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Prix-Fixe Dining in Scottsdale

Ever wonder what happens when you put your culinary fate entirely in a chef's hands? That's the fun of prix-fixe (pronounced "pree-feeks") dining, where restaurants offer a multi-course menu at a fixed price. Whether you're celebrating something special or simply treating yourself to an extraordinary evening out, get ready to hand over the reins and let some of Scottsdale’s best chefs take you on a curated adventure.


Sel


Sel

Nestled among Old Town's art galleries, Sel is a gem where global flavors meet refined French technique. Chef-owner Branden Levine offers three five-course paths: Garden, Land and Sea for vegetarians, meat-lovers and seafood fans, respectively. The menus, refreshed with the seasons, might feature delicacies like roasted beet “tartare,” filet topped with blue crab roe butter accompanied by celeriac and black truffle-potato puree, or Ora King salmon drizzled with Calabrian chile aioli on a bed of lentil and jasmine fried rice.


COURSE


COURSE restaurant

Chef Cory Oppold’s Course lives up to its name with his elegant art-on-a-plate dishes (five courses on Tuesday through Thursday and ten courses Friday and Saturday). Throughout the year, Oppold delights with pop-up “of Course" meals centered around a particular theme, such as "Valentine's Day," "Steakhouse Interpretations” or “Mexico,” as well as special wine dinners where guests can swoon over coursed duos like Steak Diane with maitake mushrooms paired with Tuscany’s prized Sassicaia.


Maple & Ash


Maple & Ash

Maple & Ash takes an audacious approach with their cheekily named "I Don't Give a F@&$" menu. Expect courses like ricotta-stuffed agnolotti, fire-roasted steaks and a lavish tower of roasted seafood bathed in a lightly chili kissed garlic butter. Just when you think you’ve polished it off, they hit you with the "pasta back,” stirring handmade pasta into the briny sauce left behind as a surprise encore. For a grand finale, you might end with Sundae Service, a DIY ice cream fantasyland with a spread of toppings – think hot fudge, toffee, pecan streusel, Luxardo cherries, sprinkles and more.


Café Monarch


Cafe Monarch

For pure romance, Café Monarch sets the scene with twinkling chandeliers and a garden patio that feels plucked from a fairy tale. A four-course menu showcases creative combinations from sesame-crusted big eye tuna on a bed of crispy rice to frutti di mare with lobster, scallops and prawns enrobed in nduja cream sauce. For gourmands who wish to splurge even more, spring for the eight-course menu with add-ons such as caviar service and foie gras. The wine program matches that decadence with impressive (and indulgent) tiers ranging from $175 to $1,500 per person.


Virtù Honest Craft at Bespoke Inn Scottsdale


Virtu Honest Craft

Hidden in the Arts District, Virtù Honest Craft feels like stumbling upon a secret Mediterranean hideaway. Chef Gio Osso shares his Italian heritage through his menu where a special Craft of the Prix-Fixe includes five courses with optional wine pairing. Or gather a group of six or more for the Maialino Experience, a fantastic family-style feast starring whole roasted cochinillo pig alongside antipasti platters of salame and formaggi, little gem salad, grilled sausages, salads, rapini, potatoes and rigatoni. Be sure to save room for the dessert board stacked with butterscotch budinos and chocolate date cakes.


ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho


ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho

Feel like rolling the dice on dinner in a mid-century modern setting? Step into the retro-cool world of Zuzu at the Hotel Valley Ho, where chef Russell LaCasce puts a playful spin on prix-fixe dining with his "Chef Roulette" option. It’s a setting that sets the perfect stage for his culinary gambling den, where some courses come with a liquid sidekick. Case in point? Open the smoke-filled dome that lands on your table and you may find a smoked tartare duo pairing beef (perched on potato galette and topped with caviar) and tuna (nestled on crispy rice) alongside a miniature cognac Sazerac.


ATLAS BISTRO


Prix-Fixe Dining in Scottsdale - Header

At Atlas Bistro, tucked into a strip mall that belies its sophistication, you’ll find a five-course seasonal menu that shares chef Jabari Corbin’s delicious culinary viewpoint. Courses might begin with New Brunswick Chebooktook oysters cradling green garlic mignonette or miso seared black cod and pea shoot salad before moving on to pillowy gnocchi tossed with duck and Oregon chanterelles or Arizona prime beef draped in Cabernet demi-glace with cardamom-scented yams.  Even better? It's BYOB with a corkage fee, so you can raid your wine cellar or choose a favorite bottle from their adjacent wine shop.

 

 

Christina Barrueta is an award-winning food, beverage and travel writer who has written for publications such as Phoenix Home and Garden, WhereTraveler, and Time Out. The author of Arizona Wine: A History of Perseverance and Passion and Phoenix Cooks cookbook, she has been inducted into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame and recognized for awards including PHOENIX Magazine’s Best Food Blog. and Arizona Foothills magazine’s Favorite Food Website, Best Food Instagram, and Most Influential in Valley Food.