LON’s at the Hermosa Inn
American
5532 N. Palo Cristi Rd., Paradise Valley
602-955-7878, hermosainn.com
Thanks to its territorial decor and fabulous patios, LON’s is a romantic favorite that oozes Old Arizona charm. The chefs source locally for their ever-changing Southwestern-inflected menu, from the Crow’s Dairy goat cheese to the Noble Bread loaves (come for brunch, when the bread is served with sizzling bacon and a finger-licking maple gastrique). $$$
Ahnala Mesquite Room
American/southwestern
10438 WeKoPa Way (We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort)
480-789-5505, wekopacasinoresort.com
Enjoy tasty spins on traditional Southwestern cuisine and contemporary American favorites. To wit: cactus quesadillas, street tacos and ancho-honey salmon. $$$-$$$$
Barrio Queen
Mexican
7114 E. Stetson Dr.
480-656-4197, barrioqueen.com
Gourmet Mexican food is on la mesa at this Old Town Scottsdale hot spot. Don’t miss the elote, lime-tinged sweet corn swathed in spicy mayo, or fresh guacamole sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. Multiple locations. $-$$$
Campo Italian Bistro and Bar
Italian
8260 N. Hayden Rd.
480-5897-9195, campoitalian.com
The second time’s the charm for James Beard Award-winning chef Alex Stratta, who wisely pulled the plug on faltering Stratta Kitchen and even more wisely partnered with Genuine Concepts to create this lovely and lively bistro. Every inch of space is packed with locals who’ve shown up for happy hour deals, limoncello margaritas and satisfying Italian food. $$
DeFalco’s Italian Grocery
Italian
2334 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-990-8660, defalcosdeli.com
A great place to grab a fat Italian sandwich or the fixings to make Italian specialties at home. Sturdy takeout entrées include lasagna and eggplant Parmesan. $
El Chorro
American
5550 E. Lincoln Dr.
480-948-5170, elchorro.com
A Valley touchstone for generations, El Chorro offers a peerless patio and welcoming dining room. The core of the old menu remains, with an emphasis on such mid-20th-century favorites as shrimp cocktail, beef Stroganoff, trout almondine, wine-braised short ribs and delicious sticky buns. $$$$
FnB
American
7125 E. Fifth Ave.
480-284-4777, fnbrestaurant.com
Proprietors Pavle Milic and James Beard Award-winning chef Charleen Badman serve a farm-focused menu dependent on whatever ingredients Badman receives from local growers. Fare could include spaghetti squash almondine, roast jidori chicken or king salmon. The beverage list includes a generous selection of Arizona wines. $-$$$$
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
Italian
4000 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-994-1100, grimaldispizzeria.com
This New York-style pizzeria serves terrific thin-crust pies, calzones, antipasto and New York cheesecake. Multiple locations. $-$$
The House Brasserie
New American
6936 E. Main St.
480-634-1600, thehousebrasserie.com
Start your culinary world tour with beef tartare or shishito peppers with ginger paired with hand-crafted cocktails, then dig into a jerk Berkshire pork chop or an heirloom cauliflower steak. $$$
Jade Palace
Chinese
9160 E. Shea Blvd.
480-391-0607, jadepalacescottsdale.com
This upscale, classily under-lit restaurant offers a wide variety of Cantonese dishes ranging from duck to pork to vegetarian. Other location: North Scottsdale (480-585-6630). $$-$$$
Kona Grill
Eclectic
7014 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale
480-429-1100, konagrill.com
There’s something yummy for everybody at these rich-looking restaurants, where the Asian-inspired menu offers pizza, burgers and meatloaf, as well as sushi, noodles and satay. The Scottsdale location’s outdoor bar is a real scene at happy hour. Other location: Chandler (480-792-1711). $$-$$$
Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles
Soul Food
3133 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-945-1920, loloschickenandwaffles.com
Ensconced in spacious digs in Scottsdale, Lo-Lo’s is the friendliest and hippest place for soul food in the Valley. The fried chicken and waffles are outstanding, but so are the greens, mac and cheese, cornbread and red velvet cake. Other locations: Phoenix (602-340-1304), Gilbert (480-207-6173), Phoenix Sky Harbor (602-273-3300). $
The Mission
Latin
3815 N. Brown Ave.
480-636-5005, themissionaz.com
This swanky Latin-style lounge serves up mouth-watering meals and exotic cocktails, all in a quaint adobe-style setting. Start with the tableside guacamole or pork shoulder tacos. Sip on a pineapple-ginger mojito while savoring the short rib steak, but save room for the fried bananas. Other location: North Scottsdale (480-292-7800). $$-$$$
Nick’s
Italian
13910 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd.
480-314-9445, nicks-italian.com
A longtime neighborhood favorite, this friendly Italian spot serves more than 28 homemade pasta dishes and pizzas, as well as an extensive selection of chicken, veal and seafood. Other locations: Pinnacle Peak (480-515-0096), Paradise Valley (602-953-1110). $$
Original Gyros Express
Greek
7132 E. Becker Ln.
480-483-0300, originalgyrosexpress.com
It’s casual “fast-food” Greek: souvlaki, Grecian chicken and one of the best gyros around. Order from the counter for dine-in or takeout. $
Pitch
Modern American
6350 E. Thomas Rd.
480-272-7500, pitchpizzeria.com
Those who wish to partake of the locally fleeting pleasure of dining al fresco should appreciate this pizza-centric gastropub, which has an expansive courtyard patio with a commanding view of the Papago Buttes beyond. Chief tempter among the entrees is the short rib grilled cheese with truffle fries. $-$$
Roaring Fork
Contemporary American
4800 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-947-0795, roaringfork.com
Owned by Guy Villavoso and Larry Foles (of Eddie V’s and Wildfish), this chic but comfortable restaurant caters to urban cowboys and gals, featuring hearty but sophisticated dishes inspired by the American West. $$$
Second Story Liquor Bar
Contemporary American
4166 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-945-5555, secondstoryliquorbar.com
Take the stairs up to this swank gastropub with global accents on an American menu. The WTF biscuits are worthy of their name, and the roasted chicken and pastas are done extremely well. Good place for a cocktail and street-watching on the balcony overlooking Scottsdale Road. $$-$$$$
Talavera
Spanish steakhouse
10600 E. Crescent Moon Dr. (Four Seasons Scottsdale)
480-513-5085, talaverarestaurant.com
With its covered, second-story patio overlooking the desert and recently refreshed dining room, this beautiful hotel restaurant transcends the genre, offering spectacularly good Spanish cuisine, including crudo, tapas and steaks $$$$
Uncle Sal’s
Italian
3370 N. Hayden Rd.
480-990-2533, unclesalsaz.com
This family-owned resto serves East Coast Italian food with flair, pairing dishes like veal marsala, zuppa de pesce and chicken parmigiana with an award-winning wine list and custom cocktails. $$
ZuZu
New American
6850 E. Main St. (Hotel Valley Ho)
480-248-2000, hotelvalleyho.com/zuzu
The Midcentury-Modern Hotel Valley Ho’s signature restaurant has evolved into an airy eatery offering entrées like berbere-spiced pork tenderloin, honey-lacquered chicken and black truffle tagliatelle. If you have a sweet tooth, try an oversized, over-the-top Show Stopper Shake gilded with house-made desserts, candies, sauces and more. $-$$$
About this guide
The restaurants listed are noteworthy and randomly selected from our rotating master list. We suggest that you confirm information, and we solicit your help in correcting any errors in the guide. We also ask readers to send us complaints in writing when one of the listed restaurants fails to meet expectations. Please note that, unless otherwise indicated, the listed restaurants offer free parking and recommend reservations for peak hours and large groups. Price categories reflect average dinner entrée prices; drinks, tax and tip are extra.
$=under $10
$$=$11-$15
$$$=$16-$25
$$$$=$26 and over
