Seeking the perfect destination for date night? Want to kick up the romance on Valentine’s Day? Need a secluded spot for a proposal? Consider one of these sexy, semi-secret spots in Scottsdale.
Arrange an Igloo at ADERO
Seeking a socially distanced locale to wow your sweetie? ADERO Scottsdale has you covered—quite literally. The resort transformed a portion of its ample outdoor lawn to The Village at ADERO, adding four igloo-like domes—two outfitted for cozy dining and two designated for lounging under the stars. Guests in the globes, which must be booked in advanced, enjoy a dedicated private server and an expertly crafted menu and craft cocktails. There are three seatings per evening, at 5 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9 p.m. and all reservations are limited to 90 minutes. AderoScottsdale.com
Reserve the Reserve
In late 2020, the founders of Café Monarch quietly opened Reserve, a dining experience inspired by Michelin-star restaurants across Spain. Helmed by Benjamin Wald, a veteran of L'ecole in Paris under culinary icon Alain Ducasse and the three-Michelin star Inn at Little Washington, The Reserve offers a 12-course tasting menu limited to just 25 guests per seating. The evening begins with a reception inside the main building, which was designed to resemble the living room in a mansion complete with candelabras and antiques throughout. Then, guests are led to their tables outside near a grand fountain and ample greenery. Once seated, each table is taken through the 12 courses by a Court of Master Sommeliers-trained server and an advanced sommelier that has pairings at the ready. ReserveOldTown.com
LON’s Subterranean Wine Cellar
Hidden beneath the award-winning LON’s at the Hermosa Inn is a one-of-a-kind culinary experience, thanks to the restaurant’s expansive subterranean wine cellar. Available during the sweltering summer months to bigger crowds, during the winter and spring the space is limited to private, intimate bookings starting at just two guests and featuring full customizable menus from Executive Chef Rebecca Tillman, and curated wine pairings from the in-house sommelier team, always noted among Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence Winners. HermosaInn.com
Prix Fixe Feast at Sel
Sel is an ultra-intimate restaurant offering progressive American cuisine from Executive Chef Branden Levine, known for his appearances on the Food Network’s Chef Wanted With Anne Burrell and Beat Bobby Flay. Candlelight flickers inside the restaurant, providing just enough light to allow your date to gaze into your eyes and at Levine’s intricately plated chef’s tasting menu, which is served in five delectable courses. Each course is a work of culinary art, first enjoyed visually, and then aromatically, before dancing on your date’s palate in a symphony of flavor. SelRestaurant.com
Under the Stars at Royal Palms Resort & Spa
Royal Palms has created socially distanced “seating pods” on property that are elegantly situated at the base of Camelback Mountain. The well-appointed space is set up under a canopy of string lights with a range of comfortable offerings, including couches, lounge chairs, cocktail tables with chairs, and oversized pillows. Savory and sweet gourmet snack boxes are available for guests, including cheese and charcuterie or fresh-made pastries such as French macarons and truffles. Wine and cocktails are also available. Several evenings, those enjoying the pods will be treated to a classic film on the outdoor big screen or live music, most often a celebrated local or regional duo. RoyalPalmsHotel.com
“Rumderful” Nights at Toro
Tucked behind the picturesque TPC of Scottsdale, Toro Latin Restaurant & Rum Bar at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is the brainchild of Chef Richard Sandoval, widely considered “the father of modern Mexican cuisine.” The menu is an eclectic fusion of South American and Chinese-Peruvian plates, with all dishes being served to guests who can gaze across the golf course from the dining room’s floor-to-ceiling picture windows, or out on the expansive outdoor deck. A bonus: rather than traditional wine tasting flights, Toro offers rum flights, so guests can experience several of the venue’s 151 rums, each chosen to amplify Sandoval’s Pan-Latin vision. ScottsdalePrincess.com
Sneak Upstairs at Citizen Public House
Citizen Public House has a talented chef named Benjamin Graham who had a dream. That dream was to develop his own chef-driven concept, featuring an ever-changing menu of bold flavors and experiential dishes. Enter Benjamin’s Upstairs. Accessible from a staircase inside Citizen, Benjamin’s Upstairs is a progressive, hyper-intimate, restaurant-within-a-restaurant and realization of Graham’s dreams. Featuring natural wine and only a handful of dishes each evening, Upstairs may be an extension of Citizen, but it’s an immersive experience all its own. BenjaminsAZ.com
Savor the Sunset at Outrider Rooftop Lounge
In 2020, Canopy by Hilton Scottsdale Old Town opened its doors. With its opening came Outrider Rooftop Lounge. Perched on the seventh story of the hotel, the full-service bar offers sweeping views of Camelback Mountain—and really most of the mountains and vistas in town, thanks to a near-360-degree design—and Arizona’s acclaimed sunsets from the comfort of more traditional lounge tables, as well as cozy couches with modern fire pits and even poolside private cabanas. OutriderRooftop.com
Wine Then Dine at Cooper’s Hawk
Although you cannot tell from the outside, the newly opened Cooper’s Hawk Restaurant and Winery in North Scottsdale features a full-scale wine tasting room and wine shop, in addition to a full-service restaurant, ample bar, and outdoor patio space inside. The inspired setup allows for guests to start the evening in the tasting room, where there are flights of red, white, sparkling, and rosé wines made from grapes sourced specifically for Cooper’s Hawk from across California and the Pacific Northwest. After a tasting, guests are whisked to a transitional area where barrel samples of wine are offered, all before being seated for a multi-course dinner. CHWinery.com