here’s my guide to az and all my favorite spots and neighborhoods! i explain must visit spots if you are visiting and also some neighborhoods if you are considering moving here.

(this list will always be updating!)

PHX neighborhood breakdown:

• dtphx – growing and full of life. I’d suggest checking out anything near Roosevelt Row, lots of great restaurants and trendy places!
  • uptown/midtown/central corridor – super cute trendy and good restaurants, beautiful historical homes (central, 7th street, 16th street area).
• scottsdale – a newer, updated city that is broken down into a few neighborhoods:
  • • old town scottsdale – main shopping, restaurants, bars, clubs
    • south scottsdale/papago – close to old town scottsdale and great neighborhoods
    • mccormick ranch – cutie neighborhood, suburb, near camelback mountain tail
    • north scottsdale/quarter/kierland – home of WMO, suburb, good shopping at scottsdale quarter
• arcadia – also another favorite, beautiful homes! home of camelback mountain, near paradise valley, cute trendy restaurants and bars.
• tempe – college town, but has some good restaurant gems and mill ave/tempe town lake is a fun place to go, also good suburbs for homes.
• north phx (moon valley, sunnyslope, etc) – up and coming, some good neighborhoods to purchase homes in that are closer to ‘city center’
• north paradise valley (51 freeway & Cactus area) – good central phx yet more affordable location for home hunting!
• gilbert, chandler, glendale, peoria – these are also great suburbs of phx and have their own great gems! it’s about 15-45 mins away from the city center and where most of phx’s activity is (includes buckeye which i know is up and coming, also east mesa is a good gem)

places to eat:

• dtphx:
  • • bacanora – sonoran mexican food, james beard award. a must if you can get resos!
    • lom wong – a new thai spot with the cutest husband and wife that run it. super delicious and great fish sauce drinks (you heard right!)
    • sotisse – my new favorite, french spot. try to catch their live jazz DJ. such vibes here!
    • pizzeria bianco – the best pizza, james beard award here too and was on chef’s table.
    • harumi sushi – probably the best sushi in the city
    • cibo  – another good pizza spot and super cute old house!
    • hanny’s – good italian spot, trendy cocktails
    • fame cafe – good breakfast spot
    • welcome diner – super fun spot for burgers
    • the churchill – a container park chill spot with many places to choose from!
    • palma – fun asian fusion, a good place for drinks + happy hour
• uptown/midtown/Melrose:
  • • restaurant progress – in my top 3 favorite restaurants, a MUST stop: such great food and vibes.
    • belly – Vietnamese fusion done really well, super good!
    • Valentine – super good cocktails and food here, also great for brunch!
    • gallo blanco – super good trendy taco spot!
    • chula seafood – super good sushi grade fish spot, great to bring sashimi home or clam chowder!
    • clever koi – super good asian fusion spot
    • the ocotillo – good mexican spot, trendy
    • earthphx – such a good vegan spot
    • kaizenphx – very good sushi spot
    • mushu grill – great chinese to-go
    • lux cafe – good coffee + treats!
• scottsdale (lots in scottsdale, so i broke it down by vibe. I’d have to say, not a ton of great food in Scottsdale but a fun spot to go out):
  • • chill:
      • • diego pops – fun taco tuesday spot in old town scottsdale, very lively and a good spot for drinks. not so chill on the weekends, but weeknight happy hour is more chill.
        • Culinary Dropout  – the pretzel puffs + fondue. so so so good. good for families
        • farm & craft – love their kombucha cocktails and healthy-ish menu
    • vibe:
      • • Fat Ox  – such a good spot, definitely higher end and worth the ticket
        • Toca Madera – upscale, trendy spot
        • Sushi Roku – fun place for sushi, connected to W Scottsdale, it’s a vibe
        • olive & ivy  – great patio for drinks and apps, overlooks scottsdale waterfront/canal
        • SumoMaya  – good asian fusion with a fun vibe
        • Maple & Ash – higher end, good date night or group dinner, fun brunch spot
        • Ocean 44  – higher end, but the bread tho
        • toca madera – vibe, entertaining dinner spot
    • quick serve/fast food:
      • • defalcos – go-to pizza spot and cute italian grocery. they have a new patio you can sit down in and eat-in
        • tocaya organica – fast casual, mexican spot, good paleo or W30 options
        • julio’s too – great fast mexican spot! we love their cheese crisps + tacos
    • family friendly
      • • culinary dropout: pretzel puffs!
        • oregano’s: good local chain, pizza and pasta – and pazookies!
• arcadia/biltmore:
  • • glai baan – quite literally my FAVORITE restaurant in phx. best thai in phx for sure (more in arcadia lite).
    • vecina – such good tapas style
    • buck & rider – best oysters ever, super good dinner spot! good vibe and seafood.
    • flint by baltaire – awesome bougie spot for a good pizza or bone marrow, mediterranean/american, great date night spot
    • la grande orange – super cute spot for lunch or pizza dinners, cute grocery + coffee spot connected
    • north italia – super good italian spot, good for families too
    • sushiholic – probably the better sushi places in az!
    • the henry – super awesome spot for bunch, lunch, dinner, happy hour. my fav fries.
    • steak 44 – higher end, but a go-to date night or celebration dinner spot
    • ingos – great for lunch or a chicken sandwich
• tempe:
  • • the yard – fun bar games like ping pong + bags, pretzel puffs are here too tho. very family friendly!
    • postino  – great wine + bread board place! fun for groups (they also have multiple locations)
    • caffe boa – they have natty wine here! great menu too
    • perfect pear  – good lunch spot for a quick one or a meeting! love their sweet potato fries.
    • casey moores – dive bar with $1 oysters, honestly my fav is getting a four peaks peach beer + dozen oysters + mozzerella sticks with ty ty.
• asian eats (needed it’s own category):
  • • pho thanh – if it’s not my parents, this will be the only place i go to
    • great wall – best dim sum in phx
    • kung fu ramen – freshly made noodles!
    • snoh – best shaved ice + boba
    • glai baan – i already listed this, but best thai
    • lom wong – new thai spot that is amazing in DTPHX!
    • yupha’s thai kitchen – also great thai in tempe
    • hiro sushi – best sushi in the valley in my opinion

drinks/COCKTAILS/party/etc

• dtphx – more of a trendy bar vibe:
  • Roosevelt area: The Churchill, Ghost Donkey, Arizona Wilderness DTPHX, The Brill Line, Cobra Arcade, Palma, Sake Haus, Sazerac, Killer Whale Sex Club
  • DTPHX: Valley Bar, Highball, Hanny’s, Melindas Alley
• old town scottsdale – club vibes:
  • clubs: pretty much anywhere in the ‘vortex’, grab a red bull vodka from maya or bottled blonde 😉
  • brunch/day party: montauk, bottled blonde, hash kitchen, RnR
  • bars: kelly’s, patties, gilligans, wasted grain, social tap, goodwood
  • lounges: Beverly, EVO
  • happy hour: AZ88 for martinis, postino, olive & ivy
  • resort hopping: the scott (super instagrammable), mountain shadows (beautiful mid-century modern), or hotel adeline (cute bar + litty pool)
  • views: the hilton rooftop, mountain shadows
• arcadia bars:
  • dive bars: little woody, ohso, the attic, the porch
  • brunch spots for a party: hash kitchen, the porch
  • hot spots: undertow + century grand – get resos here, such a cool experience! they basically make it feel like you are on a pirate boat or train station
• tempe – proceed with caution, college town:
  • anywhere on mill ave.
  • the yard – awesome open air spot, good to watch a game!
  • devils advocate – shout out to my college days, watch a game here!

Places to stay:

• airbnb neighborhoods:
  • beautiful homes: anything on camelback mountain or in paradise valley
  • party-vibe: old town scottsdale
  • here for WMO?: north scottsdale or old town for the party
  • cute neighborhood + trendy: arcadia
• hotels:
  • The Scott – super cute place to stay
  • W Scottsdale – if you’re looking to party
  • hotel valley ho – scottsdale
  • mountain shadows – arcadia/paradise valley, beautiful property
  • kimpton hotel – dtphx

things to do:

• hike camelback mountain or tom’s thumb (squaw peak is less crowded, IMO. or better yet, papago is very short!)
• take a hot yoga (or barre, pilates, hiit) class at fav studio, The Foundry
• take a spin class at The Madison, it’s like a club party on a bike with lights
• go resort hopping
• bar crawl – old town or arcadia is a good spot for this
• shop:
  • clothes: vida moulin, scottsdale quarter/kierland, scottsdale fashion square, savers thrift, manor sneaker shop
  • home: local nomad, thelifestyledco, camelback flowershop, ikea
  • etc: last chance (there’s only 2 in the whole country, where all nordstrom’s returns go to die)
• desert botanical garden – see all the cacti!
• japanese friendship garden

Adventuring

• phx:
  • camelback mountain is a famous one
  • squaw peak, south mountain, tom’s thumb, superstition mountain, four peaks
•  sedona:
  • hikes: grasshopper point, devils bridge, etc
  • eats: elote, local juicery
• flagstaff:
  • hikes: anywhere on snowbowl
  • eats: criollo, tinderbox, fratelli pizza, josephines, switch, karma sushi
• lakes: roosevelt, saguaro, lake pleasant are near phx!