Top Restaurants in North Scottsdale
When it comes to dining in Scottsdale, the dense dining destination of Old Town is given the most attention. What most people realize is that there are plenty of great places to eat outside of the central part of this Valley city. When you head north, you’ll find a magnificent collection of restaurants with breath-taking views and some cozy mom-and-pop eateries that wouldn’t fit elsewhere.
Lamp Pizzeria
This North Scottsdale pizzeria is all about the wood fired pizzas. Lamp Pizzeria owner and chef Matt Pilato offers some of the best pizzas in the valley at this casual spot in North Scottsdale. Matt Pilato studied pizza-making at the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli Academy located in San Francisco. But that doesn’t stop him from straying away from tradition with tasty pizzas with perfectly-blistered crusts that lead to thin, soft centers. One of our favorite pies in Lamp Pizzeria is the Dirty Little York. This pie combines provolone cheese, spicy soppressata, roasted artichoke hearts, red onion and red pepper for a well-balanced, sophisticated meal. For dessert, the pizzeria's Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake is awesome and shouldn’t be missed.
Hiro Sushi
Hiro Nakano is the chef and owner of this place. He always serves great sushi with a smile alongside his son Leo, who has been training since he was 13. Are you in need of some awesome sushi? Then head off to Hiro. This is a small family owned and operated Japanese restaurant which is located off the Loop 101 at East Via Linda. Inside the restaurant, there are large boards filled with special menu items that vary from conch dressed in a sweet miso sauce to savory hamachi kama (yellowtail collar). The regular menu is also worth exploring. It is filled with all the different kinds of sushi you could want. You’ll even find rare specialties like sea urchin, amberjack, and jellyfish. They also have some excellent cooked dishes like shrimp tempura and ginger pork.
Andreoli Italian Grocer
For savory and sweet cravings, Andreoli Italian Grocer delivers. This place is part restaurant and part grocery. This spot is a retreat for diners seeking a genuine Italian experience. Giovanni Scorzo is the chef at Andreoli Italian Grocer. He knows his strengths and plays to them very well with daily specialties like luscious seafood risotto and leeks and fried potatoes with a creamy dipping sauce. The most famous dish on the menu is the chef’s pizza which comes out of the oven in less than 2 minutes. The pizzas have a pillowy texture. The restaurant has a wonderful collection of pastries such as tiramisu and homemade cannoli which are worth exploring. You could also stock up on items like Italian olive oil, prosciutto, olives and other specialties.
Zinc Bistro
Chef Matt Carter's Zinc Bistro transports all diners to a dainty Parisian cafe. Zinc Bistro serves French dishes that appeals to Americans and Francophiles. This chic eatery is located at Kierland Commons. Here, you’ll find classic dishes like Croque monsieur, crepes as well as well-loved burger and house fries tossed in paprika and marjoram for an exotic twist. For a full experience, start with the onion soup gratinee, which is a rich liquid that is covered with a melted layer of cheese. Then you can move on to entrees like diver scallops with ricotta gnocchi, filet mignon with foie gras, mushrooms, and English peas.