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Fat Ox

Award-winning chef Matt Carter of The Mission digs into rustic Italian cuisine at the deeply satisfying Fat Ox. The modern dining room spans a hefty 7,000 square feet, kitted out in saddle leather and dark woods. Feast on fresh pasta and roasted meats, including a 25-layer lasagna and over 1 kg porterhouse. The family-style menu is fun for a crew, rolling out four courses from antipasti to dolce.

The Mission – Old Town Scottsdale

You know a chef is a big deal when they win a lifetime achievement award from the Arizona Restaurant Association, like chef Matt Carter did in 2024 for his contributions to furthering Arizona's culinary culture. At The Mission, Carter takes broad inspiration from the Americas with dishes like handmade tortillas, freshly smashed salsas, and tableside guacamole from the molcajete cart that showcase the gorgeous local bounty.

Steak 44

The Mastro family is synonymous with steak, and at Steak 44, the sons bring meat to the modern era with a more playful steakhouse-style menu – any cut can be topped with a crab cake or truffled lobster tail, plus paired with sides like asparagus fries or corn crème brûlée. Dark leather, luxe details, and a wine vault boasting 3,000 bottles bring upscale vibes to the experience.

Cafe Monarch

There's a reason this stunner in historic Old Town Scottsdale is consistently ranked among the most romantic restaurants in the region. Ornate chandeliers, ivy-covered walls, and white tablecloths set the mood for a seasonal, four-course tasting menu that might include duck breast with apricot chutney. Pair that with selections from one of the best wine lists in the city.

Ocean 44

The James Beard-nominated Mastro brothers behind Steak 44 dive into seafood at Ocean 44, where they’re flying in the best Alaskan king crab legs, Maine lobster, Chilean sea bass, and Australian wagyu from all over the world. The massive modern dining room is just as luxurious as the food, starring an 18-foot raw bar and glass cellar, with the extensive wine list on full display.

Virtu Honest Craft

One of the Phoenix New Times's top 100 restaurants, this is the place to go for chef Gio Osso's regional Italian cooking. The menu changes frequently, but you'll find nods to his Mediterranean heritage in dishes like crispy-skin branzino with caper-infused brown butter. It's best enjoyed in the rustic, tree-covered outdoor dining area with a glass from the impressive Italian wine selection.

Tarbell's

Legendary PBS television host and James Beard-nominated chef Mark Tarbell opened his namesake restaurant in 1994, and it’s still one of the city’s hottest reservations. Come for classic dishes like Scotch beef and a grass-fed wagyu along with seasonal, seafood-forward mains, all served in a cozy space filled with paintings. A knockout wine list and fancy supplements like lobster and caviar make Tarbell’s the ultimate special occasion destination.

Christopher's at Wrigley Mansion

At his namesake restaurant, James Beard Award-winning chef Christopher Gross dazzles with one of the city’s most innovative tasting menus. The modern French, multi-course feast stars luxe dishes like caviar-topped scallops and Wagyu sukiyaki, plus playful surprises like an amuse bouche presented by Gross himself. The restaurant’s space – an art-accented, glass-walled stunner with a retractable roof inside a historic hillside mansion – is as showstopping as the food.

Bacanora

Bacanora fired up the grill in Phoenix city centre in 2021, quickly making a nationwide splash with praise pouring in from The New York Times, Esquire, and local outlets – leading to a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2024 for Rene Andrade. It's all thanks to Andrade's flavourful Sonoran cuisine – think tomahawk steaks and pineapples dangling over an open flame – agave cocktails, and natural wine in the casual, intimate space.

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• James Beard Award

  2024

Chilte

Both Bon Appétit and Esquire named Chilte one of the hottest openings of 2023 for its ever-changing ‘new-school’ Mexican fare that rocks fresh tortillas, seasonal produce, and creative takes on family recipes, like the mole de la casa that switches out different flautas and sauces. The accolades keep rolling in for chef Lawrence ‘LT’ Smith, who made Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs list in 2024.

Latha Restaurant

LATHA means ‘flavour’ in Swahili, and when this hotspot opened in 2023, it brought a taste of the African diaspora from across Brazil, the Caribbean, and the South that caught the attention of Phoenix magazine and The Infatuation. The menu ranges from fried chicken and banana rum waffles to oxtails barbacoa, best devoured on the deep porch of this historic house, where singers and musicians often perform.

the larder & the delta

The larder & the delta has been a comfort for nearly a decade, and it moved into a cozy home with a new menu in 2024. James Beard semifinalist Stephen Jones folds local and seasonal produce into Southern cooking with unexpected dishes like chicken-fried mushrooms and country ham–style swordfish. Start with the multi-course tasting menu, that has one seating on weekdays and two on weekends, and then look on the restaurant's Instagram for specials like brunch and chef collaboration dinners.