Scottsdale Food Guide: Best Restaurants in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona
Disclaimer: Some (but not all) of the experiences listed here were hosted in partnership with Experience Scottsdale. Food and drink opinions are of course very opinionated – and completely my own!
As I looked into the best restaurants in Old Town Scottsdale – and there are a ton – one question kept crossing my mind: Why is the food in Scottsdale, Arizona so good?
The answer that came to light over a week spent in town and snippets of conversation with servers, restaurateurs, and locals is actually quite simple.
If you’re a chef in the west and want to make a name for yourself, some of the big food cities – like Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Los Angeles – are very expensive and high-risk ventures. So what do you do?
Open a restaurant in Scottsdale!
To incubate your idea, tweak your dishes and concept, and build up an even stronger proposal for making the jump to a bigger city foodie scene.
And Scottsdale just happens to be THE DESTINATION for a lot of these restaurants, as talented chefs looking to make a name for themselves feed you excellent food along the way.
Of course, not all chefs are looking to leave.
The local food movement has also been taking hold in this area, with chefs using locally sourced produce from the nearly year-round growing seasons and showcasing Arizona ingredients.
Even Arizona locals in the area – who don’t live in Phoenix or Scottsdale already – know that if they are looking for a great meal, Old Town Scottsdale is the place to go.
And one of the first things I realized looking for the best restaurants in Old Town Scottsdale is that Old Town Scottsdale is bigger than you think.
It doesn’t cover all parts of the city (the lovely Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows where I stayed for part of my trip is a bit outside its borders) but most of the outstanding eating establishments with the best food in Scottsdale you’ll find within its confines.
My overall impression eating and drinking my way through Old Town Scottsdale is that is does basic, simple cuisine and upscale casual really well. (I had one fancy meal and honestly wasn’t wowed by it.)
There are also a shockingly large number of delicious bars in Old Town Scottsdale.
In walking distance of Old Town Scottsdale, you can drink your way through breweries, wine tasting rooms (including an urban wine trail!), a distillery, and multiple acclaimed cocktail spots.
Best Restaurants in Old Town Scottsdale
Organized alphabetically in each section – one for restaurants and another for bars – my picks for the best restaurants and best bars in Old Town Scottsdale are not mutually exclusive.
Of course some of these Scottsdale foodie spots had delicious coffee or cocktails to go with their incredible bites, which I’ve noted below.
The places I’d seek out just for their beverages though – from coffee bars to cocktails bars – are listed in the next section (although some of those spots also serve food).
I did a ton of research, asked plenty of locals, and used my traveler sixth sense to seek out the best restaurants in Old Town Scottsdale and eat as much as I could of the best food in Scottsdale during my visit.
And even then, not everywhere I ate wowed me enough to make it into this post.
You would not believe the amount of eating I did in a week – this is the short list Scottsdale Food Guide with the places that I am still dreaming about back at home!
Now for the most delicious Scottsdale bites I enjoyed over a week in town:
Citizen Public House
Citizen Public House picked up several new restaurant accolades when it opened in 2011, like being named a “New Restaurant Not to Miss” in Esquire magazine, with some good company in Charleston’s Husk and Chicago’s Girl & the Goat.
Not only is it cozy and lively on a random weeknight several years in, the welcoming vibe is backed up by the quality of the food and drink.
In addition to some creative craft cocktails with unusual ingredients like kiwifruit simple syrup and tobacco bitters, there are also half a dozen barrel-aged cocktails (and I don’t think I’ve ever seen more than one or two on a single menu before).
Foodwise there are upscale versions of traditional dishes, including interesting combinations like pork belly pastrami, amaro meatloaf, and the pan-seared scallops I enjoyed with a cola gastrique.
While all of the food dishes were excellent, it was one of the appetizers that stole the show for me: “The Original Chopped Salad,” a dish so famous it has its own Facebook page.
Originally crafted at the now shuttered Cowboy Ciao and known then as the “Stetson Chopped Salad,” this combination of pearl couscous, Asiago cheese, arugula, pepitas, dried currants, dried corn, smoked salmon, and a buttermilk dressing was shockingly good and quite memorable, with so many layers of flavor and textures combining to form a bite that made me swoon and feel as if I was eating the best salad I’ve had in my life. And I’m not even a salad person!
There’s a reason this chopped salad has a following. I’d go back to Citizen Public House anyway, but I’d *rush* to go back for this dish.
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Diego Pops
The tacos at this Mexican restaurant definitely hit the spot, although were not as memorable for me as the appetizers and drinks.
I’d come back in a heartbeat though for either of the appetizers I sampled.
First, they do a version of Grilled Street corn that is topped with the more common toppings of cotija cheese and lime, then pushed from good to an all out umami-bomb by the addition of crushed flamin’ hot cheetos, which provided just the right amount of crunch and MSG-addictiveness.
Of course, the corn was not to be outdone by what is possibly the signature dish – the Brussels sprout nachos.
I hated brussel sprouts as a kid and love them as an adult, and this version has nachos (yum), topped with brussel sprouts (I’m already sold), and then pushed over to top by a fried egg that makes this feel incredibly indulgent – even as you eat your veggies.
The incredible food spread was then washed down with some excellent cocktails.
In my case, the prickly pear margarita which was just the right amount of tart and sweet. Between the distinctive flavor and familiar bright pink hue, I felt transported back to my travels in Malta, where prickly pear grows on the side of the road with abandon.
There are also sno-cone margaritas (!!) that I hear are more sweet, and come in watermelon lime and mango habanero flavors.
READ MORE: Top 12 Reasons to Go To Malta
Farm & Craft | food + affection + community
Any place that serves breakfast until 3pm is my kind of place.
While all of the dishes sounds simple enough (and quite healthy), the ingredients are so fresh that it really delivers on flavor and you forget it’s supposed to be good for you.
I ordered the innocuous sounding breakfast sandwich with fried egg, avocado, cheddar, and chicken sausage on a flax whole wheat bun.
Anytime I read the words flax or whole wheat, I usually high-tail it in the opposite direction, but I didn’t even remember what was in the bun because the flavors were so buttery and unctuous as I slowly savored each bite.
I enjoyed it with the equally good house-made lavender lemonade, and there are plenty of other fruity concoctions as well as cocktails, wine, and beer.
FnB
While the accolades of this restaurant are too numerous to mention, the recent naming of FnB’s chef Charleen Badman as “2019 Best Chef – Southwest” by the James Beard Foundation is notable as she is the first Arizona chef to win in over a decade.
Known as the “veggie whisperer,” Badman delivers on the promise by highlighting some of the freshest produce from Arizona’s many growing seasons.
Yes, the menu is vegetable-forward but dishes with fish and meat are just as delicious.
Standouts from the vast spread I enjoyed on my recent visit included a citrus-cured salmon with buttermilk, cucumber, and flower petals and a simple dish of local fresh apricots with ricotta, almonds, and balsamic honey.
TRAVEL SAVVY TIP! If you’re having trouble getting a dinner reservation in the wake of the James Beard award win, head next door to FnBar, where you can also indulge in the full dinner menu from 5pm on.
Rehab Burger Therapy
The burgers at Rehab Burger Therapy have been named the best burger in Arizona many times over – a well-deserved accolade, by the way – but it is really the whole experience that made this a standout spot.
From the décor to amazingly friendly service from enthusiastic, passionate server Salyna to all of the amazing food combinations that make its way into every burger they serve.
In addition to the creative burger concoctions, you can also choose your burger size (small for me), bun type (I got the pretzel bun), side dish (I got sweet potato tots), and rehab sauce of choice (garlic sriracha aioli for me).
On Salyna’s recommendation, I ordered the Spicy Mac n’ Cheese burger that also was my favorite, and overflowing with the comfort of mac n’cheese while still delivering strong flavors from the sauce and burger itself.
As part of a food-curious group, I also got to sample several of the other burgers, with the poblano being my second-favorite for the intense flavor of the poblano pepper that was great paired with the beef.
In addition to our main burgers, our group also ordered the Elvis burger, which has been their best seller for 7 years, and combines some of the The King’s favorite flavors, with the burger coming on a chocolate chip banana bun with peanut butter, chocolate bacon, and caramelized bananas. Yes, it is a savory burger that also involves PB, but it’s not as weird as you might think.
Sweet Dee’s Bakeshop
Don’t get me wrong, the toasted marshmallow latte was divine, but this bakeshop is squarely in my food category for all of its amazing traditional baked goods and twists on some classics.
I was fortunate to visit the week of Sweet Dee’s first birthday celebration, and got to enjoy a host of birthday-themed treats, including mini cupcakes and the over-the-top birthday cake doughnut.
Yes, they took birthday cake THEN battered and fried it into a doughnut!
While I was busy indulging my sweet tooth, I heard about their savory doughnut.
Basically it is an eggs benedict in doughnut form! Inside the doughnut is a poached egg, Canadian bacon, and house hollandaise.
While I didn’t have enough of an appetite to justify ordering the savory doughnut too (although I did consider it!) between the incredibly baked items I did enjoy and the incredibly friendly staff, this spot is top of my foodie list for my next trip to Old Town Scottsdale.
The Mission Old Town
They say that both food and service are important to a restaurant experience, but if you only get one, good service is the quality that gets you returning.
I’m happy to report that in the case of The Mission Old Town – like fellow restaurant The Fat Ox listed below – they delivered both excellent food and outstanding service.
It’s not often that when I go wandering in search of the ladies room, that there is someone who immediately spots me and walks me all the way to the door to ensure I find it.
It was the little touches that elevated my service experience at The Mission from great to exceptional.
In addition to the wonderful service throughout the meal, the food was delicious, which is the part that landed this spot on my list of best restaurants in Old Town Scottsdale.
As for the food the most memorable bites for me were the excellently-executed table-side guacamole and the grilled street corn with a tangy, spicy sauce that was addictive.
The drinks were also incredible, and The Mission treated our group to small tastes of several of their best ones.
The House Specialty called “The Missionary” was a perfect – and colorful – mix of their house margarita and red sangria. There was my full drink, the shockingly creamy avocado margarita, which I’ve never seen or had before and thoroughly enjoyed. Then at the end of the meal, a creamy dessert cocktail came along with churros and dipping sauce, which was a perfect end to a stellar Scottsdale food experience.
Zuzu Restaurant at Hotel Valley Ho
I don’t usually frequent restaurants at hotels other than where I’m staying, but there were a few good reasons to seek out Zuzu Restaurant anyway.
This spot wasn’t on my list for savory dishes, but I am so glad that the timing worked out to meet fellow travel blogger Alley for brunch as well as dessert at Zuzu.
I ordered what sounded like the most typical local breakfast dish, called planks and eggs, with sweet potato “planks,” pulled short ribs, a fried egg, cotija cheese, lime crema, and crispy fried tortilla strips.
To my surprise, the dish also came with a soft flour tortilla as a side too, which might have been the best flour tortilla I’ve *ever* had.
It was clearly made with love and had such great flavor even though it was basically plain bread.
But the original draw to this spot was the dessert that beyond lived up to its name – The “Show Stopper” Shake.
Even though I had seen pictures online before I arrived, this shake is a whole lot more than a milkshake and is even bigger in person than I expected.
The flavor combinations change monthly, and I was lucky enough to be there for a Hawaiian-themed shake shortly after my Hawaii travels. Sure, there was a milkshake, but mine was also topped with a pineapple upside down cake, passion fruit tart, and orange creamsicle – plus a side of chopped fruit, coconut macaroon, and orange gelatin slices.
Definitely order this giant and fun concoction with a friend . . . or several!
While the service was sadly just mediocre, the food was so good that it was a fabulous final food experience to end my time in Scottsdale.
Best Bars in Old Town Scottsdale
The word “bar” can mean lots of things. This round-up shares my picks for the top bars in Old Town Scottsdale, from coffee bars to brewery bars to wine bars to cocktail bars.
So whatever your drinking preferences, there’s something for you below:
Cartel Coffee Lab
Cartel had the best coffee I enjoyed in my week in Old Town Scottsdale. They take their coffee quite seriously, and my cortado had rich coffee flavor and aroma with a super smooth milky topping that was great for refueling right in the heart of town.
While I was on my way to lunch when I popped in and was unable to linger, the space was inviting with long tables perfect for catching up with a friend or hunkering down to get some work done.
Goldwater Brewing Co.
This is my kind of family business.
For a craft brewery, there is a huge available selection of in-house brews to order at the bar. And if you’re indecisive (or just enjoy trying a lot of different beers) like me, you can order any 4 beers as a flight.
The iconic beer here is the Desert Rose cactus ale, made with prickly pear from local cacti.
While sold out as you can see on the menu sheet, our server Parker was kind enough to give us an impromptu tour of the operation and a sample of the next batch of Desert Rose, which while not quite ready yet, is already delicious.
LDV Winery
While I visited all 4 winery tasting rooms that are on the Scottsdale Wine Trail, LDV (Lawrence Dunham Vineyards) Winery tasting room was my definite favorite.
And the only one that made my list of top bars in Old Town Scottsdale.
Like the other wine trail spots, LDV Winery has its actual vineyards a several hour drive away in the Wilcox area of Arizona, with a similar elevation to Argentina. Especially since was my first wine tasting stop in Old Town Scottsdale, I was fortunate to have Tasting Room Manager Sherylann as an excellent guide to their history and selections.
My top sips were some of the red wines – a 2013 Grenache (which I bought) and both the 2013 and 2014 Petite Syrah, even though the two vintages tasted a bit different from one another.
Another reason to be sure to stop in – delicious regular and infused local olive oils and vinegars that are available for sale, and also to taste!
Merkin Vineyards Old Town Scottsdale
I knew about the Dave Matthews and Donald Trump wineries in Charlottesville, Virginia, but I had no idea that Maynard James (MJ) Keenan – most famous as the lead singer for bands Tool and A Perfect Circle – was another celebrity winemaker.
Merkin Vineyards has only had a presence in Old Town Scottsdale since March of 2019, and unlike the four wineries on the Scottsdale Wine Trail, this spot is more of a wine bar than a tasting room.
READ MORE: Best Wineries in Charlottesville, Virginia
Apparently MJ Keenan only recently discovered that he is descended from Northern Italian winemakers, and is embracing that heritage as he grows mostly Italian (and Spanish and French) grape varietals.
As part of a hosted event, I was lucky enough to share sips with three fellow travel bloggers. So after a couple of rounds, we had basically tried most of the available selections!
My top sips were the bold red wines – including the Garnacha and Tempranillo – along with some of the blends.
There were also some really delicious platters of food, with simple ingredients packing huge flavor in true Italian style.
It is both for the wine and incredibly flavorful dishes available that Merkin Vineyards was one of my favorite bars in Old Town Scottsdale.
TRAVEL SAVVY TIP! While Merkin Vineyards does not officially offer wine flights, you can create your own wine tasting if you go at less crowded times on weekdays before 5pm.
This wine bar in Old Town Scottsdale is also a family affair, with Maynard’s dad’s farm growing much of the produce for the simple and delectable bites available.
All enjoyed to one of Maynard’s eight personally curated music playlists for the venue – featuring, of course, lots of tracks from Tool.
Second Story
Located on the Second Story of a building in the heart of Old Town, this is one of the bars in Old Town Scottsdale that hits the spots at the end of the night.
I don’t usually order off-menu for my first cocktail at a new place, but I was feeling feisty and – as is the sign of a great bar – my relatively vague instructions led to a delicious ginger whiskey sour.
I liked the balance of spicy and smooth so much that I sipped especially slowly to make it last.
Second Story also has quite an elegant feel when you walk inside, which I wasn’t expecting.
The other part I did not realize until I went is that it is basically a whiskey- and bourbon-centric bar, with over 300 whiskeys on premises.
They also have a food menu, with full dinner options as well as happy hour bites.
One Place Outside of Old Town Scottsdale Worth the Trek
Trek is a bit of an exaggeration as this spot is a mere 2 miles from the waterfront in Old Town Scottsdale, and will take less than 10 minutes in a car and under $10 by ride share if you don’t have a vehicle of your own.
It’s not the only place I ate at outside of Old Town, but it’s the only one I’d go back to.
The Fat Ox
I was still feeling a bit hungry after one of the evening events for Bloghouse Scottsdale (I have a big appetite, what can I say?) and this restaurant was close to where I was staying at the Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows.
You can tell a lot about a restaurant based on how they greet a solo female diner, and at The Fat Ox it was done just the right way – business as usual.
The hosts at the stand were gracious and welcoming, and the whole restaurant was buzzing with lively conversation, so I happily strolled to one of the few empty spots at the bar.
READ MORE: How to Eat Well When You Travel Solo
After 3 years of living in Italy, I am always a bit skeptical of going to an Italian restaurant in the US, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good the food was.
I ordered the Malloreddus Lamb Verde, a seasonal fresh pasta dish with a perfect balance of flavors and textures between the lamb, olives, pecorino cheese, mint, and chopped almonds .
Even though the panna cotta was a little on the sweet side for me overall, the fruity foam and crunch with the garnish on top made for a delicious bite as well.
Bartender Brian provided excellent service and conversation (no, he didn’t know I was a travel blogger until the end of the meal) and he perfectly crafted the fun-named “Sage Against the Machine” cocktail for me, with tequila, sage-infused agave, and a lambrusco (Italian sparkling red wine) float that I enjoyed with my dishes.
Even if you’re staying in Old Town Scottsdale, which is a few miles away, it is definitely worth the trip to enjoy a meal here.
And be sure that whenever you plan your trip to Scottsdale, come hungry!
Looking to book a room in Scottsdale? Check out these great spots!
- Bespoke Inn – A splurge & my favorite place I stayed in Old Town
- Hyatt Place Scottsdale/Old Town – Best Value for Money & Central Location
- Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows – Posh resort I enjoyed north of Old Town (and close to The Fat Ox restaurant!)
Are there any questions about the Scottsdale food scene that I haven’t answered yet? What spots on this Scottsdale Food Guide are your favorites? Any other recommendations of restaurants or bars I should try on my next visit? Let me know in the ‘Comments’ below.
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