Not all the Valley’s great restaurants fly above the radar. Culled from years of food-scene research, these stealthy culinary standouts deserve a visit this fall.
Dining
Desert DigestHappy HourAugust 2019Happy Hour: Blue Clover Distillery
Is “soft industrial” a design aesthetic? It definitely describes the vibe at Blue Clover Distillery, Old Town Scottsdale’s first distillery.
Classified on Tommy Bahama’s menu as a martini, this frothy, feminine cocktail bears little resemblance to James Bond’s macho cocktail of choice.
Local ProductsScookies
Marilyn HawkesJuly 2019
The Scookie Bar offers build-your-own deep-dish skillet cookies out of a food truck.
With the new school semester comes a fresh batch of student-appetite-friendly eateries.
Another high-end Valley steakhouse? Don’t scoff – this swank Scottsdale newcomer is genuinely the bomb.
Veg OutVeggie Antipasto
Marilyn HawkesJuly 2019
Cibo Urban Pizzeria may be known for its glorious, crusty pies and quaint 1913 bungalow, but it also deserves a shoutout for its mixed vegetable antipasto.
Food ReviewsLa Marquesa
Nikki BuchananJuly 2019
CenPho’s newest Mexican gem invites diners to get their goat... along with many other delightful permutations of Jalisco-style cuisine.
Three BitesCob Salad
Marilyn HawkesJuly 2019
Crunchy, cooling elote is a Mexican summer meal unto itself.
Parked at the end of the historic building that also houses Melrose Pharmacy and Restaurant Progress, Thunderbird Lounge is a quirky time capsule.
A new locally owned eatery is welcomed at Westgate.
Happy hour highlights at Hush Public House include $2 off drinks and a small but satisfying food menu.
THE SCENE Like the phrase “meltingly tender,” the term “upscale gastropub” has become a tired cliché in food writing, and yet here I am invoking it to describe Pig & Pickle. I just can’t think of a better way to sum up what it’s serving its lucky South Scottsdale neighborhood: scratch-made comfort food with fancy flourishes (full disclosure: my favorite kind of food) and a well-stocked bar with familiar favorites and fun surprises, all in...