Arizona is a southwestern US state renowned for its dramatic desert landscapes, ancient Native American cultures, and iconic natural wonders. Home to the Grand Canyon, one of the world's most visited natural sites, Arizona offers visitors a stunning contrast of red rock formations in Sedona, towering saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert, forested mountains around Flagstaff, and the otherworldly mesas of Monument Valley.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you Arizona through its food.
Arizona Food Tours — Phoenix Urban Bites
A walking food tour of downtown Phoenix's most exciting neighborhoods, sampling Sonoran hot dogs, craft cocktails, artisan chocolates, and dishes from James Beard-recognized restaurants. The tour covers the Roosevelt Row arts district and downtown food scene.
Includes: Sonoran hot dog tasting · Artisan food producers · Roosevelt Row restaurants · Craft beverage stops
Tucson Barrio Food Tour
Explore Tucson's UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation through its most traditional neighborhoods. Sample classic Sonoran Mexican dishes including carne seca, tamales, Sonoran hot dogs, and green chile at historic restaurants and street vendors.
Includes: El Charro Café tasting · Sonoran hot dog demonstration · Barrio history walk · Tucson's culinary UNESCO story
Verde Valley Wine and Food Experience
Arizona's Verde Valley is emerging as a serious wine-producing region with a warm-cool mountain climate. This tour visits Pillsbury Wine Company, Caduceus Cellars (co-founded by musician Maynard James Keenan), and Page Springs Cellars, tasting Arizona wines paired with local cheeses and charcuterie.
Includes: Pillsbury Wine Company · Caduceus Cellars (Tool/Puscifer frontman's winery) · Page Springs Cellars · Verde Valley wine country scenery
Scottsdale Taco and Margarita Trail
A self-guided or guided tour of Old Town Scottsdale's best taco spots and Mexican restaurants, sampling different regional Mexican taco styles, agave spirits, and craft margaritas across 4-5 venues.
Includes: Multiple taco styles (birria, al pastor, carne asada) · Craft margarita tastings · Agave spirit education · Old Town venue variety
Native American Cuisine Experience at Kai
A once-in-a-lifetime culinary journey through Native American food traditions at Kai Restaurant — Arizona's only Five Diamond, Five-Star restaurant. Chef Michael O'Dowd incorporates Pima and Maricopa culinary heritage using heirloom seeds, indigenous plants, and Native American farming traditions.
Includes: Arizona's most acclaimed restaurant · Native American ingredient sourcing · Hopi blue corn preparations · Tepary bean and desert botanical dishes
Phoenix Desert Farm Tour
Visit working Arizona farms that supply Phoenix's top restaurants, including citrus orchards, vegetable farms, and artisan cheesemakers. Learn about desert agriculture and taste farm-fresh products with a working chef guide.
Includes: Arizona citrus farms · Goat cheese dairy · Heritage grain farm · Farm-to-table cooking demonstration
Arizona Craft Beer Tour
Arizona has over 150 craft breweries, and this tour hits the best of the Tempe-Phoenix scene. Visit Four Peaks Brewing (Arizona's largest craft brewery, owned by Anheuser-Busch), SanTan Brewing, and local microbreweries for pint tastings and brewery tours.
Includes: Four Peaks Brewing taproom · SanTan Brewing tours · Beer garden dining · Arizona hop and grain sourcing education
Tour formats
Different ways to experience Arizona's food scene.
Walking tours tours
Walking food tours in downtown Phoenix, Old Town Scottsdale, and Tucson's barrio neighborhoods
Typical duration: 2.5-4 hours
Wine and culinary tours
Verde Valley wine country tours, Sonoita wine region, food and wine pairing experiences
Typical duration: 4-8 hours
Cultural immersion tours
Native American cuisine experiences, Navajo Nation food traditions, Tohono O'odham harvesting
Typical duration: Half day to full day
Farm to table tours
Working farm visits, citrus groves, artisan food producers
Typical duration: 3-5 hours
Cooking classes
Take a piece of Arizona home with you.
Kai Resort Cooking Class
Learn to prepare Native American-inspired dishes using heirloom ingredients under the guidance of Kai's culinary team.
Le Cordon Bleu Phoenix
Professional cooking school offering public recreational classes in Southwestern cuisine, pastry, and classic techniques.
Sur La Table Cooking Classes
Hands-on cooking classes covering Southwestern, Mexican, and American cuisine at varying skill levels.
Desert Foraging and Cooking Experience
Learn to identify and harvest edible desert plants — prickly pear, mesquite pods, saguaro fruit — and prepare traditional dishes. Offered by ethnobotanist guides, September-May.
DIY self-guided food tour
Build your own food crawl through Arizona.
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1
El Charro Café
America's oldest family-operated Mexican restaurant (since 1922); birthplace of the chimichanga; order the carne seca
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2
El Guero Canelo
James Beard Award winner; birthplace of the Sonoran hot dog; order the original
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3
Café Poca Cosa
Award-winning interior Mexican cuisine with rotating daily chalk-board menu; order the Poco Cosa plate
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4
Mariscos Chihuahua
Outstanding Sinaloa-style seafood; order the ceviche and shrimp cocktail
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5
4th Avenue
End at a 4th Avenue bar for a prickly pear margarita; Playground Bar and Tap is a good choice
Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
Tucson holds a UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation — the first US city so honored. Take its food scene very seriously.
Sonoran Mexican food is distinct from other Mexican regional cuisines. Flour tortillas (not corn), beef-forward preparations, and unique bean dishes define the tradition.
The prickly pear cactus fruit (tuna) is used in jams, jellies, margaritas, and lemonade across Arizona — look for it at farmers markets August-October.
Arizona has over 150 craft breweries with innovative desert-inspired flavors (prickly pear ales, saguaro fruit beers, barrel-aged with Arizona oak).
Verde Valley wines are worth seeking out — look for Maynard James Keenan's Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards for excellent Rhône and Italian varietals.
Kai Restaurant at Wild Horse Pass requires reservations made weeks in advance; this is not to be missed for serious foodies.