Find Mouthwatering Enchiladas At These 12 Restaurants In Arizona
By Monica Spencer|Published September 15, 2016
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Monica Spencer
Author
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
I think enchiladas are the underdog of Mexican cuisine. At its core, enchiladas are a simple mixture of three ingredients: tortilla, filling, and sauce. In the wrong hands, they can become a soggy, greasy, bland mess of a dish, which is probably why some people tend to gloss over this part of the combo platter for the tacos, tamales, or carne. But when done right? Oh my gatos, you have a dish that is sheer pleasure for the mouth—a delightful mixture of spicy, savory, and perhaps even a hint of sweetness.
Below, we’ve compiled a list of Arizona restaurants that are known for serving some tasty enchiladas. Check it out and let us know what you think!
This south Phoenix favorite offers standard cheese, chicken, and beef enchiladas but also beautifully cooked shrimp enchiladas that come topped with a delicious green chile and tomatillo sauce.
For an upscale dinner experience, you might want to try Elote Cafe for their smoked chicken enchiladas. It comes with a savory salsa verde and chipotle crema, which is certainly a treat for the spice lovers out there.
This restaurant has its roots as a to-go restaurant in Mexico in 1927 and it isn’t the typical restaurant that serves tacos and enchiladas. Instead, you’ll find lots of meat-focused dishes. However, their lunch menu does offer one fantastic green chicken enchilada that tastes fresh and not too heavy.
Located in central Phoenix, this restaurant focuses on freshly made, build-your-own enchiladas. Choose your tortilla, fillings, sauces, and toppings, which they assemble right in front of you and then bake in a fire oven. (Give the green chile pork a try!)
This mining country favorite has some tasty enchiladas that will make your mouth water for more. The sauce is rich and the enchiladas arrive covered in cheese. Yum!
Related to the Phoenix-area restaurant favorite, this Springerville location has a similar atmosphere and menu. The enchiladas here use handmade tortillas and a perfectly flavored sauce.
I try to avoid writing about the same restaurant more than once or twice but the enchiladas here are not to be ignored. These are served breakfast style topped with a cooked egg and a side of coffee, a food combination you wouldn’t normally expect.
This famous Tucson restaurant is always a top contender for the best Mexican food in the city. Recently it was ranked as one of the best places to get enchiladas and for good reason because they arrive smothered in cheese and sauce.
This humble little restaurant in Bisbee doesn’t look like much from the outside but offers some delicious enchiladas that are delicious and comforting.
Address: 885 Highway 92, Bisbee
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10. Presidio Cocina Mexican Food, Phoenix
This new restaurant is located in midtown Phoenix in a strip mall with several other (quite good) ethnic restaurants. The food here is a little different from the typical Sonoran-style meals we Arizonans are used to; the family that operates the restaurant comes from Michoacán, giving the dishes here a little something different and new. The enchiladas are fresh, not greasy, and arrive with queso fresco instead of the jack cheese mixture we usually see.
Tucked away in the northwest corner of the Valley, Rio Mirage is a locally-owned joint that offers some incredibly delicious meals. The enchiladas here are perfectly seasoned and perfectly priced.
Another Tucson favorite, this restaurant was recently voted the best place to get enchiladas in the city. We won’t argue with that designation! This restaurant has the cheese, chicken, and beef enchiladas you expect plus some interesting mixes, like avocado enchiladas. Plus you can get these topped with a fried egg.