"Cocina Chiwas is quickly becoming one of the best restaurants in Tempe, and it’s no secret why. As a joint venture between Armando Hernandez and Nadia Holguin of the Tacos Chiwas empire, and Rene Andrade and Roberto Centeno of the Bacanora and Espiritu Stardom, Cocina Chiwas has some serious heavy-hitters pulling its strings. This stylish restaurant, attached to the new car-free neighborhood called Cul-de-Sac, is the perfect fit for the Valley’s resident college town. Breaking the culinary mold from other Valley restaurants, Cocina Chiwas is helping define the Tempe culinary scene. With some minor riffs on some of the classics—like a sweet salsa macha diverging from the traditional salty and toasted taste of the sauce, and a chile relleno that features an Anaheim pepper and is topped with requesón, which is like a Mexican ricotta." - McConnell Quinn