Jan Wichayanuparp and Helen Yung
Jan Wichayanuparp and Helen Yung are our kind of tastemakers. At Sweet Republic, their hip, eco-conscious ice cream shop in north Scottsdale, they dream up novel flavors like Chocolate Guinness, Cashew Turtle, and Cabernet Poached Pear. Everything's made fresh daily, which means these two gals put in a lot of hours behind the counter. "We don't have a life," Yung says. But what spare time they have, they use wisely. Usually, they're hanging out at their favorite restaurants. Wichayanuparp mentions the great breakfasts at The Orange Table, Indian Paradise for lunch, and family-owned Saigon Nites for Vietnamese food. They also treat themselves to visits to The Edge on Wellness (handily, it's in the same plaza as Sweet Republic) for everything from acupuncture to vitamin shots, and routine visits to south Scottsdale's Greenbelt. "We love it just for walking, biking, and rollerblading," says Wichayanuparp. "You don't even feel like you're in the desert."
Sweet Republic
9160 E. Shea Blvd.
480-248-6979
sweetrepublic.com
The Orange Table
7373 E. Scottsdale Mall #6
480-424-6819
Indian Paradise
15111 N. Hayden Rd.
480-483-9284
indianparadiseaz.com
Saigon Nites
15111 N. Hayden Rd.
480-609-1116
saigonnites.com
The Edge on Wellness
9160 E. Shea Blvd.
480-990-9355
theedgeonwellness.com
Scottsdale Greenbelt (Indian Bend Wash)
scottsdaleaz.gov/parks/parks.asp
Lo-Lo's Chicken & Waffles
The big news of the summer was that Larry "Lo-Lo" White was coming to Scottsdale, opening a second location of his celebrated Lo-Lo's Chicken & Waffles. Once you taste his crispy fried chicken, golden waffles, grits, catfish, collard greens, and other soul-satisfying eats, you'll understand the fuss.
2765 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-945-1920
loloschickenandwaffles.com
Cafe Monarch
Located on a sleepy block in Old Town, Cafe Monarch is a charming oasis where chef-owner Christopher Van Arsdale has put his personal spin on everything, from the jasmine vines on the patio to the casual, Mediterranean-inspired food that makes use of what's fresh from the farmers market.
6934 E. 1st Ave.
480-970-7682
The Mission
Talk about glamour. With dim lighting, chandeliers, a glowing wall of Himalayan rock salt, and an Old World patina in the dining room, The Mission oozes sultry elegance. Chef Matt Carter's modern Latin menu is decadent, too — think duck and foie gras empanadas, smoked pork posole, and malbec-braised short ribs.
3815 N. Brown Ave.
480-636-5005
themissionaz.com
Petite Maison
Garlicky, craveable escargots en croute, mouthwatering seared foie gras with toasted brioche and caramelized apples, and juicy steak with hot, crispy frites are just a few of the highlights at Petite Maison, chef James Porter's charming new country French bistro. It's just a block off of Scottsdale Road, but feels secluded.
7216 E. Shoeman Ln.
480-991-6887
petitemaisonaz.com
Atlas Bistro
At Atlas Bistro, chef Joshua Riesner uses classic French cooking techniques to create exquisite contemporary American cuisine that's perfect for wine pairing. No coincidence, you have to enter this speakeasy-style BYOB through a door inside AZ Wine Company, where you can grab a bottle or two before dinner.
2515 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-990-2433
azeats.com/atlasbistro
Pure Sushi Bar
Scottsdale's fashionable crowd comes out in force to nibble on pretty pieces of sushi and sip creative cocktails at Pure Sushi, a chic, futuristic eatery located in the Scottsdale Civic Plaza. From there, it's an easy jaunt to Old Town's boutiques, nightclubs, and galleries.
7473 E. Scottsdale Mall
480-947-1077
puresushibar.com
More Scottsdale restaurants
Arcadia Farms
7014 E. 1st Ave.
480-941-5665
arcadiafarmscafe.com
Asia de Cuba
7353 E. Indian School Rd. (inside the Mondrian)
480-308-1131
mondrianscottsdale.com
AZ 88
7353 Scottsdale Mall
480-994-5576
az88.com
Breakfast Club
4400 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-222-2582
thebreakfastclub.us
Cowboy Ciao
7133 E. Stetson Dr.
480-946-3111
cowboyciao.com
Daily Dose
4020 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-994-3673
Eddie's House
7042 E. Indian School Rd.
480-946-1622
eddiematneys.com
El Molino Mexican Café
3554 N. Goldwater Blvd.
480-946-4494
elmolinocafe.com
Furio
7210 E. 2nd St.
480-946-6600
furio.tv
Geisha A Go Go
7150 E. 6th Ave.
480-699-0055
geishaagogo.com
Kazimierz World Wine Bar
7137 E. Stetson Dr.
480-946-3004
kazbar.net
Los Sombreros
2534 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-994-1799
lossombreros.com
Malee's Thai Bistro
7131 E. Main St.
480-947-6042
maleesthaibistro.com
Mastro's City Hall Steakhouse
6991 E. Camelback Rd.
480-941-4700
mastrosrestaurants.com
Modern Steak
7041 E. Camelback Rd. (Fashion Square)
480-423-7000
Modern Steak
Nello's Pizza
7213 E. 1st Ave.
480-946-2020
nellospizza.com
Patsy Grimaldi's
4000 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-994-1100
patsygrimaldis.com
Posh
7167 E. Rancho Vista Dr.
480-663-7674
poshscottsdale.com
Sushi Roku
7277 E. Camelback Rd.
480-970-2121sushiroku.com
Stingray Sushi
4302 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-941-4460
stingraysushi.com
Taggia
4925 N. Scottsdale Rd.
480-424-6095
taggiascottsdale.com
Trader Vic's
6850 E. Main St.
480-421-7799
tradervics.com
Wildfish
7135 E. Camelback Rd.
480-994-4040
eddiev.com
URBAN SPRAWL
Every Saturday morning, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., award-winning chef Vincent Guerithault brings a taste of his native France to the tiny parking lot alongside his famous namesake restaurant, with produce, cheeses, fresh pastries, crepes made to order, and more at his delightful farmers market.
3930 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix
602-224-3737
vincentsoncamelback.com
Some of Phoenix's most intriguing new eateries are located in renovated vintage buildings. Try Tuck Shop for homey, sharable plates of citrus-brined fried chicken and spiced skirt steak or The Parlor — a pizza parlor in a former beauty parlor — for wood-fired pies, handmade pastas, and craft cocktails made with fresh herbs from the restaurant's own garden.
Tuck Shop: 2245 N. 12th St., Phoenix
602-354-2980
tuckinphx.com
Parlor: 1916 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix
602-248-2480
theparlor.us
With its festive music, bustling food court, bakery, tortillería, and impressive seafood and meat departments, Phoenix Ranch Market is a grocery store that satisfies cravings for all things Mexican. Meanwhile, a visit to Quiessence — a fine-dining spot next door to an organic farm — will make you feel like you're far away from the city.
Ranch Market: 1602 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix
602-254-6676
Prosranch.com
602-276-0602
quiessencerestaurant.com