AZ88

Go here when you want to catch an early dinner. It is also a good 'pre-place' to go to on the weekends before heading out for the night.

The crowd at AZ88 goes in phases, moving from the gray hairs to the hipsters as the evening goes on. It draws an eclectic crowd of gays and straights. AZ88's food is light and it has a very good patio. There can be a long wait on weekends though as it is quite popular.

Also consider Stingray, Furio or Postino's.

Experience AZ88 always has some kind of art display in the restaurant which periodically changes. The crowd is an interesting one and runs the gamut of Phoenix's social set; from the gray hairs and snowbirds, to hipsters and gays. It makes for an interesting people watching environment.

The food is light and many come with sides of fruit. There is a good beer and wine menu, the former being something missing from many Phoenix modernist restaurants which prefer to focus on wine instead. All in all AZ88 is arguably the best restaurant in Phoenix.

Patio AZ88 has a large patio with tables and a small lounge area. The patio is in the modernist style with a lit sculpture overhead and glass fencing. When the weather is good, the main seating area inside is opened up to the outside air as well.

Parking There is large parking structure off of 2nd Street and Wells Fargo St which is next door to the Old Town Scottsdale Mall, however it isn't obvious how to get to AZ88 from the parking structure. You have to travel east through some buildings to enter the mall side where AZ88, Orange Table and Pure are. Another issue is when there is an event occurring at the Civic Center or one of the other public buildings as the parking structure can fill up quickly.

Website AZ88. It does not have its own URL and has been on the mac URL for ages.

Map In Old Town Scottsdale's Mall. This can be confusing to get to as you have to enter the mall to see AZ88 and it, along with Pure and Orange Table are on the west side of the mall; making them kind of hidden. The best method is to park in the parking structure off 2nd Street, and then walk east into the mall.

AZ88 always has an art display at any one time. They are periodically rotated. The display below is of dead taxi drivers.

Art display for Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Christmas display for 2010.