Asadero Norte de Sonora

There are Mexican restaurants, and then there are places that make you feel like you’ve stumbled into a little piece of Northern Mexico. Asadero Norte de Sonora is the latter.

Tucked away on 16th Street, this unpretentious family-run spot has been serving Sonoran-style Mexican food for more than two decades. And here’s the thing food lovers understand: the less they worry about fancy décor, the more they seem to obsess over the food.

You’ll smell the carne asada and pollo asada before you even walk through the door. That smoky, char-grilled aroma is basically your welcome mat. The menu is built around grilled meats, including carne asada, al pastor, barbacoa, lengua and chicken, with homemade-style flour tortillas, charro beans, grilled onions, jalapeños, salsa, lime and guacamole completing the experience.

Foodie move: order the parillada—a mixed grill featuring your choice of three meats. Then build your own tacos with those warm tortillas and all the fixings.

No pretension. No white tablecloths. Just smoky meat, hot tortillas, killer salsa and Sonoran soul.

That’s exactly why Asadero Norte de Sonora has become a Phoenix institution worth seeking out.

Cheers!