Best British Import

When we heard that one of our favorite bars, the legendary Chez Nous, was being knocked down to make room for a British grocery store, we were horrified. We loved Chez Nous! And who needs another market, particularly one from the culinarily challenged Brits? Well, we stand corrected. This tidily stripped-down chain now has five Phoenix locations and 14 in the 'burbs, and after hearing friends from Avondale to Scottsdale sings its praises, we went to see for ourselves and were instantly won over. Lazy cooks like us thrill to the market's "kits," which use fresh ingredients to replicate that whole Lean Cuisine meal-in-a-box experience.

And our aspiring chef friends adore the fresh fruits and veggies — bought from local growers whenever possible. So when fresh & easy finally opened its location at the site of the old Chez Nous, we came bearing ATM cards, rather than picket signs.