When it comes to romance, Scottsdale’s restaurants rarely let you down.
The Best Restaurants In Scottsdale For Romantic Dining: At elements, the restaurant at the high-end Sanctuary at Camelback Mountain Spa Resort in Scottsdale, you can get some of the best views of the sunset while you eat. Executive Chef Beau MacMillan, who has been on the Food Network for a long time, makes fun Asian-inspired dishes from local organic produce, sustainable seafood, and hormone-free meats.
The restaurant has beautiful views of the mountains and the city at sunset, so be sure to plan your romantic dinner for the right time.
The name “Deseo,” which comes from the Spanish word for “want,” is a hint of romance. The restaurant’s bright colors and even brighter tastes, like the ceviche bar, make it a cool place for a fun date night.
There are a lot of romantic Italian restaurants in downtown Scottsdale. When you want a romantic dinner with Italian food late at night, go to EVO in Old Town Scottsdale.
Franco’s Italian Caffe is also a good place to meet someone special in Old Town. Want an outdoor patio that is both romantic and lively? Marcellino Restaurant is worth a look.
Hood line crunched the data to uncover the best restaurants in Scottsdale for romantic dining, with our special sauce to create a sorted list of options for the best romantic dining in Scottsdale.
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Best Romantic Dining in Scottsdale
Mealtimes often affect our selections, restricting our restaurant options. Allow Tripononline to assist you when your options are limited. We’ll point you in the right direction for the best romantic dining in Scottsdale, saving you the trouble of calling around to find out when they’re open.
1. Virtu
Virtu Honest Craft is a cute café in Old Town Scottsdale that is tucked away in the Bespoke Inn. It has a menu that is among the best in the world.
The small restaurant had only been open for a few months when it made Esquire Magazine’s annual list of the Best New Restaurants in America. The menu has tastes from the Mediterranean and the Southwestern United States.
Try the grilled octopus, which is a house specialty. It is served with fennel, arugula, lemon chickpeas, and calabrese chile butter and is cooked until it is tender. Don’t miss the menu of hand-made cocktails.
A seat in the tiny dining room is hard to come by, so make a reservation at the Virtu table to make sure you get one.
Recommended for Romantic Dining because: Virtu is a great place for food-loving couples on a date night because it is small and elegant.
Expert tip: Most likely, the best way to try Virtu is through the seasonal tasting menu.
2. Café Monarch
How about having breakfast in the late morning on a sun-drenched patio that turns into a candle-lit oasis in the evening? Does it seem too good to be true?
Café Monarch in Scottsdale is a real place, thank goodness. In this romantic restaurant in Old Town Scottsdale, you can enjoy a very romantic atmosphere while you eat. For dinner, you should make a reservation for the prix fixe menu, which has four courses and changes often.
The food is high-end, seasonal, and chef-inspired, with a focus on classic fine dining (filet mignon and foie gras are mainstays). There is also a comfortable bar with 12 seats where you can have a drink before dinner.
Recommended for Romantic Dining because: Café Monarch is a great place to take your special someone on a date. On a beautiful patio, multi-course meals from the seasonal menu are served.
Expert tip: Come ready to enjoy a prix fixe meal with several courses. Almost always, you need to make a reservation.
3. Evo
EVO is an Italian restaurant and bar with a vintage vibe that serves classic Italian food and high-quality drinks in a sleek, welcoming space. EVO’s food menu includes fresh appetizers and small plates, tasty specialty pizzas, pasta dishes made in-house, fish and meat dishes, and delicious desserts.
EVO also has a long list of drinks, including handcrafted cocktails, draft beers, draft spirits, bottled beer, beer on tap, bubbles, and wine by the glass. One of the best Italian restaurants in Scottsdale.
The Grapefruit Basil cocktail, which is made with three olives citrus vodka, fresh basil, grapefruit, and lime, is a great summer drink.
Recommended for Romantic Dining because: The dining room at EVO is both stylish and cozy, making it a great place for a late-night meal with your favorite date.
Expert tip: Want to talk over a cup of coffee late at night? Kitchen is open until 1:30 am.
4. Deseo
Deseo looks good because it has bold, bright colors and a nice open kitchen. Get a seat at the ceviche bar, which is very popular, so you can watch your food being made and look around the kitchen.
Most of the food on the menu is seafood. Try shrimp marinated in roasted tomato and avocado, juicy lobster tails, or Colombian corn cakes with a quail egg for something different.
Your server can suggest a South American wine to go with your meal, or you could try a fresh mojito with mint for a little extra kick. For a really special night out, call ahead and book the “Epicurean Experience,” a three-course dinner where diners can talk with their chef.
Recommended for Romantic Dining because: One of the most romantic places for a date night in Scottsdale, Deseo has great service, beautiful food, and one of the fanciest dining rooms in the city.
Expert tip: For a meal you’ll never forget, call ahead and book the “Epicurean Experience,” a three-course meal where diners can watch the chefs make the food.
5. Elements
Asian-style place settings and touches of black and white make a clean, simple background for the beautiful mountain views, which are the real star of the show at elements.
Even though the dinner menu leans toward East Asian food, the breakfast menu is very traditional. Go light with Irish oatmeal or a smoothie, or try an omelet ranchero, eggs with turkey sausage, or pineapple rum pancakes with almond butter and toasted coconut. Feeling decadent?
The eggs benedict made with a filet of steak has foie gras and truffled hollandaise sauce. Brunch adds salads, burgers, and pasta. One of the most romantic restaurants in Scottsdale with a view.
Call ahead and reserve a spot at the chef’s table, including the private chef’s table XII, for a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience where you can watch the action in the kitchen.
Recommended for Romantic Dining because: Along with a gourmet Asian-inspired menu, Elements has some of the most romantic sunset patio views in all of Scottsdale.
Expert tip: People who are really into food will want to make a reservation at the chef’s table, which gives them a front-row seat to the action.
6. Talavera
As you might expect from a luxurious resort, Talavera has delicious food, great wine pairings, and a truly breathtaking view. On the menu, there are some high-end Spanish steakhouse items, as well as juicy, well-prepared steaks, game, and seafood.
There are different kinds of beef from both the United States and other countries, like grass-fed Southwestern beef and Australian Wagyu. Also look for deer, duck, and buffalo.
Many of the ingredients on the menu come from local farms, such as fresh heirloom tomatoes, olive oil made in the area, and meats raised on Arizona ranches. One of the most romantic restaurants in Scottsdale with a view.
Many people choose to eat outside on the restaurant’s beautiful patio so they can watch the sunset over Pinnacle Peak.
Recommended for Romantic Dining because: This Spanish Steakhouse restaurant stands out because of its patio views of the mountains and its great service. Talavera is a great place to go to celebrate a big event.
Expert tip: Try the “Taste of Talavera,” a six-course tasting menu, for a truly memorable time.
7. Marcellino Ristorante
At Marcellino’s Ristorante in Scottsdale, Chef Marcellino makes classic Italian dishes with a fresh and modern twist.
On the menu of hand-made pasta, the Gnocchi Sorrentina, which is hand-rolled potato pasta in a tomato sauce with fresh mozzarella, stands out. But don’t skip the antipasti because you’ll want to try the Caprese, which is made with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, roasted peppers, and basil from the restaurant’s garden.
Try the Insalata di Pera, which is made with sliced pears, fresh watercress, shaved pecorino, and a lemon dressing made from scratch. This Old Town gem is a great place for a date or a special event. One of the best Italian restaurants in Scottsdale.
Recommended for Romantic Dining because: Marcellino is a romantic place to eat fresh pasta with your sweetheart in downtown Scottsdale. It has live music, a beautiful dining room, and a garden patio.
Expert tip: Enjoy tiramisu for dessert. It’s made in the kitchen with espresso-soaked ladyfingers, creamy marscapone, and unsweetened cocoa powder.
8. Lon’s At The Hermonsa
Lon’s pays tribute to Arizona’s cowboy history in a surprisingly elegant way. The atmosphere is very different from what you might expect.
The décor gives off a cowboy vibe, but the menu and staff dress it up and give it a posh feel. One of the most romantic restaurants in Scottsdale with a view.
Some of the best things on the menu might be roasted pork tenderloin with two kinds of pepper or duck breast with a cranberry and jalapeno glaze.
On the special Sunday brunch menu, you can get things like braised beef short ribs with a sunny-side-up egg or brioche French toast stuffed with strawberries and mascarpone. Also, everything on the menu is organic, raised with care, and good for the environment.
Recommended for Romantic Dining because: Lon’s at the Hermosa is one of the most romantic places to have brunch, lunch, or dinner in Scottsdale because of how homey it feels.
Expert tip: Try the freshly baked “Monkey Bread,” also known as Brioche.
9. Sel
Sel is a small, high-end restaurant in Old Town Scottsdale. It is on Main Street, near the art galleries and shops. Chef Branden Levine, who has been on Food Network cooking shows, has a prix fixe menu with four courses of modern American food (diners can also order dishes a la carte).
The menu changes all the time, and the place is small and stylish. But no matter what is on the menu du jour, you can expect fine-dining versions of roasted kabocha squash Panisse, roasted Romanesco soup, filet mignon, and upscale seafood dishes.
The restaurant also has a good list of drinks and sweets.
Recommended for Romantic Dining because: At Sassi in Scottsdale, you’ll feel like you’ve found a beautiful villa in the middle of the desert. Most of the time, the food is just as good as the view.
Expert tip: Even though you can order a la carte, the best deal is on the prix fixe menu, which is the restaurant’s specialty.
10. Franco’s Italian Caffe
Native Florentine and longtime Valley restaurateur Franco Fazzuoli bring fresh, upscale Italian flavors to Scottsdale at Franco’s Italian Caffe. One of the best Italian restaurants in Scottsdale.
The restaurant is in downtown Scottsdale, and it serves Florentine Italian dishes like Filet Mignon All’Arrabiata, Bistecca Fiorentina, and Spaghetti Salsa Cruda. There are also specialty salads, like a beautiful beet and arugula salad with goat cheese.
But before you get to the secondi courses, start with one of the restaurant’s famous bruschetta, like the popular tuna bruschetta. Other small plate appetizers include prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella.
The restaurant also has a long list of wines to choose from. There are pasta dishes that don’t have gluten.
Recommended for Romantic Dining because: Want a quiet, romantic place in the middle of downtown Scottsdale? Franco’s Italian Caffe is worth a look.
Expert tip: Make sure you book a spot. Franco’s Italian Caffe can get crowded very quickly.
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FAQs About Best Romantic Dining in Scottsdale
What do you wear to a Café Monarch?
Dress Code
Café Monarch is an elegant restaurant with great food. We think that formal and business casual clothes are best. Men should wear jackets, but collared shirts are a must. Casual clothes and workout clothes are not right for dinner.
What are the best Italian restaurants in Scottsdale?
Best Italian Restaurants in Scottsdale
1. Franco’s Italian Caffe
2. Evo
3. Pizzeria Virtu
4. Marcellino Ristorante
5. Zinqué
Is Marcellino Ristorante implementing safety measures as a result of COVID-19?
Yes, Marcellino Ristorante is taking steps to protect COVID-19 from spreading. In the “safety precautions” section, you can find the full list.
What are the best restaurants in Scottsdale for romantic dining?
Tell Us In The Comments About One Of Your Favorite Best Restaurants In Scottsdale For Romantic Dining!
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