The Top 5 Up-and-Coming Food Influencers in Phoenix
Phoenix food influencers who punch above their follower count: 5 up-and-coming creators with up to 4 times the typical engagement of their size, and how to book a visit.
Most Phoenix-area food accounts with 5,000 to 100,000 followers get about 6 likes and comments per 1,000 followers on a typical Reel.
- 1.
Lauren, @phoenixfoodbabies21.9 - 2.
@jenzbitez, @jenzbitez19.1 - 3.
@arizonaplaces_, @arizonaplaces_18.0 - 4.
Manuel, @orale_fatboy18.0 - 5.
Jen, @foodiehand11.5
1. Lauren, @phoenixfoodbabies: Downtown Phoenix, sushi and wine bars
Downtown Phoenix, sushi and wine bars
- Engagement Strength
- 21.94x the typical Phoenix food account
- Followers
- 5,292
- Avg. views per Reel
- 8,917
- Reels, last 30 days
- 3+
Lauren covers restaurants around the Valley, with a focus on Downtown Phoenix. Recent posts include Saint Pasta in Downtown Phoenix, which reached 41,668 views, Japanese American dishes at Bisutoro in Biltmore Fashion Park, and the Mexican-inspired vegan menu at Earth on Grand Avenue.
The strongest fit is a Downtown Phoenix restaurant, a wine bar or a new location of a local favorite. The bio invites collaboration requests by DM or email.
2. @jenzbitez: East Valley matcha, sushi and buffets
East Valley matcha, sushi and buffets
- Engagement Strength
- 19.13x the typical Phoenix food account
- Followers
- 6,907
- Avg. views per Reel
- 8,780
- Reels, last 30 days
- 10+
The account covers food across the Valley with a focus on the East Valley. Recent posts include the new hot pot, sushi and seafood buffet Umi in Tempe, which reached 64,482 views, the matcha parfait at Urban Matcha in Chandler, and Pacific Northwest fish and chips at Seattle Fish House in Mesa.
The strongest fit is a new cafe, a matcha shop or a restaurant opening in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa or Tempe. The bio lists an email address for collaborations.
3. @arizonaplaces_: new openings, dinners and cafes
new openings, dinners and cafes
- Engagement Strength
- 18.03x the typical Phoenix food account
- Followers
- 11,785
- Avg. views per Reel
- 26,421
- Reels, last 30 days
- 10+
The account is a curated guide to Arizona eats, things to do and new openings, created by @aieshabeasley. Recent posts include a preview dinner at KUZA in Scottsdale, which reached 115,829 views, dinner at Glai Baan in Phoenix, which reached 66,624 views, and Sonoran-inspired dishes at Carcara inside the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown.
The strongest fit is a new opening, a hotel restaurant or a spot for a night out. The bio lists an email address for local collaborations.
See @arizonaplaces_'s Instagram
4. Manuel, @orale_fatboy: burritos, tacos and bar food
burritos, tacos and bar food
- Engagement Strength
- 18.03x the typical Phoenix food account
- Followers
- 17,307
- Avg. views per Reel
- 10,390
- Reels, last 30 days
- 15+
Manuel reviews Phoenix Mexican food and bar food, with some off-topic posts mixed in. Recent posts include a red chile burro comparison between Carolina's and El Norteño, which reached 30,179 views, double-dipped wings and a burger at The Dirty Drummer, and fish tacos at Hech Zason, in the back of an auto shop.
The strongest fit is a Mexican restaurant, a bar with a real food menu or an easy-to-miss spot. The bio invites collaboration requests by DM or email.
5. Jen, @foodiehand: Asian restaurants, bakeries and openings
Asian restaurants, bakeries and openings
- Engagement Strength
- 11.52x the typical Phoenix food account
- Followers
- 83,440
- Avg. views per Reel
- 30,925
- Reels, last 30 days
- 8+
Jen covers Phoenix-area restaurants, especially Asian spots, along with family life. Recent posts include a first look at Iro Shoten, a ramen restaurant from a Fukuoka chef, in Chandler, which reached 37,465 views, Buttersweet Bakery, a Korean bakery run by a daughter and father in Chandler, which reached 34,326 views, and pumpkin-shaped bagels at Bagelero, which reached 21,711 views.
The strongest fit is an Asian restaurant, a bakery or a new opening. The bio lists an email address.
How to reach Phoenix food influencers and get a visit booked
Finding someone you want to work with is the start. You still need a reply, agreed terms, a visit on the calendar and the content afterward.
Find their business email, follow them and reach out
Look for the email button on their Instagram profile, a business-inquiries address in their bio or a contact page on their linked website. If they list a manager for collaborations, use that contact.
Follow the account and watch a few recent restaurant videos. Then email a specific invitation: which restaurant you run, where it is, what you would like them to try and what you are proposing in return. Mention a relevant post of theirs so they can see why you chose them.
Send a short DM pointing them to your email. If their profile asks businesses to DM rather than email, start there. The goal is to get the invitation seen through the channels they use for work.
Follow up and get your terms in writing
If you do not hear back, follow up after a few business days. If there is still no response, move on to another good fit. Stop if they decline.
Once they are interested, agree on the food credit, any cash fee, guest count, content they will produce and posting deadline. Include raw footage and commercial usage rights if you need them. Permission to advertise from the influencer's account is separate from permission to run their video from your restaurant's account.
Get those terms in writing before you book. A friendly yes does not tell you whether you are getting a Reel, a few Stories or any files you can use afterward.
Schedule the visit and tell your team what was agreed
Offer specific dates and service windows. Confirm the influencer's name, party size, arrival time, dining credit and who they should ask for when they arrive. Give your team the same information.
Send a reminder before the visit. If the date changes, update the booking and your team so the new plan is not buried in a DM.
Follow up until you have the content
After the visit, check the posting deadline, review anything that requires approval and collect the files you agreed on. Follow up if the content is late. Save the finished video, raw clips and written permissions together so you can actually use them later.
Keep track of the influencers whose content, attitude and follow-through you liked. Those are the people to invite back. You do not need to start a new search every month when you have relationships worth continuing.
Want local influencers without managing all that back-and-forth?
You can do this yourself. The work is keeping a dozen different conversations moving: who replied, who agreed to your terms, who needs a date, who rescheduled and who still owes you content.
Remy gets interested local influencers to apply to work with your restaurant on your terms. You approve the influencers and their content. Remy handles scheduling, reminders, rescheduling and content follow-up, and you keep the relationships so you can invite good people back.
Instead of chasing every person on a list, you can choose from influencers who have already applied to work with you.
Looking for another city? See our food influencer lists by city, including New York City, Boston and Las Vegas.
About the numbers
Engagement Strength is the likes and comments a typical recent Reel gets per 1,000 followers, using each account's newest Reels from the past 90 days. We screened 64 Phoenix-area food accounts with 5,000 to 100,000 followers and checked each finalist for real Phoenix restaurant coverage. The typical account we screened scored 6. Data collected 2026-09-24.