food tour scottsdale

Scottsdale food tours are known for vibrant plates that take global flavors to a new level. Stroll from restaurant to restaurant to savor several of the local restaurants. This food tour in Old Town Scottsdale is great for large private events, and small groups wanting to join in the fun. Wear your best pants with a stretchy waistband and get ready to fall in love with Scottsdale cuisine.

• The Scottsdale food tour can accommodate up to 50 guests
• The tour menu can accommodate for special dietary needs
• We have tours for full courses, or brews and bites

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Scottsdale Food Tour - Secret Food Tours

Scottsdale's culinary history features a restaurant with an adult-size slide connected to its dining room. Clearly, this upscale city has a fun dining scene, and you can use the secret food tours on this page to discover it.

Bring your sense of adventure to your culinary tour of Scottsdale. Your tour guide will show you the foods that have shaped the city's tastes for generations. They can also reveal what's trendy in this wealthy corner of Arizona. Be prepared for interesting looks behind the scenes of popular operations during these food tours of Scottsdale, too.

It's hard to keep secrets in Scottsdale, so book your food tours as soon as you know the date and time you need!

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A foodie walking tour of old town scottsdale.

While Scottsdale started as a small, one-horse town, it’s grown into a dining mecca with award-winning chefs serving up dishes from around the world. Luckily, you can find some of Scottsdale’s best restaurants within walking distance in Old Town, which was the original town plot. To make the most of your evening, we’ve put

While Scottsdale started as a small, one-horse town, it’s grown into a dining mecca with award-winning chefs serving up dishes from around the world. Luckily, you can find some of Scottsdale’s best restaurants within walking distance in Old Town, which was the original town plot. To make the most of your evening, we’ve put together a self-guided walking tour of some of our favorite restaurants in Old Town, along with the inside scoop on historical sights you’ll find along the way!

STOP 1:  ARIDUS WINE COMPANY 

An ideal way to begin your foodie walking tour is with a true taste of Arizona  – in your glass. Visit Aridus’ wine tasting room on Main Street where for $15 you can sample five tastings from their family-owned winery located in southeastern Arizona. You might start with their aromatic Viognier with its notes of crisp pear and perhaps end with the Cabernet Franc with its well-balanced tannins and spiced jammy fruit. Buy a glass (or bottle) of your favorite, and ask about their wine club and its many perks.

After quenching your thirst, walk east on Main Street. Cross Scottsdale Road and continue east. Pause at Main Street and Brown Avenue, which was once the heart and soul of Old Town Scottsdale. In fact, this was pretty much all of Old Town Scottsdale. On the northeast corner, where the Mexican Imports Shop is today, was Johnny Rose’s Pool Hall. Built in 1923, it doubled as the town’s silent movie theater. Incidentally, the white glazed bricks you see are original and have never been repainted. This also is one entrance to the  Scottsdale Civic Center , home to the  Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts ,  Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art  and a number of outstanding restaurants. You’ll also notice the  Old Adobe Mission church  on the corner of First Street and Brown. Built in 1933 by volunteers with materials donated by the local Mexican settlers, the Mission is made from 14,000 adobe bricks, all crafted on site and weighing 50 pounds each.

STOP 2:  THE MISSION OLD TOWN

You’ve reached the destination for your appetizer course – The Mission. The ambiance matches the modern Latin menu with a sultry dining room lit by sparkling chandeliers, and cozy patios for al fresco dining. The tableside guacamole and crispy lime-cola-glazed pork belly are two popular crowd-pleasers, but I always order the fantastic Almejas al Vapor. Chef-owner Matt Carter’s innovative take on a Peruvian chowder features a creamy-spicy stew of clams and chorizo spiked with aji amarillo (Peruvian yellow chile), a perfect start to your progressive foodie experience.

Walk south on Brown Avenue and turn right on Second Street. Cross Scottsdale Road and turn left on Marshall Way. Head south for half a block to Virtù Honest Craft, located on your left at Bespoke Inn, Café & Bicycles .

STOP 3:  VIRTÙ HONEST CRAFT 

The intimate dining room opens onto an idyllic patio inspired by European villas with hues of cobalt blue and sunflower gold – the perfect setting for James Beard nominee Chef Gio Osso’s Mediterranean menu. One can choose to dine light on a colorful beet salad with whipped goat cheese, Marcona almonds and lavender honey, or splurge on a 40-oz tomahawk ribeye for two. In the spring, seasonal plates might include gnocchi tossed with fava beans and chanterelle mushrooms, or celebrate fall with sea bass served with butternut squash gratin and golden raisin gremolata. You’ll love any dish you order at this Scottsdale treasure.

Full and happy, you’re likely thinking another stroll is in order as you contemplate dessert. Head north on Marshall Way to First Street. Turn right on First Street and cross Scottsdale Road to find Shakes & Cones on your right.

STOP 4:  SHAKES & CONES

This family-owned spot serves organic, egg-free soft serve made from scratch with non-GMO ingredients. Those with dietary restrictions will be just as happy to find gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options. Order at the walk-up window and enjoy your treats at the sidewalk tables, a prime spot for people watching. You’ll find dipped cones, sundaes, shakes and more, but I’m partial to capping off a delicious meal with an affogato – vanilla soft serve with a double shot of organic espresso poured on top.

Continue East on First Street for a one-minute walk to the Canopy by Hilton Scottsdale on your right.

STOP 5: OUTRIDER ROOFTOP LOUNGE

If a nightcap with a view is your idea of the perfect evening finale, take the elevator to the Outrider Rooftop Lounge on the top floor of Canopy. Settle in on the spacious roof terrace with its stunning panoramic view of Camelback Mountain and enjoy an expertly crafted cocktail (or two). Whether you’re sipping on the Del Vista, a classic highball made with local Del Bac whiskey, or a seasonal special such as the Masked Maurauder with Mezcal Carreño, star anise and orgeat almond syrup, the setting is the ultimate cap to a day of foodie exploration in Scottsdale.

Christina Barrueta is an award-winning food, beverage and travel writer who has written for publications such as Phoenix Home and Garden, WhereTraveler, and Time Out. The author of Arizona Wine: A History of Perseverance and Passion and Phoenix Cooks cookbook, she has been inducted into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame and recognized for awards including PHOENIX Magazine’s Best Food Blog. and Arizona Foothills magazine’s Favorite Food Website, Best Food Instagram, and Most Influential in Valley Food. 

Scottsdale during summer: Visiting the desert during the hot part of year and saving money

S cottsdale AZ boasts dramatic desert scenery and all the outdoor activities that go with it — posh resorts with sparkling pools, and some of Arizona’s finest shopping. Still, summer isn't usually at the top of most people's list of ideal times to explore Scottsdale. Here's what to know about exploring Scottsdale during summer – yes, it's hot but the city has some incredible resort pools and summer prices just might lure you in. 

Getting to Scottsdale

Scottsdale sits conveniently close to Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport – a 15 to 20-minute drive – making it an easy vacation spot to reach from just about anywhere.

Not Exactly a Prime Budget Travel Destination

For all its virtues, Scottsdale isn’t exactly a place known for budget travel. A cruise through the city’s pristine streets treats the eyes to well-manicured golf courses, specialty shops, galleries, and high-end restaurants. Scottsdale's high season is from December through February, when the weather is pleasantly warm and sunny and makes a great escape from colder, northern destinations. 

The average July high in Scottsdale is 105 degrees, which makes the city’s plethora of outdoor activity choices uncomfortable and unsafe in the summertime so anyone visiting Scottsdale during summer is going to want to stick close to the resort pool where it's nice and cool. 

Since hotel stays will account for the biggest chunk of the budget when it comes to visiting Scottsdale, off-season travelers will find incredible hotel deals in summer when not as many visitors seek it out as a travel destination.

Save on hotels in Scottsdale during the summer

The Hotel Valley Ho , once a playground for celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra, is a fun and quirky upscale retro hotel in the heart of Scottsdale. During the summer, rooms can be booked for as low as $183 per night. The property also offers various specials throughout the year, including a fourth night free, a twenty percent discount on prepaid rooms, and other food and wellness packages that help save money.

The Scottsdale Resort & Spa , part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, has off-season rooms as low as $131 per night. Hotels in Scottsdale are going to be two or even three times more expensive during high season, so staying during the summer can shave a substantial amount of money from the travel budget, leaving room for shopping, dining, and other activities.

Choose A Hotel With Lots Of Activities Included

To keep costs low when hotel prices are high, look for resorts with lots of activity inclusions.

Many of Scottsdale’s finer resorts have free activities for their guests, such as movies, trivia pool games, complimentary craft classes, and more.  The Phoenician Scottsdale  wins, with the most free amenities for guests, as well as a handful of affordable paid activities, such as Mixology classes and higher-end crafts, such as customizing a water bottle.

Some resorts also have complimentary transportation around Scottsdale – most limit it to a three-mile radius – but this can save money on gas or rideshares. The Scott Resort and Spa really does it up in style and takes guests around town in a  vintage teal 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible . Many of Scottsdale’s resorts also offer loaner bikes for guests to use to get around town.

A higher-end resort in the high season may seem out of budget, but when guests factor in the amenities included, they’ll find their overall activities budget will be less.

Pro-tip: Check to see if your hotel is included under a larger brand, such as Marriott, Hilton, or IHG. The Scottsdale Resort & Spa is Hilton branded and the Phoenician is Marriott branded, so check those Hilton Honors and Bonvoy benefits to stretch vacation dollars further. You'll get even more benefits if you have status with one of the hotel brands, usually fairly easy to obtain as a frequent traveler or with a co-branded credit card. 

Save by Choosing No-Frills Accommodations…Maybe

Scottsdale has no shortage of more budget-minded accommodations. The city is home to no-frills brands such as Rodeway Inn, SureStay Plus by Best Western, and Quality Inn and Suites. A budget hotel doesn’t mean a bad hotel and if funds are limited, it is worth doing some cost comparisons to see what is the best fit.

However, do the math. The regular Hampton Inn price might not be as great as the summer discounted resort hotel price, especially when you factor in all the inclusions. With lower-priced accommodations, travelers will be giving up amenities such as bike loans, local transportation, pool games, and more. 

Other Free Activities in Scottsdale

Although the combination of summer heat and tempting hotel specials might make you want to stay put at the pool, there's a selection of other activities in town for anyone who wants to brave the temps. 

Phoenix’s Camelback Mountain looms high over the Scottsdale landscape, this free hike one of the most popular trails in the area. Camelback Mountain is considered a challenging trail, so make sure to have proper footwear, and enough water, and  read trail reviews before attempting, especially when the weather is hot. Early morning hikes are safest during summer. 

Pinnacle Peak Park  and the  McDowell Sonoran Preserve  both have trail systems that are completely free to use. The McDowell Sonoran Preserve also has helpful trail guides and many free programs, including guided hikes and bike rides.

Arts, Culture, and Splash Pads

Other free activities in Scottsdale include public art walking tours – Scottsdale’s Old Town has lots of outdoor public art spaces to check out – and various free concerts throughout the year. There are also several free splash pads located throughout Scottsdale, perfect for cooling off when the sun blazes. And sure, splash pads were designed with kids in mind, but nothing stops an adult from taking a turn through the streams of cooling water, if the mood strikes.

While most Scottsdale area museums are not free to enter, most offer free or discounted days or reciprocal admissions. Check out a free Culture Pass from the Phoenix Library. A  Culture Pass  gives free admission for two people to a rotating list of participating arts and cultural institutions.

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A guide to Scottsdale, Arizona's desert gateway

A young-at-heart city with ancient roots, this Arizona enclave provides the ideal gateway into the desert from which it was born.

At first glance, you’d be forgiven for mistaking Scottsdale for a city without depth. Here, in the primordial expanse of the Sonoran Desert in southwestern Arizona, first impressions are of a town adorned with all the hallmarks of generic modernity: luxury spas, high-end fashion outlets, sprinkler-fed golf courses. But you’ll find that Scottsdale’s history stretches further than its immaculate surface implies — further even than the history of the United States. Long before it became known as a haven for the rich and famous — before the first guest ranches sprang up in the 1890s, and the city’s first settlers planted their orchards in the red earth — this land played host to Pueblo Ultimo, one of a string of ancient Indigenous settlements that thrived along the Salt and Gila rivers.

It was the home of the Hohokam, or ‘those who have disappeared’, a long-vanished people who irrigated the desert with canals, bringing life to the dust before abandoning such villages in the 14th and 15th centuries. They may be gone, but their reverence for the desert landscape has been taken up by the artists enamoured with Scottsdale’s big skies, and architects who, in the oblivion of the surrounding desert, envisioned new ways of living in harmony with nature.

Today, you’ll find a city embracing its past as it steps into the future. It’s the kind of place where driverless cars hum outside restaurants highlighting indigenous ingredients cultivated in the same way for millennia, and granite peaks ripe for hiking lie a short hop from cryogenics labs where the hopeful await revival. And then there’s the wine scene — a vestige of the homesteaders and botanists who dared to imagine vineyards creeping across Arizona’s undulating scrublands.

You can experience the produce of those sun-baked vines in the tasting rooms dotted around Old Town Scottsdale, a place so compact it’s possible to explore an artists’ studio and sit down for a bottle of Petite Sirah in the time it takes for the sky to shift from pink to pure indigo. And a little further out, beyond the bars and galleries of the centre, satellite neighbourhoods dissolve into open desert. Here, you’ll find architectural oddities carved into the mountains, working ranches operated by real-life cowboys and urban preserves studded with boulders formed many aeons ago. How’s that for depth?

What to see and do in Scottsdale

Historic Old Town

Much like those interred in Scottsdale’s cryogenics facility, the city’s historic square mile remains frozen in time. Bring it to life on a self-guided walking tour taking in saloons, treasured establishments like Cavalliere’s Blacksmith Shop and public art monuments such as sculptor Louise Nevelson’s Windows to the West, which casts its labyrinthine shadow onto the botanical garden outside the Civic Center.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024, this gallery in Scottsdale’s studio-studded Arts District lays claim to one of LA sculptor James Turrell’s Skyspaces — immersive, site-specific installations designed to reconfigure the viewer’s perception of light and space. Step into the ceramic belly of Knight Rise and watch the powder-blue sky subtly shift in colour from the elliptical opening in the ceiling.

The Old Adobe Mission

The oldest church in Scottsdale is a pearlescent space built by the city’s original Hispanic population, who, along with the Yaqui Indigenous community, created its 14,000 adobe bricks by hand around the time of the Great Depression. It opened its doors in 1933 and today stands as one of just three remaining adobe structures in downtown Scottsdale.

Taliesin West

Half an hour from downtown Scottsdale, this UNESCO-listed desert enclave was the winter home of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright , who lived and worked here from 1937 until his death in 1959, instilling in his apprentices the importance of working in harmony with the natural landscape. Experience Wright’s ‘organic architecture’ on a guided tour, wandering among low-slung buildings encased in desert stone while keeping an eye out for hummingbirds.

Arizona Cowboy College

Bound by the expanse of Tonto National Forest, this working ranch and riding school up beyond North Scottsdale sees horse-whisperers Lori Bridwell and Rocco Wachman offering rigorous courses on horsemanship alongside guided four-legged excursions into the wilds of the Sonoran Desert. Nervous about getting into the saddle? Don’t worry — Rocco has horses he’d “happily let the Pope ride”.

Join guide Tim Trissler on a half-day guided bike tour of North America’s largest urban preserve, the 3,500-acre McDowell Sonoran, where cholla cacti sizzle alongside surreal rock formations. Tim has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the plants and animals that call this land home, from saguaro-straddling cactus wrens to regal horned lizards.

Where to shop in Scottsdale

Native Art Market

Opened in 2018, this Indigenous-owned and -operated market and performance space in Scottsdale’s Arts District showcases the craftsmanship of some 200 Indigenous artists. Inside, stands stacked with tea, ceramics and turquoise jewellery surround a stage where the likes of Grammy Award-winning Native American flautist Cody Blackbird give regular in-store performances.

J Klein Gallery

The Sonoran Desert has long provided artists with a canvas to hone their craft. The spirit of the creative community that flourished here in the 1930s and ‘40s lives on in this gallery and working studio in Old Town Scottsdale, where founder Jim Klein’s abstract landscapes share the floor with a Steinway piano often played by local composer Ian Jamison.

Cosanti Originals

This bell foundry and craft shop in Paradise Valley was once the home of Taliesin West student Paolo Soleri. Today, visitors come to marvel at the Italian architect’s transgressive, ‘earth-cast’ structures, losing themselves in the gentle music produced by the bronze wind bells strung from sun-baked alcoves.

Best places to eat in Scottsdale

From a portly hut crafted from cactus, Mike Washington and his niece serve made-to-order chilli tacos wrapped in deliciously spongy frybread — a deep-fried dough thought to have originated as a by-product of the ‘Long Walk’ that saw the Navajo forced off their land and into reserves by the US government in the 1860s.

Showcasing locally sourced, often indigenous ingredients such as the tepary bean, the ever-changing menu at this James Beard Award-winning restaurant in Scottsdale’s Arts District could feature anything from Peruvian spring rolls to Persian chicken served with grapes plucked from local vines. To drink? Try the NY sour, topped with a vermouth float.

The Mission

Tucked behind the Old Adobe Mission and slung with crystal chandeliers, this modern Latin restaurant serves meticulously crafted dishes inspired by Scottsdale’s Hispanic roots. Soak up the sultry ambiance over a punchy margarita at the marbled bar before sitting down for tableside guacamole, chorizo-stuffed porchetta and short rib tacos bursting with zingy purple cabbage.

Scottsdale's best bars

The Rusty Spur

The doors of this Scottsdale institution first swung open in 1951. Having a drink bathed in the bar’s neon glow remains a rite of passage for out-of-towners, so grab a stool under the wagon wheel chandelier and enjoy a prickly pear cocktail to the dulcet tones of Stetson-clad singer-songwriters from across the state.

Goldwater Tap Room

This intimate taproom offers a good taste of Scottsdale’s creative craft beer scene. The bar faces two enormous stainless-steel kegs, where 14 Goldwater beers are served fresh off the tap. Drop by for a pint of Desert Rose, a German-style Kölsch made with cactus fruits.

Scottsdale Wine Trail

Scottsdale’s wine scene is booming, with vineyard owners from Willcox, the Verde Valley and other Arizonian wine-growing regions setting up shop in the city. Among them is rock musician James Maynard Keenan, whose tasting room Merkin pairs artfully curated flights with a heavy metal soundtrack. For a more traditional tasting experience, seek out LDV Wine Gallery or head down to newly opened Los Milics Vineyards’ tasting room, the passion project of Pavle Milic, co-owner of FnB restaurant.

Where to stay in Scottsdale

Sonder the Monarch

This laid-back residence in the heart of downtown Scottsdale overflows with bougainvillea, with a soundtrack of chirping quails. Behind the cream-and-yellow facade, refined doubles are illuminated by floor-to-ceiling windows, while family suites sport dining areas, sofas and private outdoor spaces overlooking the property’s sun-dappled pool.

Hotel Valley Ho

Famed for hosting the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Carey Grant, this mid-century hotel invites visitors to soak up the glamour of its 1950s heyday. Awash with jazz, the sleek lobby and cocktail lounge lead to extravagant rooms with snowdrop lamps and teal chaise longues. And with grilled oysters on the restaurant menu, you’ll dine in style, too.

Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale

Perched beneath Pinnacle Peak and surrounded by aromatic desert flora, the one- and two-storey casitas that make up this four-star resort form an intricate adobe village a lizard’s scuttle from the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Splash out on a premier casita, complete with bedside fireplace, ideal after a night stargazing with resident astronomer Mark Johnston. Don’t miss the fountain-fringed spa, where the gel of the nopal cactus makes for a relaxing massage.

How to see Scottsdale like a local

Cool your boots

At the height of summer, many Scottsdale residents leave the city to spend the day by the Lower Salt River. Head out on a guided kayaking tour with REI and follow the gentle current past wild horses with their muzzles in the water, winding up beneath the rusted bulk of Red Mountain.

This downtown ice-cream parlour has hardly changed since it first opened its pink-and-white-striped doors in 1958. It’s served as a hangout for everyone from former Scottsdale resident Steven Spielberg to artist and illustrator Bill Keane, whose comic strips still adorn the walls above heart-shaped tables quivering under the weight of the gargantuan fudge sundaes.

Soleri sunset

Linking the downtown area with Scottsdale waterfront, the Soleri Bridge and Plaza also functions as a calender, marking solar events with a beam produced by sunlight hitting the 6-inch gap between its pylons. Gaze through the gap two weeks shy of the winter solstice and you’ll see the red line that directs footfall across the bridge illuminated by a golden ray. A perfect union of sun and symmetry.

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During July and August, we close our public tours.      Due to the excessive heat July & August bring we will only offer private tours for groups of six or more.      Late afternoon/early evening times are recommended as we only provide walking tours. Please fill out the private tour page form, click here to open .

Downtown Phoenix Food Tour

First Phoenix Food Tour

Perfect for History Buffs

2.5 Hour Tour

Thursdays at 2 pm and Saturdays at 11 am

This 2.5-hour guided walking tour brings you on a culinary voyage through Downtown Phoenix . Walk through the hustle and bustle of our Downtown to try three different tasting locations, stopping at historic landmarks , and showcasing one of the most haunted hotels in the US . Enjoy a tasty English delicacy, family-made Thai cuisine, an authentic Mexican street taco, and end everything with specialty ice cream”

Tour Highlights

Discover a mix of multiculturalism in one of America’s largest cities, with a convergence of Thai, Mexican, Italian, and American cuisine.

Explore both the culinary and historic richness of this western city.

Enjoy three cocktail samples paired with your tasting delights.

Click the Tabs to Find More Info

• Trip Details

Tour Itinerary

Good to know, tour details, quick details.

For information on dietary restrictions, accessibility & private group size, please see  our FAQs .

We are happy to provide vegetarian accommodations if notified in advance. However, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free substitutes are not available. If you have any other food restrictions or allergies, please  contact us  before booking, as there is limited availability.

Meeting point

The tour will meet out front of Starbucks in the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel 100 N 1st St, Phoenix, AZ 85004. The tour guide will be outside the Starbucks on Adams Street.

Saturday at 11 am

Tours last approximately 2.5 hours.

Food tours serve up to 16 guests, and you can buy individual tickets; tours with less than 6 people will be rescheduled or refunded.

If you have a group larger than 8 guests, please book a private tour.

This is a walking food tour. Please be prepared for a moderate amount ( 1.5-2 miles ) of walking, spread out between food stops.

We respectfully ask that no children under the age of 11 are brought on this tour.

Food and drink at four (4) different spots and a knowledgeable, friendly tour guide.

* only 2 alcoholic beverages are included on the tour.

1. Cornish Pasty Co.

Cornish Pasty Co. specializes in the pasty, a favorite English dish featuring meat and veggies in a pastry shell.

2. Thai Basil Signature

Thai Basil Signature is Downtown Phoenix’s most popular family-owned Thai restaurant known for its healthy dishes and unique flavors.

3. Chico Malo

Chico Malo features Mexican street food with South American flavors and a range of signature craft cocktails.

4. The Yard Milkshake Bar

At The Yard Milkshake Bar , you’ll be treated to a tasty specialty ice cream to end things on a sweet note!

• Food items are pre-selected to showcase the most popular items at each establishment.
• We do accommodate for vegetarians but do not offer substitutes.
• Restaurants and routes can change slightly without notice due to events in the Downtown Phoenix area.

See What Our Happy Guests Have Said

The tours epitomize that Phoenix ‘out of the box’ experience and so so reasonable for the food and individual attention your tour receives. It’s a no brainer GO!!

Taste it Tours was very fun! If you’re looking for something new to do and looking to meet nice people then this is for you.

Christine R

Taste-It Tours does an exceptional job.

Downtown Gilbert Food Tour

Scottsdale taco food tour, scottsdale waterfront food tour.

A private village in Scottsdale houses some of Arizona's priciest real estate. I got a tour of its guarded neighborhoods.

• Silverleaf Village in Scottsdale, Arizona, is the city's most exclusive and expensive community.
• The residential area boasts Scottsdale's most expensive home, a $54 million mega-mansion.
• I got a private tour of the village with 24-hour guards and a championship golf course.

In the canyons beneath a mountain range dotted with cacti is Silverleaf Village, the most exclusive and expensive residential community in Scottsdale, Arizona .

In a city with a rapidly growing millionaire population , Silverleaf had an average selling price of $5.5 million in 2023, according to a representative of the neighborhood. And it's home to the most expensive residence on the market in Scottsdale — a mega-mansion listed for $54 million .

The village is in the 4,400-acre residential community of DC Ranch . Last month, I got an exclusive tour of the entire neighborhood's four villages, and Silverleaf stood out as the most elite, with custom estates and an exclusive clubhouse.

Take a look around the luxury desert oasis that Scottsdale's richest locals call home.

Silverleaf Village is in North Scottdale.

Silverleaf is on the east side of DC Ranch in North Scottsdale. The village is nestled in the canyons of the McDowell Mountains.

The village has 16 gated neighborhoods.

According to the DC Ranch website , the neighborhoods are guarded 24 hours a day.

The homes are a mix of luxury villas and custom estates.

Silverleaf's street signs have a fancy look, with curled details on the posts and serif fonts. According to the neighborhood's website, the homes were built in Spanish and Mediterranean Revival-style architecture.

The elevated signage, paired with mansions reminiscent of Italian castles and Greek villas, made me feel like I was somewhere in Europe.

Within the village is a private club with a golf course, a spa, pools, and restaurants.

Since the clubhouse is so exclusive, I wasn't able to access it with my media tour guide. But according to the club's website , it's a 50,000-square-foot space with casual and fine dining, a world-class spa, and both resort-style and lap pools.

I did get a peek at the championship golf course. It sprawls 18 holes over 7,322 yards and is surrounded by hills and succulents.

The homes with the highest elevation appeared to be the most luxurious.

Driving up the mountain, I noticed the houses looked more like mega-mansions. They had long, walled driveways leading up to estates with multiple buildings.

The village is still developing.

Toward the top of Silverleaf Village, I spotted several empty sites ready for more custom estates to be built. According to the neighborhood's website, luxury condos are also in the works.

From the top of Silverleaf, residents have a view of Scottsdale.

The top of Silverleaf had the best views in DC Ranch. Past the mansions and cacti dotting the canyon, I spotted golfing greens and a runway at Scottsdale Airport, where the wealthy park private jets .

With massive estates, luxury amenities, and jaw-dropping views, it was easy to see why Silverleaf Village is the most expensive place to live in Scottsdale.

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For Tickets or Support Call +1 480 620 4047 

• Private Tours

Private Tours available

From corporate events and team building, to destination weddings and bachlorette parties, a private food tour is the perfect group activity!

ALL TOURS BOOK HERE!

To join a Public Tour, or book a Private Tour, please click the Plan My Tour button below!

Tours are available for booking 7 days a week, at 11:00am, 2:30pm, or 3:00pm.  Groups of 6 or more will be booked as a private tour.

Option 1:  “A Taste of Old Town Scottsdale” FOOD TOUR ($80 per person plus tax and gratuity)

Option 2: Scottsdale WINE TOUR – ($95 per person plus tax and gratuity)

Option 3: Scottsdale “SIP AND SAMPLE” food tour – ($95 per person plus tax and gratuity)

REQUEST A DATE, and submit your tour inquiry below! Please fill out form in its entirety.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Plan you tour experience with us! Scottsdale food or wine tours available 7 days a week starting at 11:00am, 2:30pm, or 3:00pm.

Having hosted tours in Scottsdale for 15 years, we know a fantastic food and wine tour experience is the perfect way for BACHELORETTE PARTIES, WEDDING GROUPS, CORPORATE EVENTS, or FAMILIES ON VACATION to explore the local food and wine scene!

Tour accommodates most food allergies and restrictions. Must let us know ahead of time.

Tour operates rain or shine

All tours are walking tours, also made to be wheelchair and stroller accessible

What to Expect

Our restaurant partners (based off availability) include: AZ88, Evo, The Mission, Malees Thai Bistro, Brat Haus, Shakes and Cones, The Wine Collective , Bootleggers, Gelato Cimmino.

Participating restaurants can accommodate food allergies/ restrictions, but must know ahead of time.

Final itineraries and meeting locations will be provided 48 hours prior to tour time. 100% of the cost is collected at time of booking (refundable). Final headcount (non refundable) is due 48 hours prior to tour.

Arizona Food Tours conducts only walking tours and we do not include transportation.

Arizona Food Tours has conducted thousands of tours since our inauguration in 2009, specializing in bachelorette parties, birthdays, family fun, weddings, and have hosted corporate clients such as Go Daddy, Fed Ex, Cisco, Harley Davidson, American Express, Morgan Stanley Carlisle Group, Viator, Yelp, McKesson, Enterprise, Hyatt, and many more!

Info & Questions Call:

[email protected]

Have questions? Here's the most frequently asked.

Is there parking available close by.

Parking is available at each tour’s starting location. After your ticket purchase, you’ll receive instructions including parking and other info.

The city of Scottsdale offers free parking, both on street and in parking structures.

The city of Tempe offers metered street parking and flat-rate garage pricing.

Do we only walk around and sample food?

Absolutely not!  While focused on local cuisine and culinary insight, our tours combine architectural commentary, historical facts, and local culture into a unique 3-hour experience. Imagine walking through the city eating our local artisans most delicious foods while learning the neighborhoods from real locals.

What do we do in case of bad weather?

Tours are held rain or shine. In the event of inclement weather, we will be able to go inside many of the establishments on the tour. We also provide umbrellas in case of sudden weather changes or if you do not have your own. However, we advise to check the weather conditions for your days event and dress appropriately.

What if I am vegetarian, gluten free, or have food allergies?

We are vegetarian and gluten free friendly.

We can accommodate most dietary restrictions provided we know ahead of time.

Please be sure and provide information specific to your dietary restriction for anyone in your party (e.g. vegetarian, gluten free, diabetic, food allergy, etc.) upon purchase of tickets.

Do you support corporate, or private events?

We absolutely do! We can accommodate a variety of special requests (family reunions, Birthday parties, out of town guests, corporate, conventions, festivals, parades, grand openings and many more).  Please inquire about our private tours for 10 or more guests.

"This is the second time I've used this tour group. I hosted an unconventional bachelorette party for the sip and sample tour and it was fantastic. Zach and Arizona Food Tours were able to accommodate our party of 15 with last-minute additions! Thank you

Private Group Tour

Choose an Experience A Taste of Old Town Scottsdale - Food Tour Scottsdale Wine Tour Sip n Sample - Happy Hour Tour

Tour Date Desired

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“A Taste of Old Town Scottsdale” – Food Tour

walking tour - 3 hours |   Ages 12+ $80.00

Scottsdale Wine Tour

walking tour - 3 hours |   Adult 21+ $95.00

“Sip and Sample”- Happy Hour Tour

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