If you walk into a restaurant expecting the same old fried chicken and heavy gravy just because the sign mentions the South, you're usually in for a boring night. That’s not how it works at the larder & the delta.
Located in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona, this place is a bit of a localized miracle. Most people think of the desert and immediately hunt for tacos or prickly pear margaritas, but Chef Stephen Jones decided to do something way more interesting. He brought the "New South" to the Southwest. It's not just a gimmick. Honestly, it’s a masterclass in how to respect heritage while absolutely refusing to be a museum piece.
Most diners get it wrong. They hear "Southern food" and think about butter. Lots of butter. While there's plenty of richness to go around here, the larder & the delta is actually obsessed with vegetables. It’s about the soil. It's about what grows in the dirt when you actually pay attention to the seasons.
The Chef Behind the Counter
Stephen Jones isn't just some guy in a tall white hat following a recipe he found in an old Junior League cookbook. He’s a three-time James Beard Award semi-finalist. That kind of recognition doesn't happen by accident, especially not in a city that’s often overlooked by the big food critics on the coasts.
Jones grew up with these flavors. But he also spent time in high-end kitchens where precision is everything. When you combine that technical "fine dining" background with the soulful, often improvisational nature of Southern cooking, you get something that feels alive. It’s electric.
I’ve seen people sit at the bar—which is the best seat in the house, by the way—and watch the line cooks move. It’s a dance. There’s no ego, just a weirdly calm focus on things like the exact char on a piece of broccoli. Yeah, broccoli. We'll get to that.
Why Everyone Obsesses Over the Vegetables
Seriously. The vegetables.
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If you go to the larder & the delta and only order meat, you’ve basically failed the mission. The "Larder" part of the name refers to the preservation, the pickling, and the pantry-stocking traditions that kept Southern families fed through the winter.
The standout dish—the one everyone talks about—is the charred broccoli. It sounds simple. It sounds like something you'd force a kid to eat. But Jones treats it like a steak. It’s salty, it’s smoky, and it usually comes with some kind of "Mississippi comeback sauce" or a citrusy kick that makes you rethink your entire relationship with the brassica family.
- Hopping John: This isn't your grandma's watery black-eyed peas. It's often elevated with Carolina Gold rice—a heritage grain that was almost extinct—and finished with textures you wouldn't expect.
- The Cauliflower: Imagine it roasted until it’s almost candy-like, then hit with hot sauce or a vinegar-based dressing.
- The Greens: They usually have a smoky depth that comes from hours of simmering, but they still retain a bit of "bite."
It’s about the Delta. The Mississippi Delta, specifically. That region is the cradle of American cuisine, a place where West African traditions, European techniques, and indigenous ingredients collided to create something entirely new. Jones is essentially a translator, taking that Delta language and speaking it with Arizona ingredients.
The Vibe is Not What You Think
Forget the white tablecloths.
The larder & the delta is tucked into the CityScape area or its various iterations in downtown Phoenix. It’s got an urban, slightly industrial feel. It’s loud. It’s fast. You’re likely to hear 90s hip-hop playing while you eat pig’s ears.
Actually, let’s talk about the pig's ears. "Crispy Pig Ears" are a staple here. They’re cut into thin strips, fried until they have the crunch of a high-end potato chip, and tossed in a Cheetos-style seasoning. It sounds ridiculous. It is ridiculous. But then you eat one, and then you eat ten more, and suddenly you realize why this place has such a cult following.
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It’s fun.
Dining has become so serious lately. Everyone wants to talk about "sourcing" and "sustainability" in hushed tones like they're in a library. Jones and his team definitely care about those things—they work with local farms like Maya’s Farm and Rambo’s—but they don't beat you over the head with it. They just put the food on the plate and let the quality speak for itself.
The Reality of the "New South" Label
There’s a lot of debate in the culinary world about what "New Southern" even means. Is it just adding foam to grits? Is it putting a poached egg on everything?
At the larder & the delta, "New Southern" means acknowledging the uncomfortable history of the food. Southern food is rooted in the ingenuity of enslaved people who took the scraps they were given and turned them into masterpieces. Jones doesn't shy away from that. He honors the ingredients that define that struggle—okra, field peas, benne seeds—and gives them the respect they deserve in a modern setting.
It's also about the "Delta" influence. The Delta is a melting pot. It has influences from Chinese immigrants who settled there, Italian grocers, and Lebanese merchants. You might find a touch of spice or a fermentation technique that feels more global than "Deep South," and that’s because the Delta itself is global.
What to Order if You’re Overwhelmed
Look, the menu changes. It has to. If the farmers don't have it, Jones doesn't cook it. But if you see these on the menu, don't even think about it—just order them:
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- The Fried Chicken: If it's on the menu, get it. It’s usually a multi-day process involving brines and specific flour blends. It's crunchy enough to hear from across the room.
- Low Country Boil: Sometimes this pops up as a special or a focused dish. It’s a mess of seafood, sausage, and corn that tastes like a humid night in Charleston.
- Anything with Grits: They use high-quality, stone-ground grits. None of that instant stuff. It’s creamy, slightly toothsome, and usually tastes like actual corn, not just a vehicle for salt.
Sometimes the menu gets really experimental. I’ve seen things like "potted meat" made from high-end cuts or desserts that use savory elements like black pepper or vinegar. Trust the process. Even if it sounds weird on paper, the balance is usually spot-on.
The Challenges of Being a Niche Restaurant
It hasn't always been easy. Running a high-concept Southern restaurant in a city dominated by Mexican food and steakhouse chains is a gamble. There have been moves, shifts in the dining room layout, and the general chaos that comes with the hospitality industry.
But the larder & the delta has stayed relevant because it has a point of view. In a world of "copy-paste" restaurants where every place has the same Edison bulbs and avocado toast, this place feels like it belongs to Stephen Jones. It’s his story on a plate.
You’re not just paying for calories. You’re paying for the years he spent perfecting a biscuit that is simultaneously light as air and structural enough to hold a piece of fried fish. You're paying for the relationship he has with the guy who grew the radishes.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Visit
If you're planning to go, keep a few things in mind. First, make a reservation. It's not a massive space, and it fills up fast, especially on weekend nights when there's a show at the Orpheum or a game nearby.
Second, go with a group. This is "shared plate" territory. If you go alone, you’ll get one dish and be sad that you didn't get to try the other five things that smelled amazing. Get three or four people, order half the menu, and pass things around.
Third, talk to the staff. The servers actually know their stuff. They can tell you where the trout came from or why the hot sauce has a specific funky kick.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit:
- Check the hours: They can be quirky, especially for lunch or mid-week service. Always check their Instagram or website before heading down.
- Sit at the Chef’s Counter: If you’re a food nerd, this is non-negotiable. Watching the "pass" is better than any cooking show on Netflix.
- Don't skip dessert: Southern desserts are legendary for a reason. Whether it's a chess pie or a seasonal cobbler, leave room.
- Park smart: Downtown Phoenix parking is a headache. Use a garage or the light rail if you can.
The larder & the delta isn't just a place to eat; it's a place to learn what Southern food actually is when it's stripped of the clichés and treated with actual reverence. It’s bold, it’s sometimes messy, and it’s consistently one of the best meals you can find in the Valley. Go there, eat the broccoli, and stop thinking Southern food is just about a bucket of chicken.