When media outlets outside of Arizona name their picks for best restaurants in our state, I’m always intrigued. And their choices show how different it is to drop into the city for a meal versus living here.
A case in point is The New York Times’ recent list of 50 favorite restaurants, which named Durant’s among the likes of Dakar NOLA and Albi in D.C.
Durant's is a historic local haunt at 76 years old, though in December 2025, it reopened under the new ownership of Prime Steak House, the group behind Dominick's, Ocean 44 and Steak 44.
Perhaps it seemed like an obvious choice to someone who’s not from Arizona and wants to name a place they think represents Arizona best. The writers realistically don’t have time to try every restaurant in our state.
And I suppose that's the point. When it comes to declaring a restaurant the best we have to offer, those of us who live and eat here all the time will always have some thoughts on fly-by proclamations. Though sometimes, they do get it right (see the years Tratto and Bacanora were named).
Durant's is great. But is it the best?
I can see where writer Brian Gallagher is coming from. Cattle is one of Arizona's five Cs, after all. Gallagher said he chose Durant's for the vibes "you just can't buy." (Actually, the Durant's vibe and food cost a pretty penny.) But I can see what he means. Visiting Durant’s makes even a first-time diner nostalgic for the bygone eras of Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe. It’s a classic steakhouse.
While Durant's is undeniably a historic and solid steakhouse, it feels a little too on the nose, expected, even safe for those of us witnessing some of the boundary-pushing restaurants in our state.
Rather than looking to the past, I’d like to see Arizona restaurants on this list that move the culinary conversation forward. Perhaps it's restaurants that are using local ingredients. Atria comes to mind for incorporating hyperlocal and Northern Arizona-grown ingredients in every dish when possible. Glai Baan and Lom Wong are contemporary classics, familiarizing diners with new dishes and ingredients, harbingers of the influx of exciting regional Thai restaurants that have proliferated across the Valley over the last five years. And what about Wild Barbecue, the latest pit barbecue restaurant to join our vibrant scene of pitmasters, run by a family of Jordanians who not only make award-worthy barbecue, but have also made barbecue more inclusive by using halal meat.
Did the New York Times get it right this time?
Admittedly, as a local restaurant critic, I always take national lists with a grain of salt. But that doesn't mean they're wrong. Save a few outliers, the New York Times' best restaurants list generally feel valid and not wildly off-base. This year is no exception.
Durant's is an institution. The new owners are steakhouse vets who know their way around a cut of beef and a martini. I certainly don't find their inclusion egregious. There’s nothing wrong with celebrating a classic. But as a local, I have to beat my drum. I feel that Arizona’s most compelling restaurant stories aren't just in our mid-century and Wild West past. They're also being written right now.
I'm delighted to see an Arizona restaurant back on the New York Times' list after being passed over last year. Durant's is a solid choice. It just doesn't tell our whole story.
But that's the nature of a list, especially a national one, which is why I'll always eagerly pore over them, looking for confirmation and controversy. It's why I'll always react with mixed emotions to what I find.
Arizona's contributions to the American dining scene are as varied as our population, as unexpected as our sunsets and impossible to boil down to a single cuisine or restaurant.
Reach the restaurant critic at BAnooshahr@azcentral.com. Follow @baharcreative on Instagram.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: NYT's Arizona pick for best restaurant is solid, but is it too 'safe'?
