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East of Arizona’s state capitol, Phoenix, is the beautiful city of Scottsdale. This desert city is a popular spot for tourists because of the things to do, hiking trails, and delicious restaurants. It’s the perfect destination when you want a city and nature vacation.
As a large city, you can expect to find some fantastic restaurants here. There are dozens of excellent spots for you to grab a bite to eat. Whether you’re in the mood to get dressed up for fine dining or enjoy something more casual, you’ll find a spot in Scottsdale.
14 Best Restaurants in Scottsdale
Check out the best places to eat in Scottsdale before hunger strikes.
FnB Restaurant
In Old Town, Scottsdale is the delicious FnB Restaurant. This gastropub quickly became a local favorite since opening in 2009 and serves some of the best farm-to-table cuisines in the area.
The atmosphere is casual enough to wear jeans and a top, but no one will judge you if you want to dress up a little. Almost all of the ingredients come from local Arizona farmers.
FnB Restaurant serves fresh New American cuisine that changes seasonally. Since the menu changes seasonally, what you see online may not be what’s on the menu when you arrive.
To give you an idea of what you can expect, they serve risotto, grilled sea trout, carrot, and blue cheese salad, and plenty of sweets to finish off your meal.
Citizen Public House
If you love dining at public houses, you need to head to Old Town Scottsdale and try Citizen Public House.
This is an upscale gastropub that has delicious New American dishes, an extensive wine list, handcrafted cocktails, and plenty of local craft beer for you to sample. The friendly staff greets you, and intimate lighting allows great conversation while here.
People love stopping into this restaurant for dinner and also social hours. Social hour is what they call happy hour.
For a social hour, you have to try their bacon fat popcorn or beer fondue while you sip on your drink of choice. The best dinner entrees include the amaro meatloaf, tofu stir fry, and the green chili burger.
Virtu Honest Craft
Virtu Honest Craft is the best place in town for American and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. Chef Osso is a known name in the Phoenix and surrounding areas for providing some of the most creative and tasty dishes.
The restaurant is beautiful, and you’ll almost forget you’re surrounded by the Arizona desert and not somewhere in southern Europe.
If you’re someone who likes to browse a restaurant’s menu before dining there, there’s something you need to know about this spot. The menu often changes, sometimes even daily. It generally features small bites to enjoy with a glass of wine like burrata.
There are also pasta dishes, seared tuna, duck breast, and cheese plates before feasting on dessert.
Atlas Bistro
You’ll find Atlas Bistro in Wilshire Plaza. This is an upscale bistro where you can bring your alcohol. It’s a unique dining experience since they don’t serve alcohol but allow you to bring it.
They have an attached wine shop if you want to browse for something to bring to dinner. The restaurant is warm and intimate, making it a great date night location in Scottsdale.
Staff highly recommend that you go with their five-course, fixed price menu. This way, you can sample a little bit of all the best dishes the chef has to offer.
The courses include dishes like smoked swordfish, heirloom beets with aioli, seared foie gras, chorizo fettuccine, wagyu beef cheek, and devil’s food cake.
Sel
Sel is one of the best fine-dining restaurants Scottsdale offers locals and visitors. The restaurant is chef-owned and operated, with a menu that changes to accommodate seasonal ingredients.
Sel is beautiful with white tablecloths, dim lighting, and stunning chandeliers that hang from the ceiling. The outdoor patio is the perfect dinner spot when it’s not too hot out.
The menu at Sel is filled with small plates, large entrees, and desserts to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth. There’s the perfect combination of seafood, other meats, and vegetarian options.
Popular menu items here are their jumbo lump crab, New Zealand elk loin chop, and caviar. The chef offers a tasting menu that is worth looking into too.
Franco’s Italian Caffe
One of the best restaurants in Scottsdale for laid-back Italian cuisine is Franco’s Italian Caffe. The atmosphere at Franco’s is a casual restaurant, but the food looks and tastes incredibly upscale.
The owners strive to provide a restaurant that looks elegant but makes you feel both comfortable and relaxed throughout your meal.
Franco’s is only open for dinner service, so you’ll want to plan accordingly. The menu is vast with all your favorite Italian dishes. People love their extensive wine list that has something that goes well with every meal.
For starters, popular items are baked asparagus and prosciutto. The penne shrimp, sausage and gnocchi, and prime filet mignon are divine for entrees. Don’t forget to save room for dessert!
Cafe Monarch
Another fabulous fine-dining spot in Scottsdale is Cafe Monarch. This elegant restaurant features chandeliers throughout, dim lighting, and knowledgeable staff who can speak about the chef’s dishes.
The menu is ever-changing due to the ingredient availability and creativity of the staff. Be sure to check out their cocktail and wine list.
Cafe Monarch offers patrons a four-course menu that’s sure to satisfy them. The best part is that they offer a similar four-course option for vegetarians so they can try their creations.
To give you an idea of the food you may get to try, they serve roasted cauliflower soup, glazed pork belly, bigeye tuna, petite tenderloin, Chilean sea bass, and filet mignon, rack of lamb, and duck breast.
Cien Agaves Tacos & Tequila
Cien Agaves Tacos and Tequila has been named in the top ten Mexican restaurants in the country. It’s a beautiful cantina that has dim lighting, friendly staff, great food, and over 100 tequilas on hand, ready for you to try.
This casual spot is perfect for a great meal and margarita while you’re in Scottsdale. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can order a tequila flight.
This restaurant has everything you could want from a Mexican joint. There are tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, appetizers, and freshly made tortillas.
For appetizers, they offer bottomless chips and salsa, queso Verde, and taquitos. Some of the most popular entrees are chicken chimichanga, steak fajitas, and diablo shrimp tacos. The grilled street corn is a great side.
Maple and Ash
Maple and Ash is a sophisticated and elegant steakhouse. It’s perfect when you want to impress a date, get all dressed up, or want to celebrate a special occasion.
Two-Michelin-star chef Danny Grant curates the menu here. You’ll find Maple and Ash along the Scottsdale waterfront, making it a great place to dine with a beautiful view.
This restaurant is popular for dinner, but they’re open for brunch on the weekends. They have everything you’d expect from a steakhouse. There are oysters, seafood towers, salads, several cuts of steak, chicken dishes, and more.
The Australian rack of lamb and boneless ribeye are popular entrees. Whatever you order, you can’t go wrong with their whipped mashed potatoes on the side.
ShinBay
ShinBay is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Scottsdale. They offer a traditional omakase room that seats no more than ten people. Here, you’ll enjoy a private tasting from the chef and their newest creations.
It’s a quiet, dimly lit, and beautiful space with traditional Japanese decor. There are only two seatings per night at a fixed price. Reservations are required.
The tasting menu at ShinBay features fresh seafood, soy products, and other classic Japanese dishes. Everything is delicious, and the chef will guide you through the tasting by explaining the food and the creative process.
You’ll want to look at their extensive wine and beer list to find a delicious Japanese beer to accompany you through the tasting.
Pizzeria Virtu
If you’re looking for some of the best pizza in town, look no further. On Main Street is Pizzeria Virtu. This pizzeria is from Virtu Honest Craft’s owner and chef and is beloved amongst locals.
The atmosphere is casual and relaxed, while the decor is the perfect combination of modern and rustic. The dining room is often busy but getting a table isn’t too challenging.
The menu at this pizzeria is simple. They offer appetizers like salads, bruschettas, and burrata. Entrees are pizza-focused, with seven recipes to choose from.
They also offer oven-baked dishes like garlic spaghetti, prosciutto rigatoni, and more. A few of the best pizza recipes are their Milano with caramelized onions and Margherita.
Rehab Burger Therapy
Sometimes, all you need is a juicy burger. If that sounds like you, you need to check out Rehab Burger Therapy. This isn’t one of Scottsdale’s new restaurants, but it’s still a popular spot in town.
This eatery is the perfect place to sit back, relax, and enjoy a great meal, whether you’re on your own or with friends.
Rehab Burger Therapy is primarily a burger joint, but they have a handful of other classic American menu items. They have chicken wings, quesadillas, nachos, pasta dishes, and so much more. Their spicy mac and cheese is decadent and worth trying.
As for the burgers, the chili cheeseburger, PBJ and bacon burger, and the nacho taco burger are popular choices.
The Breakfast Club
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so you need to have a solid breakfast joint on your list when in Scottsdale. The Breakfast Club is one of the best spots for that.
Brunch is the most popular mealtime here, but you can go earlier if you’re an earlier riser or later for lunch. The restaurant is extremely casual, and it’s filled with people waking up to enjoy their day.
The Breakfast Club is your typical diner. They have plenty of coffee, juice, and all your favorite breakfast items.
They also have a host of sandwiches and salads. Menu items people love here include their Bananas Foster French toast, salmon benedict, breakfast grilled cheese, and chopped salad.
Chula Seafood
Chula Seafood is your best bet for some of the freshest seafood in Scottsdale. They’re known for serving seafood by the pound, poke bowls, and more.
They pride themselves on only serving or selling sustainable seafood that’s as fresh as possible. You can eat in their dining room or pick up seafood to take with you back to where you’re staying to cook yourself.
They have a little bit of everything here, but some dishes stand out amongst the rest. The most popular options here include their scallops, raw shrimp, Hawaiian poke bowls, and the green chile tuna melt.
Other options include their spicy shrimp Caesar salad, clam chowder, the chef’s choice sashimi platter, and the whitefish salad BLT.
Final Thoughts
Scottsdale is one of the most desirable places to visit in Arizona because of the beautiful landscapes, bustling city of Phoenix nearby, and the amazing places to eat. Whether you’re craving Italian, Mexican, or are looking for the best restaurants to celebrate a special occasion, Scottsdale has a restaurant for foodies.
Are you ready to head to Scottsdale? You can book your stay today to ensure you have the best place to stay while in town.
