Scottsdale has some of the best resorts in the country so it’s no surprise that some of the city’s top tables are found here. When you’re looking for great eats, stunning views and impeccable service, make a reservation at one of my favorite Scottsdale resort restaurants.
Talavera
For years, Talavera, the flagship restaurant at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North has been one of the best restaurants in the city. While it bills itself a modern steakhouse, it provides great options for pescatarians and vegetarians looking for elevated eats with a Spanish flair. If the weather is good, book a table on the expansive patio and you’ll be treated to a stunning sunset and views of the city.
Talavera’s Executive Chef Chuck Kramer traded the desert of Jordan for that of Scottsdale when he joined the resort in 2016. The tri-lingual chef has worked around the world at various Four Seasons properties for over 25 years. There’s not a bad option on Chef Kramer’s menu, including the restaurant’s signature Paella (vegetarian version available). Some dishes do rotate seasonally, and on my last visit in summer the standout was a barramundi paired with fava beans and morel mushrooms. For meat lovers the restaurant has a selection of cuts from boutique purveyors prepared a la plancha. For dessert, don’t miss the churros Talavera is known for.
J&G Steakhouse
J&G Steakhouse is the only Arizona restaurant in world-renowned Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s portfolio and a must-do when in Scottsdale. Located at the grand-dame of Scottsdale resorts, The Phoenician, the fine-dining restaurant serves up stellar cuisine and fantastic views. If you’re dining with your sweetie, request one of the cozy banquettes and settle in for a memorable meal.
The menu fuses classic American steakhouse favorites with the Asian flavors Chef Vongerichten is known for. Some of the most intriguing items on the menu are the starters. On a recent visit my husband and I were hard-pressed to choose among them. We ultimately decided on sharing the black truffle cheese fritters, an angel hair pasta with summer vegetables and a chilled sweet corn soup with crab. The lemongrass infused soup was one of the best dishes I’ve had in the city this year. With fish flown in fresh from Alaska, Seattle and Hawaii it’s an easy choice for this pescatarian to select the Wild Alaskan Halibut. My husband tested out the steaks with a grass-fed filet mignon. According to him it was so tender you could slice it with a butter knife, and so good it didn’t need the myriad of sauce selections on the side.
Elements
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain, A Gurney's Resort & Spa is the only resort on iconic Camelback Mountain and is one of my favorite places to watch the sun go down. The flagship restaurant, elements, blends American gourmet fare with an Asian flair that perfectly pairs with the Zen atmosphere at the resort.
One of the best classic items on the menu is the Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass. While many restaurants do a version of it, elements makes it to perfection. For a dish that showcases the blend of East meets West try the Korean BBQ Short Rib served with wasabi whipped potatoes. If you still have room for dessert indulge your inner child with the Candy Bar, a decadent concoction of peanut butter ganache, dark chocolate, marshmallow nougat, cracker jack popcorn and vanilla bean gelato.
Elements is a great choice for wine lovers. In recent years the wine list has morphed from 150 bottles to more than 550. Oenophiles will find old standards, local Arizona wine and some more obscure varietals. There are over 66 varietals from 16 countries represented.
Hearth ‘61
Located in the mid-century modern Mountain Shadows resort, Hearth ’61 reimagines comfort food as modern American cuisine using ingredients from local purveyors. Each day a featured roast made in the kitchen’s stone oven highlights the menu. The restaurant is helmed by Executive Chef Charles Wiley, who has enjoyed a 40 plus year career in some of Scottsdale’s best restaurants, including recognition as one of the country’s best hotel chefs by the James Beard Foundation. Meat lovers must order the Niman Ranch Tenderloin with the to-die-for truffled mash.
In a city known for great food, Scottsdale doesn’t lack for outstanding restaurants, but when you’re looking to make a memory head to any one of these Scottsdale resort restaurants for an experience sure to be one of the highlights of your vacation.
