Arizona Food Tours — Attraction in Scottsdale

Last night a good friend of mine and I went on the Progressive Dinner Tour in Old Town Scottsdale. I live here locally and have been on the tour previously. However, it was a first time food tour for my friend. I am not sure who was more impressed, her or I. Even though I have been on this tour before, I was still blown away. New custom plates at Malees and Nonna, first time visit for me at Bootleggers (a Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives alum) made me feel like a new tourist in my own town.

A carefully curated route at the direction of an experienced tour guide made us feel like we were VIPs all night. 5 different restaurants by the end with a range that will satisfy any foodie, historical content about the "Wests most Western Town," and custom plates and drinks created by some of the staple restaurants of the Scottsdale food industry... Leaving you at the end feeling like you just experienced fine dining with all of the quality that comes with fine dining, but at a fraction of cost and heck of a lot more fun.

Our tour guide for the evening was Zach. His experience in the service industry and with this area was evident. A pro from start to finish. He made the entire group feel like we were at home at each restaurant we went to and by the end of the night everyone felt like...

Our tourist party of 3 adults took the $125/each progressive dinner tour Feb 24, 2025. 3 hrs of host entertainment and local information about the area history, culture, and current local events. All the while we were walking and talking with new friends, and sampling small bites at 4 local eateries. 2 of the three of us were still hungry at the finish, all 3 of us were disappointed. There was no main course, just all appetizer-sized servings, and the forth was gelato. We felt like the restaurants would’ve represented themselves better by showcasing food they’re locally famous for, not bizarre/trendy/niche items. Examples included kale salad and a single spicy meatball at an Italian restaurant (a bit of pasta and sauce would’ve helped); sips of soup, mac/chz, and basically toast from a steak tavern, salmon tacos and pulled pork nachos from a Western smokehouse. Quit trying to impress— strive to please and entice us to return. This city of hospitality’s eateries have forgotten about serving and is too focused on promoting themselves. During our week in Scottsdale we didn’t return to any of those restaurants. Tour was well-organized but overpriced for the “dinner”...

In Phoenix or Scottsdale area for a week? Do this tour first! It is a perfect way to get an idea of what Scottsdale has to offer, learn a little about the history of the town and find restaurants that you will absolutely want to go back to later in the week! Zach was an engaging and fun tour guide who made sure to interact individually with all members of our group with ages ranging from 24 to 77. Easy to walk area with plenty of sitting to eat throughout tour to give breaks for those who need it. However the best part of this tour is the food! The restaurants that have been chosen serve high quality, fresh and innovative foods. These are chefs who love food and are true artists in taste and presentation. At each stop a table was ready for the group and the food was served within 5 to 10 minutes (you have to give some time to enjoy the cocktails!). They also offered mocktails for some in our group that did not drink alcohol. Unfortunately, we did the tour on our last day of vacation but will be going back to the restaurants for a full visit next time we are in town. Arizona food tours exceeded all expectations and is absolutely worth adding to your...