City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Address: 6910 E. Main St.
17. Taberna Mexicana
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (480) 607-6707
Address: 7001 N. Scottsdale Rd.
Description: This is upscale Mexican. It’s north Scottsdale, so you can expect a little culinary flamboyance. The ceviche and house sangria are not exactly classic South of the Border peasant food. Tacos are filled with filet mignon, scallops, and pork belly. The poblano potatoes make a nice side. Guests rave about the $10 guacamole as well. The recipe includes pumpkin seed and queso anejo. Entrees are equally rich, with innovative twists on chile relleno, cochinita pibil pork stew, and a fajita burger with brisket.
18. Arcadia Farms Cafe
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (480) 941-5665
Address: 7014 E. 1st Ave.
Description: Arcadia Farms occupies two restored homes across the street from each other in downtown Scottsdale and serves American bistro-style dishes. This place has a knack for turning a grilled ham and cheese or albacore tuna into a one-of-a-kind lunch. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, but when the weather is nice it’s hard to resist the patio dining amid the lovely trees on the grounds. The menu ranges from grilled shrimp skewers to seared salmon on French green beans. The homemade breads and desserts are popular. Lunch is served daily.
19. Defalco’S Italian Grocery
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (480) 990-8660
Address: 2334 N. Scottsdale Rd.
Insider Pick:
Description: There are few of these original, family-owned Italian delis in the Valley. You have a better shot at finding a mom-and-pop torta shop. So DeFalco’s is a treasure. It’s located a couple of miles south of downtown Scottsdale, right between Tempe and Scottsdale. The menu is loaded with hot sandwiches and pastas. The store carries take-home dishes, imported Italian canned tomatoes, olive oil, and ravioli. It’s also one of the best places in the Valley for imported meats and antipasto. There’s a great patio to sit outside with your eggplant parm, salami with vinegar peppers, or chicken cutlet. The family that runs DeFalco’s enjoys booming business, so expect a wait. At happy hour imported beers are $3. A personal favorite: “gabbagool” and egg on a toasted Italian roll.
20. Wildflower Bread Company
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (480) 991-5180
Address: 15640 N. Pima Rd.
Description: Wildflower is a Valley workday favorite for everyone from office executives to moms with young kids. Sandwiches are served on fresh multigrain or ciabatta, focaccia, or wild mushroom. Signature sandwiches include chicken pesto and feta or roast beef and Gorgonzola. Also on the menu are salads—chipotle BBQ, ranch chicken, and almond tuna. Dishes come with a side of orzo pasta salad. There are cookies and biscotti to go with the good selection of coffees and teas. The Pima Road location southwest of the Loop 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard is a popular spot, with so many offices and shops nearby. Check the website for other locations in Scottsdale, Phoenix, Chandler, Gilbert, and Goodyear.
21. Mastro’S Ocean Club
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (480) 443-8555
Address: 15045 N. Kierland Blvd.
Description: Located amid the upscale shops of Kierland, the dinner-only seafood restaurant is something of an exclusive spot. It offers private dining, a lounge, and some of the freshest fish in town. You can create your own shellfish tower with oysters, lobster cocktail, and other delicacies. Mastro’s also serves steaks and chops. The fish entrees are sophisticated, like Hawaiian big eye tuna, vanilla buttered sole, and Maine lobster.
22. Bandera
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (480) 994-3524
Address: 3821 N. Scottsdale Rd.
Description: A short menu with some of the best rotisserie chicken in town has made this Old Town restaurant a favorite for years. The lines can be long, especially on Friday or Saturday, but the food is worth it. In addition to its famous chicken, Bandera does ribs, filet mignon, and a Caesar salad with roasted chicken, avocado, almonds, and goat cheese. The Flying Tuna Platter is wholesome tuna on mixed greens with avocado, mango, and miso vinaigrette. The restaurant is open daily for dinner only. If you’re in the mood for a take-out dinner, Bandera has a very efficient “flying chicken” drive-through service. Call ahead to order, and they’ll have it ready for you when you drive up.
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Address: 6934 E. 1st Ave.
24. Citizen Public House
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (480) 398-4208
Address: 7155 E. 5th Ave.
Description: The downtown Scottsdale gastropub serves some pretty outstanding bar snacks like Kilt Lifter fondue with the locally brewed dark ale, hunter’s sausage, pear, and country bread. Starters include green lip mussel chowder. The entrees are similarly creative and hearty, like coffee-charred short ribs and chicken breast with sweet corn risotto. For dessert you must try the Pig in the Orchard. It’s a sweet and creamy bread pudding with Granny Smith apple, applewood smoked bacon, bourbon brown sugar, and cinnamon ice cream. Got room for a drink? Citizen serves lots of artistic signature cocktails. This is a smart menu worth experiencing.
25. Eddie’S House
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (480) 425-9463
Address: 7042 E. Indian School Rd.
Description: Chef Eddie Matney is well known around the Valley as co-host of a local TV food show, but also for the dishes at his stylish Old Town restaurant. His namesake features the popular mo’rocking shrimp appetizer with chili beer dipping sauce with dough balls. Entrees include bacon-infused meatloaf, sesame tuna, and Parmesan halibut. It’s open for dinner only. A favorite dessert is chocolate chip tiramisu.
26. Fnb
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (480) 425-9463
Address: 7133 E. Stetson Dr.
Insider Pick:
Description: Scottsdale is loaded with restaurants of all types, but FnB is one that many critics and locals consider their favorite. Its marketing is also impressive. Check the website for FnB videos with chefs discussing local gastronomic trends and agriculture. The menu is filled with local ingredients. Signature dishes include the braised leek gratin with mozzarella and a fried egg in mustard breadcrumbs. Food and Wine called it one of the top dishes of 2010. Like the seasons, the restaurant’s ingredients shift. The spring menu has featured items like spaghetti squash, pecorino pasta with local greens, crispy roast jidori (farm fresh) chicken, and lamb tenderloin with a spring ragout. For dessert, try the dulce de leche cake.
27. Roaring Fork
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (480) 947-0795
Address: 4800 N. Scottsdale Rd.
Description: Named for a river in Colorado, this restaurant offers rotisserie, wood-fired cooking with a Western flair. Roaring Fork classics include green chili pork stew served with hot buttered tortillas, smoked wood-fired salmon with teriyaki barbecue sauce, braised Dr. Pepper beef short ribs, and the Big Ass Burger with poblano and smoked pepper bacon. The bar here has a strong happy hour following. It serves $3 beers and $5 cocktails and wine 4 to 7 p.m. daily; all night on Sun and Mon. The happy hour includes discounts on Roaring Fork’s top dishes like the pork stew and Big Ass Burger. Dinner is served daily.
28. Malee’S Thai Bistro
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (480) 947-6042
Address: 7131 E. Main St.
Description: The restaurant is located in the Scottsdale gallery district, so there’s certainly an air of artistic flair to this place. The Thai dishes range from meats in lemongrass and mint to satays to curries. The Drunken Dragon Noodles, the “Thai wife’s revenge on drunk husbands,” are hotter than usual. Thai iced tea with or without cream makes a most soothing accompaniment if you like your dishes spicy. Other dishes include salads, rice paper rolls, and lettuce wraps with minced pork. Malee’s is open daily for lunch and dinner.
29. Tottie’S Asian Fusion
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (480) 970-0633
Address: 7901 E. Thomas Rd.
Description: Tottie’s doesn’t look like much, and Scottsdale residents know the space featured struggling restaurants in the past, but this place is comfortable and borderline upscale. Cuisine is inspired by Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese food, though Chef Tottie Kaya is from Laos. The green curry, pho, and meaty noodle dishes are raved about. There’s a second location at Scottsdale Road and Lincoln Drive. Try the fried plantain and coconut ice cream.
30. Don & Charlie’S
City: Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (480) 990-0900
Address: 7501 E. Camelback Rd.
Description: In an area lacking decent barbecue, Don & Charlie’s stands out, especially for its ribs. Many locals say this longtime establishment in downtown Scottsdale serves the best-tasting ribs in the Valley. The owner, Don Carson, is originally from Chicago, so he knows something about proper smoke-skills. The prime rib, New York sirloin, and lamb chops are also recommended at the supper club-like restaurant known for its ties to the baseball community. Sports memorabilia is everywhere, so it’s also a bit like a museum. It’s a great stop for a nice dinner during a Cactus League visit, and you might get a chance to meet Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig eating the steak dish named after him. Don & Charlie’s is open for dinner only, 7 days a week.