When it comes to dining out, downtown Scottsdale offers a surprise around every gallery- strewn corner — from a Spanish restaurant with flamenco dancers to a wine bar with a hidden door.

We set out to separate the most unique from the rest, narrowing down more than 100 eateries to our 11 faves. Here’s a taste of the most interesting and the most unusual restaurants downtown Scottsdale has to offer:

Arcadia Farms

The scoop: This cute-as-a-button cottage eatery is a favorite among Scottsdale’s ladies who lunch. That’s because the quaint and colorful eatery, reminiscent of something you’d find on Martha’s Vineyard, features one of the East Valley’s best patios. Lined with bold sunflowers in mismatched pots and featuring iron tables and chairs softened with floral linens, Arcadia’s patio will make even the hottest July afternoon feel just a bit more comfy. The restaurant — which also features a small bakery offering tangy lemon cake cookies, pastries and other goodies — is so popular that reservations, even for a late Tuesday lunch, are a must.
A taste: Pesto grilled shrimp salad ($12.95); mushroom, spinach and goat cheese tart ($10.95); and grilled ham sandwich ($10.95)
Details: 7014 E. First Ave., Scottsdale,

AZ 88

The scoop: Pretention is as fashionable as the martinis at this swank bar and restaurant, nestled just north of the equally stylish Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Popular among the East Valley’s most beautiful, AZ 88 boasts extra-high ceilings, a sleek bar and windows all around, creating a space that’s bright, airy and oh-so- trendy. The restaurant — which offers 16 different scotches and 13 varieties of bourbon, for what it’s worth — also offers a spacious patio, which, at night, is one of the sexiest dining spots in all of Scottsdale.
A taste: Oriental grilled tuna sandwich ($10), burger alfredo ($7.50) and Key lime tart ($5)
Details: 7353 Scottsdale Mall, Scottsdale,

Buckets

The scoop: Shrimp — and plenty of it — is on the menu at this casual, Southwestern-infused bar and eatery. Buckets, which boasts a cozy patio adorned with oversize umbrellas, also offers one of the most popular happy hour specials in downtown Scottsdale. All of the eatery’s appetizers — including the customer favorite, shrimp bucket with honey-jalapeño barbecue and 3 Vodka dipping sauces — are $2 off. And while the menu is straightforward and the place itself, featuring a mahogany bar lined with big-screen TVs, is no-frills, the shrimp — shrimp cocktail, shrimp chowder, shrimp Caesar salad and shrimp po’ boy — simply can’t be beat.
A taste: Shrimp quesadilla ($12), shrimp and bacon wrap ($9) and fish tacos ($9)
Details: 7216 E. Shoeman Lane, Scottsdale,

Drift Polynesian Restaurant & Lounge

The scoop: This hip eatery is the next-best thing to an island getaway. Featuring fun ’60s-style decor and plenty of tiki torches, this South Pacific-themed hot spot is the perfect place to escape from 100-degree days — especially with one of Drift’s creative, umbrella-adorned fruity drinks. (Our favorite, the Grotto, priced at $26, includes Bacardi, Southern Comfort, apricot brandy, peach schnapps, orange and pineapple juices and an adorable fresh-flower garnish.) The space itself is awash in bamboo and candles, creating a kick-back island vibe that, literally and figuratively, is so darn cool.
A taste: Pan-seared scallops ($17), pu pu platter ($22) and tomato sandwich ($7)
Details: 4341 N. 75th St., Scottsdale,

Furio

The scoop: Undeniably one of Scottsdale’s sexiest eateries, Furio — with its alluring blue lighting and intimate, plush booths — is the perfect spot for a first date or a 10-year anniversary dinner. Chef Jagger Griffin’s innovative cuisine, including panini sandwiches, gourmet pizzas, fresh soups and salads and light pastas, is certainly the main attraction here, though the ultra-hip lounge’s martinis, cosmos and other specialty concoctions aren’t half-bad, either. And for the ladies, Furio offers Manicures and Martinis every Monday; from 6 to 10 p.m., $10 buys you a manicure and a martini.
A taste: Veal sweetbreads ($8), baby spinach salad ($8) and baby octopus ($16)
Details: 7210 E. Second St., Scottsdale,

Kazimierz World Wine Bar

The scoop: The sign over Kazimierz’s unassuming, oversize wooden door proclaims “The Truth Is Inside.” And the truth is, this wine bar — with its medieval cellar feel and mysterious alleyway entrance — just plain rocks. Kazimierz stocks more than 1,500 different wines from around the globe, all of which are available by the glass, by the bottle or by the flight (a sampling of three wines that complement each other). In addition to heavy wooden tables, the dimly lit, Old World space also features plush sofas — the perfect place to chill with a glass of wine, some warm bread and cheese, fresh fruit and a few of your best buddies.
A taste: Goat cheese salad ($8), roast chorizo and prawn salad ($9) and chocolate pecan torte ($6)
Details: 7137 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale,

Patsy Grimaldi’s Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria
The scoop: When it comes to pizza, there’s no beating Patsy Grimaldi’s. The pizzeria, which has two other locations in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Hoboken, N.J., has been named the Big Apple’s best pizza joint by Zagat (the traveler’s dining bible) for the last seven years. Dubbed “a slice of heaven,” the 2003 Zagat survey promises “it doesn’t get more authentic than this.” The Scottsdale location features a loftlike interior complete with old-school red-and-white-checkered tablecloths and the smooth sounds of Frank Sinatra radiating from the jukebox. And those famous thin-crust pizzas? Well, listen up, Zagat — they might just be among the best in Arizona, too.
A taste: Calzones ($14-$16), New York cheesecake ($5) and homemade cannoli ($4)
Details: 4000 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale,

Pepín

The scoop: The spice at Pepín isn’t limited to the menu. Although the cozy, colorful eatery serves up delightful tapas and zesty seafood dishes, it’s the flamenco dancers who put the real zip in Pepín. The dancers, who perform every Friday and Saturday evening, prance throughout the restaurant as diners nibble on authentic Spanish fare such as tapas and spicy seafood plates. (Sometimes diners just can’t fight the rhythm and join the dancers on the wooden floor in the middle of the restaurant — this is A-OK by the management.) Also on weekend evenings, Pepín offers salsa dancing lessons set to the most romantic Latin music.
A taste: Roasted lamb with sun-dried tomatoes ($8.75), Spanish crab cakes ($16.95) and braised rabbit ($18.95)
Details: 7363 E. Scottsdale Mall, Scottsdale,

Pink Pony

The scoop: If it’s an MLB slugger sighting you crave, forget Gonzo’s and get to this legendary steakhouse. The restaurant — which features a giant ceramic pink pony out front — has been a favorite among ballplayers since the place first opened more than 50 years ago. Joe DiMaggio, Hank Aaron, Yogi Berra, Ted Williams, Willie Mays and Micky Mantle are only a few of the All Stars who have stopped by the Pink Pony for a burger and beer. The steakhouse is also a hit with D-Backs players, and during spring training, it’s especially hopping.
A taste: Sautéed chicken livers ($14), barbecue meatballs ($5) and prime rib of beef au jus ($25)
Details: 3831 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale,

Sea Saw

The scoop: Nestled in the heart of downtown Scottsdale’s restaurant row, between Cowboy Ciao and Kazimierz, Sea Saw is one of the area’s hottest dining destinations, especially among the hip and the health-conscious. Chef and owner Nobu Fukuda — who just last month was named one of the top 10 new chefs in America by Food & Wine Magazine — whips up such delightful creations as roasted beet purée and yellowtail with ruby grapefruit. Fukuda was also noted for his ability to pair top-notch food, from duck to mussels to eel, with top-notch wines from the restaurant’s extensive list, showcasing more than 1,500 varieties.
A taste: Pan-seared duck ($12), sliced octopus with tomatoes ($12) and soft shell shrimp fry ($10)
Details: 7133 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale,

Sugo Pastaria Wine Bar

The scoop: Patrons will see red at this hip wine ’n’ pasta hot spot — literally. The misted patio is aglow with red twinkle lights, and the bar area features red artwork and — you guessed it — red walls, creating a sensual, chic ambience. Owned by Maurizio Cristiani and Sandi Alexander Cristiani, the same folks as nearby Grazie Pizzeria & Wine Bar, Sugo features the best pasta dishes in town (worth the drive from even the farthest reaches of the East Valley). And in addition to a lengthy wine list featuring about 70 different Italian offerings, the bartenders at Sugo also mix a mean martini.
A taste: Spinach pasta in cream sauce ($13), penne pasta with capers ($10) and fried ravioli with chocolate hazelnut ($10)
Details: 4151 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale,

Contact writer Adrienne Frank at or .