Where to eat.

If a friend flew in tomorrow, this is the list we would hand them. In order.

1. 01

   San Tan Flat$$

   Steak + western / San Tan foothills

   Grill your own steak, sit by a firepit, listen to live music under the sky. A southeast Valley institution.

2. 02

   Barrio Queen$$

   Mexican / Queen Creek Marketplace

   A Mexican restaurant at 21156 S. Ellsworth Loop Road in Queen Creek, listed by the town's official tourism dining guide.

3. 03

   Caldwell County BBQ$$

   Barbecue / Pecan Lake

   A barbecue restaurant at 25000 S. 206th Street in Queen Creek, listed by the town's official tourism dining guide.

4. 04

   Old Ellsworth Brewing Company$$

   Brewery / Queen Creek

   The hometown brewery with a kitchen that outworks most taprooms.

5. 05

   Social Birdie$$

   American / Las Colinas Golf Club

   An American restaurant at 21515 E. Village Loop Road North in Queen Creek, listed by the town's official tourism dining guide.

6. 06

   Creek Side Taco Shack$ValueHidden gem

   Mexican / Queen Creek

   Word-of-mouth tacos with firepits and sand volleyball out back. Bring the family.

7. 07

   Palma Kitchen + Tap$$Hidden gem

   New American / Queen Creek

   Warm, elegant but comfortable. The one for a date night here.

8. 08

   Sage & Barrel Craft Eatery$$

   New American / Queen Creek

   Craft plates that regularly top the local lists.

9. 09

   Il Forno Bello Pizzeria$$

   Pizza / Queen Creek

   Wood-fired pies from a newer neighborhood favorite.

10. 10

    Serrano's Mexican Restaurants

    Mexican / Ellsworth Rd

    A Mexican restaurant at 22701 S. Ellsworth Road in Queen Creek, listed by the town's official tourism dining guide.

Punches well above what you pay. Take the whole family without thinking about it.

• sneakybird$ValueHidden gem

  Chicken / Queen Creek

  The low-key hot chicken spot regulars try to keep to themselves.

• Creek Side Taco Shack$ValueHidden gem

  Mexican / Queen Creek

  Word-of-mouth tacos with firepits and sand volleyball out back. Bring the family.

Times and prices move constantly, so treat these as a starting point and confirm before you go.

• Sage & Barrel Craft Eatery$$

  New American / Queen Creek

  Monday-Thursday 2-6pm, Friday-Saturday 2-5pm, Sunday 2-5pm, with all-day specials available.

• Over Easy$$

  Breakfast / Queen Creek

  Weekday Social Monday through Friday from noon to 2pm at all locations: $12 lunch items, $2 off Easy Teasers, and $5 mimosas, brunch punch and Salty Dogs.

Announced but not open yet. Dates are the source’s, and they move.

• Shake ShackBy end of 2026

  Burgers / The Switchyard

  The burger chain anchoring the Switchyard's first phase.

• PostinoFall 2026

  Wine cafe / The Switchyard

  Boards and wine headed for the new district.

• Snooze, an A.M. EateryBy end of 2026

  Breakfast / The Switchyard

  Breakfast joining the Switchyard lineup.

• Rusty Buckle SaloonSummer 2026

  Steak + western / Ellsworth & Ocotillo

  A country-themed venue taking the long-vacant corner.

• Barrio Queen$$

  Mexican / Queen Creek Marketplace

  A Mexican restaurant at 21156 S. Ellsworth Loop Road in Queen Creek, listed by the town's official tourism dining guide.

• Creek Side Taco Shack$ValueHidden gem

  Mexican / Queen Creek

  Word-of-mouth tacos with firepits and sand volleyball out back. Bring the family.

• Salt Tacos y Tequila$$

  Mexican / Queen Creek

  Vibrant room, big tequila list, genuinely good tacos.

• Taqueria Blue Tortilla$Hidden gem

  Mexican / Queen Creek

  A straightforward taqueria locals rate.

• Someburros$Chain

  Mexican / Maya Road

  Arizona family chain doing Sonoran-style plates since 1986.

Also worth it: Cafe Rio, Serrano's Mexican Restaurants, Creekside Tacos, Taqueria Mis Amigos, Rili-B's

• Il Forno Bello Pizzeria$$

  Pizza / Queen Creek

  Wood-fired pies from a newer neighborhood favorite.

• Oregano's$$Chain

  Pizza / Queen Creek

  Chicago-style deep dish and a loud, happy room. Built for families.

• Mici Italian$$Chain

  Italian / Queen Creek

  Fast but genuinely authentic Italian.

• Nicastro Wood Fired Pizza$$Hidden gem

  Pizza / Queen Creek

  Wood-fired pies worth the stop.

• Baci Italian Bistro$$

  Italian / Queen Creek

  Reviewers call it the best pizza in Arizona. Start there.

Also worth it: Babbo Italian Eatery, Olive Garden, Donatos Pizza

• Iron Chef$$Hidden gem

  Chinese / Queen Creek

  Authentic Chinese including a crispy roast duck.

• Panda Express$Chain

  Chinese / Ocotillo Road

  American Chinese down the line, orange chicken the reason.

• Pei Wei$Chain

  Asian / Ellsworth Loop

  Fast-casual wok cooking, an Arizona-born spinoff of P.F. Chang's.

• Sushi Creek

  Japanese / Ellsworth Rd

  A sushi restaurant at 21805 S. Ellsworth Road, Suite B-103, in Queen Creek, listed by the town's official tourism dining guide.

• Golden HarvestHidden gem

  Asian / Ellsworth Rd

  An Asian restaurant at 21805 S. Ellsworth Road, Suite A-112, in Queen Creek, listed by the town's official tourism dining guide.

Also worth it: Yao Fine Chinese Cuisine, Blue Wasabi Sushi, Thai Chili 2go

• San Tan Flat$$

  Steak + western / San Tan foothills

  Grill your own steak, sit by a firepit, listen to live music under the sky. A southeast Valley institution.

• Black Angus Steakhouse$$$Nearby / Chandler

  Steakhouse / Chandler

  The steak-and-baked-potato standby, a short drive west.

• Perry's Steakhouse & Grille$$$$Nearby / Gilbert

  Steakhouse / Gilbert

  The dress-up steak night, twenty minutes west.

• The Keg Steakhouse + Bar$$$Nearby / Gilbert

  Steakhouse / Gilbert

  Reliable steaks and a busy bar nearby.

• Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant$$$ChainNearby / Gilbert

  Seafood + American / Gilbert

  Best lobster around and a crusted grouper worth the drive.

• Caldwell County BBQ$$

  Barbecue / Pecan Lake

  A barbecue restaurant at 25000 S. 206th Street in Queen Creek, listed by the town's official tourism dining guide.

• Social Birdie$$

  American / Las Colinas Golf Club

  An American restaurant at 21515 E. Village Loop Road North in Queen Creek, listed by the town's official tourism dining guide.

• sneakybird$ValueHidden gem

  Chicken / Queen Creek

  The low-key hot chicken spot regulars try to keep to themselves.

• Palma Kitchen + Tap$$Hidden gem

  New American / Queen Creek

  Warm, elegant but comfortable. The one for a date night here.

• Sage & Barrel Craft Eatery$$

  New American / Queen Creek

  Craft plates that regularly top the local lists.

  Happy hour: Monday-Thursday 2-6pm, Friday-Saturday 2-5pm, Sunday 2-5pm, with all-day specials available.

Also worth it: Queen Creek Barbecue, Raising Cane's, The Bistro, Queen Creek BBQ Co, Skippy's Grille & Cantina

• The QC Junction Cafe$$Hidden gem

  Cafe / Queen Creek

  Tucked off Ellsworth and not visible from the street, a true local secret.

• Over Easy$$

  Breakfast / Queen Creek

  Warm, cozy and hard to get wrong.

  Happy hour: Weekday Social Monday through Friday from noon to 2pm at all locations: $12 lunch items, $2 off Easy Teasers, and $5 mimosas, brunch punch and Salty Dogs.

• San Tan Cafe$Hidden gem

  Breakfast / Queen Creek

  A local breakfast counter with San Tan views.

• The Bistro Queen Creek$$

  Brunch / Queen Creek

  Reservations recommended, which tells you enough.

• First Watch$$Chain

  Breakfast / Ellsworth Loop

  Daytime-only kitchen, breakfast and lunch, closes mid-afternoon.

Also worth it: IHOP

• Rock Point Coffee Co$

  Coffee / Queen Creek

  A neighborhood roaster worth the stop.

• Farmer's Daughter Coffee Shop$Hidden gem

  Coffee / Queen Creek

  Small-town coffee with the farm-country feel intact.

• Third Place Cup Coffee$Hidden gem

  Coffee / Queen Creek

  Exactly the third place the name promises.

• Starbucks$Chain

  Coffee / Queen Creek

  The meeting point, everywhere.

• Dutch Bros Coffee$Chain

  Coffee / Queen Creek

  Drive-through coffee, sweet drinks, relentlessly cheerful.

Also worth it: Switch Brews

• Old Ellsworth Brewing Company$$

  Brewery / Queen Creek

  The hometown brewery with a kitchen that outworks most taprooms.

• 12 West Brewing$$

  Brewery / Queen Creek

  One of the East Valley's most-loved breweries.

• Desert Monks Brewing$$

  Brewery / Queen Creek

  Serious beer from a small crew.

• Four Silos Brewery$$Hidden gem

  Brewery / Queen Creek

  Farm-country brewery with a coffee side.

• BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse$$Chain

  Brewery / Ellsworth Road

  House beer, deep-dish pizza and the Pizookie.

• Smashburger$Chain

  Burgers / Ellsworth Loop

  Patties smashed on the flat top for the crust.

• Playa Bowls$Chain

  Juice / Ellsworth Road

  Acai and pitaya bowls piled with fruit.

• Einstein Bros. Bagels$Chain

  Bakery / Ellsworth Loop

  Bagels and schmear, breakfast sandwiches to go.

• Crumbl$$Chain

  Bakery / Ellsworth Loop

  A rotating weekly menu of oversized cookies.

• In-N-Out Burger$Chain

  Burgers / Rittenhouse Road

  The California burger with the short menu and the long line. Animal style is not on the board.

Also worth it: Smoothie King, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pita Jungle, Wienerschnitzel, Red Robin, Jersey Mike's Subs, Culver's, Five Guys, Cold Stone Creamery, Menchie's Frozen Yogurt, Whataburger, Seven Brothers Burgers, Brooklyn V's Pizza

People’s Choice

Queen Creek picks its favorite.

Our top 10 is on the ballot. Vote for your favorite, and if the one you love is missing, write it in below. Enough requests and it makes the list.

1. 1

   San Tan Flat

   Steak + western

   Vote
2. 2

   Barrio Queen

   Mexican

   Vote
3. 3

   Caldwell County BBQ

   Barbecue

   Vote
4. 4

   Old Ellsworth Brewing Company

   Brewery

   Vote
5. 5

   Social Birdie

   American

   Vote
6. 6

   Creek Side Taco Shack

   Mexican

   Vote
7. 7

   Palma Kitchen + Tap

   New American

   Vote
8. 8

   Sage & Barrel Craft Eatery

   New American

   Vote
9. 9

   Il Forno Bello Pizzeria

   Pizza

   Vote
10. 10

    Serrano's Mexican Restaurants

    Mexican

    Vote

No votes yet. Cast the first one.

One vote per person, per city. Change your pick anytime.