Every month, metro Phoenix’s dining scene shifts in small but meaningful ways. Now feels like the right moment to highlight a few places that have been pulling me back. Only one of these restaurants is a true newcomer, but the other two — both about a year old — have recently hit their stride, the kind of late bloom that makes a return visit feel essential.
One is a tiny West Valley counter where Italian-style sandwiches crackle and melt in all the right ways. Another is a Chandler spot built on mesquite‑fired Peruvian chicken and sauces that wake up every bite. And the third is a polished North Phoenix dining room giving Levantine cooking a modern, elegant twist.
Of all the restaurants worth seeking out right now, here are the three to try first.
AGourmet Fine Sandwiches
Tucked between a swim school and a pet shop, this tiny West Valley sandwich shop is turning out some of the best Italian-style sandwiches in metro Phoenix — and maybe the closest thing to what you’d get in Sicily. Husband-and-wife team Adrian and Carmen Moisoiu import their salumi from Italy, their focaccia dough from New Jersey and their pinsa dough from Rome, then layer everything with thoughtful spreads like truffle pecorino, pistachio cream and basil pesto. The result: sandwiches that crackle, melt and surprise in all the right ways — never too salty, always in harmony…