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With so much attention on restaurants in the South, Northeast, and Pacific Northwest, it's time to show some love to the Southwest. That's why Yelp unveiled its 2023 list of the "Top 100 Southwest Restaurants." This list includes eateries in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Nevada.
Colorado had many businesses in the roundup, but only one broke into the Top 10: Istanbul Cafe And Bakery in Denver! Writers also dived deep into what keeps people coming back to this beloved spot:
"At Denver’s mothership for baklava lovers, you can get syrupy, flaky phyllo dough desserts the familiar Greek way (filled with walnuts). Or explore lesser-known Turkish varieties—like kadayif (shredded phyllo dough with pistachios), söbiyet (chopped pistachios and thick cream enveloped in layers of phyllo and syrup), or baklava with chocolate and pistachios. 'In Turkey, pistachio is the most traditional,' explains Marla Celik, who runs the cafe with her husband, Soner Celik. After many trips to Soner’s native Turkey, the duo created a menu of authentic sweet desserts and savory dishes, including simit (a sesame seed-crusted bread ring) and manti (beef dumplings, served in salty garlic yogurt sauce and topped with paprika and a spiced butter). 'We tried almost everything on the menu and couldn’t decide which we enjoyed the most,' says Yelper Matt E."
Here are the Top 10 best Southwest restaurants in America:
- Tumerico (Tucson, Arizona)
- Garlic Yuzu (Las Vegas, Nevada)
- Casa De Falafel (Glendale, Arizona)
- Capitol Burger (Torrey, Utah)
- Kabob Grill N’ Go (Phoenix, Arizona)
- Oasis Mediterranean (Gallup, New Mexico)
- The Clinkscale (Jerome, Arizona)
- Aroma Latin American Cocina (Henderson, Nevada)
- Istanbul Cafe And Bakery (Denver, Colorado)
- Momo’s Kitchen (Sedona, Arizona)