It may surprise you to learn that, for a city situated in a landlocked state, Phoenix truly delivers when it comes to seafood. While many might think the words Arizona and seafood don’t belong together, these spots prove naysayers wrong. From buzzy, high-end Scottsdale restaurants to places that own fishing boats, here are 15 of the best seafood restaurants in metro Phoenix.
Lucca Coastal Kitchen
Though this seafood restaurant resides in Chandler, the goal is to transport diners to the Mediterranean seaside. Visually, the warm lights, crisp white linens, and terracotta walls start the journey.
Then, the plate brings you in with plenty of coastal Italian fare such as fried calamari, crabcakes served with lemon aioli, and the Pasta Frutti di Mare, a dish piled high with squid, shrimp, clams, mussels, spinach, pomodoro sauce, and parmigiano pecorino. Also, don’t skip signature plates such as the Alaskan Halibut, Branzino Picata, Roasted Salmon, or Chilean Sea Bass.2475 W. Queen Creek Rd., Ste. 5, Chandler, luccachandler.com
Chula Seafood
Chula Seafood’s mission is to bring high quality seafood to the desert at all four of its Arizona locations. Chula even owns a fishing boat that brings in fresh fish from Point Loma in Southern California. After each haul, the seafood gets transported in a refrigerated van from California to Scottsdale. Any other, non-California seafood on the menu flies in from other parts of the world.
Classic dishes include the Lobster Roll, Fish and Chips, Hatch Chile Tuna Melt, and Fish Tacos. One of Chula’s most epic creations is the California Burrito, which comes filled with a choice of grilled fish or shrimp, crispy fries, guacamole, baja sauce, and spiced Oaxaca cheese. The menu is rounded out by poke, the Tuna Tostada, and plenty of cocktails to pair with it all. Multiple locations, chulaseafood.com
Salt Cellar Restaurant
Since 1971, the Salt Cellar has been serving excellent seafood in an underground dining room. Enter on the ground floor, and then head down an antique staircase for three flights and into a rustic wood-lined restaurant. The idea is to give diners the sense of a New England seafood restaurant, right down to the food, which comes mainly from the East Coast…