This tequileria serves great guacamole (some with pomegranates and dried oranges), a nice selection of tacos and good margaritas.

Visit this self-dubbed modern American smokehouse for lunch when exploring Old Scottsdale, home to the small but excellent Museum of Contemporary Art. The spacious dining room, with exposed wood beams, a long bar and cozy dining nooks lining the walls is exactly the kind of casual-cool backdrop you want for the hearty portions of meats. Highlights include the ribs, beef brisket and an insanely addictive pulled pork BLT.

This cheap classic doesn't look like much from the outside (or inside) but serves delectable Mexican food, including what some locals call the best burritos. It's a dive, so take out.

This all-day restaurant at the entrance of the Desert Botanic Garden gets packed, especially at lunchtime. The dining room can feel busy, especially since it's right across the way from the massive gift shop, but the patio is a lovely spot for breakfast or lunch. The New American menu is focused around local ingredients. The restaurant is named after Gertrude Webster who was among the garden’s founders (it opened in 1939).

This romantic wine bar has three locations, but each comes with a menu of interesting, smaller vintages that you don't find everywhere else. You can order boards of charcuterie and cheese and start the evening with a nice aperitif. The Central location has a breezy indoor/outdoor setting.

Richardson’s has a beautiful patio and incredible New Mexico–style Mexican food.

Driving down multi-lane East Camelback, you can’t help but think that St. Francis is in the strangest location, but once arrived, the restaurant-lounge wins you over immediately. The lounge is al fresco, framed with Christmas light and centered around a massive fireplace, with comfortable sitting areas (at night, they show silent black and white movies on a screen, another great touch). The restaurant menu centers around the wood-fired oven, and everything that emerges from it (chicken, vegetables, meat) is delicious. Expect a cool crowd, a young, hip wait staff and a wonderful small-plate menu to go with the very generous happy hour. You leave wishing that St. Francis would magically appear in your hometown.

Another Phoenix place that would seamlessly fit into Brooklyn Heights, the Henry is a concept, all-day dining place, modestly subtitled, The Greatest Neighborhood Restaurant. It's all a bit over-polished and orchestrated but the food is good and the crowd fun. The Henry is in a convenient location right on Camelback Road.