Cafe Monarch

"Many high-end Scottsdale restaurants flirt with over-the-top opulence, but Cafe Monarch sets a standard for refined romance. Regularly garnering local and national awards, the restaurant remains a benchmark for its impeccable service and tasting menus; its stonework courtyards, draped in vines, feel like an escape to an Italian or Mexican villa. The four-course prix fixe menu changes seasonally, with prices ranging from $145 to $270 depending on the final course. Upgrades like seared Hudson Valley foie gras or Osetra caviar are also available. Children under 10 aren’t permitted, and formal or business casual attire is required — think jackets, collared shirts, and no casual wear. For a more relaxed experience, the bar offers an à la carte menu." - Mcconnell Quinn

"Housed in a former designer showroom, chef Christian Lewkowicz’s elegant New American restaurant in Old Town is completely over-the-top, featuring crystal chandeliers, tufted chairs, and Roman-style pillars in a setting that oozes romance. The price of the four-course tasting menu depends on the entree selection, which might offer a $150 herb-crusted rack of lamb or a $275 A5 wagyu. Caviar service ranges from $125 for Siberian Osetra to $700 for a four-ounce elite Osetra tasting. Another option is simply going with the eight-course chef’s tasting menu at $270 per person. Wine pairings are an additional $175 per person, so either way, breathtaking amounts of money will be spent. For a different and perhaps more intimate experience, try Monarch’s sister restaurant Reserve, which sits across the street. Here, the edgier eight-course prix fixe menu costs $285 per person." - Nikki Buchanan

"A One-Man Show Café Monarch is to dining what the monologue is to theater, meaning a one-man show. Chef Chris is the guy who will cook your food. He’s also the guy who will take your reservation, field your order, and, quite possibly, bus your table. It’s a small and intimate place that’s been compared to the Secret Garden. I get that. The entire spot measures only 500 square feet and it’s some serious face time with one of Scottsdale’s best chefs. It’s a labor of love where the menu changes daily."

"A One-Man Show Café Monarch is to dining what the monologue is to theater, meaning a one-man show. Chef Chris is the guy who will cook your food. He’s also the guy who will take your reservation, field your order, and, quite possibly, bus your table. It’s a small and intimate place that’s been compared to the Secret Garden. I get that. The entire spot measures only 500 square feet and it’s some serious face time with one of Scottsdale’s best chefs. It’s a labor of love where the menu changes daily."