Bacanora PHX

You’ll find this Grand Avenue spot inside the restored Bragg’s Pie Factory building, but with the exception of the dessert menu, you won’t find many sugary treats. Instead, you’ll get a solid introduction to the different cuisines of the Mexican state of Sonora, which on any given day, might include a list of specials like the lime-cured halibut aguachile or bone-in ribeyes. Reservations open at the start of each month, but you can try your luck at the bar—you might evenfind an empty seat next to an Arizona Cardinals starter.

his Grand Avenue nook has heart and vibe unlike any other downtown Phoenix restaurant. That’s thanks to Rene Andrade, whose Sonoran roots shape an electric menu of Sonoran Mexican specialties, many of them charred on a smoky, giant Santa Maria-style grill in the music-packed room’s corner. Bacanora is a cool spot.

This Grand Avenue spot is climbing to the top of every discerning epicureans must-visit list. And for good reason, too. Bacanora is as real as it gets.

Bacanora is one of the must try restaurants in Phoenix right now. Chef René Andrade–who is from Sonora and named the restaurant after the agave spirit grown in that Mexican state–serves up dazzling wood-fired Sonoran comfort food on Grand Avenue in downtown Phoenix. The tiny, bright space became an immediate favorite among locals upon opening last year, and Rene’s win for Best Chef of the Southwest at this year’s James Beard Awards has only made it more difficult to snag a reservation (you can secure a reservation online now).

Rene Andrade and Roberto Centeno continue to tear it up at their thumping boombox of a restaurant that’s as brash and bratty as it is delicious. You’d think the novelty would wear off eventually — this is Phoenix, after all — but Bacanora remains the hottest table in town, and rightfully so. The cousins’ contemporary Sonoran cuisine arrived as a statement and endures as a mission, humble Mexican roots filtered through the eyes of a pair of talented chefs and forged in the fire of the wood-burning grill in back.

Chef Rene Andrade of Phoenix's Bacanora was awarded the 2024 James Beard Award for "Best Chef: Southwest." Andrade, the Nogales, Sonora native, shouted out his mother and grandmother during his speech. ‘"As a little kid from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, I had this dream of being my grandma," Andrade said. "I just wanted to be like her, she's the representation of magic to me." Andrade is one of several chefs in Phoenix who are bringing Sonoran cuisine into the national spotlight.

Cutting-edge restaurant Bacanora has received a lot of attention from national food critics who love chef/owner Rene Andrade's constantly shifting menu of Sonoran dishes cooked with excitement and flair. Everything at the restaurant is grilled over wood, giving the food a delicious smoky essence. The online menu isn't a lot of help for understanding the restaurant — it only lists a couple of dishes, including grilled chicken and carne asada entrees and an elote appetizer.

We might not get the national attention of LA or SF, but as far as quality goes, you can stack the best Mexican food here against the best Mexican food anywhere in the US. But maybe the national attention thing is changing now that Bacanora has arrived. Owner/chef Rene Andrade recently won the James Beard Award for Best Chef, Southwest, and the restaurant has been featured on national best-of lists in the New York Times, Bon Appetite, and even Liquor.com.

This small, hip spot in the eccentric Grand Avenue district, Bacanora grew to fast acclaim, known for having the best Mexican food in a city known for great Mexican food. The elote (street corn) is one of the few things that is always on the menu and it’s a non-negotiable; covered with two different cremas and a secret blend of spices. The menu is as small as the restaurant, with a rotating features fresh and local combinations.

Located in the heart of Downtown Phoenix, Bacanora offers a taste of Sonoran cuisine with a modern twist. The restaurant’s menu features a variety of dishes cooked over a wood-fired Santa Maria grill, including ribeyes, corn cobs, beans, chickens, handmade flour tortillas and whole fish. Bacanora also has a lively bar serving up Mexican cocktails and a selection of local beers.

At his new East Valley gastropub, Bacanora mastermind Rene Andrade puts a chef-y spin on whole fried red snapper that’s a mind-blowing meld of moist, sweet flesh and ultra-crispy skin. Glazed in an oily finishing sauce of salsa macha (chiles, fried garlic, fried onion, toasted sesame seeds), this blissfully crunchy dish is kinda like the chicharrones of fish.

If you’re looking for inventive Mexican cuisine, Bacanora is the place to go. This Downtown Phoenix restaurant focuses specifically on Sonoran cooking techniques and flavors. Everything at this popular hotspot is cooked over an open flame, creating a mouthwatering menu of meats and fish that are sure to please any foodie in your life.

Bacanora is another restaurant that's new to the Phoenix scene. It received a lot of buzz after opening in early 2021, and was nominated for the 2022 James Beard Foundation Awards. It's a small venue on the west side of downtown on Grand Street, located in a unique triangular-shaped space with floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

Downtown Phoenix (Grand) - 1301 Grand Ave #1, Phoenix, AZ 85007. Bacanora is a James Beard winner for their delicious southwest cuisine, so it can be hard to get a seat or reservation on the weekends. The Cocktail: The menu at Bacanora changes almost daily so it's hard to guess when they'll have milk punches on the menu.

Downtown Phoenix has many Mexican restaurants, including the famous Bacanora PHX. It is housed in a triangular building and has windows all over the place. Owner René Andrade has dedicated this establishment to all things Sonoran. He uses a grill to create all of its signature dishes.

If there’s one absolute must-visit restaurant in Phoenix, it’s Bacanora on Grand Avenue. Rene Andrade’s tight 36-seat restaurant, one of Bon Appétit’s 50 Best New Restaurants of 2022, is housed in a former pie factory. It’s pure Sonoran-style magic.

Hallie Davison, the executive producer & director of the series Taco Chronicles, confirmed to ABC15 that the Valley restaurants Taco Boy’s, Tacos Chiwas, Bacanora and Fry Bread House are the featured businesses.

Named one of Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurants, Bacanora is run by Mexican grill master, Rene Andrade — who brings authentic flavors to his ultra-simple menu. DO NOT miss the ribeye and beans.

PHOENIX — Arizona's culinary industry just got a big win on Thursday when newly-founded Phoenix restaurant Bacanora was recognized as one of America's best new restaurants by Esquire.

*Bacanora was one of five finalists for Best New Restaurant in this year’s James Beard Awards and made Bon Appetit’s best 50 restaurants of the year.

1301 Grand Ave Unit 1, Phoenix, AZ 85007Phone: 602-612-4018 Visit Website. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by Bacanora (@bacanoraphx)