Lots of new eateries have joined Arizona Restaurant Week this spring. Here are six menus to try.
By Melissa Parker
May 16, 2024
First & Last's cacio e pepe is cheese-and-pepper perfection and is available as a second-course option for Arizona Restaurant Week.Allison Young
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As many locals know, Arizona has amazing Restaurant Week specials for 10 days twice a year. The weather is heating up and that means it's time to make your reservations. Spring Arizona Restaurant Week starts on Friday and runs through May 26.
Restaurant Week offers multi-course meals at participating eateries across the Valley, with a few outliers in Sedona and Tuscon. The price varies based on location and menu. The most affordable options ring in at $33 per couple, and range up to $55 per person. Several locations are also offering upgradeable premium items such as paired beverages or side dishes for an upcharge.
We recommend having a first and second choice in mind in case certain dishes run out, and booking reservations to secure a spot if planning to visit during busy hours.
With a list of 160 restaurants, it can be overwhelming to sort through all of the Restaurant Week options. And this spring, there are plenty of restaurants that are participating for the first time. Here are our picks for new additions not to miss.
Lure Fish House
8877 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale Lure Fish House has fish flown in from California and offers one of the largest raw bars in the desert. Get the California coastal feeling and menu without the trip. This is the only location in Arizona and the restaurant has an understated luxury feel and a cozy patio. During Restaurant Week, Lure will be serving lunch and dinner with many options in each category.
Starters include signature clam chowder and a ceviche trio featuring dungeness crab. For the best value, we recommend getting the fresh fish of the day as a main entree, which comes with two sides. Finish things off with a sweet offering of either flourless chocolate cake, a key lime pie-inspired sundae or strawberry Basque cheesecake.
Menu: lunch $33/ dinner $44 per person.
Marino's Italian Kitchen
21001 N. Tatum Blvd. #40-1365This Italian eatery is one of Desert Ridge Marketplace's newest restaurants. The big red 'M' logo stands out in the outdoor mall. Expect classic Italian dishes with modern twists made with locally sourced ingredients. This Restaurant Week, Marino's is offering both takeout and dine-in dinners.
The squash blossom with whipped ricotta and mint is a unique appetizer option, and cheesy garlic bread with a bit of kick that comes with arrabbiata sauce is a classic choice. Marino's also offers three salad options to start the meal or a starter version of their truffle mac and cheese. Mains satisfy many preferences and include classic Italian favorites such as chicken parmesan, pasta dishes with alfredo sauce, vodka sauce or vegetarian-friendly pasta primavera. Customers can also get individual pizzas, pork chops or a house burger as their main course.
Finish off strong with either the tiramisu — which has the unique addition of honeycomb — or the Italian lemon cake.
Menu: dinner $44 per person.
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For your first course, try the grilled asparagus with horseradish gremolata.
Allison Young
First & Last
1001 N. Third Ave.Downtown Phoenix is a great destination for food and First & Last caters to those seeking elevated, contemporary American eats with unique flavors in the trendy Roosevelt Row area. The eatery is serving Restaurant Week deals for takeout or dine-in, and customers can add the Man's Best Friend for $14. The signature co*cktail features Tito's vodka, basil, lemon and blueberry.
Smaller than some Restaurant Week menus, this curated offering represents many of the establishment's signature flavors. First course choices include grilled asparagus with horseradish or burrata with peaches which are sprinkled with smoked almonds and cardamom. The first-course salad option features warm goat cheese and a unique sesame-thyme vinaigrette dressing.
Main dishes include halibut, a half chicken dish served over ratatouille, a creamy, peppery pasta or bacon-based bolognese. Strawberry and lavender panna cotta as a dessert choice feels extra special.
Menu: dinner $55 per person.
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End your meal with a jolt of nostalgia at Bar Cena with the Billionaire's Shortbread.
Natasha Yee
Bar Cena
14202 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale Bar Cena, located next to Hush Public House, is the latest restaurant by chef Dom Ruggiero. It's joining Restaurant Week with a dine-in-only dinner menu that features many signature dishes including the Billionaire's Shortbread dessert. First course choices include cucumber with whipped tofu, a frisee salad or mussels escabeche.
Choose between chicken thighs, seared ahi or mushroom bolognese pasta for the main and of course, the Billionaire's Shortbread or a slice of cheesecake to end the meal. Bar Cena punches up the flavor with unique ingredients in most dishes such as Biscoff crust in the cheesecake and Point Reyes blue cheese in the salad.
Menu: $55 per person.
Faro & Brag
6902 E. Greenway Pkwy, ScottsdaleChef Chris Masco's brand new Faro & Bragappeared on the fine dining scene just in time for spring Restaurant Week. The luxury restaurant is located inside the Westin Resort & Spa at Kierland Commons.
Start with the seafood crudo which has calamari, mussels, shrimp, local citrus, sweet corn and a kick of jalapeno. Main courses include a mushroom ragout, airline chicken, or barramundi. Desserts feature panna cotta, tiramisu with a lemony twist, or a dark chocolate torte.
Menu: $55 per person
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The Gladly and Citizen Public House both offer the famous Original Chopped Salad. It's also on Beginner's Luck's Restaurant Week menu as a go-to starter.
The Gladly
Beginner's Luck is the latest from chef Bernie Kantak, a restaurateur well-known for Citizen Public House and The Gladly. On a long list of options, the easiest choice is ordering the signature Original Chopped Salad made famous at the sister restaurants featuring couscous and smoked salmon.
Main dish options include a sandwich and a bowl both made with slow-roasted Niman Ranch pork, poke or our pick, a shrimp and crab roll with chives and lemon on a buttered New England bun with a choice of a side. The Lucky Burger, with its blend of chuck and brisket, is a sure bet.
The third course has a unique spin on chia pudding with the Midnight Cereal choice of blue corn grits mixed with berries and agave syrup. Less daring dessert choices include the key-lime frosted raspberry cake or signature Good Fortune Cake which is Kantak's spin on flourless chocolate cake, drizzled with whiskey caramel, toasted hazelnuts and blueberries.
Menu: $44 per person.
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