LUNA BY GIADA
Named after her grandmother, chef and TV personality Giada De Laurentiis’ restaurant at Caesar’s Republic Scottsdale is a smash hit. Standout dishes include spicy crab arancini, scallop risotto with wild mushrooms, and branzino with caramelized fennel puree and a citrus and fennel salad. lunabygiadascottsdale.com
Satisfy a bruschetta craving at one of Scottsdale’s top Italian restos. By Tom Werner/Getty Images
MARCELLINO RISTORANTE
It’s a good night when lamb chops make it to the menu. Then again, any of Marcellino Verzino’s handmade daily pastas are a treat, and wife Sima’s songs and hospitality are nourishing in their own right. marcellinoristorante.com
PASTA BRIONI
In a restaurant landscape that loves its latest and greatest trends and superfoods, Brioni is a stubborn, pleasingly spaghetti-stained rebel. Visit for serious starches, veal dishes and chance celebrity sightings. pastabrioni.com
Delicate pastas and other Italian favorites are on the menu at Fat Ox. Photo Courtesy Of Fat Ox
THE AMERICANO
Italian-inspired steakhouse The Americano boasts delectable pasta dishes, including a wagyu beef tortellini, and a lamb shank with sage salsa verde and marsala jus, among many delectable others. theamericanorestaurant.com
THE ITALIAN DAUGHTER
Melissa Maggiore pays delicious homage to her father with her resto, The Italian Daughter. Start with the Sicilian arancini tasting board or the Spanish octopus carpaccio, then graduate to mains like a sumptuous bone-in pork chop, veal scallopini and a decadent seafood risotto. theitaliandaughter.com
Dining and Cooking