AZ Food Crafters: The menu changes seasonally, but Hot Brown, green chile pork, and blueberry-lemon are popular picks among the four breakfast, 10 savory, and five dessert options at this Chandler hand pie shop. Frozen hand pies also are available to bring home.
Republica Empanada: The 15 savory and seven sweet empanadas include south-of-the-border flavors like house chicken, achiote potato, and pernil (seasoned pork), but there also are options for the less adventurous (Hawaiian, cheeseburger) at this downtown Mesa eatery.
Cornish Pasty Cornish: A traditional meal for Cornish miners, semi-circular pasties (pronounced “pass-tees”) come with a choice of three dozen fillings, ranging from steak and potato to lamb vindaloo to Cajun chicken. Locations in Tempe, Mesa, and Scottsdale.
El Sol Mexican Cafe & Bakery: This Chandler cafe offers great breakfasts and lunches, but be sure to stop at the bakery case afterward for the fresh-made empanadas, which come in dozens of varieties. Apple and cherry are popular, but the pineapple ones are amazing.
Salvadoreno Restaurant: Pupusas, pancake-like corn tortillas stuffed with your choice of meat and melted Monterrey Jack cheese, are the house speciality at this Salvadoran restaurant, which has two locations in Mesa and two in Phoenix.
