PHOENIX — While the rest of the country is reaping the benefits of their winter thaw out, those of us in the Valley are reaping the benefits of the air-conditioning as temperatures have begun to climb into the 100s.
With the official start to summer a couple weeks away (June 21), OpenTable has released its yearly listing of the "100 best Al Fresco restaurants in America," and eight restaurants in Arizona made the list. Bring on the fans and misters, Arizona!
This year's roundup includes seven restaurants with ties to the Valley and one in Sedona.
Here are the eight Arizona restaurants that made OpenTable's list:
- Cafe Monarch - Scottsdale, Arizona
- El Chorro - Paradise Valley, Arizona
- The Keg Steakhouse + Bar - Gilbert, Arizona
- Lon's at The Hermosa Inn - Paradise Valley, Arizona
- Mariposa - Sedona, Arizona
- Olive & Ivy - Scottsdale, Arizona
- Virtu Honest Craft - Scottsdale, Arizona
- Wildflower - Tucson, Arizona
In its release, OpenTable said this year's listing features restaurants from 19 states, and Washington D.C. California led the pack with 31 restaurants on the list. Florida had 26, Hawaii had 10. Arizona was fourth with eight.
The list was compiled using dining reviews between April 30, 2018 and March 31, 2019, OpenTable's release said.
Last year's listing, which has eight restaurants on it, also featured Cafe Monarch, El Chorro, Lon's, Mariposa, Olive & Ivy, and Wildflower, but also Gertrude's at the Desert Botanical Garden and Tonto Bar and Grill.
In 2017, 21 Arizona restaurants made OpenTable's list; eight in 2016; and seven in 2015.
You can view the rest of OpenTable's 2019 list, here.
