VIA Magazine

Roast pork on a bed of heirloom beans at Cuoco Pazzo. | Up Agency

Scottsdale, Ariz., has long been known as a better place for golfers than gourmands. After 18 holes, you could always get a burger in the clubhouse, or prime rib in a steakhouse, or a California roll and a shot of sake in one of many spendy, landlocked sushi joints—but not much in the way of memorable cuisine. More recently, though, that’s begun to change, as serious chefs have flocked to Scottsdale, introducing fresh ideas to a dining public hungry for more interesting options. As a result, the high-desert city has become home to a high-minded restaurant scene.

Among the fresh-faced openings is Cuoco Pazzo, a rustic Italian outpost whose name means “crazy chef,” though Peter DeRuvo is anything but, having plotted a very sane career path that started at Al Forno, a celebrated restaurant in Providence, R.I. DeRuvo’s menu ranges from house-made charcuterie to artisan pastas and wood-fired pizzas. His moist-roasted pork shank with heirloom bean ragout is a taste of Tuscany brought to the West.

Given the demographics of the region, Mexican cuisine makes sense in Scottsdale. Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza does sparkling versions of it, putting elevated twists on her abuela’s recipes (think tequila-infused scallops, and rolled chicken breasts with stuffed poblano peppers and caramelized onions) at Silvana Bistro. Right next door, at Barrio Queen Tequileria, the chef struts her stuff in a humbler format, with sharply executed takes on Mexican street staples. If house-made mole tamales and shrimp-stuffed chiles rellenos (not to mention 36 varieties of tacos) appeal to your palate, this is your place.

FnB delivers a sumptuous dessert. | Up Agency

Silvana Bistro and the Barrio Queen both sit on Stetson Drive in Old Town, a short skip from FnB, an artful restaurant that would fit well in Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto, alongside iconic Chez Panisse. Just as Alice Waters’ fabled California restaurant draws on local bounty, FnB relies on produce, meats, and poultry from artisan producers around the region. In the hands of chef Charleen Badman, these pristine ingredients become transcendent dishes like roast jidori chicken with house-made spaetzle, and Badman’s must-try braised leeks with mozzarella and mustard bread crumbs, crowned at the last-minute with a fried egg. Throw in a first-rate all-Arizona wine list and you’ve got a restaurant that gives contemporary cooking a distinctive regional spin.