It’s fine to bring drinks into The Pen but we ask that you consume the food offsite or outside
Restaurants on our block
Café Monarch (ok, across the street)
6934 E First Avenue 480.970.7682
5:30-8:30 PM Tues.-Sat. (Thurs.-Sat summer)
Quaint, romantic fine dining. Appears to be a set menu of 4 courses so times may be difficult.
Craft 64
6922 E Main Street 480.946.0542
3-7 PM Happy Hour every day with $7 small plates and $6 wines
Artisanal pizzas, 35 beers on tap, wine list, charcuterie, and a killer kale/pear salad. Very small, tucked in next to The Tortilla Factory
Grazie Pizzeria
6952 E Main Street 480.663.9797
11 AM -10PM
Pizzas, Tuscan small plates and entrees, Italian wines. Informal. Patio dining. Friendly, no reservations needed. A good place to go for a glass after an event as well as before.
The House Brasserie
6936 E Main Street 480.634.1600
11 AM-10PM (closed to July 23 for a remodel)
A vintage chic, cozy old house. Full bar. Small plates and regular entrees.
The Tortilla Factory
6910 E Main Street 480.945.4567
5-9 PM
http://oldtowntortillafactory.com/
Outdoor patio is fun in cooler weather. Lots of tequila drinks. Can be crowded with parties. Inside dining and an inside bar as well as the patio.
Restaurants within easy walking distance
Americas Best Tacos
7001 E First Avenue 480.278.7070
9AM-9PM Daily
http://www.americastacoshop.com/menu/index.html
A taqueria experience. Informal
Arcadia Farms (half a block east from The Pen)
7014 E First Avenue 480.941.5665
8 AM-3 PM
Reservations a must. Valet parking but you can stroll up the half block from The Pen. Delicious salads. Killer desserts. Halve the guilt by having a salad and splitting a dessert (the cookies are outstanding, but it’s hard to beat the rich individual cakes). Perfect for our weekend afternoon events and weekday browsing (when we are not doing teas at The Pen) They also have a grab and go next door with half priced cookies after 2PM.
The Cornish Pasty (south from The Pen)
3800 N. Goldwater 480.945.1220
http://www.cornishpastyco.com/
11AM – Midnight
Informal. Well priced and filling. Vegetarian pasties, bangers and mash, soups, salads. Beers and a bar. Service can be inattentive so pay attention. Our staff’s go-to for eating in or takeout back to The Pen.
Eddie’s House (One block north, one longer block east)
7042 E. Indian School Road (NE corner of Marshall Way)
480.946.1622
5-10 PM
Local celebrity chef Eddie Matney gives a unique spin to his comfort food. Allow enough time to enjoy although they serve appetizers, soups like lobster bisque.
Full bar. Patio dining.
Zuzu at the Hotel Valley Ho
6850 E Main Street 480.421.7997
Full bar adjacent. Terrific version of Parker House Rolls. Small plates as well as entrees. Good service, patio lunch and dinner as well as inside seating. You can order small plates at the bar, too: the cheese plate is delicious.
Nearby Coffee Houses
Cartel Coffee Lab
7124 E 5th Ave 480.269.3172
7AM-9PM (11PM Fri-Sat)
http://www.cartelcoffeelab.com/
Coffee, tea, & beer. They have a delicious chai, try it dirty with a shot of espresso.
Echo Coffee
2902 N 68th St #135 (North west corner of 68th street and Thomas) 480.422.4081
6AM-10PM Daily
Their mint green tea is very refreshing in the summer heat.
Sip Coffee & Beer House (also Tea)
3617 N Goldwater 480.625.3878
7AM-9PM (11 PM Fri-Sun)
Offers sandwiches and “healthy” food
Starbucks
4032 N Scottsdale Rd 480.947.4578
Restaurants further afield
AZ 88
7353 Scottsdale Mall (west side, close to Brown) 480.994.5576
11:30 AM – 12:30 AM daily
Chic contemporary. Martinis! Small plates and entrees. Big patio looks out of the Civic Center Mall. Has a hot vibe, can be a little noisy. The restaurant is catty-corner to Distrito, a cozy but cutting edge cuisine outpost from Jose Garces and is located inside the Saguaro Hotel. 480.970-4444; www.distritorestaurant.com. Reservations at Distrito recommended.
The Barrio Queen
7114 Stetson Drive 480.656.4197
11AM-11PM Mon-Thurs, 11AM-Midnight Sat, 11AM-10PM Sun.
Mexican soul food. a full bar, a patio with efficient misters, Dia de los Muertos décor (fun photo ops). Parking is scarce; try the underground garage you enter just to the restaurant’s left off Stetson, free for 3 hours, elevator to street level.
Bink’s Scottsdale
6107 N Scottsdale Road (behind CVS on NE corner with MacDonald)
480.664.9238
11AM-9:30PM
Contemporary cuisine, lots of small plates. My favorite kale salad. Sand dabs. Farm-to-table, lots of vegetables. Full bar and wine list. Tons of parking. Say ten minutes north of The Pen.
EVO
4175 N Goldwater 480.265.9814
4PM-2 AM Mon.-Fri. 11AM- 2AM Sat.-Sun Daily happy hour 4-7
Italian. Handmade pastas. Gluten-free options. Wine, beer, cocktails.
FnB
7125 E Fifth Avenue (inside the courtyard) 480.284.4777
11AM-2PM Lunch 5PM-10 PM Dinner
Reservations recommended. Not open every day so check.
Menus changes often, rich in vegetables and small plates. But the real reason to go is the unbelievable butterscotch pudding (tastes more like gingerbread) heavy with rich whipped cream. Eat a veggie plate and then splurge. Parking in Old Town can be difficult; there’s an underground lot nearby.
The Mission
3815 N. Brown Avenue 480.636.5005
11AM-10PM
Reservations advised. Can be noisy inside, patios are wonderful in cooler weather.
Modern Latin cuisine. Excellent margaritas. Fabulous tableside guacamole. Outstanding bread pudding—and the mahi mahi tacos are irresistible. Parking lot across the street on Brown, can fill up.
Virtu
3701 N Marshall Way 480.946.3477
Reservations advised. (Reopens July 16 from summer break)
10AM-2PM Brunch (check summer open days) 5PM-10PM Dinner
Menu changes. The octopus and the asparagus appetizers are basically a meal. Has a mixologist for creative drinks. The chef keeps one wine just for me, but his list is excellent. The restaurant is on the east side of Marshall Way south of Second Street, tucked inside the BeSpoke Inn. Usually easy parking on Marshall Way. Five minutes drive from The Pen.
