Hearth ’61
Modern American
5445 E. Lincoln Dr., Paradise Valley (Mountain Shadows Resort)
480-624-5400, mountainshadows.com
Housed in the resurrected Mountain Shadows Resort, casual but elegant Hearth does a splendid job of turning out modern American classics with surprising little twists. Try the ahi tartare, artisanal flatbreads, sweet potato agnolotti, mustard-crusted salmon or a seasonal dessert, and you’ll get the delicious drift. $$-$$$$
Breakfast Club
Breakfast
4400 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-222-2582, breakfastclub.us
Wake up and smell the coffee. This sunny, upscale spot serves breakfast all day, and the choices are awesome. Try the huevos rancheros, eggs Benedict (in all of its delicious versions) and the bananas Foster pancakes. Other locations: Downtown Phoenix (602-354-7284), Biltmore (602-661-3443). $-$$
Café Monarch
New American
6939 E. First Ave.
480-970-7682, cafemonarch.com
Partake in 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. $$$-$$$$
Dominick’s
Steak
15169 N. Scottsdale Rd. (Scottsdale Quarter)
480-272-7271, dominickssteakhouse.com
The Mastro family, who created Mastro’s steakhouses and Mastro’s Ocean Club, spent millions constructing this lavish temple to beef at Scottsdale Quarter. Try the succulent bone-in veal chop. $$$$
El Chorro
American
5550 E. Lincoln Dr.
480-948-5170, elchorro.com
A Valley touchstone for generations, El Chorro offers a peerless patio and welcoming dining room. The core of the old menu remains, with an emphasis on such mid-20th-century favorites as shrimp cocktail, beef Stroganoff and trout almondine. $$$$
Fire at Will
Modern American
4912 E. Shea Blvd.
480-207-1819, eatfireatwill.com
Dom and Holly Ruggiero bring sex appeal to this neighborhood restaurant, offering great cocktails and elevated comfort food like lamb tartare, Scotch egg, and mac and cheese. $$
Hai Noon
Japanese
7017 E. McDowell Rd.
480-306-4023, hainoonaz.com
The man in charge of this laid-back, dimly lit bar-cum-restaurant is none other than 2007 James Beard Award winner Nobuo Fukuda. He’s conjured a tapas-style menu that’s effortlessly modern and remarkably affordable. Graze on baked eggplant with bacon miso or a softshell crab sandwich on stellar house-made focaccia while drinking premium sake. $$
Kasai Japanese Steakhouse
Steak/sushi/Teppanyaki
Two Valley locations, kasaiteppan.com
The Asian-inspired north Scottsdale hot spot formerly known as Sapporo offers dozens of sashimi and sushi rolls, terrific teppanyaki and plenty of Pacific Rim dishes. $$-$$$
Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles
Soul Food
3133 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-945-1920, loloschickenandwaffles.com
Ensconced in spacious digs, Lo-Lo’s is the friendliest and hippest place for soul food in the Valley. The fried chicken and waffles are outstanding, but so are the mac and cheese, cornbread and red velvet cake. Other locations: Phoenix (602-340-1304), Gilbert (480-207-6173), Phoenix Sky Harbor (602-273-3300). $
Mastro’s Ocean Club
Seafood
15045 N. Kierland Blvd. (Kierland Commons)
480-443-8555, mastrosrestaurants.com
Mullioned windows and limestone walls give this sybaritic seafood restaurant an elegant ambience. The dimly lit lounge offers drinks and live entertainment, while the dining room zeroes in on ultra-fresh fish. $$$-$$$$
Night Owl
American
1645 N Hayden Rd.
480-687-1827, nightowlaz.com
This Midwestern basement-inspired pizza bar is destined for success, with pinball machines, mid-century lamps and family portraits on the walls. The wings are on-point, each with a perfect combination of crispness, meat and salt. You can score here with a $10 lunch special with pairings of baked chicken wings and a slice of pizza as well as $6 “bell-ringers,” known to everyone else as shooters. $$
Old Town Tortilla Factory
Southwestern
6910 E. Main St.
480-945-4567, oldtowntortillafactory.com
There’s no better place to be than Old Town’s citrus tree-shaded patio. Indoor dining is just as nice, owing to the charms of this adobe cottage and the innovative cuisine, which blends Mexican and Native American influences. $$$
Pizzeria Virtù
Italian
6952 E. Main St.
480-663-9797, pizzeriavirtu.com
Casual, family-friendly sibling to chef-owner Gio Osso’s Virtù Honest Craft, this masterful Old Town pizzeria provides the antidote to bland commercial pie, turning out no-flop oven-blistered VPN pizzas with next-level toppings such as smoked scamorza. $$
Sol Cocina
Mexican
15323 N. Scottsdale Rd. (Scottsdale Quarter)
480-245-6708, solcocina.com
For sufferers of fajita fatigue, we suggest this modern Mexican restaurant in the Scottsdale Quarter, where one will find such charged-up Baja delights as elote tortas and deliciously crispy “cucarachas” shrimp tacos. $$-$$$
Toca Madera
Modern Mexican
4736 N. Goldwater Blvd.
480-478-0157, tocamadera.com
Located in Scottsdale Fashion Square’s luxury wing, this dazzling eatery, a West Hollywood import, offers reinvented Mexican food, much of it organic, vegetarian or vegan. Plan to spend astronomical sums for fried calamari, sashimi Mexicano and American Wagyu cooked on a hot rock. $$$-$$$$
Uchi
Sushi
3821 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-916-0916, uchi.uchirestaurants.com
Tyson Cole’s menu is vast, and it’s hard to go wrong here, but consider kabocha tempura and crispy rice cake when you’re on a budget; and gyutoro, Santa Barbara uni and hiramasa sashimi when you’re not. $$$-$$$$
Zinqué
FRENCH/CALIFORNIA
4712 N Goldwater Blvd.
623-745-9616, lezinque.com
Paris meets SoCal at this upscale bistro, café and wine bar located in Scottsdale Fashion Square’s ever-evolving luxury wing. Find French fare such as tartines, charcuterie and ratatouille, and consider a splurge on the grilled whole branzino with chimichurri. $-$$
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.
