I’m calling it: this one feels right. Durant’s getting the New York Times spotlight is not some random internet curveball — it’s the kind of recognition that makes sense the second you remember what kind of place Durant’s is. Old-school, iconic, a little bit of a time capsule, and still very much in the game.

The Times just rolled out its list of 50 favorite restaurants in the U.S. for 2026, and its Arizona pick is Durant’s, the Phoenix steakhouse that’s been around since 1950. That alone tells you a lot. This isn’t a shiny newcomer trying to manufacture a mood. It’s a place that has already spent decades becoming itself, and then got a recent makeover after more than 70 years in business. In a dining world that loves novelty, there’s something satisfying about a classic getting its flowers.

What stands out most to me is the way the Times framed the experience. Brian Gallagher wrote about the kind of vibes you can’t fake, and that’s exactly the point. Durant’s isn’t trying to be loud about it. Inside, it’s dim and cool, with martinis described as crisp and frosty — which, frankly, sounds like the right energy for a Phoenix steakhouse when the sun outside is doing the absolute most.

And the food list reads like a greatest-hits set. Fried deviled eggs. Boursin whipped potatoes. Corn crème brûlée. Wedge salad. Shrimp cocktail. Then the beef, including the signature chargrilled porterhouse and the 22-ounce prime rib. That’s not a menu trying to chase trends. That’s a menu that knows exactly what it is, and I respect that.

There’s also a little local-history glow here that matters. Durant’s was opened in 1950 by Jack Durant and Jack R. McElroy. In 2025, McElroy sold it to the Prime Steak Concepts team, the group behind Dominick’s Steakhouse, Steak 44 and Ocean 44 in metro Phoenix. So yes, this is a legacy place, but it’s also clearly still being actively cared for. That combination is rarer than it should be.

If you want to see it for yourself, Durant’s is at 2611 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix. The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9:15 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

My take? This is a solid win for Phoenix. Not because Durant’s suddenly became great — it already was — but because a national list finally caught up.

— Sloan Rivers