Seven days chasing smoke and grills across Phoenix

North 16th Street opens the week. Phoenix City Grille gives the grill obsessive wood-grilled American classics before the route branches into island cooking and sushi. A neighbourhood fixture since 1997, it suits the eater who prefers a concrete menu to a release rumour. My baseline is one grilled plate before extras. Consider the short ribs first, then a burger with mushrooms and black garlic sauce. Photograph the meal; save the second order for another day.

Two downtown addresses, different jobs. Paradise Barbeque supplies Hawaiian plate lunches with Japanese and Korean influences; Barrel & Bushel follows with craft beer, bourbon and comfort food. This pairing suits the hunter who wants contrast without another cross-city detour. Put the plate lunch before the bar; the Paradise Special is my first ordering question. A short walk toward North 2nd Street links the stops; check current hours before committing to both.

A deliberate sideways move for anyone bored by a single-cuisine checklist. Island Grill AZ brings jerk chicken, curry goat and slow-simmered oxtail into the sequence before Thursday returns to Asian-influenced barbecue. The judgment here is contrast earns its place, not another stop dressed up as a limited drop. Consider jerk chicken first, then the pineapple ginger beverage. Photograph the plate and sides together; skip a whole second meal for content alone.

Coronado Smokehaus is the week's anchor for eaters who want smoked meats with Asian influences rather than a borrowed trend label. After the island detour, its distinctive meat pairings pull the route back toward the grill theme. My call is flavour before scarcity, with a complete plate earning the photograph. Ask which smoked-meat pairing represents the kitchen today, then order that first. Any queue needs a personal limit, not blind devotion to somebody else's feed.

The social turn arrives at Pedal Haus Brewery, where house beers, pub food, a rooftop patio and sports screens give a group several ways into the evening. This is the pub interlude, not another barbecue claim. For food-scene hunters, conversation beats collecting another stop after four days of contrasts. Aim for the recorded weekday happy hour, 3 to 6pm, and consider a Bavarian pretzel first. Check the current offer before relying on that window.

Mesquite changes the tempo at Taqueria Obregon 34th on East McDowell Road. Street tacos and grilled meats make this the direct, unfussy leg for an eater who cares more about the plate than a release announcement. After Friday's brewery, the grill becomes the main event again. Start with the taco selection rather than ordering across the whole menu. Keep the plate and sauces in the photograph, leaving room for Sunday's different finish.

Biltmore changes the register. BISUTORO Sushi Bar Grill offers inventive rolls, fresh sashimi and an intimate setting for the diner who wants a more considered final meal. The week returns to Japanese flavours, with sushi taking over from the earlier grilled plates. Treat one focused order as the finish: make the Neo-Genesis roll the opening question, then consider the sashimi selection. Its photographed table spread suggests the framing; restraint matters more than filling every inch.