Arizonans love to proudly boast about the state's Mexican food scene. It makes sense, given our proximity to Mexico, that the Valley would be a hot spot for regional Mexican cuisine.
This week, The New York Times published a list of the 41 best Mexican restaurants in the country. And it should come as no surprise that several Arizona restaurants made the cut.
The list was assembled by The New York Times staff including reporters, editors and photographers who traveled the country for over a year looking to put together "a mosaic" of their favorite Mexican restaurants.
Here are all of the Arizona restaurants that made The New York Times' list.
Bacanora
Bacanora is no stranger to the spotlight. The restaurant has earned numerous awards and accolades, including
a spot on Esquire's list of best new restaurants in America the year it opened and the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef — Southwest for chef Rene Andrade in 2024.
"The enticing waft of burning mesquite will coax you in the door at this small-but-mighty Sonoran steakhouse. If you’re lucky, you can follow it all the way to the seat at the end of the bar closest to the grill, where you can watch the chef René Andrade commune with the coals," wrote The New York Times' Brian Gallagher.
Gallagher shouted out the bone-in New York strip and rib-eye as the stars of the menu, but he wrote that "the skill and smoke make their way into every dish."
Details: 1301 NW Grand Ave., Unit 1, Phoenix. bacanoraphx.com.
BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs
BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs is a family-owned, Sonoran-style Mexican food joint in Tucson that's best known for its signature carne asada and Sonoran hot dogs.
"In Arizona, the separate specialties of Sonora carne asada and Sonoran hot dogs are both under the same roof," wrote The New York Times' Bill Esparza.
Esparza highlighted the mesquite-grilled carne asada, caramelos (carne asada with melted cheese) served in flour tortillas, the Sonoran dog and the caldo de queso in his review.
Details: 5118 S. 12th Ave., Tucson. 520-882-3649, bktacos.com.
Mariscos El Profe
Mariscos El Profe is a hidden gem food truck in south Phoenix. The New York Times' Brian Gallagher pointed out that seafood might not be the first thing one thinks of when it comes to Arizona's food scene, but the spots that do it, do it well. And Mariscos El Profe is one of those places.
"The competition for “best Mexican restaurant under a shade structure in a parking lot” can be a stiff one in the Southwest. But Mariscos el Profe must be a contender," Gallagher wrote.
Gallagher recommends the mixed seafood "Ceviche Es Lo Que Hay!" with marinated marlin, salt-cured sea bass and tender octopus. He also shouted out the ribeye aguachile.
Details: 2301 W. Buckeye Road, Phoenix. 480-531-6419, mariscoselprofeaz.com.
What restaurants do you think should have made the list? Reach the reporter at eddie.fontanez@azcentral.com. Follow @ERFontanez on Instagram.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 3 Arizona Mexican restaurants named best in US by The New York Times
