Restaurants & Food · Arizona

Restaurants & Food in Arizona

Inclusive and diverse-owned restaurants & food businesses across Arizona.

Phoenix

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Boycott Bar

Phoenix, AZ

Welcome to Boycott, Arizona's last lesbian-owned bar and one of the only Latina-led queer venues in the country. Since 2004, we have held down a corner of Phoenix's Melrose District gayborhood on 7th Avenue, and we are still here because our people keep showing up for one another. Founder Audrey Corley built this place on a simple idea: everyone deserves somewhere they can walk in, exhale, and be exactly who they are. That is what we are, a chosen family and a safe space wrapped inside a good old-fashioned neighborhood bar. We like to say Boycott blends dive-bar charm with feminine energy and great dancing. Cold beer, well-mixed cocktails, and a dance floor that fills up fast. Some nights it is drag, some nights it is a DJ spinning the music you love, and some nights it is pool or bingo in the back room with friends who feel like family. There is always something on the calendar, from themed dance nights to our Under the Rainbow prom and game-day watch parties. Whatever brings you through the door, you will find good drinks, good beats, and good people. Lesbian bars across the country have been fighting to survive for decades, and the pandemic hit our kind of place harder than most. We take real pride in still standing, not as the last of something ending, but as proof that queer community in Arizona is here to stay. Every pour, every dance, every late night is a small act of keeping this space alive for the folks who need it. We are woman-owned, LGBTQ+ owned, and unapologetically ours, but our doors are open to all. Whether you are a longtime regular, new to Phoenix, or just looking for a spot where you belong, you are welcome at Boycott. Come as you are. Bring your crew or come solo and make some new friends at the bar. We are closed Mondays and open the rest of the week into the early hours, so there is plenty of time to find your people on the dance floor. Pull up a stool, order a drink, and stay awhile. This is your bar too.

LGBTQ-owned

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Cocina Chiwas

Phoenix, AZ

Welcome to Cocina Chiwas, our love letter to Chihuahua, the northern Mexican state where we both grew up before our families brought us to Arizona as kids. We are Armando Hernandez and Nadia Holguin, and our story started with a single conversation at an ASU party, when we discovered we shared the same roots and the same dream of opening a restaurant one day. In 2016 we chased that dream with fifty dollars in our checking account and a little taco shop called Tacos Chiwas. People believed in us, Phoenix embraced us, and that first counter grew into a family of restaurants across the Valley. Cocina Chiwas is the fullest expression of where we come from. We opened these doors as the culinary anchor of Culdesac, a walkable neighborhood in Tempe, to serve regional Chihuahuan cooking the way we remember it: familiar yet unexpected, traditional yet modern, with a little bit of Arizona woven in. Our kitchen leans on wood fire, house-made masa, and the flavors of the Sierra and the high desert, from tender braises to salsas built layer by layer. Chihuahua is cattle country, chile country, and comfort-food country, and you will taste all of that on the plate. As a chef couple, we have poured our heritage and our marriage into this place, and it means the world to us that our work has been recognized, from James Beard consideration to being named one of USA Today's best new restaurants of 2024. But the honors we care about most are the regulars who become friends and the first-timers who leave planning their next visit. Our dining room is warm, unpretentious, and made for lingering, whether you are here for a weeknight dinner, a celebration, or happy hour with people you love. We built Cocina Chiwas to be a place where everyone feels at home, and we are proud to be a woman co-owned kitchen led by Nadia alongside Armando. Come hungry, come curious, and let us share the food, the culture, and the hospitality of Chihuahua with you. From our family to your table, gracias for pulling up a chair.

Latino-ownedWomen-owned

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Lo-Lo's Chicken & Waffles

Phoenix, AZ

Lo-Lo's Chicken & Waffles is one of Phoenix's best known soul food destinations, and its flagship restaurant sits at 1220 S Central Avenue, just south of downtown. The concept was started by Larry "Lo-Lo" White, who grew up in the kitchen of his grandmother's legendary Phoenix eatery, Mrs. White's Golden Rule Cafe. What began as a small counter operation has grown into a name synonymous with Southern comfort food across Arizona, and the Central Avenue location remains the heart of the brand. The draw, as the name promises, is the pairing of crispy, well-seasoned fried chicken with golden, fluffy waffles. Google describes it simply as a laid-back restaurant fixing up fried chicken and soul food accompanied by hearty sides. Beyond the signature combo, the menu leans into classic soul food: smothered chicken, catfish, shrimp, grits, mac and cheese, collard greens, candied yams, cornbread, and other down-home sides that round out a plate. Portions are generous, and the vibe is casual and welcoming, making it a favorite for both locals and visitors looking for an authentic taste of the culture. The atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious, with a friendly, community feel that has helped build a loyal following over the years. It has earned a strong reputation, holding a 4.2 star rating across more than 7,600 Google reviews, with a typical spend in the range of 20 to 30 dollars per person. The restaurant offers dine-in, takeout, and delivery, so guests can enjoy the food in the dining room or take it to go. The Central Avenue kitchen keeps convenient hours, opening at 10 a.m. on weekdays and running until 9 p.m., staying open later on Friday nights, and opening early at 8 a.m. on weekends for those craving chicken and waffles for breakfast or brunch. Sunday service wraps up in the early evening. The location offers a wheelchair accessible entrance. Whether you are a first-timer or a longtime regular, Lo-Lo's delivers a satisfying, soulful meal that reflects the family roots and Phoenix pride behind the brand.

Black-owned

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Phoenix Coquí

Phoenix, AZ

Bienvenidos to Phoenix Coqui, where every plate carries a piece of Puerto Rico. We are a proud family-owned kitchen, started by Alexis and Juan, who grew up in Toa Alta and carried their island recipes all the way to the Arizona desert. What began in a home kitchen back in 2013 grew into a food truck in 2017, and in February 2022 we finally planted roots with our own brick-and-mortar home on North 15th Avenue. Every step of that journey has been about one thing: sharing real Puerto Rican food with warm service that feels like family. When you walk through our doors, we want you to taste the island the way we do. Our mofongo is the heart of the menu, that unmistakable garlicky mash of green plantains, piled high and served your way, from shrimp to our slow-roasted pernil. We fry our empanadillas until they are golden, layer our pastelon into a sweet-and-savory comfort you will not forget, and simmer our pollo a la criolla in the kind of sofrito that only comes from generations of practice. For a sweet finish, our quesitos bring that flaky, creamy bite that reminds so many of our guests of home. Everything we serve comes from family recipes, made from scratch with the same care our abuelas taught us. We did not learn this cooking from a book. We learned it in real kitchens, surrounded by loud music, good company, and the smell of adobo in the air. That spirit is what we try to bottle up and pour into every order, whether you are dining in, grabbing takeout on your lunch break, or letting us cater your next celebration. We are more than a restaurant. We are a little corner of Puerto Rico in the middle of Phoenix, and being recognized by Phoenix Magazine as a favorite Puerto Rican spot only makes us want to cook harder for you. Stop by, say wepa, and let us feed you like one of our own. Whether it is your first taste of the island or a bite that brings you back to childhood, we cannot wait to welcome you to the table. Parking is in the rear, and a warm plate is always waiting.

LGBTQ-ownedLatino-owned

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