Step through the door of Vecina, a latin inspired restaurant in Phoenix, you’ll find a space that buzzes with energy yet feels as cozy as your favorite corner spot. Your eyes are immediately drawn to the stunning mural by artist Tato Caraveo, a riot of bold reds, blues, and golds that perfectly mirrors the vibrant soul of the menu. Appropriately, the name Vecina, Spanish for “neighbor,” speaks to the sense of connection and warmth the restaurant embodies.
Chef James’ Fox is at the helm, alongside his wife, Raenee. Before Vecina, Chef James culinary passion led him to the Scottsdale Culinary Institute and then to some of Phoenix’s most acclaimed kitchens, including Bootleggers, The Mission, and Southern Rail. These experiences honed his skills, but it was his love of Latin-inspired cuisines intertwined with global accents that birthed Vecina.
One moment, you’re savoring shaved Brussels sprouts topped with bacon, or date salad graced with a roasted chile vinaigrette and shower of grated cotija cheese. Next, you’re digging into an adobo-rubbed pork chop, paired with creamy avocado, tangy escabeche, and a crumble of crunchy chicharrónes. Perhaps it’s the juicy mesquite-grilled ribeye that calls your name, served with charred green onion and a velvety habanero-potato purée.
Fox’s talent for weaving global influences into Latin-inspired cuisine shines in dishes like his wildly popular take on Japanese karaage. These nuggets of chicken first bathe in a carne asada marinade before being battered and fried to crunchy perfection, they are then served atop a golden sauce made with aji amarillo (a Peruvian pepper) and finished with a bright citrus gastrique and togarashi (a Japanese spice blend). This same creative fusion appears in his smoked half chicken, where Mexican peanut mole meets tomatillo nam prik, a spicy Thai-inspired sauce that adds an unexpected kick.
Behind Vecina’s bar, Cody Dickerson oversees the wine list and crafts cocktails as bold as the food. Sip on the Claro, a surprisingly nuanced mix of Camazotz Oaxacan rum, Leopoldo Bros. sour lime cordial, and orange bitters. Or go with the refined Velvet Underground which combines Madre Ensamble Mezcal, Amaro di Angostura, Velvet Falernum, pineapple, and lemon.
It’s no wonder Vecina has racked up accolades, from local “Best of” awards in PHOENIX Magazine and Phoenix New Times, to national recognition as a James Beard Award semifinalist. But there’s more to come. In partnership with Oklahoma-based Provision Concepts, Fox is expanding his culinary vision, bringing two new concepts to that state, including a second Vecina.
Join us as we chat with the creative force behind the food.
Tell us about your background:
I’ve been in Arizona pretty much all my life. I helped open The Mission with Matt Carter, Buck & Rider, Southern Rail with Justin Beckett, and Bootleggers with Rick Phillips and Kevin Slade, but had never done my own thing. [Raenee and I] had a food truck in upstate New York, though, and that was the catalyst for us to come back and open a restaurant.
How did that happen?
It was funny and pretty wild. We sold our upstate New York food truck business to the brewery that we were associated with and came back to Arizona with no idea of what we were going to do. We just knew that Phoenix was going to be our forever home. We’re driving back and I get a call from our good friend who found that Kitchen 56 was being sold. I had been semi-hesitant when we had looked at it before, but the price had come down and I knew we had to jump on it. I said to my wife, well, I guess we’re not going to take much time off! A couple of weeks after we got back, we signed the papers.
Tell us about the menu:
I love utilizing the grill, so 90% of our menu touches the grill in some way, even if it’s just a grilled or charred ingredient. And we try to do as many unique, fun, and different things as we can. For example, guacamole is traditionally pico de gallo and avocado. We make ours with lemon, white onion, and add chopped deep-fried chile toreados soaked with soy, tamari, and lime juice.
How would you describe the vibe?
We try to hit every aspect from the food to the service and, honestly, I think we do that well. Even the music is part of the vibe. We want it to be fun and upbeat, so you’ll hear anything from cumbia to reggaeton and everything in between.
And your beverage program is just as thoughtful.
One hundred percent. Cody Dickerson has put together an amazing cocktail menu and wine list. We have wines that are unexpected and kind of out there. We find out about something allocated or a ‘one-off’ and we’ll buy everything that they have so that we can have that beautiful, unique wine until the next vintage comes.
What do you want guests to take away from a visit to Vecina?
It’s all about having a fun, relaxed time. We want people to just feel good. Our goal is for everyone to leave not just satisfied, but overly satisfied. That’s the name of the game in this industry—making sure everyone feels cared for and looked after.
written by: christina barrueta | photographed by: luke irvin
vecina | 3433 N 56th St, Phoenix, AZ 85018
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