So many great restaurants, so little time in Old Town Scottsdale and its southern environs.
About this guide
The restaurants listed are noteworthy and randomly selected from our rotating master list. We suggest you confirm information, and we solicit your help in correcting any errors in the guide. Price categories reflect average dinner entrée prices; drinks, tax and tip are extra.
Iconic Arizona Restaurant – IAR
Best New Restaurant – BNR
$=under $10 $$=$11-$15
$$$=$16-$25 $$$$=$26 and over
3 Late-Night Nosh Spots in Old Town
Keep the party going at these night-owl hubs.
1 EVO
Various star chefs have elevated this once-ordinary Old Town eatery with handmade pastas, intensely flavored sauces and delightful specialty meat dishes. Try the focaccia rustica with three cheeses, honey, olive oil and salt. $$-$$$
4175 N. Goldwater Blvd., 480-265-9814, evoscottsdale.com
2 AZ/88
A Scottsdale nightlife classic, AZ/88 has been pouring legendary martinis for more than three decades. Modern white chairs and tables constellate on the patio under a striking art installation that is illuminated at night. Slurp a lemon drop while watching the nocturnal creatures of Old Town slink and sway on weekend nights. $$
7353 Scottsdale Mall, 480-994-5576, az88.com
3 The Beverly
This buzzy, cheeky spot might have the most eyebrow-raising cocktail names in the Valley: Deflowered (Cognac, lavender syrup, bitters, absinthe rinse and lemon peel), M.I.L.F. (tequila, agave nectar, orange Cognac, lime, chile rim) and Pirate Hooker (rum, mead, orange Cognac, lime, passion fruit), to name a few printable ones. $$
7018 E. Main St., 480-889-5580, beverlyonmain.com
Atlas Bistro
ECLECTIC
2515 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-990-2433, atlasbistrobyob.com
Tucked away inside AZ Wine Co., this tiny BYOB feels cozy and a little quirky, thanks to an eclectic menu and wine-geek servers. $$$
Berdena’s
coffee
7100 E. 5th Ave.
480-256-1403, berdenas.com
This cute corner coffee shop is bright, airy and flush with delicious pastries and coffee creations. Try the honey-lavender latte. $
The Breakfast Club
American
4400 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-222-2582, breakfastclub.us
Wake up and smell the coffee. This sunny, upscale spot serves breakfast all day, and the choices are awesome. Try the huevos con masa, eggs Benedict (in all of its delicious versions) and the bananas Foster pancakes. Other locations: CityScape (602-354-7284), Biltmore (602-661-3443) $-$$
Bourbon & Bones
Steakhouse
4200 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-629-4922, bourbonandbonesaz.com
This hip chophouse specializing in premium bourbons and wet- and dry-aged steaks is anything but buttoned-up, but don’t let the cool music, creative cocktails and lively vibe fool you – you’ll pay top dollar for the bone-in filets and center-cut ribeyes. Then again, if you’re a scenester, you may love every minute of it – the bar is a good place to be. $$$-$$$$
Café Monarch
New American
6939 E. First Ave.
480-970-7682, cafemonarch.com
Feeling flush? You’ll need to be to partake of a scrumptious four-course prix fixe dinner at this elegant fine dining restaurant, where the atmosphere is quiet, the wine list is deep and every server and sommelier is ultra-attentive. Our rec: roasted duck breast with cherries and seared foie gras. $$$-$$$$
Chula Seafood
SEAFOOD
8015 E. Roosevelt St.
480-621-5121, chulaseafood.com
Don’t be turned off by the run-down strip mall that houses this seafood market and restaurant specializing in fish caught off the Southern California coast. The Heflin family owns and operates the restaurant and a commercial fishing boat in San Diego, offering fresh, never-frozen “boat-to-table” seafood in a variety of delicious permutations. $$
Cien Agaves Tacos & Tequila
MEXICAN
7228 E. First Ave.
480-970-9002, cienagaves.com
This lively, colorful cantina in Old Town serves up fresh, excellent margaritas (made with more than 100 premium tequilas). Tacos come 13 different ways and can be ordered by the platter. The Kahlúa flan, sopapillas and churro sundae are crave-worthy. $-$$
Cornish Pasty Co.
BRITISH/PUB GRUB
3800 N. Goldwater Blvd., Scottsdale
480-945-1220, cornishpastyco.com
If a baseball team was made up of Phoenix restaurants, Cornish Pasty would be the face of the franchise. Now with five locations across the Valley, the local mini-chain has been slugging out pasties – big, calzone-like British pastries filled with savory, stew-y fillings – since 2005. $-$$
Culinary Dropout
NEW CONTEMPORARY
7135 E. Camelback Rd.
480-970-1700, culinarydropout.com
You almost feel wrong eating pretzel balls and caramel corn amid Culinary Dropout’s magnificent chandeliers and banquettes. Lunch and dinner daily. Other locations: Tempe (480-240-1601) and Phoenix (602-680-4040). $$
Daily Dose
AMERICAN/breakfast
4020 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-994-3673, dailydosegrill.com
Lunch and dinner sing, but it’s the decadent, addictive breakfasts you’ll crave. Highlights include eggs Benedict, and the prime rib and crimini omelet. Other location: Phoenix (602-274-0334) $$
DeFalco’s Italian Grocery
italian
2334 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-990-8660, defalcosdeli.com
A great place to grab a fat Italian sandwich or the fixings to make Italian specialties at home. Sturdy takeout entrées include lasagna and eggplant parmesan. Great selection of wine and Italian groceries, too. $
Diego Pops
MEXICAN
4338 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-970-1007, diegopops.com
Old Town eatery serves tacos and bowls, appetizers and salads along with some killer soft-serve sundaes. Try one of more than 30 tequilas that range in price from $7 to $80 a shot. They pair well with the Brussels sprouts nachos with beet crema. $-$$
Farm & Craft
HEALTHy
4302 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-568-8980, ilovefarmandcraft.com
This great-looking “farm-to-table” eatery excels at the breakfast sandwich and a fleet of sides. The indoor-outdoor bar is gorgeous. $-$$
Fellow Osteria
modern italian
1455 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-207-1864, fellowosteria.com
Brought to you by Nicholas Campisano and Joshua James of Clever Koi and Across the Pond, this airy osteria specializes in Americanized modern Italian cuisine, including pasta and pizza, but excels in dishes such as octopus salad, kale salad and a knock-your-calzini-off calamari fritti. $$-$$$
Franco’s Italian Caffe
ITALIAN
4327 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-481-7614, francosscottsdale.com
Culinary legend Franco Fazzuoli returned from a stint in New York, bringing back a stellar menu of Italian dishes, ranging from penne shrimp with radicchio and chicken contadina to bistecca Fiorentina. $$$-$$$$
3 Bitchin’ Bars In Old Town
Get your drink on at these iconic haunts.
1 Citizen Public House
Old Town’s original gastropub still has it going on. Updated menu items like seared venison with burnt honey jus, and Mediterranean sea bass with rainbow chard promise palate satisfaction. Seminal cocktail program, too, and great snacky dishes. $$-$$$
7111 E. Fifth Ave., 480-398-4208, citizenpublichouse.com
2 Kazimierz Wine & Whiskey Bar
Reached by an unmarked back door, Kazimierz is Scottsdale’s foremost vino speakeasy. Snacks include pâté, chopped salad and flatbread. Want to pair your Pinot with something heartier? The short rib tacos and pulled-pork sliders are savory winners. $$-$$$
7137 E. Stetson Dr., 480-946-3004, kazbarscottsdale.com
3 Second STory Liquor Bar
Take the stairs up to this swank gastropub, where global accents highlight an American menu. The WTF biscuits are worthy of their name, and the fat, juicy burger just may be the best in town. Good place for cocktails and street-watching on the balcony overlooking Scottsdale Road. $$-$$$
4166 N. Scottsdale Rd., 480-945-5555, secondstoryliquorbar.com
Frank & Lupe’s
MEXICAN
4121 N. Marshall Way
480-990-9844, frankandlupes.com
If you’ve shied away from New Mexico-style food because you’re not keen on molten lava, head for this little café in Old Town Scottsdale, where the carne adovada and chile poblano are never too hot. $
Geisha A Go Go
Asian
7150 E. Sixth Ave.
480-699-0055, geishaagogo.com
Asian cuisine with a little karaoke on the side. The traditional menu features meals cooked on hot rocks, a sexy sushi bar and a plethora of specialty drinks, including house-made sakes. The retro design (check the green shag carpet and rock star portraits) is another quirky plus. $$-$$$
The House Brasserie
New American
6936 E. Main St.
480-634-1600, thehousebrasserie.com
Gastronomic guru Matt Carter’s experience is put to good use in a globally inspired menu. Start your culinary world tour with oh-so-European charcuterie and cheeses paired with vino or hand-pressed cocktails like the honey-grapefruit imbued Sazerac Square, then dig into the lamb pasty, a flaky pocket of braised meat and curried potatoes. Lunch and dinner daily. $$
Jewel of the Crown
INDIAN
7373 Scottsdale Mall
480-949-8000, jewelofthecrown.net
Small but pretty, this jewel can really sparkle, thanks to its exotic setting and authentic Indian food. Try the excellent curries, vindaloos and vegetable dishes with garlic naan. The chicken tikka masala is not to be missed. $-$$
Kona Grill
ECLECTIC
7014 E. Camelback Rd.
480-429-1100, konagrill.com
There’s something yummy for everybody at these rich-looking restaurants, where the Asian-inspired menu offers pizza, burgers and meatloaf, as well as sushi, noodles and satay. The Scottsdale location’s outdoor bar is a scene at happy hour, and a great break while shopping at Fashion Square. Other location: Gilbert (480-289-4500). $$-$$$
Kyoto
JAPANESE
7170 E. Stetson Dr.
480-990-9374, kyotoscottsdale.com
By 6 p.m., this sushi and teppanyaki restaurant is slammed with 20-somethings on their way to the clubs. High turnover equals fresh fish. $$
Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles
Soul Food
3133 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-945-1920, loloschickenandwaffles.com
Lo-Lo’s is the friendliest place for soul food in the Valley. The fried chicken and waffles are outstanding, but so are the greens, mac and cheese, cornbread and red velvet cake. Other locations: Phoenix (602-340-1304), Gilbert (480-207-6173), Phoenix Sky Harbor (602-273-3300). $
Los Olivos
MEXICAN
7328 E. Second St.
480-946-2256, losolivosrestaurants.com
This local landmark has been serving up good old-fashioned Mexican food for years. Great enchiladas and steak picado. $-$$
Malee’s Thai Bistro
THAI
7131 E. Main St.
480-947-6042, maleesthaibistro.com
The most popular Thai restaurant in town goes heavy on the sugar, light on the chiles. But the tom kha gai and jalapeño-fried rice are wonderful. $$
Maple & Ash
Steakhouse
7135 E. Camelback Rd.
480-400-8888, mapleandash.com
Scottsdale scenesters love this gorgeous steakhouse, a chichi Chicago transplant offering caviar, an oven-roasted seafood tower and tons of steak, including a 40-ounce porterhouse that will set you back $175. Seriously strong cocktails, too. Bring a credit card with lots of room on it; this quintessential Scottsdale experience is expensive. $$$$
Marcellino Ristorante
ITALIAN
7114 E. Stetson Dr.
480-990-9500, marcellinoristorante.com
Chef/owner Marcellino Verzino brings elegance to his modern Italian cuisine by using fresh ingredients and cooking them simply. Pasta is the specialty at this intimate spot, but everything is first-rate, including salads and gamberi e feta. $$-$$$
3 Bucket-List Restaurants in Old Town
Treat yourself to one-of-a-kind dining experiences.
1 ShinBay
You’ll need an open mind and some serious cash to partake in Shinji Kurita’s spectacular omakase, a mind-blowing, multi-course roller coaster of virtuoso Japanese cuisine, manifested in at least two dozen mostly classical preparations of seafood and exotic vegetables. There is no menu – in the omakase tradition, you have to trust the chef to serve you something delicious. And trust us: He will. $$$$
3720 N. Scottsdale Rd., 480-361-1021, shin-bay.com
2 Sel
Within the framework of a four-course prix fixe meal, Food Network veteran Branden Levine offers a repertoire of ingredients and styles, shifting into different roles every couple of weeks in this small, quietly chic restaurant. Outstanding regular entrées include filet, duck breast and halibut, but the purées and reductions with which Levine presents them are recombined with infinite variety. $$-$$$
7044 E. Main St., 480-949-6296, selrestaurant.com
3 FNB
James Beard Award winner Charleen Badman serves a farm-focused menu dependent on ingredients she receives from local growers. Fare could include spaghetti squash amandine, roasted jidori chicken or king salmon. If manti – pillowy Turkish dumplings – are on the menu, order them. $$-$$$
7125 E. Fifth Ave., 480-284-4777, fnbrestaurant.com
Mastro’s City Hall Steakhouse
STEAKhouse
6991 E. Camelback Rd.
480-941-4700, mastrosrestaurants.com
Steaks and chops are the stars at this swanky eatery, from a zippy 16-ounce New York pepper steak to succulent rack of lamb. One of the Valley’s great high-roller scenes. Dinner nightly. $$$-$$$$
The Mission
Mexican
3815 N. Brown Ave.
480-636-5005, themissionaz.com
This swanky lounge serves up mouthwatering meals and exotic cocktails, all in a quaint adobe-style setting. Start with Chef Matt Carter’s tableside guacamole, duck carnitas empanada, pozole or pork shoulder tacos. Sip on a pineapple-ginger mojito while savoring the short rib steak or cauliflower pibil. Other location: North Scottsdale (480-292-7800). $$-$$$
Morning Squeeze
breakfast
4233 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-945-4669, morningsqueeze.com
The eatery’s lime and white color scheme is a better eye-opener than any cup of coffee, and gets our mouths watering for orange-hibiscus juice and one of the resto’s eggs Benedict creations. Other locations: Tempe (480-264-4688), Phoenix (602-675-2641) $
New Wave Market
AMERICAN
7120 E. Sixth Ave.
602-736-2383,newwavemarket.com
Dessert diva Country Velador and her husband, Sergio, expanded their Super Chunk Sweets & Treats shop to include this adorable, light-filled café, specializing in breakfast and lunch sandwiches (served on house-baked breads). Our favorite: the schmaltz chicken salad sandwich with arugula, apple, wine-soaked cheddar and gribenes (toasted chicken skin) Save room for a mesquite chocolate chip cookie. $
Olive & Ivy Restaurant & Marketplace
CALIFORNIAn/MEDITERRANEAN
7135 E. Camelback Rd.
480-751-2200, foxrc.com
Brought to you by Fox Restaurant Concepts, this Testani-designed hot spot has universal appeal, thanks to its gourmet bakery, high-end retail market, grab-and-go café, luxurious patio, great wine selection and airy, open restaurant featuring Californian-Mediterranean cuisine (and great people-watching). $-$$$
Pizzeria Virtú
Italian
6952 E. Main St.
480-663-9797, pizzeriavirtu.com
Casual, family-friendly sibling to chef-owner Gio Osso’s Virtù Honest Craft,this masterful Old Town pizzeria provides the antidote to bland commercial pies, turning out no-flop oven-blistered VPN pizzas with next-level toppings such as smoked scamorza, King Oyster mushrooms and soppressata. Osso’s menu has evolved to include two weekly pasta and two weekly main course specials, as well as frequently changing bruschetta and seasonal burrata. $$
Rehab Burger Therapy
HAMBURGERS
7210 E. Second St.
480-621-5358, rehabburgertherapy.com
Check in for “therapy” at lunch or dinner amid the surfboards-and-palms decor and scarf down one of Rehab’s 11 burgers made with 100 percent USDA ground chuck beef. To top off your meal, try the “Pot Brownie,” a gooey concoction of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups or Hershey’s Milk Chocolate between homemade brownies, smeared with marshmallow fluff. $$
The Salt Cellar
SEAFOOD
550 N. Hayden Rd.
480-947-1963, saltcellarrestaurant.com
Nobody’s put off by the dated decor of this perennially popular underground seafood joint. Excellent fresh catches and great happy-hour bargains on seafood appetizers like shrimp cocktail, oysters Rockefeller, halibut “ceviche” and mussels in butter sauce. Time-warp back to the 1950s and order the salmon Oscar, topped with crab, asparagus and hollandaise. $$-$$$
Sushi Roku
JAPANESE
7277 E. Camelback Rd. (W Hotel)
480-970-2121, sushiroku.com
Amid a sexy ambiance, executive chef Tim Fields serves up premium sushi and specialty dishes. Don’t miss the Colorado lamb chops marinated in soy and garlic, or the High Roller, topped with golden Osetra caviar. The bar features an array of hot and cold sakes, Asian-themed martinis and an extensive wine list. $$$$
Tapas Papa Frita
SPANISH
7114 E. Stetson Dr.
480-699-5004, tapaspapafrita.com
Sitting on the patio along the bank of the Arizona Canal sipping a Spanish red is a lovely way to spend an evening. Order tapas of marinated manchego cheese, share a well-crafted paella Valenciana or cut into a filet mignon with melted Spanish blue cheese, then finish strong with burnt sugar-topped crema Catalana. Don’t forget the vino – a strong wine list includes many Spanish and South American bottles. $$-$$$
Virtù Honest Craft
MEDITERRANEAN
3701 N. Marshall Way
480-946-3477, virtuscottsdale.com
Named one of the best new restaurants of 2013 by Esquire, Virtù offers an ever-evolving Mediterranean menu at the charming Bespoke Inn. Head straight for the signature charred octopus (one of PHOENIX magazine’s 75 Best Dishes in the Valley) and wash it down with a handcrafted cocktail. For dinner, we recommend handcrafted pasta. Great cocktails, too, like the Confused Negroni with peach tea-infused vermouth, Meletti 1870 and orange bitters. Brunch, lunch and dinner daily. $$-$$$
ZuZu
NEW CONTEMPORARY
6850 E. Main St.
480-248-2000, hotelvalleyho.com
With updates in décor and dishes, the airy, open eatery at the retro Hotel Valley Ho offers entrées like Tuscan kale salad, pan-seared sea scallops and roasted spaghetti squash. Go full-on retro with the chilled seafood cocktail or the beef tartare. For dessert, splurge on the doughnut sundae, warm butterscotch pudding cake in a Mason jar, or the resort’s over-the-top Showstopper Shake, which changes seasonally. Breakfast and lunch M-F, dinner M-Su, brunch Sa-Su. $-$$$
