Iconic Old Town Mexican restaurant reopens in Scottsdale

Frank & Lupe’s quietly shuttered in Old Town Scottsdale last year after 30 years in business. Now, diners can once again nosh on vibrant red and green New Mexican-style enchiladas and margaritas. 

The longtime Valley eatery has a new home in Scottsdale’s Gainey Ranch, on the southeast corner of Scottsdale and Doubletree Ranch roads. 

“Frank & Lupe’s has always been about heart, hospitality and honest food,” owner Piero Aviles said in a press release.

Frank and Lupe Bernal originally opened Frank & Lupe’s El Sombrero in Socorro, New Mexico, in 1980. The family expanded to Arizona, opening Frank & Lupe’s in a stucco building in Old Town Scottsdale on Marshall Way and Indian School Road in 1995.

Helmed by the Bernals’ sons Teddy and Eddie, the restaurant attracted a loyal fanbase with its fiery green chile, oasis-like patio and the charming decor, including painted tiles depicting Frank singing to Lupe with a guitar in hand.

The Bernals grew Frank & Lupe’s to include a second Valley location in Ahwatukee in 2017. Three years later, the Bernal family mourned the loss of both Teddy and Eddie. Aviles then took over the Scottsdale restaurant.

When fans learned of Frank & Lupe’s closure in Old Town, they lamented the loss. That building is set to become The Ponderosa House, an “Arizona-born restaurant” from Karsen’s Grill owner Jacob Finley. 

However, when Frank & Lupe’s closed, its team promised the restaurant would return. In Gainey Ranch, Frank & Lupe’s has traded its more familial, traditional decor for modern Southwestern finishes. The restaurant’s signature enchiladas, fajitas and green chile remain true to Bernal family recipes.

“We’re not changing what works,” Aviles said in the release. “Lupe’s recipes, her traditions and her standards are still at the center of everything we do.”

The kitchen team will also add new, seasonal menu items inspired by Lupe’s original menu.

“Our goal is to feel familiar but fresh,” Aviles said in the release. “The Bernals built something truly special. We’re just making sure Lupe’s recipes, her touch and that sense of home live on in this next chapter.”

Frank & Lupe’s is welcoming customers to its new home during a soft-opening phase. The restaurant will celebrate its official grand opening on Friday.

Frank & Lupe’s

8787 N. Scottsdale Road, #214, Scottsdale