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Diners' Choice: Contemporary American restaurants in Phoenix

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OpenTable
Updated March 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Contemporary American cuisine in Phoenix? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!


A photo of Rusconi's American Kitchen restaurant
4.9
4.9 (5459)
$30 and under
Contemporary American
Central Phoenix
About the restaurant
Rusconi’s American Kitchen offers a menu created by Arizona Food Pioneer Award Winning Chef Michael Rusconi. Chef Rusconis Contemporary American cuisine showcases strong local influences featuring a wood burning grill with an abundance of affordable items, bringing sophisticated and accessible fare to Valley restaurant goers. Chef Rusconi's menu frequently evolves and is reflective of the season. Expect a wide variety of your favorite dishes uniquely enhanced with ingredients native to the region. The signature menu items are cooked to perfection to create a savory and aromatic flavor profile you can only experience at Rusconi's American Kitchen. Come and visit us relax and & Enjoy the Moment.
Top review
Betty Ann
Dined 6 days ago
It’s always great food and good service We love to come to the restaurant
A photo of The Collins Small Batch Kitchen restaurant
4.9
4.9 (1949)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
Central Phoenix
About the restaurant
The Collins Small Batch Kitchen is restaurateur Christopher Collins playground for creating his takes on classic American dishes. In the heart of Phoenix's Biltmore neighborhood, The Collins Small Batch Kitchen has a daily menu of favorites, along with a weekly rotating menu inspired by the season's freshest ingredients to create a dining experience that will have you returning often to this neighborhood kitchen.
Top review
AmesVIP
Dined on Mar 3, 2025
I love this restaurant for so many reasons…good food, service, ambience. Just a nice & comfortable place to go with friends or family.
A photo of Nook Kitchen - Phoenix restaurant
4.8
4.8 (480)
$30 and under
Contemporary American
Central Phoenix
About the restaurant
Enjoy delicious American-Italian cuisine at Nook Kitchen. This modern restaurant serves dinner in an elegant space. Overseen by chef Nick LaRosa, the menu features appetizers, salads, pizza and a choice of entrees. Nook Kitchen also serves vegetarian and gluten-free fare. Diners rave about the restaurant's selection of delicious wood-fired pizza. Other menu highlights include the chicken masala, pan-seared salmon with liquor and glazed pork chops served with potato.Voted one of the best new restaurants in the year of its opening, Nook Kitchen is located in Phoenix, Arizona. To complement its meals, the restaurant offers craft cocktails and boutique wines. Cozy but inconspicuous, Nook Kitchen is a nice place to enjoy a meal and glass of wine with friends or family.
Top review
OpenTable Diner
Dined 4 days ago
Amazing homemade pasta and excellent service! Highly recommend!!!
A photo of The Macintosh restaurant
4.8
4.8 (1775)
$30 and under
Contemporary American
Central Phoenix
About the restaurant
The Macintosh is your new favorite neighborhood hangout in the heart of Phoenix. The Macintosh features restaurateur Christopher Collins' take on modern American cuisine for the perfect place to sip and linger with friends and loved ones knowing you'll have an amazing dining experience. Inspired by the family of restaurants at Common Ground Culinary, The Macintosh features sharing plates, salads, handhelds, and entrees for a diverse menu of American classics. All paired with an expansive menu of whiskey, beer, craft cocktails and wine.
Top review
Karen
Dined 4 days ago
The Macintosh is such a solid "go to" restaurant. The food is always delicious and the service is competent and friendly. This time I had the black and blue steak which was cooked to perfection and had a yummy blue cheese butter topping. My starter, the grassroots chopped salad, was a wonderful mix of flavors and textures.
A photo of The Gladly restaurant
4.8
4.8 (2673)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
Biltmore
About the restaurant
Welcome to The Gladly, a modern American restaurant where bold flavors, an inviting atmosphere, and thoughtful hospitality come together. Known for its innovative dishes and one of the most extensive whiskey collections in the city, The Gladly has earned its reputation as a favorite spot for food enthusiasts, cocktail lovers, and social gatherings.

Signature dishes like The Original Chopped Salad to fresh seafood & meats to perfectly sharable starters highlight the menu. Meanwhile, the bar is a haven for whiskey aficionados, offering a curated selection of over 300 labels, as well as bold craft cocktails.

The stylish dining room is ideal for professional and casual lunches, intimate dinners, or a celebratory events.

At The Gladly, every meal is an experience, every drink is an exploration, and every visit is an opportunity to savor a Phoenix neighborhood gem.

Top review
marina
Dined 3 days ago
The food here is tremendous. The wedge salad has this garlic chili crunch that is so good. The restaurant was really busy (a testament to how good the food is) and our food was delayed. My husband’s steak was overdone. My halibut was dry bit the polenta helped with that. Our waitress, Rachel, took care of the steak issue. Rachel was attentive without being intrusive and all around excellent. Highly recommend the Gladly.
A photo of Latha Restaurant restaurant
4.7
4.7 (123)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
Downtown Phoenix
About the restaurant
LATHA, Swahili for flavor, celebrates Africa and the diaspora’s rich and diverse cuisines. The menu curated by Executive Chef Digby Stridiron honors the interconnected journey of the foodways and culture of Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean, and the Southern United States. Our contemporary pan-African kitchen respects historical recipes and crafts cuisine from thoughtfully sourced seasonal ingredients that reveal the connections between Africa and the diaspora. It is a journey of discovery along the trails of our ancestors, telling the authentic stories of the foodways and how they have shaped eating habits and cuisine worldwide. We invite guests to join us on a flavorful journey of discovery and appreciation. LATHA, in downtown Phoenix, in Heritage Square, is a place to have a shared immersive experience with friends or family while enjoying food, drinks, music, and culture in our dining room, bar, or outside patio. As a collective, we EAT, DRINK, and VIBE!
Top review
Anna
Dined 4 days ago
Lovely place with delicious food and professional service.
A photo of Wren & Wolf restaurant
4.7
4.7 (2685)
$30 and under
Contemporary American
Downtown Phoenix
About the restaurant
Welcome to the Downtown Phoenix hotspot blending craft cocktail bar and chef driven kitchen into one distinct dining experience. At night, gather your pack and experience a vibrant dinner setting full of striking design, rich materials and taxidermy. Located in the middle of bustling downtown and just steps away from AZ Federal Theater and Footprint Center, Wren & Wolf is the perfect destination for a pre game gathering or big night out before a show. For the early birds, make grabbing your morning coffee and fresh baked pastry a part of your daily ritual or join the Valleys other movers and shakers for a power meeting during breakfast or lunch. From inventive steakhouse fare to thoughtfully elevated comfort food, Wren & Wolf is redefining dining in Downtown Phoenix.
Top review
JulesVIP
Dined 7 days ago
The staff, service, food and cocktails are fabulous. My favorite place to dine when visiting Phoenix.
A photo of Different Pointe of View restaurant
4.8
4.8 (5139)
$50 and over
Contemporary American
North Central Phoenix
About the restaurant
Guests of this renowned, AAA Four-Diamond award-winning mountaintop restaurant are treated to a delectable fusion of American cuisine with Mediterranean influences. Complementing the flavorful menu is exceptional service and an unforgettable atmosphere. Experience this striking dining destination with floor-to-ceiling windows highlighting panoramic views of the Valley’s desert landscape, the city’s lights and Arizona’s breathtaking sunsets.
Top review
OpenTable Diner
Dined 4 days ago
Loved being on the top floor, view was breathtaking and service was impeccable
A photo of Gertrude's - Phoenix restaurant
4.7
4.7 (6709)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
Central Phoenix
About the restaurant
Gertrude’s Restaurant, nestled inside the Desert Botanical Garden, offers a fresh new food experience focusing on ingredients directly from growers in Arizona and the surrounding region.
Top review
PaulaM
Dined 1 day ago
Loved the Gorgonzola and roasted garlic appetizer and also the Boar Shank!
A photo of Thirsty Lion – Desert Ridge, AZ restaurant
4.6
4.6 (1261)
$30 and under
Contemporary American
Desert Ridge
About the restaurant
Offering gastropub fare and from-scratch cooking with a culinary commitment to local and seasonal ingredients, the food is both craveable and bold. At the bar, a wide range of local craft beers are available, an option for every palate and plate. Craft cocktails are made with fresh fruit purees, juices, and premium liquors, while wines come in 25 varieties. Enjoy your lunch, dinner, daily happy hour or weekend brunch craft brew while watching the game on one of the flat screens amidst an open kitchen, central bar and a patio that soaks up the sun. Whether it's a cozy dinner for two or lunch with the whole office, Thirsty Lion is the perfect destination for any party size, including large groups and events.
Top review
JackVIP
Dined 4 days ago
Fantastic service. Wonderful server. Great menu choices. The best fish and chips I've ever had.
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