Restaurants in San Tan Valley

When John Galardi opened his restaurant Der Wienerschnitzel in 1961, it's doubtful he imagined his bun-bound eatery would eventually drop the "Der" and expand to quell stomach rumbles across more than 300 locations in 10 states. What the classic fast-food empire lacks in prefixes, it makes up for with a menu of hot dogs and hamburgers slathered with chili, cheese, sauerkraut, and other toppings. Ice-cream confections from Tastee Freez, such as soft-serve cones and ice-cream floats, top off meals with a touch of sweet.

Each Wienerschnitzel location harkens back to the restaurant's Germanic roots with Gothic fonts and festive decorative accents such as yellow-and-red awnings. Mobile outposts known as Wiener Wagons cater large parties and special events such as corporate luncheons and sauerkraut cook-offs' jury deliberations.

Stone-tiled floors lead guests into Conti’s Bar and Grill, where four 120-inch high-definition projection TVs glow with power drawn from the tiny sportsmen running in circles inside them. Sunlight streams in through slotted window shades, illuminating exposed-brick columns and warm wood paneling. Guests can snuggle into booths as they munch on burgers, salmon, or full racks of ribs. Eight beers on tap wash down bites of confetti nachos or wistful licks of chocolate cake.

Although they rely heavily on culinary traditions from across the Pacific, the chefs at Sushi Creek also draw inspiration from regional ingredients as they hand-forge a lineup of traditional and signature rolls. Beyond the confines of the sushi bar, they man grill tops in the kitchen, searing marinated slices of chicken or salmon and layering a half-pound patty of beef, ground turkey, or black bean onto their burgers.

Illuminated by a combination of dangling pendant lights and sconces, the dining room's vibrantly orange and yellow walls sport a number of nautically inspired influences, including a ship's wooden steering wheel and a submarine's snorkel tube.

When a guest orders the Angus steak at Carne Express, the kitchen staff tosses it onto the grill to an uproar of sizzles and steam clouds. They then place the meat—grilled chicken and Sonora-style pork share the same fate—inside burritos, soft-shell tacos, tortas, and lean taco shells of lettuce leaves. Contrasting the traditional selections, the Sonora-style hamburgers arrive steaming and stacked with bacon, veggies, and anaheim peppers that are famously grown in the outfield of Angel Stadium of Anaheim. And for the truly adventurous, the eatery’s salsa bar punches up any meal with splashes of piquancy, whereas the salad bar remains ripe with more than 25 different options.

Inside Allison’s Texas BBQ, a symphony of tantalizing smells dances in the air, rising from plates of tender meat that’s generously slathered in housemade sauces. Diners can tear into chopped brisket or pulled-pork sandwiches, demolish slabs of ribs with sides of beans or potatoes, and finish their meals with a slice of pecan pie. Allison’s Texas BBQ also sells brisket, chicken, and pulled pork by the pound, so you can build the meaty wedding cake of your dreams.

Native American-style fry bread controls the spotlight at Niki's Kitchen Fry Bread, sharing the stage with fresh ingredients from beans and cheese to strawberries and chocolate. The bread can be folded around meats and veggies to create tacos and sandwiches—including their take on the philly cheese steak—or dusted with cinnamon and sugar to make a doughy dessert. On Fridays and Saturdays, the family-owned eatery offers a Polynesian plate special, which changes on a weekly basis, much like a very lazy shapeshifter.