Best Restaurants for Foodies in Waterfront

Cafe Monarch in Scottsdale provides an unforgettable dining experience, even though we had a small hiccup at the start. We arrived for our reservation and had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated, which was a bit frustrating given that I was dressed in “dinner” heels. IYKYK. However, once we were seated, everything more than made up for the delay. We opted for the prix fixe menu, which was an absolute delight. The blood orange salmon aguachile, braised lamb, venison, shrimp, and ahi tuna were all bursting with flavor. I had the filet mignon, while my boyfriend enjoyed the Japanese Wagyu, which was truly exceptional—unbelievably tender and flavorful, cooked to absolute perfection. The sauces and sides were perfectly balanced, and my picky eater boyfriend couldn’t get enough of everything! We also added oysters and caviar to start, which were so fresh and crisp, and charred octopus, which was cooked to perfection with a lovely char but still wonderfully tender. For dessert, the chocolate strawberry cake was a showstopper—beautifully presented and delicious, with the Valentine's theme executed flawlessly. The cocktails were beautifully crafted, each with a perfect balance of flavors and a nice kick. If you enjoy wine, the pairings were spot on, and I was also impressed by their unique selection of zero-proof drinks, which my boyfriend really enjoyed. The service was impeccable throughout the meal. Even with the minor seating delay at the beginning, the staff’s attention to detail and hospitality made the experience one to remember. Highly recommend Cafe Monarch for a special evening out—it’s truly a Scottsdale gem!

The Ends is an incredible restaurant. I love that they don’t use any seed oils and instead focus on cooking with tallow. The food is amazing, and I think their pasta is better than any Italian restaurant here in the Valley. I know everyone says this, but the Cacio e Pepe is definitely something to write home about. It’s really, really good. Almost equivalent to the one I had at Osteria Da Fortunata in Rome. The thick noodles and sauce are very similar. Absolutely delicious. We also had the mushroom pasta, meatballs, Hamachi crudo, and beet burrata. All excellent. The only downside was that they were out of multiple dishes, which was a bit disappointing. However, they made it up to us by giving us a $45 gift card, which we appreciated. Overall, it was a great experience, and I would definitely recommend it to friends and family.

Went to the Herb Box with a party of four for a pre-dinner show at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Can definitely recommend. I'm the vegan of the group, and the vegan options were superb. Additionally, a couple of us no longer drink, and HB's mocktails were quite good. The restaurant can get a little loud, and when there was a rush of people they could've used some extra servers to help out, but those are minor nits. Would come back here again for sure.

Taj Mahal has the best Indian food in Scottsdale. Great naan, hummus, tikka and other favorites. We took friends who had never eaten Indian food and they love it too.

Another wonderful dinner at Olive & Ivy! We ordered the crispy brussels sprouts as and appetizer and it was an excellent start. We also split a beet salad, and it didn’t disappoint for those who love beets. My wife then ordered the chicken scallopini and she loved it. I dined on the filet and it was cooked perfectly. The sauce was delicious and the scalloped potatoes which accompanied the steak made it a totally enjoyable meal. Service was again outstanding. Certainly will be going back during our stay in the Scottsdale area.