Le Âme Phoenix

Le Âme sits on E Camelback Rd, between the urban sprawl and the northern reach of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve. It is a fifteen-minute walk from Biltmore Fashion Park, a stretch of road that favors sprawling storefronts over the intimate dining rooms found in the city’s more historic corridors.

The kitchen prepares a creative, contemporary French menu that earns the restaurant its Wine Spectator Excellence Award. While many venues in this part of town lean into the ease of suburban dining, the room at Le Âme runs smart and elegant. Choosing this over the nearby hotel dining rooms is a bet on the wine list, which is sharper and more considered than the standard offerings found in this pocket of Phoenix. It provides a formal, quiet alternative to the high-traffic retail centers nearby.