13 Best Restaurants in Tempe, Arizona
Best Restaurants in Tempe. Tempe boasts a thriving culinary scene with a wide variety of eateries to pick from. Tempe has a wide variety of dining options, from fine restaurants to informal gatherings. Due to Arizona State University’s close proximity, the city exudes a vibrant, youthful air and guarantees a steady stream of innovative ideas. There’s plenty of farm-to-table food, handcrafted drinks, and regional beer.
It can be challenging to choose just the top 13 restaurants when there are so many great options available. This list includes a wide range of cuisines and ambiances, from casual to elegant. The eateries listed below are well-liked local favorites that provide great cuisine, drinks, and service, making them worthwhile visits for both locals and tourists.
13 Best Restaurants in Tempe, Arizona
Best Outdoor Dining: Postino WineCafe
Postino began as a modest wine bar at the center of a little shopping center in Phoenix. Thanks to the laid-back vibe and approachable food, the concept has been popular throughout Arizona and abroad since its initial debut in 2001.
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Situated directly on Farmer Avenue, the Tempe Postino is an ideal spot to people watch because almost all of the dining is outside on a large patio surrounded by olive trees. Day or night, the room is made attractive by the hanging string lights above.
Postino specializes in bruschetta-style boards made of toasted bread topped with inventive toppings, such as summery heirloom tomatoes or smoked salmon, goat cheese, and dill.
Presenting salads and sandwiches that may be shared also promotes socializing over wine, drinks, or locally brewed beers from Arizona. Postino becomes more than simply a place to get a fast bite—every week, special events like yoga classes, live music performances, and wine tastings transform it into a neighborhood gathering.
Because of its close proximity to the ASU campus and the surrounding residential communities, the Tempe Postino location is very bustling. Long into the evening, friends converse over glasses of wine while students cram over textbooks. Once guests are seated on the large patio beneath the string lights, Postino offers little incentive for them to depart.
Best Family-Friendly: The Chuckbox
Since its 1956 opening, this Tempe landmark has been cooking succulent burgers on outdoor grills. The restaurant has grown to two locations now, but its original site close to ASU’s campus continues to be successful because of its steady food quality and cozy, welcoming ambiance. There’s sure to be something enticing on The Chuckbox menu for any age.
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Loaded with bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and special sauce, their classic CBX burger is the ideal messy-yet-delicious meal to enjoy while people-watching on the dog-friendly patio. Other popular orders include cheese-topped quesadillas, crispy onion rings, and chili fries. Those who are older than 21 can share beer towers with their substantial meals. In case the kids become fussy, they can be promptly satisfied with a basic grilled cheese sandwich or a popcorn chicken plate. For people who are not eating meat or wheat, there are also vegetable burgers and buns without gluten.
Value-driven costs, regardless of the size of the group or time of day, entice multigenerational families to return. The Chuckbox upholds the original concept of its founder: unpretentious American comfort food served in a laid-back atmosphere with genuine kindness. While adults enjoy locally brewed draft beer, children are free to roam. There’s plenty space for groups to unwind on wooden picnic tables. Most importantly, everyone has a full stomach and departs satisfied.
Best Late Night: Slices Pizza Joint
Tempe has to have lots of late-night eating alternatives because it is a college town with lots of students who have irregular schedules. The ideal clientele for Slices Pizza Joint are late-night snackers seeking an affordable, filling meal in a relaxed atmosphere. The pizza is open late every night, until three in the morning, which is far longer than most Tempe restaurants close to Arizona State University’s campus.
Slices offers a variety of toppings and pie styles for its pizza, which can be purchased by the slice or as a whole. Choose from a basic pepperoni or cheese pizza, a more daring pizza like Hawaiian or pesto chicken, or a dish known as “Garbage Pizza,” which comes with six different toppings. In addition to pizza, Slices serves salads, wings, subs, and cheese-topped breadsticks.
Although Slices Pizza is by no means a fine dining establishment, its fast service, late hours, laid-back atmosphere, and affordable prices have won over many fans. On weekends, college students congregate here late, but you can find almost any kind of customer here, chowing down on delicious slices or picking up a pie to-go as they head back from Tempe’s pubs. Simple, delicious pizza that is cooked far into midnight makes Slices Pizza Joint a vital component of Tempe’s culinary landscape.
Best Dessert: Sweet Republic
The popular local ice cream shop Sweet Republic, which is quickly spreading to several Valley sites, is known for its gelato and sorbetto. Chefs Jan Wichayanuparp and Helen Yung, a husband and wife team, contribute their Le Cordon Bleu training to the shop’s ever-changing menu.
In concoctions like cherry moscato sorbet or honey thyme ice cream, seasonal components are highlighted. To keep things exciting for returning customers, some flavors are even updated on a regular basis. One such example is the “Flavor of the Day” series, which features more experimental possibilities.
Sweet Republic creates delicious gelato and sorbet in addition to handcrafted ice cream sandwiches, cakes, milkshakes, floats, and affogatos.
The pastry chef at the shop makes sure the flavors and textures of the ice cream are perfectly complemented by the cookies and other vessel components. The light, almondy Mexican wedding cookies and the salty sweet brown butter double chocolate chunk cookies are crowd favorites. Most dietary constraints can also enjoy these treats because they are gluten-free cookies and vegan sorbet.
The original Sweet Republic site is surrounded by the busy downtown Tempe stores and restaurants, so there is always a steady stream of customers ready to try the seasonal scoops. When you visit Sweet Republic, you can almost always expect to leave with something entirely unique. Its exceptional quality and distinctiveness solidify Sweet Republic’s standing as Tempe’s top spot for ice cream.
Best Brunch: Scramble, a Breakfast & Lunch Joint
When Scramble originally opened as a food truck in 2010, it catered inventive breakfast sandwiches, burritos, and skillets to throngs of ravenous locals and college students. Scramble subsequently opened a permanent brick and mortar facility in Tempe as a result of their popularity. Order at the counter, then take a seat inside or on the dog-friendly terrace as the restaurant maintains a relaxed, informal vibe despite its new location.
Large groups gather for weekend brunch, which features dishes such brazilian omelette with ground beef, ham, onions, cheese, and hash browns, as well as red velvet pancakes, fried chicken, and waffles. Naturally, Scramble’s famously large breakfast sandwiches—such as the Caprese, which has fried eggs, bacon, pesto mayo, and fresh mozzarella—also take center stage.
For lunch, there are burgers, salads, and mac & cheese skillets—ideal food for ASU students. You can be sure that everything you purchase will be tasty, reasonably priced, and fresh.
Come early, especially on weekends, as the family-run Scramble gets busy quickly. However, the freshly prepared brunch fare that emerges from the small, open kitchen is well worth the wait.
Best Tapas: Bevvy
Bevvy offers amazing artisan drinks and small meals with a cosmopolitan flair, bringing a chic and sophisticated ambiance to Tempe’s downtown. Depending on what kind of night you’re looking for, the streetside terrace seating and the lively environment indoors are equally appealing.
Sophisticated tapas transport you throughout the globe in a few bites, from gorgonzola-topped beef tenderloin sliders to burrata bruschetta drenched in basil pesto. Enjoy your meal with creative cocktails like the matcha mule or hibiscus paloma; the bar program is excellent.
To keep people coming back time and time again, Bevvy offers great food and drink along with events like open mic comedy nights, live music, and trivia.
If you’re looking for something to do throughout the day, fully loaded weekend brunches with bottomless drink packages are great occasions to try out Bevvy’s cuisine. Daily happy hour specials are also offered. Bevvy is one of Tempe’s greatest places to wine, dine, and spend the time, whether you’re meeting friends for a casual beer or celebrating a birthday in style.
Best Steakhouse: Dominick’s Steakhouse
In addition to its outstanding steaks, Dominick’s Steakhouse is frequently rated as one of Tempe’s greatest restaurants overall for its refined ambiance and first-rate service. This elegant dining room, with its dark wood, white linens, and vintage portraits, is owned by Dominick Sorenson, a third generation farmer who continues his family’s legacy of hospitality and fine beef. Since the majority of the personnel has been here for a long time, everything functions with apparent ease, demonstrating their depth of expertise and attention to detail.
Perfectly grilled steaks are the main attraction of Dominick’s, of course. The expertly prepared bone-in ribeye to your desired thickness and temperature is highly praised by regulars.
Even when requested medium or more, the small filet turns out to be exceptionally soft. The superb steaks are expertly complemented by inventive appetizers like ahi tuna crispy rice and traditional sides like creamed corn and truffle mac & cheese. Salted caramel pot de crème, one of Dominick’s homemade desserts, is a delicious way to cap off special occasion dinners.
Long wine and beverage lists provide plenty of excuses to stay in the dimly lit dining room, and the white-jacketed servers add an air of exclusivity to the whole fine dining experience. Though more expensive than more laid-back Tempe spots, Dominick’s legendary commitment to quality and service makes it the best special occasion restaurant in the city.
Best Thai: Malee’s on Main
When you ask any Tempe resident which Thai restaurant they recommend most, Malee’s on Main will almost certainly be included among the top options. For more than 20 years, this quaint mom-and-pop restaurant has been providing homemade, authentic Thai cuisine in a small strip mall next to the ASU campus. The amazing Thai food that comes from Malee’s tiny kitchen, which is meticulously prepared using family recipes by chef-owners Malee and Montri Tulyathan, belies the modest setting.
All of the traditional Thai flavor profiles—sour, salty, sweet, and spicy—are explored over a dinner here. Start with spicy peanut dipping sauce or crispy spring rolls with chicken satay skewers.
Some of the best Thai curries you’ll find outside of Thailand are Malee’s complex curries, which are packed with herbs and spices like galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. Green, red, yellow, and panang curries are standard selections; however, daily specials frequently feature lesser-known regional curry variations that only a skilled Thai chef like Malee could masterfully prepare.
For something different from curry, try the wok-searing Thai basil chicken or the aromatic “drunken noodles” called pad kee mao. Even the most heat-averse or spice-loving customer is happy because every dish is laden with Thai chilies and offers a range of spicy levels from 1 to 10.
A BYOB policy (bring your own wine or beer to go with the meal) and reasonable costs make it possible to taste a variety of foods. After more than 20 years in operation, Malee’s—small in size but incredibly amazing in flavor—remains the preferred choice for authentic Thai food for many residents.
Best Sushi: Sushi Brokers
In the cutthroat Tempe sushi market, Sushi Brokers distinguishes itself by focusing on premium fish offered at the best possible pricing. This neighborhood mini-chain has multiple sites around the Valley, but the Tempe branch on University Drive is particularly well-liked. Every type of sushi you can think of is available on the vast menu, ranging from straightforward salmon or tuna nigiri to intricate special rolls loaded with toppings.
Enthusiasts of sushi can pick from the chef’s selection of fresh tuna, yellowtail, seabass, and other options. This restaurant also caters nicely to novice diners, with a menu that carefully explains what you’re ordering in case the abundance of selections becomes too much to handle.
Even the pickiest eaters will be pleased with signature rolls like the Monkey Brain, which has tempura shrimp, spicy mayo, and eel sauce. For a well-rounded Japanese dinner, the kitchen also prepares teriyaki bowls, udon noodles, and specialties like miso seabass in addition to sushi.
Because of Sushi Brokers’ informal counter-service arrangement, which lowers operating expenses, premium fish may be sold for a reasonable price—typically less than $15 per specialty roll. This is a favorite for enticing takeout or a casual evening out when you don’t want to deal with long dining room waits because of the prompt and reliable service. The restaurant’s simplicity lets the fresh, inventive sushi stand out.
Best Seafood: The House Brasserie
The House Brasserie, housed inside a chic hotel near Tempe Town Lake, offers upgraded American classics along with seafood obtained sustainably. A special lunch outside is made possible by the room’s high ceilings, modern lighting fixtures, and windows that gaze out onto palm trees. The supper menu, which highlights premium ingredients cooked with care under the direction of Executive Chef Brian Archibald, is in line with the sophisticated atmosphere.
Dishes like citrus ahi poke and tuna tartare, which are both served with crispy garnishes for texture, highlight raw seafood. When pancetta bacon and corn purée are combined, seared scallops become tender and delicious.
The miso-marinated Scottish salmon is served over a fragrant blend of forbidden rice for heartier dinners, which enhances the flavor of the delicate fish. Sipping seaside cocktails created with yuzu sake and tequila flavored with habanero adds even more temptation as you peruse the large menu.
The House not only serves delicious seafood but also excellent steaks, such as the dry-aged bone-in ribeye that is precisely grilled to your desired doneness. Don’t miss the desserts either; the cooks elevate traditional fare, such as the rich chocolate terrine revitalized with an olive oil cake. With its excellent food and ambiance, The House Brasserie in Tempe raises the bar for exquisite dining.
Best Vegan & Vegetarian: Green New American Vegetarian
Decades ago in Phoenix, Green New American Vegetarian was the pioneer of high-quality plant-based food. The little Tempe facility, close to ASU and Mill Avenue, has a relaxed, artistic atmosphere. You can make almost anything vegan from the fully vegetarian menu. Innovative tastes from throughout the world are included in produce-driven meals, which make the menu engaging for all guests.
Produce served in small plates, such as the rainbow carrot tapas with chermoula, is at its most flavorful and ripe. Encased in phyllo pastry, grilled broccolini is the perfect crunchy vegetable starter.
The butternut squash enchiladas, which are cooked with homemade corn tortillas, mole sauce, and cashew cheese, are among the heartier main dishes. Bowls come with a plethora of mix-in topping options, as well as a base and main protein of your choosing. Choose from a variety of grains, smoky tofu, or savory seitan served with everything from chimichurri to Thai peanut sauce.
Green isn’t just fantastic at dinner; their morning and lunch meals are also very tempting. Pancakes with lemon ricotta, a five-spice chickpea scramble full of vegetables, or a bacon-and-vegetable-filled club are all great options for any time of day.
Numerous options on the menu that are clearly labeled as vegan, gluten-free, or allergy-friendly reflect the restaurant’s principles. Clearly, Green is Tempe’s best plant-based restaurant because of its inventiveness and scratch cooking.
Best Indian: India Palace Cuisine of India
With several accolades and consistently positive ratings over the course of over three decades, India Palace Cuisine of India is largely regarded as the best Indian restaurant in the whole Phoenix metro area. Specialties from all around India, including rich lamb meals, fluffy naan breads fresh out of the tandoor oven, and fragrant curries, are carefully prepared by highly skilled chefs. The restaurant has a casual yet elegant ambiance that makes it ideal for both special occasions and everyday meals, even with its upmarket menu.
Start your dinner with a variety of appetisers, such as crispy samosas filled with spiced potatoes and peas or a dish of chili chicken that consists of tender chicken nuggets dipped in a hot, garlicky sauce.
Next, try one of India Palace’s delicious curries, which come in a plethora of vegetarian and meat selections made with intricate and aromatic spice combinations. Indian cuisine is best experienced with dishes like fiery goat curry and shrimp vindaloo, which have a remarkable depth of flavor in each bite. Each meal is nicely complemented by the refreshing raita dip and the freshly produced chutneys.
There are pages and pages of options on the menu, so if you’re feeling overwhelmed, ask your incredibly informed waitress for recommendations. Expert advice: be sure you get some freshly made Indian bread, such as garlic naan, to mop up the remains of your delicious curry sauces. The best Indian restaurant in all of metro Phoenix is India Palace, because to its excellent cuisine and attentive service.
Best Mexican: Barrio Queen
When Barrio Queen originally debuted, it offered traditional Sonoran-style Mexican cuisine with a contemporary touch in Phoenix. The well-liked eatery is now open in other Valley sites, including Tempe, which is close to ASU’s campus. Regardless of the location you choose, you can expect to discover creative, colorful décor, freshly prepared meals, cool agave beverages, and top-notch service.
While the majority of the menu items adhere to tradition, some inventive twists on Mexican norms are included. Your taste buds will be tempted by appetizers like the cheese-stuffed jalapeños wrapped in bacon and served with house-made potato chips and creamy corn truffle dip.
As for the entrees, you can’t go wrong with sharing selections like crispy chimichanga stuffed with machaca meat or sizzling fajitas served on a steamy cast iron dish.
With toppings like plump shrimp sautéed with smoky chipotle and shredded beef dipped in a rich red chile sauce, Barrio Queen gives tacos a regional touch. Here, full pinto beans and Mexican rice pilaf are both incredibly flavorful and not to be taken lightly.
My particular favorite aspect of eating at Barrio Queen is having a sweet treat to cap off the meal. Their churros are served with a thick cajeta dipping sauce after being deep-fried to a crispy, golden perfection and rolled in cinnamon and sugar. Additionally, the flan is incredibly creamy and smooth. Definitely one of Tempe’s best places to get Mexican food is Barrio Queen, with its casual vibe and focus on real tastes.
Best Italian: The Wild Thyme Restaurant
The interior of The Wild Thyme Restaurant is a sophisticated area with white tablecloths and antique light fixtures more appropriate for the superb Italian food offered here, so don’t be fooled by the restaurant’s strip mall location. Owners David and Paola Toti, who are married, went to culinary school in Italy together. They applied what they learned there to their establishment of The Wild Thyme in 2000. The changing monthly specialties are influenced by the season and David’s Italian heritage, while the menu mostly features regional dishes from throughout Italy.
Serve sweet Parma prosciutto with creamy burrata cheese to start your meal, or go for a charcuterie board full of unique cured meats and cheeses. Try the pappardelle with a deep wild boar ragu or the delicate gnocchi Gorgonzola dolce tossed in brown sage butter sauce. The made-to-order pastas and gnocchi are not to be missed.
Delicious filet mignon, succulent veal chops, and flawless pizzas complete the menu at this sophisticated local treasure. Ample wine and drink menus feature modest Italian producers that go well with the superb food at Totis.
Best Pizza: Barro’s Pizza
This well-known pizza restaurant from Arizona has been around for more than 40 years and is still run by the family. Barro’s differentiates itself from the trendiest pizza businesses in the city by mastering the fundamentals. The thin, pliable crusts of the New York-style pizzas are perfectly chewy. Pies are always fresh and bursting with flavor, with generous layers of cheese and toppings like pepperoni, sausage, onions, and peppers. Barro’s employs only premium products, such as freshly produced dough every day and house-made pizza sauce.
Barro’s offers more than just pizza to satiate any craving, including wings, salads, sandwiches, pasta, and more. Personally, I love the BLT and Mediterranean salads with grilled chicken on top. Naturally, a visit to Barro’s would not be complete without leaving room for their famously delicious Butter Toffee Torte for dessert.
Barro’s has been Arizona’s go-to pizza for more than 40 years because of its low prices throughout a broad menu, free online ordering, speedy takeout and delivery, and friendly service.
Best Lunch: Cornish Pasty Co.
This tiny chain restaurant with its headquarters in Arizona specializes in classic English pasties, which are substantial hand pies stuffed with meat, veggies, and gravy. Cornish Pasty Co.’s handcrafted pasties, made from scratch using family recipes, are a filling lunch or dinner option. A variety of fillings, including steak and stilton, chicken curry, and classic Cornish pasties packed with ground beef, rutabaga, and potatoes, are available for diners to select from. The golden, flaky pastry serves as the ideal vehicle for the rich, sauce-filled contents.
To complete your meal, the menu also offers salads, soups, and British desserts in addition to pasties. Emphasize Arizona breweries with one of the 14 beers available on tap to wash it all down. Cornish Pasty Co. is a favorite among Tempe residents and college students looking for simple, hearty food since it offers quick counter service and meals for about $10. The relaxed, pub-like ambiance of the restaurant invites patrons to settle in and stay around.
Best Breakfast: Snooze, An A.M. Eatery
As the name implies, Snooze focuses on serving high-quality breakfast and brunch favorites all day long in a cheerful, retro-inspired setting. This popular Denver-based chain opened its first Arizona outpost in Tempe several years ago, instantly drawing crowds for its scratch-made food and creative twists on breakfast classics.
Snooze’s pancake flight allows customers to choose three mini pancakes from a selection of flavors like sweet potato, blueberry Danish and pineapple upside-down cake. Eggs can be ordered in many different Benedict varieties along with several signature omelets and scrambles.
Go savory with dishes like BBQ pulled pork hash or the Sicilian baked eggs, or opt for something sweeter like fruity waffles and French toast. No matter what you order, it will be made from high-quality ingredients and full of flavor. With reasonable prices and an energetic vibe, Snooze is a great place to start the day.
Conclusion
Tempe’s restaurant industry is growing and getting better every year, in large part because of the city’s constant population growth and the influx of ASU students seeking high-quality food in casual environments. A growing number of food halls, fast-casual restaurants, and sophisticated neighborhood cafes are opening up, giving locals and tourists alike additional options when it comes to eating out.
Whether you’re looking for kid-friendly meals, pizza by the slice at midnight, or dishes with a global influence and handcrafted drinks, Tempe boasts some of the best and most enduring eating options to choose from. Any of the eateries listed here will provide you with an amazing meal, whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or having a casual lunch in between classes. Just make sure to arrive hungry and prepared to experience Southwestern cuisine at its best.