Three Great - But Not-So-Cheap - Places to Eat in North Phoenix

So after visiting any of the three great hiking trails in north Phoenix, you're going to be hungry. I spent a couple years in this part of the valley, and there are three unique restaurants that just can't be missed while you are in the area. If you go a few miles North of Squaw Peak to Camelback Road you'll find two restaurant gems. The first can be found scattered throughout California but there is one Arizona location, The Fish Market. Once you get off on Camelback Road, you'll want to hang a left (West) and then take your first right (North), it's hard to miss the huge sign and the building sticks out like a sore thumb. If you're a fan of seafood at all, this is probably the one and only place you can get true fresh fish in Phoenix. The prices can be a little steep, but they fly in the catch of the day from the fisheries in California every morning so that you are getting fish just as fresh as if you were eating at one of their seaside restaurants. If you hit The Fish Market, be sure to try my favorite, The Duckets Bucket. It's fun to say, fun to dig through, and more fun to eat!

If you are not feeling like having your fish cooked, head East along Camelback instead of West until you hit 32nd Street, where you'll find Zen 32. Zen 32 serves up some wonderful sushi dishes at a moderate price, but for the best prices be sure to swing by Mon-Fri from 4-7 pm for their sushi happy hour, the deals are amazing. My personal favorite at Zen 32 is their spicy octopus salad, it's actually how I learned to use chopsticks.

Lastly, if you've decided cheap trips are just not your style and want to end your trip with a bit of flair, then stop by A Pointe in Tyme just North of North Mountain. It's an incredibly fancy golf clubhouse with dishes ranging from $10-$40, don't let the decor deter you, go in right after the hike and deal with the awkward looks, it's fun, I promise! Krystina and I actually went here after our hike of North Mountain in an attempt to get my favorite dish, a Monte Cristo sandwich. Unfortunately they did not have it on the menu anymore and the one they made for us was not done the same way as the old ones, but it was decently priced and still tasty. All three of these restaurant's will put you right out of free-trip range but done right you can still escape with a cheap day trip!