When Filthy Animal opened along Mill Avenue, it brought a luxe jungle feel to Tempe. Now, it’s been named the best new restaurant in the country.
On Tuesday, review site Yelp released its annual list of the 25 best new restaurants nationwide. The site tallied reviews and ratings of restaurants that opened between January 1, 2025, and June 11, 2026.
Filthy Animal took the top spot. The large restaurant took over the former home of P.F. Chang’s at the bottom of the Mill Avenue entertainment district near Arizona State University. It made a splash and marked a milestone in the evolution of Tempe from a college town filled with rowdy bars serving cheap beer to a more elevated dining destination…