The Hottest Restaurants in Phoenix & Scottsdale Right Now (Fall 2026)

If you’re thinking about living in the Valley (or you already do), you already know the secret: Phoenix and Scottsdale aren’t just about sunshine and weekend hikes. The dining scene here moves fast. Every season brings a fresh wave of openings with glamorous steakhouses, chef-driven concepts, late-night brunch rooftops, and neighborhood spots you’ll want on speed dial.

Alec and I spend a lot of evenings chasing the next great table. Alec's been posting the newest restaurant finds on @aleclebeck, and we’ve paired those with the latest roundups from Phoenix New Times, PHOENIX magazine, and local Scottsdale dining coverage. Here’s our guide to the trendy new and upcoming openings worth knowing as of early November 2026.

Spots Alec has featured on Instagram are marked with ★ Featured 

Phoenix

Cowboy Seafood — Midtown Phoenix

Cuisine: Smoke-meets-surf (Southern BBQ + coastal seafood) · Opened: October 2026

Chef Chris Collins and Common Ground Culinary landed a full-service concept at Park Central Mall where St. Louis–style ribs and brisket share the stage with a raw bar, elevated seafood, and martinis. It’s kitschy-country in the dining room and a total “date night in midtown” vibe.

Homme Thai Supper Club — Camelback Corridor

Cuisine: Thai · Opened: October 2026

Vivid “Gabby” Chu (executive chef at Le Du Thai) opened this Thai supper club in the former Copper & Sage space. Think chef-driven Thai plates in a more intimate, evening-forward setting — exactly the kind of opening that books up once word spreads.

Hero — Downtown / Roosevelt Row

Cuisine: Modern Italian with Japanese influences · Opened: October 2026

Handmade pasta, steak, seafood, and “timeless” cocktails from Vivili Hospitality Group — the first of three restaurants planned near Roosevelt Row. Downtown Phoenix keeps leveling up for walkable nights out.

Sartén Kitchen & Bar — Downtown Phoenix (Denū Hotel & Spa)

Cuisine: Modern Sonoran, live-fire · Opened: October 2026

An all-day hotel restaurant shaped by fire, smoke, and cast iron. If you’re exploring the new Denū Hotel at Adams and Central, this is the signature kitchen to put on your list.

EggBred — Central Phoenix

Cuisine: Breakfast & brunch (milk-bun sandwiches) · Opened: September 2026

California’s EggBred opened its first Arizona spot with sandwiches on milk buns and a full burrito lineup — perfect for a casual weekend breakfast crawl.

Grandioso — Grand Avenue

Cuisine: Pizza · Opened: September 2026

Justin Piazza (formerly of La Piazza al Forno) launched a compact pizza menu on Grand Avenue — five 18-inch pies, wings, and a mixed green salad. Small menu, big neighborhood energy.

Cocina Madrigal — South Phoenix

Cuisine: Mexican · Reopened: Late October 2026

After a devastating fire and two years of delays, the award-winning, family-run Cocina Madrigal is back. Expect the favorites — enchiladas, tacos, charred romaine — plus new plates like shrimp tostada and chicken relleno.

Cocky Rooster — Downtown Phoenix

Cuisine: Wings, tenders, sandwiches · Grand opening: November 6–8, 2026

A new downtown roost with hand-breaded wings, tenders, sandwiches, and scratch-made sauces — launching with a full weekend of grand-opening festivities.

Scottsdale

★ Drake’s Hollywood — Old Town Scottsdale

Cuisine: American chophouse, pasta, martinis · Opened: November 6, 2026

★ Featured. Old Hollywood glamour lands in the former Buca di Beppo — red leather booths, Art Deco chandeliers, Edward Sorel–inspired murals, ice-cold martinis, Chicago-style thin-crust pizza, and a towering 24-layer strawberry cake. There’s also a private social club, Maître D’. Alec flagged it as a date-night must for opening week.

★ Kuza — North Scottsdale

Cuisine: Japanese-inspired robata & raw bar · Opened: September 2026

★ Featured. Clive Collective’s sleek robata-and-sushi concept from chef Erik Davila — think Iberico pork dumplings, grill-kissed lion’s mane, A5 Wagyu, and sushi flights. Alec called out the open-flame robata + raw bar combo as something different for North Scottsdale.

★ Quiriego Cocina Rústica — North Scottsdale

Cuisine: Sonoran / Northern Mexican, wood-fired · Opened: October 2026

★ Featured. Wood-fired cooking, fresh tortillas, and salsas made to order — octopus, branzino, New York strip, and a pork chop with three moles. Alec shared it as a fresh take on Sonoran flavors for North Scottsdale diners. (Note: Alec’s caption wrote “Que Diego”; the restaurant’s name is Quiriego.)

★ Costa Bella Italian Kitchen — North Scottsdale

Cuisine: Classic Italian · Opened: October 2026

★ Featured. Fresh pasta, veal, cioppino, shrimp scampi, scallops, and risotto near Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard. Alec highlighted happy hour (4–6) and half-price wine bottles on Mondays.

★ Il Segreto — North Scottsdale (Pinnacle Peak)

Cuisine: Seasonal Italian fine dining · Opened: September 2026

★ Featured. White-tablecloth Italian with antipasti, pasta, aperitivo, and a lovely patio — part of the wave making the Pinnacle Peak corridor a full evening out. Alec grouped it with other new Scottsdale Italians worth trying.

ALMA Southwest Steakhouse — North Scottsdale (The Citadel)

Cuisine: Southwest steakhouse · Opened: November 2, 2026

Chef Sheila Bryson relocated and reinvented Alma as a Southwest steakhouse in the former Preston’s space — mesquite-grilled steaks, a tequila/mezcal room, and the Copper Club rooftop lounge. Instantly one of North Scottsdale’s biggest reopenings of the fall.

Vecina — McCormick Ranch, Scottsdale

Cuisine: Modern Latin, wood-fired · Opened: September 2026

The acclaimed Arcadia favorite expanded into a much larger McCormick Ranch location (former Z’Tejas) with a lakeside patio, craft cocktails, and chef James Fox’s wood-fired menu. Lunch is planned for later.

Holla Brunch Girl — Old Town Scottsdale

Cuisine: Singalong brunch / cocktails · Opened: September 2026 (Saturdays)

A high-energy Saturday-only rooftop brunch bar from Evening Entertainment — hand-crafted cocktails and espresso martini soft serve in Old Town’s nightlife district. Pure “bring your friends” energy.

General Admission — Old Town Scottsdale

Cuisine: Chef-driven sports lounge · Opened: October 2026

The former RnR Gastropub is now a modern sports lounge with chef-driven food, craft cocktails, and wall-to-wall games — already open and serving in Old Town.

Coming Soon

★ BOA Steakhouse — Scottsdale Waterfront

Cuisine: Luxury steakhouse · Status: Targeting fall 2026 (opening date still TBD as of late October)

★ Featured. Innovative Dining Group’s Hollywood steakhouse is preparing its Arizona debut at Southbridge on the Waterfront — Four Sixes Ranch Black Angus, a seed-oil-free kitchen, A5 Wagyu, a raw bar, and a waterfront patio. Alec has been teasing this one for weeks.

★ Dash — McCormick Ranch, Scottsdale

Cuisine: All-day café + neighborhood market · Status: Expected fall / November 2026

★ Featured. Chef Matt Carter and Broken Plate Hospitality (The Mission, Zinc Bistro, Fat Ox) are bringing coffee and pastries by morning, Roman-style pizza and sandwiches by lunch, charcoal chicken, soft serve, and a take-home market. Neighborhood gold.

Lado A Lado — Uptown Phoenix

Cuisine: Live-fire Northern Mexican + coastal raw bar · Status: Coming this winter

A major collaboration between Chiwas Hospitality Group (Tacos Chiwas, Espiritu) and Upward Projects (Postino, Federal Pizza) in the former Joyride Taco House. Wood fire, smoke, citrus, and a raw bar — one of the most anticipated openings of the season, now slated for winter.

Bacio di Latte — Scottsdale Fashion Square

Cuisine: Italian gelato · Status: Scheduled to open November 20, 2026

The Italian gelato brand’s Arizona flagship, with in-house gelato production and a country-kitchen design inside Fashion Square.

★ Atashi Yokocho — Scottsdale (The Sydney)

Cuisine: Japanese food hall (15+ concepts) · Status: Planned (lease signed; opening targeted later — reported as 2028)

★ Featured. A large Japanese food hall concept near the Loop 101 / McDonald Drive area with ramen, sushi, yakitori, and more under one roof. Still in development — a longer-term watch, but Alec’s already got eyes on it. 

Why this matters if you’re house-hunting

Restaurants aren’t just dinner plans — they’re a clue to how a neighborhood feels at 7 p.m. on a Thursday. Old Town’s new steakhouses and sports lounges, McCormick Ranch’s lakeside and café openings, North Scottsdale’s Pinnacle Peak corridor, and downtown Phoenix’s hotel and chef projects all shape where people want to live, walk, and spend weekends.

If you’re thinking about moving closer to the spots on this list — or you’re ready to sell and upgrade into a neighborhood that matches your lifestyle — we’d love to help you figure out the fit.

Reach out to House of Arizona anytime. We’re locals who live this Valley every day (and yes, we keep a running restaurant list).

Lacey Daebel-Lebeck | REALTOR
House of AZ • Real Broker
houseofaz.com
Or send me a DM! 📲