RFI: Phoenix Area

[okie john]

Gonna be in PHX next week on business. What do I need to know?

Thanks,


Okie John

[JAD]

It’s pretty hot.

[donlapalma]

It's a dry heat!

[LtDave]

Constitutional carry, no permit required to carry open or concealed in public. Exceptions include private property where posted by owner, or places where alcohol is served. If not posted you can carry in a bar/restaurant with a CCW permit, but can’t consume alcohol. If the bar/restaurant is posted, you can’t carry even with CCW permit. Many valley shopping malls are posted. Active or retired LEO from anywhere can carry virtually everywhere in AZ including the posted bars/restaurants, but can’t consume alcohol there. Some cities in the valley, like Scottsdale, love their speed and red light cameras. Persian Room on Scottsdale Rd about one light north of Bell Road has great Persian/middle eastern food. When I’m in the Valley, I prefer to hang out/shop in Scottsdale rather than Phoenix. Phoenix has some sketchy areas, Scottsdale not so much.

[Paul D]

It's a dry heat!

An oven has dry heat....

[Duelist]

It’s pretty hot.

105+ will be the high. Just be ready for it.

There are reasons we don't live in the Valley, even though we have a lot of family there. Most of them have to do with heat.

[Yung]

Seconding the Persian Room. If I'm not mistaken the grocery/deli next door is also run by the owners and they bake very good flatbread in generous amounts. The only other Middle Eastern places I can think of are all in Tempe.

If you're after Asian food, most of the restaurants have historically been in the Mesa/Chandler area. I think Thuan Thanh on Dobson and Broadway was the cheapest super-size bowl of pho at around seven dollars last time I was there. The Mekong shopping center is nearby (RIP Super L aka Ranch 99) and they're also one of the few options around for dim sum on the weekends. A few blocks further on Dobson is the Asiana Market, which moved across the street. In addition to a neat little food court there's the best all you can eat (in two hours and no leftovers or you're charged double) KBBQ I've had so far. In that same intersection behind the Circle K, Toh Zan Nagasaki and Best Hong Kong are still holding onto their stake for I don't know how much longer, which is a shame considering the authenticity of their menus and how long they've been there. We've had a huge influx of northern Chinese coming in for the last few years, I'd guess for international studies at ASU, and a lot of the traditional California/Cantonese style places that aren't Panda Express or PF Chang's are probably going to go extinct.

Venezia is also in our state but it's not really worth the drive as it's not likely their locations will be near wherever you're doing your business, unless you really wanna make a pilgrimage due to that one TV show. I think Parlor Pizzeria on Camelback is a better choice -- Food Network recognized them as best slice in state with good reason -- and they're across the street from Pizzeria Bianco, which is one of four places I know of (the others are Cibo, Pomo, La Piazza) which have DOC certification. DeFalco's and Marcellino are my favorite examples of good Italian places at completely opposite price ranges, and they're both in Scottsdale. Pretty much between Camelback and Old Town you're going to be hard-pressed to NOT find decent place to eat in general.

Fast foodwise, I suspect it's uncommon to have both In-n-Out and Chick-Fil-A, as well as Raising Cane's, Culver's, Freddy's, Five Guys, and Whataburger all within less than an hour's drive from each other. Cheba Hut is probably our best local sandwich chain that unlike its corporate competitors, serves beer on tap, and I'd recommend the 5-0 if you like ham, bacon, or prosciutto because they're all in it.

I've been told our Waffle Houses are actually nice, and supposedly a combination of early snowbirds and hungover trust fund kids have contributed to what's referred to as a 'breakfast belt' in the Valley, but Vovomeena and Matt's Big Breakfast are my favorites. I go to the brunch buffet at the Talking Stick when I feel like visiting their cigar lounge afterward, but the entire area has been shut down since monsoon season due to flooding and repairs.

[JAD]

Apologies for the unhelpful response. I’m not even a local, though I am a very frequent visitor. There are very good ranges such as Rio Salado and Scottsdale Gun Club. For food recommendations it will be easier if the locals know where you’re staying and working since it is a big metro with awful traffic. I’m a big fan of True Food in the Biltmore area and of Caffe Boa in Tempe.

Many parts of Phoenix are sketch as fuck and it is worth the hassle to carry.

[Tackleberry40sw]

I used to live there in northern downtown Phoenix. PM me if you are interested in some really good restaurants that are in some of the sketchy areas.

[Cecil Burch]

I am here and a native. If you want specific info, give me a shout.

One place I HIGHLY suggest is Andreoli's Deli in north Scottsdale. Hands down the best prosciutto I have ever eaten. And the restaurant is the kind of place where you can hang out and chat for 3 hours. The owner may very well join you.