Chile verde is one of those slow-cooked dishes that separates a decent Mexican kitchen from a great one. When the pork turns tender and the green chile sauce lands with the right amount of heat, you know someone in the back took their time.
Arizona has plenty of spots making this dish, from busy Phoenix counters to little family-run cafes up in the pines. Here are seven kitchens across the state where the chile verde is worth the plate.
1. The Original Carolina’s Mexican Food, Phoenix, AZ
Right near Sky Harbor sits a Phoenix legend that has been feeding the city traditional Sonoran food for decades. Google Maps sums it up as a landmark Mexican joint turning out traditional dishes in a basic, counter-serve setting.
The green chile burro is the reason many people keep coming back, and it holds up against the best in town. The tortillas are made fresh homestyle, the beans are done from scratch, and the green chili follows the same made-with-care approach…