You don’t have to travel across the ocean to enjoy the many flavors of Europe. The Valley has German and Irish pubs where you can see a match and wonderful delis where you can enjoy your favorite piece of meat or cheese. For fine dining, there is everything from classic French and traditional Italian cuisine to the hefty sausage boards that are all the rage these days. Check out these European-inspired restaurants and the cuisine won the Best of Phoenix Award in 2021. Click to enlarge George & Dragon is always good for a beer and fries on the terrace. Benjamin Leatherman Best British Pub George & Dragon English Pub4240 North Central Avenue Since the pandemic made traveling a lot harder, we often think of past trips. When we long for the happy roar of an English tavern, we head to George & Dragon in downtown Phoenix. You don’t have to eat anything here to have a satisfying time; a pint of Smithwick’s, a bit of soccer (football) on TV, and a nice chat with the guy on the next bar stool is a great way to spend an afternoon or evening. We recommend trying the menu, though: the chicken and vegetable curries are celebrated for a reason, and traditional British dishes like Shepherd’s Pie and Bangers and Mash go well with cider and draft beer. Until we can hop across the pond again us George & Dragon the British pub experience right in the heart of Phoenix. click to enlarge Enjoy the scenery at the Mountain View Pub. Lauren Cusimano Best Irish Pub Mountain View Pub7033 East Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek I Support Local Community Journalism Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of the New Times free. Sure, you have your McCaffrey’s, your Dubliners, your suburban corner bars. But in the crowded food and drink scene of Cave Creek, keep an eye out for the giant Guinness banner and head to the Mountain View Pub. It has the usual Irish bar features: imported beers, starters, a selection of antique furniture, an internet jukebox. But there’s also a stage framed by exposed cobblestone, some natural sunlight, and a huge back deck with absolutely breathtaking views of a river valley and the mountains of the North Valley. To drink it, order a margarita, a house favorite, served in a Guinness pint glass. Eat? Stay on the old Emerald Isle; We like the Irish breakfast platter, Irish pub nachos and the Reuben, which is made from corned beef cooked daily in Guinness. click to enlarge Get a schnitzel and a bottle of beer at Murphy’s house. Lauren Cusimano Best German Restaurant House Murphy’s5739 West Glendale Avenue, Glendale Okay, German cuisine may not be the hottest cuisine right now, but its effectiveness as home cooking cannot be denied. The menu at Murphy’s in historic downtown Glendale is filled with hearty dishes grilled by the ribs. We like to start with the huge Bavarian pretzel, which is served with butter, mustard and (for a surcharge) cheese sauce. The schnitzel are the best in town; If you order the sample plate, you can try the chicken, paprika, and steak schnitzel, all of which are fried to perfection without being too heavy. Our last piece of advice? Come to Murphy’s on an empty stomach – not only to enjoy the large portions, but also to try the restaurant’s impressive selection of beers (and perhaps a Black Forest cake). The bar area at the Francine. Jackie Mercandetti Best French Restaurant Francine4712 North Goldwater Boulevard, Scottsdale This tall temple of breezy white-painted woods, exposed rafters and brass accents hums a sleek modern French restaurant. It’s not just not elegant because of the postcard ledge with its smooth, hewn rock slab and plant leaves protruding from the brass back ledge. Francine combines French coastal cuisine with strong influences from Spain and southern Italy, the dishes range from old to new. Brian Archibald cooks them with real hand. Some of its highlights are a citrus-infused crab ravioli and a whole branzino that’s baked in a salt crust. Archibald prepares the classic French chickpea cake like a textbook, but also mixes it with dishes such as wood-roasted octopus with chorizo. Many French restaurants can feel sleepy in 2021, but Francine delivers a pleasant, tingly shock. click to enlarge Virtu is best with friends. Debby Wolvo’s best Italian restaurant Virtù Honest Craft3701 North Marshall Way, Scottsdale chef Gio Osso’s Virtù Honest Craft restaurant serves fancy Amari flights. Gnocchi rolled with mesquite flour. Main courses such as duck breast in soubise with black garlic. His skills and standpoint in Italian gastronomy would be unique anywhere, and they certainly add something to Phoenix’s somewhat staid Italian food scene. Guests enjoy their meals in an intimate courtyard flanking a boutique inn, white tablecloths under fairy lights. The menu is constantly changing. There are usually only a few pastas available at any given time. He will never cook a classic like amatriciana. As with his take on grilled octopus that highlights fennel, chickpeas, and Calabrian chili butter, there are always some nice modern wrinkles. Click to enlarge The Pastry Shop at Romanelli’s Italian Deli Chris Malloy Best Italian Deli Romanelli’s3437 West Dunlap Avenue There’s pizza sauce, and then there’s the house-brand pizza sauce we get from this Westside deli, a Phoenix tradition of Italian connoisseurs since 1975 Delis – and anyone too lazy to make their own red sauce – will tell you that Romanelli’s pizza sauce is the best in town. Likewise, the selection of Italian cheeses and sausages, Christmas sweets and biscuits, olive oil and pasta. They’ll cater for your next office party or bar mitzvah and serve you a delicious take-away lunch, but most of the time Romanellis will do is secure a truck and fill it with provolone balls and mustaccioli, cannoli, and pizzas. Maybe you will be inspired to make your own. In this case, this family-run business sells pizza irons, cheese balls, and cannoli bowls. click to enlarge The dining room of the pizzeria Virtú. Chris Malloy Best Neapolitan Pizza Pizzería Virtu 6952 East Main Street, Scottsdale For nearly a decade, Gio Osso has served some of the most progressive Italian dishes in the valley. Now he’s also making our very best Neapolitan pizza in the Pizzería Virtu. Osso ties in with the timeless traditions of Naples, the birthplace of pizza, including its signature puffy crust, microfinish center, San Marzano tomatoes, and the way each cake is cooked in volcanic heat. Technically, the pizza is almost flawless. However, when it comes to toppings, Osso really stands out from the crowd. He is not afraid of taleggio, truffles, trumpet mushrooms and arugula. Or stracchino cheese with smoked pancetta, caramelized onions and chestnut honey. These are heady old school ingredients that are thoughtfully arranged – resulting in a really excellent pizza. click to enlarge Andreoli Italian Grocer front counter, goods behind glass. Chris Malloy Best Pasta Andreoli Italian Grocer8880 East Via Linda, Scottsdale Andreoli’s owner Giovanni Scorzo grew up in the far south of Italy. The dry goods, baked goods, meats and cheeses and ready-made meals that he offers reflect his connection to Italy, which envelops you with the smell of freshly baked bread when you enter. Scorzo makes all kinds of ingredients from scratch, including charcuterie, cheeses like mozzarella and burrata, and intricate pastries like sfogliatelle. Dish dishes include an all-star lineup from loyal Italians, including handmade ravioli. Slippery, the thin outer noodle soft, the fragrant fillings even softer, Scorzos mushrooms, veal, pumpkin and other ravioli channel the old world. They conjure up the humble local kitchens, where ripples of dough and clouds of flour capture the light – the true spirit of pasta. click to enlarge Charcuterie boards are meant to be shared while playing in The Sicilian Butcher. Maggiore Group Best Boards The Sicilian Butcher15530 North Tatum Boulevard Lately, charcuterie boards have risen to the level of art: cheese, meat, jam and crackers are presented so magnificently that you stop to take a picture before you go dig in. The Sicilian butcher definitely understands how a charcuterie board has the chance to leave an unforgettable impression. There are not one but four different board choices, everything from the polenta board with meatballs, cheese and toasted dots; the sausage and cheese platter, which is accompanied by pickled vegetables and jam; and the over-the-top Sicilian in Strada, which delivers panelli donuts, potato croquettes, artisanal meatballs with polenta, artisanal meats and cheeses, and jams. Served on a 5-foot board, it can easily feed a family or group of friends. And while you feast, don’t forget that happy hour is all day, every day; You probably won’t regret pairing your cured meats with a $ 6 glass of wine or $ 5 beer.
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