Black-owned restaurants are a vital component of the cultural fabric in the Greater Phoenix area, and visiting these destinations is the perfect way to experience Phoenix’s diverse culinary scene. The following are a handful of some of the best Black-owned restaurants to indulge in and support.
Monroe’s Hot Chicken
From Larry “Lo-Lo” White of the iconic Lo Lo’s Chicken and Waffles, Monroe’s Hot Chicken offers dangerously good Nashville-style hot chicken with all the fixins at its Phoenix and Tempe locations. The spot is known for the Hot Chicken Belgian Waffle sandwich, made with a slap of butter, drizzled syrup and a pinch of powdered sugar. Other must-try items include the Popcorn Hot Chicken with popcorn chicken covered in Kick-it-Up sauce and served in a giant waffle cone, and tempting sides including beer-battered onion rings, smoked turkey collard greens and Southern slaw. Monroe’s Hot Chicken was inspired by Lo-Lo’s grandmother’s soul food restaurant, Mrs. White’s Golden Rule Café, which first opened in Phoenix in 1964. Monroe’s Hot Chicken is open Monday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. To learn more about Monroe’s Hot Chicken, visit monroeshotchicken.com.
ATL Wings
With wings made with “luv” at 22 locations across Arizona, ATL (All The Love) Wings is owned by Mike and Cianna Kirksey, who began the wing stop in 2012 in a small shop in Mesa with no prior culinary experience. Since then, with the help of the community and ATL Wing’s loyal followers, the duo has opened nearly two dozen locations across the desert in just 11 years. Though they have grown to become a franchise, the Kirkseys still work diligently to maintain farm-to-table-style wings with chicken straight from the farm—never frozen—and 22 distinctive wing sauces crafted in their commercial kitchen. ATL Wings plans to spread its wings and spread the “luv” beyond Arizona this year. ATL Wings hours vary by location. To learn more about ATL Wings, visit atlwings.com.
Chic Chef 77
You don’t need to be a wine connoisseur to visit the recently opened Chic Chef 77, the first Black-owned wine bar in Arizona. The Tempe destination is owned and operated by Chef Nik Fields, the private chef for the beloved Phoenix Suns. The new wine bar offers a 200-bottle wine list, rotating by-the-glass pours and a prix-fixe menu with plates utilizing locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. A variety of events will unfold at Chic Chef 77, including wine seminars hosted by Black-owned wine brands, paint-and-sip parties, poetry nights and live music performances. Chic Chef 77 is open Tuesday through Friday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday for brunch, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. To learn more about Chic Chef 77, visit chicchef77.com.
Brunch & Sip
Your new favorite brunch stop awaits at Brunch & Sip, a Phoenix-based restaurant serving staple midday fare created with love and families in mind. Brunch & Sip is Larry “Lo-Lo” White’s third restaurant in Phoenix, and uses inspiration from the food he grew up with and the knowledge of his wife, Rasheedah White’s, cooking to curate the ultimate scratch menu. Dishes at the Black-owned restaurant in Phoenix were designed to be simple—no strange variations or over-the-top plates, just brunch options that taste like home. Some fan-favorite bites include the Epic Tableside Flambè with three housemade pancakes served a la mode with vanilla gelato and banana foster flambèd right before your eyes and the All American Breakfast with two eggs any style, bacon or sausage, roasted rosemary potatoes and fresh fruit. Bruch & Sip is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. To learn more about Brunch & Sip, visit brunchnsip.com.