Lunch at District American Kitchen and Wine Bar
There are a number of great restaurants in downtown Phoenix and one that always makes it into my weekly lunch rotation is District American Kitchen and Wine Bar at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown.
Lunch is a good deal with their "Nothing over $9 at noon" motto. You'll find traditional American fare on their menu, but with a focus on local seasonal ingredients.
Their 3rd Street Salad has been great with both seasonal setups I've tried and adding grilled salmon to it for $6 is well worth it. The pork belly and pineapple tacos are a wonderful blending of flavors with pickled jalapenos and chipotle lime crema mixing well with the lightly crisped pork.
Pork Belly & Pineapple Tacos
The All American Burger is perfectly flavorful as is, but bacon, a fried egg, and roasted green chili are available additions. It's a perfect lunch burger as it's filling without being greasy and too heavy.
As easy as it would be to stick with the favorites I already have, my eye is on the District Mac N' Cheese and Guilt Free Chicken Salad Sandwich, among others, for future visits.
District American Kitchen and Wine Bar is located on the northwest corner of Van Buren and N. Third Street in Downtown Phoenix at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel.
320 N. Third Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004
602-817-5400
Q Up! BBQ Food Truck
When hunger strikes follow your nose to the Q Up! BBQ food truck. This Phoenix food truck features smoked barbecue meats served traditionally or with a southwestern flair. Popular menu items include their Gangsta Grilled Cheese, a grilled cheese sandwich with a generous portion of beef brisket stuffed inside with bacon and macaroni and cheese, and their BBQ Pork Nachos, served with their slow-smoked pork on top of house-made tortilla chips and finished with salsa and cheese.
If you are more of a barbecue traditionalist, you can order the Three Meat Plate that comes with mesquite slow smoked beef brisket, pulled pork, spicy sausage and a side.
You can find out where the Q Up! BBQ food truck will be next by following them on Facebook and Twitter.
The food truck craze has exploded in Phoenix with many opportunities to eat from these rolling gourmet “restaurants." We’ve eaten from many of the food trucks throughout Phoenix and wanted to highlight them individually for you. You can find the food trucks on a regular basis at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market on Wednesday evenings from 5-8 p.m, Fridays from 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. At the North Central Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., and the Third Thursday of the Month at the Whole Foods Raintree location from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. There are always many more opportunities that you can find by following your favorite truck individually or by following the Phoenix Street Coalition. Bon Appétit!
Bonjour Vietnam
A co-worker and I have a thing for Pho. It’s our comfort food, so we were pretty bummed when Viet Kitchen closed it’s downtown location. Recently, a new place to get our Pho fix opened just down the street from our offices, so we decided to give it a try.
Bonjour Vietnam is from the team that runs Rice Paper in Central Phoenix. The Bonjour Vietnam menu consists of Vietnamese favorites; spring rolls, Pho, Bun, Bahn Mi and a few dish variations to cater to the downtown lunch crowd.
Cool ceiling decor at Bonjour Vietnam
The day we went my co-worker ordered the Pho Tai and a Vietnamese coffee.
I went with one of their lunch specials, the vegetable bento box that came with crispy spring rolls, stir-fried vegetables, rice and a salad.
Vegetarian Bento Box
My co-worker enjoyed the Pho and especially enjoyed her coffee. My bento box was the perfect size for lunch and didn’t leave me in a food coma upon returning to my desk.
I’ll be back for my bowl of Pho soon.
Bonjour Vietnam is located inside the Hotel San Carlos at 202 N. Central Avenue in downtown Phoenix.
O.H.S.O Eatery + nanoBrewery
There's a new addition to the line-up of restaurants in the Arcadia area, and it's a cool one. O.H.S.O Eatery + nanoBrewery serves up a well-rounded menu that includes small plates, flatbreads, burgers and sammies. And, of course, beer! They do Happy Hour M-F, 11am-6pm (that's not a typo) and a Beer Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. The nanobrewery portion of the restaurant is currently under construction but promises to be open soon - I'm already plotting my next visit. If beer is not your thing, they offer a variety of wines and cocktails as well.
A beer is born
Very hearty sandwiches - Pesto Chicken Sammie
I had the Cheese Flatbread and a Salad (disclaimer: I'm a vegetarian) which was quite tasty. My lunch companions both opted for sammies which were a hit. To quote the one who had the Pesto Chicken, it was "VERY GOOD!"
If you like to patronize restaurants that allow your dog, this is your place. The back patio is uber dog-friendly with a line-up of faucets that pour water into waiting dog bowls. The sign above says "Barking Bar (Free Refills)" - how cute is that? And inside the restaurant, painted dog paws dot the floor.
You may be wondering what O.H.S.O stands. I'm wondering the same thing. I'll have to ask next time I'm there.
See more photos of the restaurant.
O.H.S.O Eatery + nanoBrewery
4900 E. Indian School Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85018
602-955-0358
www.ohsobrewery.com
Lux Central
This explains why the orange juice is so fresh.
Lux Central is that place, the neighborhood go-to spot where you can get breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee and drinks in a place that feels like home - a really fun home where all the cool kids hang out. I recently visited for the first time and loved it! The place was buzzing with activity. People were typing away on computers (ironically, good ol' fashioned typewriters are central to the decor), chatting it up with friends and listening to music.
We were on a mission to get a late breakfast, so we jumped right into the order line. They serve such fresh food that two of the breakfast items had already been marked off the day's menu. Luckily for us, they still had the Eggs with Veggie Hash and the Egg Sandwich. Yum on both counts. And the orange juice is f-r-e-s-h.
Eggs with Veggie Hash
Egg Sandwich with Bacon, Tomato & Cheddar
View from the bar
So, the next time you want to get out and about and really feel like you're a part of the community, head to Lux Central. It's highly likely that you'll run into someone you know. We did.
Check our more Lux Central photos on Flickr.
Lux Central
4402 N. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602.696.9976
Top 10 Mexican Food Restaurants in Phoenix
A pitcher of margaritas from Los Dos Molinos is necessary to cool the burn.
Here in Phoenix we take our Mexican food seriously. Our Southwestern and Mexican restaurants are supremely authentic and numerous. To celebrate Cinco de Mayo, we’ve put together a list of our top 10 favorite Mexican food restaurants in Phoenix, although we can assure you this list could have been much, much longer.
- Barrio Café (2814 N. 16th Street, Phoenix) You can’t create a list of the best Mexican food restaurants in Phoenix without including Barrio Café. Owner and Chef Silvana Esparaza creates modern, top-notch preparations of traditional Mexican dishes. Tip: Order the guacamole.
- Carolina’s (1202 E. Mohave Street, Phoenix) Don’t let the location or the austere interior deter you from eating at Carolina’s, as you’ll be rewarded at first bite. Tip: Get the Oaxaca (pronounced wa-hock-ah) burrito and order a dozen tortillas to take home.
- Tacos Atoyac (1830 W. Glendale Avenue, Phoenix) With a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it location and a spartan interior like Carolina’s you’ll be rewarded for your efforts with fantastic tacos at Tacos Atoyac. Everything on the menu is very affordable, with the most expensive item being only $8. Here you can afford to be adventurous. Tip: Get the fish tacos.
- La Condesa (1919 N. 16th Street, Phoenix) La Condesa probably has the most diverse salsa bar you will ever see. From traditional salsas to more adventurous versions like strawberry, peanut and pecan make sure to grab a few to try along with your meal. Tip: Order the Horchata.
- Los Dos Molinos (8646 S. Central Avenue, Phoenix) A long time favorite of Phoenix locals, Los Dos Molinos is known for its spicy food and margaritas. Warning, the food at Los Dos is as good as it is hot. You’ll know what we mean when you’ve ordered your second pitcher of margaritas. Tip: Don’t go to Los Dos starving as there is usually a wait.
- Paletas Betty (96 W. Boston Street, Chandler & 452 S. Mill Avenue, Tempe) Technically not a Mexican restaurant, but we need our dessert and Palatas Betty is where it’s at. Most Phoenicians are used to seeing paletas sold from carts on neighborhoods streets, but with two permanent locations in Greater Phoenix, Paletas Betty saves us the time listening for the faint ring of a bell on a hot Phoenix afternoon. Tip: Bring your four-legged friend along – Paletas Betty always has a special frozen treat for your dog.
- La Hacienda (7575 E. Princess Drive, Scottsdale) Located at the Fairmont Princess in Scottsdale, La Hacienda does upscale Mexican food right. One of the only two of North America’s AAA Four Diamond Mexican restaurants in the U.S. - if you’re looking for an all-around unforgettable and indulgent Mexican meal you won’t be disappointed. La Hacienda is also a great choice for tequila lovers with over 200 different varieties available. Tip: Try the flaming coffee.
- Vitamin T *UPDATE* Vitamin T has closed. (1 E. Washington Street, Phoenix) Located at CityScape Phoenix, Vitamin T makes the perfect dinner spot before a game or event in downtown Phoenix. Based on fast casual Mexican street food, the T’s of Vitamin T are tacos, tortas and tamales, and oh, there’s tequila too. Tip: Try the chile de arbol beef brisket inside out tamale.
- Mariscos Playa Hermosa (1605 E. Garfield Street, Phoenix) Seafood? In the desert? That’s right. Get your fill of shrimp, oysters, octopus prepared Sinaloan style at Mariscos Playa Hermosa. Tip: Order the Campechana Cocktail.
- Los Reyes de la Torta (9230 N. Seventh Street, Phoenix) The menu at Los Reyes de la Torta is Mexico City style with huaraches, sopes and huge tortas. The tortas are so large that they were featured on the Food Network’s Man vs. Food. Bring a friend. Tip: Try The Hulk, a drink made with nopales (cactus) pineapple and a hint of lime.
Want more? Visit our Where to Eat Southwestern/Mexican food in Phoenix section on our website.
