Tratto, anItalian restaurant from pizzaiolo and award-winning chef Chris Bianco, made the cut. The restaurant opened in 2016 in uptown Phoenix before moving closer to downtown during the pandemic.
"Its kitchen still proves that Arizona wheat makes pasta as exemplary as it does crust and bread, and thatan Italian menu can be guided by seasonal regional ingredients," Times contributor Brett Anderson wrote.
More pasta, please:Try these 10 unique pasta dishes at metro Phoenix restaurants
Bacanora lands on Esquire's 'Best New Restaurants' list
When Bacanora opened on Grand Avenue, the Sonoran-style spot quickly gained local acclaim. The Arizona Republic's dining critic called it an "instant Phoenix classic."
Last fall, Esquire published its 40-restaurantlist of the Best New Restaurants in America. Bacanora appeared inthe number 21 spot.
"Sonoran-born chef/owner Rene Andrade and his team play with literal fire as they command the flame from the massive custom-built grill," food writer Omar Mamoon described.
Coffee time:Mexican coffee shops around Phoenix celebrate nostalgic flavors
Barrio Bread named on Food & Wine's 'Best Bread in Every State' list
At the start of Food & Wine's list of the best bread in every state, author David Landsel makes the claim thatAmerican bread-baking is the best it'sever been.
In Arizona, with our bounty of excellent bread options, that very well may be true.
The list namesTucson's Barrio Bread as the best in the state. Barrio Bread, and its dedicated and decoratedbaker Don Guerra, are a staple in the Old Pueblo and beyond, drawing linesof customers to the small bread shop.
Food & Wine's list doesn't stop in Tucson, however, and also offers nods to Pane Bianco, a Chris Bianco-and-familysandwich joint, and Noble Bread in Phoenix.
Get ready:The most anticipated bars and breweries coming to metro Phoenix in 2022
Two Phoenix restaurantsmake Thrillist's 'Best Vegetarian and Vegan'
In late January, Thrillist published a list of "The 33 Best Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants in America," featuring spots from Seattle toBrooklyn. Phoenix made the cut with not one, but two restaurants:The Coronado and Green New American Vegetarian.
Neighborhood favorite The Coronado is known for its breakfast burritos andchilaquiles in the morning, and popular cauliflower tacos and creative co*cktails later in the day. It's alsoknown forraisingmoney for community groups, fighting for social justice and being a welcoming space for all.
Green New American Vegetarianalso made the cut with its 100% vegan menu. The restaurant, which has locations in Tempe and Phoenix, aims to bring "vegan comfort food to the masses," according to itswebsite. The menu features riffs on classic pub fare including vegan buffalo wings, chili fries, burritos and burgers.
The Thrillist list also gave a shout out to Nami, Green New American Vegetarian's sister spot known for dairy-free ice cream.
Cocina Madrigal named Yelp's topplace to eat in America in 2022
In January, crowd sourcing and review platform Yelp released a list of the 100 top places to eat this year. And not only did Phoenix make the list a few times, we took the top spot.
The number one best place to eat in America, according to this list, is Cocina Madrigal, a south Phoenix Mexican restaurant.
Opened in 2018 by Leo Madrigal and his family, the restaurant serves a mixture of Oaxacan and American dishes including tacos, Hatch green chile pork, queso fundido and churros.
Aside from essentially winning the list, Phoenix placed four other times. WoodBarn BBQ in Queen Creek, downtown co*cktail destination Bitter & Twisted co*cktail Parlour, CAPS Sports Grill and Wicked Brews, Bites & Spirits all earned a mention.
Reach the reporter at tirion.morris@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter at @tirionmorris, on Facebook at Tirion Rose and on Instagram at tirionrose.
