Date indicates the most recent update of the restaurants listed
Bold indicates my recommendations; others come from what I consider to be good sources

Benson

Mi Casa–723 W. 4th St. (Mexican) Open 11 am to 7 pm Tue-Fri. Reviewers say it is more flavorful than the average Mexican restaurant and photos indicate it is more colorful. Mostly has Mexican standards (such as enchiladas) but they are more upscale and you get more variety than at most places. Has enchiladas red and green sauce, and steak enchiladas are available (also spinach enchiladas). Has baja style shrimp tacos. Reviewers recommend the carrot cake for dessert. Map (Dining room is open 4-18-24)

Bisbee

Cafe Roka–35 Main St. (Modern American) Open Thu-Sat (dinner only). Said to be very good food. Everything is served in a four course meal. Restaurant is small so it’s best to make a reservation. (520) 432-5153. Map (Dining room is open 3-16-24)

Thuy’s Noodle Shop–207 Tombstone Canyon (Vietnamese) Open 11 am to 7 pm (closed Sun & Mon). Most reviewers say the food is excellent (and not just for a small town). Has vegan pho if you want it. Map (Dining room is open 4-18-24)

Bullhead City

Bangkok River Thai–1751 Hwy. 95 (Thai) Open Daily. Good reviews, and they say this is one of the few places in town that is not a tourist trap. Spice level here is Thai (spicy means very spicy compared to most restaurants). Map (Dining room is open 12-13-21)

El Charro–2101 Hwy. 95 (Mexican) Closed Sun evening & Mon. The “little things” are very good here (chips, salsa, beans, and especially the tortillas). Menu seems to be divided between Cal-Mex and authentic Mexican (but both have excellent reviews). Apparently if you want interior style Mexican food here you can get it, but you will get it with chips & salsa (and the American style setups). Map (Dining room is open 12-13-21)

Cameron

Cameron Trading Post–466 Hwy. 89 (Southwest) Open daily 6 am to 9 pm. Cuisine is “American, Mexican, and Native American” (according to its web site). Navajo taco is recommended (large one is more than enough for a meal). Also has Yah-Ahtay chile, Navajo beef stew, and other Native American food. Has several prickly pear dishes. Much of the menu is more inexpensive (hamburgers, sandwiches, etc.). Cameron is about 50 miles n of Flagstaff on US 89. Note Nov 22: Many tourists stop in here on the way to or from the Grand Canyon. The restaurant has limited dining space because of Covid, but they do serve customers here (and the dining room is very large). Map (Dining room is open 11-3-22)

Camp Verde

Yavapai Apache Fry Bread–W. Middle Verde Rd. (Native American) Open daily 10 am to 5 pm. Reviewers say this is very good and the food is the real deal. It is all outdoors but they have covered picnic tables. They only serve fry bread. Map (Outdoor dining is available 8-29-22)

Cornville

Manzanita Restaurant–11425 E. Cornville Rd. (German) Dinner only (closed Mon & Tue). Reservations are recommended (928) 634-8851 (just e. of Cottonwood). Reviewers say the food is about as authentic as anywhere in the US. The chef is Swiss trained. They grow their own vegetables and herbs in their garden. Also has some highly reviewed non-German items such as prime rib. Listed in the $$ price category (but I suspect it is almost at $$$). Map (Dining room is open 3-16-24)

Cottonwood

Randall’s–891 S. Main St. (American) Open daily (breakfast & lunch only). This is a breakfast restaurant–some visitors to Cottonwood say the breakfast here was the best they experienced on their whole trip (and almost all of them say the food here is very good). Mostly serves standard breakfast items, but also has some local dishes such as Navajo tacos. Map (Dining room is open 2-28-24)

Duncan

Ranch House–231 Railroad Dr. (American) Open daily 7 am to 8 pm (9 pm weekends). The most popular item here is chicken fried steak. Other items here get good reviews as well. Has Mexican food but photos show enchiladas covered with cheese but little if any chile (they have green chile at GiMees in York–between Duncan and Clifton on SH 75 bud closedt it is only open for dinner). Map (Dining room is open 10-8-23)

Flagstaff

Asia Station–121 S. San Francisco St. (Asian Fusion) Closed Sun & Mon (and closed 3-5 pm). Is a new restaurant that has the highest ratings for Asian food in town. Serves different cuisines–menu is mainly Thai and has some less common dishes such as pad prik king. Mango rice is recommended, and food has a high heat level if you ask for it. Has pho and some Japanese dishes. Map (Dining room is open 3-16-24)

Ewa’s Thai–110 S. San Francisco St. (Thai) Closed Sun lunch & closed Tue. This and Dara Thai get the best reviews, but I chose this for the list because the best dishes are pad thai, pad woon sen, curry, etc. while at Dara Thai people mention items such as orange chicken (I am sure the real Thai food is good as well, but Ewa’s probably would be better). Map (Dining room is open 2-28-24)

Delhi Palace–2500 S. Woodlands Village Blvd. (Indian) Open daily (closed from 2:30 to 5:00 pm). I can attest to others’ good reviews because this mini-chain used to have a restaurant in El Paso which I frequented. I agree with others that the buffet here is good (and I usually do not like buffets). Buffet is at lunch only. Map (Dining room is open 11-25-21)

Fat Olives–2308 E. Route 66 (Italian) Open Daily. Food is made from scratch and gets good reviews, but the reason I’m including it is that it is certified by VPN for its Neapolitan Pizza which is made with ingredients imported from Italy. Map (Dining room is open 11-25-21)

Himalayan Grill–801 S. Milton Rd. (Nepalese) Closed Tue (and closed from 2:30 to 5 pm). Serves Indian, Nepalese, and Tibetan cuisine. Apparently this means they have two or three versions of some items, as well as items from these three areas. I have read that when Nepalese people immigrate to the US they frequently seek out high altitude areas to settle, so I would expect a restaurant in Flagstaff to be very authentic and good. The Tibetan food is also something I do not find in many restaurants, so this would be interesting. Map (Dining room is open 4-18-24)

My Pita Wrap–1800 S. Milton Rd. (Middle Eastern) Open 11-8 daily (closes at 7 pm on Sun). Reviewers say it is authentic and tastes very good but is served fast food style (food is served in wrappers and/or on paper plates). (Note: Taverna has Greek food and some Italian if you want a more upscale restaurant). Map (Dining room is open 11-25-21)

Nomads Global Lounge–19 W. Phoenix Ave. (International) Dinner only (closed Mon). If I understand it correctly, they try to take some of the best plates from all over the world and combine them into a meal (many items are served as tapas or small plates). People mention green chile soup, African peanut soup, Yucatan chicken, Aussie meat pie, etc. I think many of these are daily specials, so part of the attraction is the variety if you make several visits. Map (Temporarily closed 4-18-24)

Salsa Brava–2220 E. Route 66 (Mexican) Open daily 11 am to 9 pm. Good reviews for the food (but not for the price). Apparently it is New Mexico style, with red and green enchiladas and stuffed sopapillas. Also has Navajo tacos. The salsa bar is one of the best features of the restaurant. Many people seem to think it is not the best Mexican food ever, but it’s good for this part of Arizona. Note: I think if you order the wrong thing you will get gringo food instead of New Mexican. Dishes that look good from the photos are ones with red or green chile. Map (Dining room is 10-8-23)

Florence

Old Pueblo–505 S. Main St. (Mexican) Open daily 8 am to 8 pm. This is supposed to be one of the best Sonoran style restaurants in Arizona. Tacos, enchiladas, tamales, and breakfast are popular. Enchiladas and chile rellenos are most popular with their mild green chile on top. Map (Dining room is open 2-28-24)

Globe

El Ranchito–686 N. Broad St. (Mexican) Closed Mon, open 11-8 (8-3 Sat & Sun) . Sonoran style. Breakfast, or anything with green chile, are popular. Map (Dining room is open 4-18-24)

Irene’s Real Mexican Food–1623 E. Ash St. (Mexican) Open daily. Sonoran style. Good reviews, but to me it looks more American style than El Ranchito. Map (Dining room is open 10-8-23)

Grand Canyon

El Tovar Dining Room–Grand Canyon South Rim (American) Open Daily breakfast, lunch, dinner. Hit or miss–some items are very good (breakfast is good). Limited options in the national park, and this seems to be the best. (I think some of the negative reviews might be a bit too critical based on my experience at National Park restaurants, which have been very good). Map (Dining room is open 10-8-23)

Jacob Lake

Indian Fry Bread–US 89A & AZ-67 (Native American) Open Daily. Located at the beginning of the road that goes to the north entrance of Grand Canyon NP. Very good reviews. Fry bread has different fillings such as Indian taco or chili meat & cheese (also has a chicken wrap). Takeout only from a truck, but the area has motels, campgrounds, and picnic areas. Map (Takeout only 8-29-22)

Kayenta

Amigo Cafe–US 163 (Mexican) Closes at 7 pm–5 on Sat (closed Sun & Mon). Mexican food & Navajo fry bread (Navajo tacos are popular). Map (Dining room is open 10-8-23)

Golden Rice Bowl–US 160 Navajo Nation Plaza (Chinese) Open Daily. I was not as surprised to learn that there was a Chinese restaurant here as to learn that it has good reviews. All items are made without MSG, and it has interesting choices such as mapo tofu. Some say if you order food spicy you will get more spice than you might expect. Map (Dining room is open 3-16-24)

Kingman

Bangkok Thai–208 W. Andy Devine Ave. (Thai) Closed Sun (open until 8 pm other days). Excellent reviews, not only by locals but also by people from California and others passing through town. Pad thai has excellent reviews, but this is a great place to try other dishes and find out how the authentic “Thai style” version tastes. Has Isan style food from northeast Thailand (but apparently also has more well known dishes from the Bangkok area). Map (Dining room is open 2-28-24)

Federico’s–1470 E. Northern Ave. (Mexican) Open Daily. Almost everyone gives high ratings, but a few things stand out–street tacos, burrito, enchiladas with green chile, sopes, chile relleno, tamales. I don’t know why, but this location has higher ratings than the one in downtown Kingman. Note: this is a chain with several locations in Phoenix. Map (Dining room is open 12-22-21)

Thai 66–2018 E. Andy Devine Ave. (Thai) Closed Mon (and closed from 3 to 4 pm). Reviews indicate that it is very good and offers a flavor contrast to the other Thai restaurant in town. This has a very hole in the wall atmosphere. Reviews are good for all types of food served, but massaman curry and panang curry seem to be popular. Map (Dining room is open 10-3-23)

Note: Mattina’s Italian Restaurant is very popular, and may be the best restaurant in Kingman, but is in the $$$ price category and is only open for dinner. Map (12-22-21)

Lake Havasu City

Thai Food Restaurant (formerly Chao Praya/–2010 McCulloch Blvd. N. (Thai) Open daily 11 am to 8:30 pm. Reviewers say it is fresh with good flavors. One tip most people give is to order food at spice level 1 or 2 (3 is extremely spicy). Map (Dining room is open 2-28-24)

Javelina Cantina–1420 McCulloch Blvd. N. (Mexican) Open Daily. Right next to the London Bridge. Has an outdoor patio that allows pets. Serves Sonoran style Mexican food that apparently is usually very good, but subject to the type of variability frequently found in tourist towns. One tip from reviewers is that they have a lunch menu with much cheaper prices, but you have to ask for it (they don’t tell you about it otherwise). Map (Dining room is open 12-13-21)

Lakeside

Mountain Thai–2741 AZ-260 (Thai) Open daily. Reviewers say the food is similar to Thai food in Phoenix and other large cities. I think, though, that a few items are their favorites such as the yellow curry. Map (Dining room is open 10-8-23)

Nogales

El Zarape–694 N. Grand Ave. (Mexican) Open 4 am to 8 pm (closes 3 pm on Sun). Sonoran food (this is supposedly the best in Nogales). Wed. is chicken mole special. Map (Dining room is open 3-16-24)

Papachoris’ Zulas–982 N Grand Ave. (Mexican) Closed Tue. Sonoran style. In business at least 40 years. Many like it (but not rated as high as El Zarape). The most popular item seems to be the Mexican hamburger. Mexican combination plate looks good from the photos. Has mole every day. Map (Dining room is open 11-25-21)

Note: La Roca in Nogales, Sonora is popular for Sonoran food (and is probably better than the food in Nogales, Ariz.). Mole is said to be good. There are undoubtedly several good places to eat in Mexico but La Roca has an upscale setting and is popular with Americans. Is as much of a bar than a restaurant. Map (Dining room is open 8-29-22)

Parker

Tierra Caliente–900 S. Joshua Ave. (Mexican) Open daily except Sun evening. Good reviews. From photos, the food looks like El Paso style (with red and green chile) but reviewers just say it is good. Map (Dining room is open 2-28-24)

Prescott

BiGA–623 Miller Valley Rd. (New American) Closed Sun & Mon. High in flavor and quality. Has a rotating menu and food is locally sourced. Chicken and dumplings are said to be good. Green chile mac & cheese is also recommended. Map (Dining room is open 3-16-24)

Taj Mahal–124 N. Montezuma St. (Indian) Closed Tue (and closed from 2:30 to 4 pm). Good reviews, but only for food ordered from the menu. The buffet is said to be bland and not spicy. Map (Dining room is open 11-12-22)

The Local–520 W. Sheldon St. (American) Breakfast & lunch only. Locally sourced ingredients–people say the flavor is good and the quality of ingredients is even better. Even though it’s an American restaurant, the huevos rancheros for breakfast is the most recommended item. Map (Dining room is open 12-13-21)

Safford

Los Jilbertos–215 E. US 70 (Mexican) Open 6 am to midnight daily. Has the best reviews in Safford for Mexican food, and looks good from the photos. I don’t think it is a favorite of those following the “chile trail” but items such as carne asada and breakfast burritos are recommended. In other Safford restaurants they mostly use cheese instead of chile for flavor and I don’t know what they do here, but it is at least apparent that many prefer this to the other restaurants. Map (Dining room is open 3-16-24)

Second Mesa

Hopi Cultural Center–Hwy 264, Milepost 379 (Native American) Open Daily. The cultural center has a hotel and a restaurant that features Hopi food as well as other items. The restaurant was listed in the book “Roadfood” by Jane & Michael Stern who said there is a good reason they have other items–the Hopi food is unbelievably bland. They did say the Hopi chili (ground beef and beans with red chili) does have a good flavor but the lamb stew and Hopi tacos are interesting as a study in authentic Hopi food but not really satisfying flavor-wise. Carrot cake is a good way to top off the meal in the place that the Hopi call the “center of the universe.” The cultural center’s web site says reservations are highly recommended. Map (Dining room is open 11-12-22)

Sedona

Casa Sedona–55 Hozoni Dr. (Southwest) Breakfast daily; lunch Fri-Tue. Several items on the menu are Mexican inspired (one of the elements of Southwest cuisine)–I think this is elevated food but not necessarily authentic. This is a recommendation I got from Roadfood which suggests items such as ricotta pancakes with a fruit compote, lox and sopaipillas (instead of bagels), and Mexican hot chocolate. In short, it looks like food you will not get anywhere else. If an upscale restaurant can impress Roadfood, I think it is worth checking out. Map (Dining room is open 12-13-21)

Elote Cafe–350 Jordan Rd. (Mexican) Open Tue-Sat (dinner only). Gourmet Mexican–similar to Rick Bayless’ food. Can have up to a two hour wait (and almost everyone thinks it’s worth it). Price listed as $$ (not in the expensive category, as I would have expected). Elote is the signature dish. Map (Dining room is open 3-16-24)

Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill–700 W. Hwy. 89A (Latin American) Dinner only (closed Tue). Upscale Argentinian, Chilean, and Uruguayan food that reviewers say is worth the money if you are willing to pay a little more than usual (signature dishes are steaks but they have other dishes as well that are Latin style). Map (Dining room is open 12-13-21)

Picazzo’s Healthy Italian–1855 W. Hwy. 89A (Italian) Open Daily. Organic food–pizza is popular. Like Thai Spices, it has better reviews for the quality of the food than the flavor. Map (Dining room is open 12-13-21)

Red Rock Cafe–100 Verde Valley School Rd. (Breakfast) Open until 2 pm (closed Tue). The restaurant “serves breakfast all day” (although they serve lunch also) and claims to be Sedona’s best brunch. Their web site has testimonials from Yelp and TripAdvisor, but their biggest proponent may be Roadfood, whose founder Michael Stern said the food that wowed him was the huevos rancheros built on blue corn tortillas, while the cinnamon roll is also not to be missed. Map (Dining room is open 3-16-24)

Tamaliza Market–1155 W. Hwy 89A (Mexican) Open Tue-Sat 9 am to 7 pm; Sun 9 to 4. Popular place that recently moved into a larger building. The food is upscale–some say it is Mexico City style but more healthy (made without lard). Tamales and chile relleno are the most recommended items, but everything is fresh and flavorful. Map (Dining room is open 12-13-21)

Thai Spices–2611 W. Hwy. 89A (Thai) Closed Sun (and closed from 3 to 5 pm). According to reviews on Yelp the food here is all natural and organic (this is the good part) but the Thai flavors are lacking (this is the bad part). The service is good but the building is bad. It’s a mixed bag, but will give you a good meal. Some say for food that is not bland get the ginger vegetable soup or the ginger stir-fry dish. Map (Dining room is open 11-3-22)

Note: Dahl & DiLuca (Italian) Restaurant is also well recommended, but is in a higher price category. Map

Show Low

Bandido’s Express–2101 E. Deuce of Clubs (Mexican) Open 9 am to 7 pm (closed Sat & Sun). Reviewers say the food is flavorful, but the chile relleno really stands out as one of the best in the state. Map (Dining room is open 11-12-22)

What’s Cooking Kitchen–5171 Cub Lake Rd. (American) Breakfast & lunch only (closed Sun & Mon). Fresh and flavorful food that makes this probably the best place in town for breakfast. Reviewers say they also have excellent Thai, Mediterranean, and Latin American food (mostly soups and stews). Usually I would say this is hard to believe, but the reviewers sound pretty convincing. Map (Dining room is open 11-1-21)

Sierra Vista

Bobke’s–355 W. Wilcox Dr. (German) Open 7:30 am to 2:30 pm (closed Sat & Sun). Reviewers say menu is limited but they like the food. Has jagerschnitzel and goulash. The bakery is said to be especially good (for bread and pastries). Map (Dining room is open 11-25-21)

German Cafe–1232 E. Fry Blvd. (German) Open 11 am to 8 pm (closed Sun; closed Mon evening). Many say it is authentic and maybe more European than many restaurants (thus some do not like it as much). One thing that is not European, though, is that they do not have beer. Map (Dining room is open 11-3-22)

Indochine–1299 E. Fry Blvd. (Vietnamese & Thai) Open 11 am to 9 pm (closed Sun). Asian rest. in SV with the most positive reviews, and it looks like big city quality. Thai food seems to have better reviews than the pho (so I think this is really a Thai restaurant). Coconut chicken is said to be especially good. Everyone seems to like the spring rolls. Map (Dining room is open 11-3-22)

Springerville

Avery’s–262 W. Main St. (BBQ) Closed Sun & Mon. Reviews indicate that this may be the best BBQ in Arizona. Pulled pork, brisket, and ribs are popular. Reviewers also like the green chile mac & cheese. Map (Dining room is open 11-3-22)

Thatcher

Kainoa’s Hawaiian Grill–3533 US 70 (Hawaiian) Closed Sun. Reviewers indicate the food is good and they have a good variety. From the photos it looks very good and fresh (food takes 15 min. to prepare so it is apparently not pre-made but cooked fresh). Has bulgogi and other Asian style dishes. Map (Dining room is open 11-25-21)

Tubac

Elvira’s–2221 E. Frontage Rd. (Mexican) Closed Sun evening & Mon. Moles are the specialty. This is more upscale than the Nogales restaurants and more pricey (and many say the food is better). Also good for steaks. Map (Dining room is open 11-25-21)

Wickenburg

Horseshoe Cafe–207 E. Wickenburg Way (American) Open daily 6 am to 1 pm. Some recommended items are eggs, biscuits and gravy, and chicken fried steak (for breakfast or lunch). CFS seems like the real deal. Map (Dining room is open 12-22-21)

Williams

Dara Thai Twisters–417 E. Route 66 (Thai) Closed Sun. Reviewers say it is excellent Thai (the best for many miles around). Pad thai and evil jungle princess are recommended. (There is also a Dara Thai in Flagstaff–out of the two the one in Williams seems to have better reviews). Map (Dining room is open 11-3-22)

Window Rock

Diné–48 West AZ-264 (Navajo) Open daily to 8 pm–serves breakfast daily. Has traditional Navajo food including mutton ribs, blue corn mush, and Navajo-raised beef burgers. Navajo tacos may not be as traditional, but are very popular and reviewers say they are very good. Map (Dining room is open 8-29-22)

Ed’s Cafe–AZ-264 & Navajo Route 12 (Navajo) Open 8 am to 3 pm (closed Mon). Reviews are very good. Doesn’t have Navajo tacos but many say the mutton stew is the best they ever had. The Navajo burger (green chile cheeseburger) is also popular. Map (Dining room is open 8-29-22).

Note: the Navajo nation is on Mountain Daylight time in the summer and not Mountain Standard as the rest of Arizona is

Winslow

Turquoise Room–303 E. 2nd St. (Southwest) Open Daily (serves breakfast). Locally sourced ingredients. Grows its own lamb, and serves other game. (Gil likes breakfast & double chocolate souffle–this takes 25 min. to prepare). Cost category is $$$ (it is probably not this much for breakfast). Map (Dining room is open 8-29-22)

Yuma

Chile Pepper–1030 W. 24th St. (Mexican) Open 9 am to 7 pm (Closed Sun). Rolled tacos are recommended. Home made tortillas. Old school Yuma Mexican food. Map (Dining room is open 12-14-21)

El Charro–601 W. 8th St. (Mexican) Open 11 am to 8 pm (Closed Mon). Reviewers say it is one of the best “old school” Yuma Mexican restaurants, but Chile Pepper seems to be the highest rated overall. The green chile burrito and green enchilada are recommended here. Map (Dining room is open 12-14-21)

Los Manjares–2187 W. 8th St. (Mexican) Open daily except Sun dinner. Pork in tomatillo sauce is the specialty. Chile verde is good. Authentic Mexican food (different from “Yuma style”). Breakfast burritos are popular (restaurant opens at 7 am). Map (Dining room is open 11-3-22)

River City Grill–600 W. 3rd St. (Steakhouse) Open daily except Sun lunch (closed from 2 to 5 pm). It is hard to put a label on this restaurant except to say that it is not Mexican. It is also not fine dining, but it is upscale (just without the extremely high prices). It has steak and seafood, but you can get less expensive items. The restaurant’s web site says they specialize in food from the Mediterranean, Pacific Rim, India, and the Caribbean. For instance with chicken you can these versions of chicken–herb crusted, coconut curried, and Jamaican jerk. They have Indian vegetable curry, and other foods in all the categories mentioned. This is one of the best restaurants in the city as far as the reviews. Map (Dining room is open 12-14-21)

For additional explanation of this list see Index
Please feel free to leave your own comments or suggestions.

Note About “50 States, 50 Cuisines” (Condé Nast)

Condé Nast published an article on Sep. 14, 2020 explaining how they set out to go beyond a previous article that had identified the signature dish for each state, and to find food that goes beyond the classics and “to highlight a cuisine worth traveling to each state for, much of which you truly can’t get anywhere else.” For Arizona it was Navajo/Diné cuisine that is found throughout the state, and includes Navajo fry bread, mutton, chile, and steam corn (storm slow-cooked underground).

At Window Rock, the capital of Navajo Nation, Diné Restaurant highlights traditional foods, like juicy mutton ribs, fragrant blue corn mush, and Navajo-raised beef burgers.

Closed (Formerly on the Restaurant Guide)

Sombreritos–2101 Navajo Blvd., Holbrook (closed 2023) Had red and green chile enchiladas as well as ones with mole. Good reviews.
SV Home Korean Rest.–45 S. Garden Ave., Sierra Vista (closed 2023) Said to be authentic and the better of the two Korean restaurants in town
Thai House–230 N. Cortez St, Prescott (closed 2023) may have had the most authentic Southeast Asian food in Prescott.