Though Phoenix’s food scene has only just started to spread its wings, iconic dishes abound. This has a lot to do with the especially arid stretch of the upper Sonoran Desert where the city stands a broad valley that yields astonishing crops, and a junction of many ancient and newer cuisines. Along with this, the wealth of iconic dishes can be attributed to the unique mix of cultures drawn to the desert. In Phoenix, the capital of a state where more than 50 percent of residents were born in another one, regional ingredients and traditions meld with influences from farther abroad.