Phoenix eateries

Farewell, Phoenix! We'd like to leave behind a short list of local restaurants we've tried. They're not all on here, but we've included the ones we love and the ones we were told to love but didn't love so much. The restaurants in red are our favorites.

• Chelsea's Kitchen (5040 N. 40th Street): This is a great neighborhood spot run by the LGO/Radio Milano family. Chelsea's turns out delicious bougie tacos (we recently had duck tacos) and simple but satisfying grilled fish. One of our friends complains of the portion sizes, which tend more toward the Californian and less toward the American. There's often a wait.

• Cibo (603 North 5th Ave): The pizza is good and does not require the ridiculous wait time of Bianco's or LGO. The appetizers are enormous. This is a good place for a casual downtown dinner. Simona liked the bresaola pizza best.


• Circa 1900 (628 E. Adams): We popped in here during the eternal wait for a table at Pizzeria Bianco (next door). We were pleasantly surprised by the well-stocked wine bar (with a half-glass tasting option) and the creative bruschetta. It's a good place for wine and snacks.


• Coronado Cafe (2201 North 7th St): The menu tends towards California cuisine and is somewhat inventive. This restaurant gets points for its ambiance - it's set in a small restored house. It's a nice date spot.

• Fate (905 North 4th Street): The Thai food here is better than we've had anywhere else in Phoenix (warning: means nothing), and the atmosphere is more vibrant. Don't try to eat here during First Friday artwalk, unless you want to wait two hours for a table. (Although a two-hour wait outdoors on a Friday night in Phoenix in July is actually a refreshing experience. It's not often you get to bathe in your own sweat.)


• Cafe Lalibella: Highly recommended for excellent Ethiopian. One of the best Ethopian places we have ever been to.

• La Grande Orange: The pizza's buttery sourdough crust is divine. This is hands-down our favorite Phoenix casual spot.


• Los Dos Molinos: We went craving a San Francisco burrito and we left disappointed. We've eaten here twice and have been unimpressed with the food, which is usually smothered in cheese and seems to always taste the same. The atmosphere is unique, if kitschy.


• Los Sombreros (2534 Scottsdale Road): We have a divided panel on this one. Eli loves it. Simona thinks it's ok. We agree that the guacamole is excellent and that it's the best Mexican food we've had in town.


• My Florist Cafe: This is a good place to grab a salad and perhaps our favorite downtown lunch spot. The brie and berry salad is particularly tasty.


• Noodles Ranch: The place to go for a quick bowl of Pho and some fresh spring rolls. It's run by a Vietnamese family and very authentic. They also have a great ginger iced tea.


• Phoenix City Grille (5816 North 16th Street): We are sorry we judged this place as soon as we walked in. We ended up being dead wrong. The food has been great every time. The atmosphere may not be as exciting, but don't let it deter you.


• Pizzeria Bianco (623 East Adams Street): The pizza was fine - thin-crusted and simple, just the way we like. It was decidedly NOT worth the two-hour wait. Overhyped.


• Richardson's (1582 E. Bethany Home): This was recommended to us as a great place for New Mexican cuisine. We were not impressed. The wait was long and the food was very heavy.


• Tommaso's: Someone told us this was the best Italian restaurant in Phoenix. We may have been unlucky, but neither of our meals were very good. And it seemed overpriced.


• Quiessence: This is our favorite romantic spot - the restaurant is set in a tranquil South Phoenix pecan grove, and eating outside is wonderful (if the season allows). They use local, seasonal ingredients and make delicious desserts. Highly recommended.


• Zinc Bistro: We have another divided panel. Simona liked the French cuisine but Eli was not particularly impressed. There is probably little reason to make the trek to North Scottsdale if you don't live there, but if you are in the area it's worth visiting.