11 Nice Chips and Salsa Combos in Metro Phoenix

Admit it: Generally, you look ahead extra to a restaurant’s chips and salsa than its precise menu objects. That’s okay! Complimentary or not, a great order of chips and salsa will be poetry. Listed here are 11 eating places within the Valley doing the combo appropriately.

Vecina

3433 North 56th Road

It’s no secret we’re followers of Vecina, a brand new restaurant in Arcadia serving some top-notch ceviche and cocktails. So, it’s no shock to share this: It additionally has nice chips and salsa, and so they’re $5 throughout blissful hour. Whereas we just like the roasted tomato salsa, the creamy habanero salsa is unbelievable. The key ingredient is butter … and possibly love? Chef-owner James Fox has been making this salsa for greater than 10 years and served a model of it at his marriage ceremony.

Arriba Mexican Grill

A number of Areas

Arrive at Arriba Mexican Grill, or simply Arriba’s in case you’re a frequent visitor, and a few complimentary chips and salsa come quickly after the menus are slapped down. The chips are excellent restaurant-style, ultra-thin, salty, fairly heat at first. Served proper alongside them is a dish of chunky, gentle to medium salsa, and a creamy bean dip. However right here’s you are final professional tip: Ask for a facet of the new salsa, and a server will deliver you a cup of brilliant pink sauce with an additional kick.

Carolina’s Mexican Meals

1202 East Mohave Road

Although this Carolina’s location in south Phoenix might look scrappy, in the very best means, the meals churning away from that pickup counter is really subsequent stage. That features an order of chips and salsa. The corn tortilla chips paired with a four-ounce scorching sauce, or only a handful of sauce-filled Solo dip cups, are lower than $2. One chew into that ultra-crunchy chip, coated in that extra-hot salsa, and also you’ll be hooked, becoming a member of the opposite lunchers in line on the 1986-established location of Carolina’s each day.

Aunt Chilada’s

7330 North Dreamy Draw Drive

The unique Aunt Chilada’s sits fairly simply off 16th Road north of Glendale Avenue, back-dropped by Piestewa Peak. The easiest way to take pleasure in that view is on the patio, with a frosty margarita (or water, no matter) and the family-owned restaurant’s chips and salsa. The particular element right here is: The chips are made from flour. Each bit is smooth, crumbly, and scrumptious, and holds the thick salsa full on to the lips and mouth. Professional tip: Don’t count on these chips on the Tempe location. The flour remedy is barely on the Dreamy Draw spot.

Asadero Norte De Sonora

122 North 16th Road

The salsa at Asadero Norte De Sonora is a little bit thinner, a little bit hotter, and general, just a bit extra vivid pink. Okay, full disclosure, this salsa is scorching. The chile de arbol blends nicely with the fruity peppers, making the skinny, rectangular tortilla chips mere sauce vessels. An order of the chips and salsa is complimentary — a server brings them over after you have a seat within the brilliant, petite, ultra-homelike eating room. Munching on salsa-coated chips, figuring out your beef head taco and Mexican Coke is on the best way, there’s no higher place on the town.

Gallo Blanco

928 East Pierce Road

Govt Chef Doug Robson runs each Gallo Blanco and Otro Café, and each have glorious chips and salsa, so that is considerably of a double entry. Strolling into Gallo within the historic Garfield District (or Otro in uptown), know you’re about to have an expertise. Attempt an order of La Charola, the centerpiece of which is Gallo Blanco Guacamole. La Charola additionally comes with thick corn tortilla chips, pico de gallo, fire-roasted salsa, and the at all times nice salsa of the day.

Cocina 10

308 North Second Avenue

Confess. You’ve gotten tickets in hand for an act at Crescent Ballroom, however you’re extra excited concerning the alternative for ordering the chips and salsa. Cocina 10, the Crescent Ballroom kitchen, seems all types of “Arizona street meals,” and the chips are a serious a part of this. The nice and cozy tortilla chips are served with two squeeze bottles of salsa — chile de arbol (the pink) and tomatillo (the inexperienced). To take it one step additional, strive the chips and spicy molcajete salsa. Debates nonetheless rage on which of those three salsa choices is finest.

Mi Patio Mexican Restaurant

3347 North Seventh Avenue

The family-owned Mi Patio has been round since 1984, the eating room aesthetic classically kitschy and open each day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Throughout that window, you will be served with as many bowls of chips and dishes of salsa as you’ll be able to deal with. Mi Patio is thought, far and huge, for super-fast chip service. Heat bowls of tortilla chips come straight away, and to make them in some way higher, give them an additional dusting of salt. The last word salsa? Ask for a facet of the seafoam-green Baja sauce. You’re welcome prematurely.

Taco Guild

546 East Osborn Street

Taco Guild positively has an environment as an 1893-built former chapel. And whereas there’s no excellent seat, it’s just a bit extra enjoyable to sit down on the bar. Why? A piping scorching bowl of tortilla chips comes spinning out at you when you’re seated — full with 4 sauces. And so they simply maintain coming. All are finest loved throughout Confession Hour (all day Monday, and three to six:30 p.m., then 9 to shut, Tuesday by Sunday).

Jalapeño Bucks

3434 North Val Vista Drive, Mesa

This place self identifies as “New Wave Mexican Soul Meals & BuzzSaw Model BBQ,” which means there are barbecue plates, plus quesadillas, burritos, and sure, chips and salsa. Jalapeño Bucks in northeast Mesa fries its personal tortilla chips in increments of small, medium, and extra-large. And that’s not even the very best half. Diners might select from 5 signature salsas — gentle, mango, and candy inexperienced, adopted by Scorching Mexican Crimson and Scorching Gringo Inexperienced. They’ve enjoyable.

The Soiled Drummer

2303 North 44th Road

Sports activities bar, burger palace … chip shack? Most of the starters at The Dirty Drummer are good, made with care on the grill behind the bar, however the chips and salsa are fast and simple. Crunchy, deep-yellow tortilla chips include chunky salsa, or Navarro’s Scorching Sauce. However professional tip: Ask for a facet of the home Buffalo sauce. Dip these salted chips and scoop up the sauce for a yummy-sound response. You gained’t remorse it.

Editor’s be aware: This story was initially printed on January 16, 2020. It was up to date on February 24, 2021.

Lauren Cusimano is Phoenix New Instances‘ foods and drinks editor. She is a journalist and meals waste author primarily based in Tempe. Joys embody consuming wings, driving bikes, figuring out everybody on the bar, speaking an excessive amount of about The Simpsons, and falling asleep whereas studying.