Salt Cellar Restaurant

The front door of this south Scottsdale seafood staple looks like it leads to a golf pro shop. In fact, it will send you down a staircase, at the bottom of which you'll find an exceptionally classic dining experience. Salt Cellar Restaurant has been around since 1971, and its staying power stems, in part, from the atmosphere: the subterranean bar, the white tablecloths pinned by flickering candles. The menu lists seasonal seafood items from all over — Boston, Hawaii, Alaska, Chesapeake Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, Georges Bank, and New Zealand. Aside from the go-to lobster and scallop dishes, a standout is the mussels in butter sauce appetizer, an actual bucket of Blue Hill Bay mussels swimming in a broth with drawn butter. From the depths of this cellar, each bite feels sent from above. New Normal: Reservations are recommended but not required, and can be made via phone or through the website.