Experts' Choice Award Barrio Cafe
What the experts agree on
Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza's wildly popular café serves inventive southern Mexican cuisine—tableside guacamole, slow-roasted cochinita pibil, pomegranate-spiked dishes. No reservations, but worth the wait. Hip, art-filled space beloved by locals.
“Barrio makes Mexican food at its most creative: how many menus featuring guacamole spiked with pomegranate seeds or goat-milk-caramel-filled churros have you seen?”
– Lonely Planet
Concierge "One of the best Mexican restaurants in the entire Southwest."
Travel + Leisure "The menu is focused on southern Mexico cuisine, with a number of co-founder Silvana Salcido Esparza's own creations available." Full review
Zagat "Chef-owner Silvana Salcido Esparza "works magic" at this Central Phoenix Mexican, conjuring "clever" fare like "divine" guacamole prepared tableside." Full review
Rough Guide "Reservations are not taken at this wildly popular little local Mexican place, but it's worth the wait."
Fodor's "Expect guacamole made to order at your table and modern Mexican specialties such as cochinita pibil, 12-hour slow-roasted pork with red achiote and sour orange." Full review
Where "The cafe was established in 2002 and has complex, savory dishes and art-laden quarters favored by local intelligentsia; Su brunch is accompanied by live music." Full review
The Infatuation "Don’t confuse this spot for the chain of similar-named restaurants—there’s only one Barrio Café. Since opening in the early 2000s, the Calle 16 original has become a fixture in Phoenix..." Full review
New York Times
