Downtown Scottsdale
Shopping Districts

Covered sidewalks and street lights that resemble wooden lanterns give Old Town Scottsdale shops their Wild West atmosphere

This is the place to see historic Old Town Scottsdale.

Original buildings here include:

• The circa 1909 Little Red Schoolhouse, which today houses the Scottsdale Historical Museum.
• Cavalliere’s Blacksmith Shop, which is still owned by the Cavalliere family and is still a working blacksmith’s shop.
• Scottsdale’s first post office - built in 1928 and currently home to Porter’s Western Wear store.

Old Town Scottsdale also has over 150 shops, most of which offer Old West and Southwestern souvenirs and gifts.

Need to pick up an Arizona memento? Old Town Scottsdale has got you covered.

Cavalliere’s Blacksmith Shop, in downtown Scottsdale is an old adobe building dating to 1920

If you’re looking for Western wear like Stetson hats, cowboy boots, and bola ties, check out 80-year old Saba’s Western Wear, Arizona’s original Western store or Porter’s Western Wear.

Collectors of authentic Hopi Kachina dolls, Navajo turquoise and silver jewelry, Pima baskets and other Native American arts and crafts can find several shops in the area including the Gilbert Ortega Gallery.

For all things cactus including cactus gardens, cactus salsa and prickly pear cactus jelly, stop by the Cactus Hut, Cactus Carlos and Coyo T’s.

If you’re parched after all that shopping, step up to the bar at the Rusty Spur Saloon for a drink.

This establishment bills itself as the last real cowboy saloon in Scottsdale.

The Rusty Spur Saloon is downtown Scottsdale’s last cowboy bar

Its rustic Old West atmosphere and friendly staff make the Rusty Spur a favorite with locals and tourists.

They serve lunch daily and have live music every night.

If you’re a fan of the scenic photography and interesting travel tips of Arizona Highways magazine, don’t miss the Arizona Highways store.

Here, you’ll find a great selection of Arizona Highways calendars, books, cards, and Arizona gifts.

Cat lovers will enjoy Cactus Cats.

This shop carries all types of feline-related gifts including figurines, home and garden accessories, cards, books, apparel and more.

Atkinson’s Indian Trading Post offers a large selection of Native American and Southwestern gifts and jewelry.

Their friendly and knowledgeable staff can help you choose Native American-made baskets, pottery, jewelry or Hopi Kachina dolls.

Downtown Scottsdale's Gilbert Ortega Gallery has Native American jewelery and art

While you’re in Old Town Scottsdale, it’s worth a visit to SMoCA – the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, located on the eastern edge of the district.

This is Arizona’s only museum completely devoted to modern art, architecture and design.

The museum’s minimalist building was once a movie theater and underwent a complete transformation thanks to the design by award-winning architect Will Bruder.

SMoCA’s eclectic, global collection is housed in five exhibit galleries showcasing traveling exhibitions and the museum’s ever-growing permanent collection.

There’s also an outdoor sculpture garden, which includes the elliptical skyspace Knight Rise by James Turrell.

This is one of the renowned artist’s few public spaces.

Nearby is SMoCA’s free young@art gallery where kids can learn to explore their inner artist.

The ultra-cool Mondrian Scottsdale Hotel and Mondrian Bar is just east of Old Town Scottsdale, right off the Scottsdale Mall, in the space occupied by the former hipster hotspot, The James Hotel.

This current hipster hangout has attracted quite a following and it’s a good spot for celebrity spotting.

The Mondrian Scottsdale is on the eastern edge of downtown Scottsdale

Mondrian celebrity sightings include George Clooney, Halle Berry, Elijah Wood and Eve Mendez.

The 194-room Mondrian Scottsdale bills itself as an “urban resort” with a Garden of Eden concept and motif.

Part of the Morgans Hotel Group, it has the Morgans signature amenities of the Agua Bathhouse spa, the exclusive open-air Sky Bar and Asia de Cuba restaurant.

The interior design by Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, known for his design shows on HGTV and E! Television, is meant to be ultra-cool and modern with a red carpet entry way made of stenciled leaves, cascading white drapes and a long serpent-like bench supported by a faux baobab tree.

Guest rooms feature black furniture, white bedding, gray carpets and large flat-screen TVs.

Artist Ed Mell’s bronze sculpture, Jack Knife, is one of many public art works in downtown Scottsdale

As a matter of fact, most of Scottsdale’s galleries, studios and museums are found in downtown Scottsdale.

The Scottsdale Art District comprises two areas: the Main Street Arts District and the Marshall Way Arts District.

The Main Street Arts District is clustered in four blocks across Scottsdale Road from Old Town Scottsdale and has one of the largest concentrations of galleries of any street in the country.

Art lovers will find an eclectic mix of fine art galleries, from Native American art and Western realism to cutting-edge contemporary and Russian impressionism.

Many of the galleries present the work of famous artists such as pop artists Andy Warhol and Peter Max, Western artist Roy Andersen and contemporary artist Bill Wegman, well-known for his photos of dressed-up Weimaraner dogs.

Main Street is also one of the best spots in Scottsdale to shop for antiques.

Most stores offer a broad mix of antiques and collectibles including Oriental rugs, porcelains and china, estate jewelry, 18th- and 19th-century European furnishings and religious statues from Mexico and South America.

Tributary Wall, by artist Kevin Berry, is in downtown Scottsdale on Goldwater Boulevard

Gallery highlights include:

• Rain Bird of Scottsdale is a Native American-owned gallery offering both Native American jewelry and Southwestern art. They represent over 40 Native American jewelers.
• Legacy Gallery bills itself as the "Gallery of the Western Lifestyle" and features museum-quality antiques for history buffs and art collectors interested in Indian artifacts, saddles, saloon items, photographic tin types, spurs and furniture.
• Gallery Russia carries original Russian and Soviet art from the 1930s to the present.
• Expressions in Bronze Gallery is the home of local and award-winning artist Dave McGary. He specializes in Native American realism and his huge, detailed bronze sculptures often include delicate beadwork.
• The Old Territorial Shop is the oldest Native American arts gallery in Scottsdale. This family-owned business features classic American Indian antiques and collectibles including traditional Hopi Indian kachinas, Navajo blankets and rugs, antique baskets and antique Reservation beadwork.

The Main Street Arts District - along with the Marshall Way Arts District - is also the home of the weekly Thursday night ArtWalks, a 30-year Scottsdale tradition.

The downtown Scottsdale Marshall Way Arts District

Essentially an "open house" for galleries, ArtWalk creates an easy-going atmosphere, encouraging everyone to come in and browse through the galleries, view artist’s demonstrations and enjoy live entertainment.

If you’re in the market for contemporary art, the Marshall Way Arts District is the Scottsdale shopping district for you.

Many of the art galleries here provide excellent service for serious collectors of fine art and jewelry.

Even if you aren’t looking to buy, the galleries welcome any and all visitors.

Notable galleries include:

• Art One Gallery is the place to see new artists before they hit the big time. Art One represents high school, college and university students as well as local emerging artists and carries works in all mediums.
• Eric Firestone Gallery showcases mid-20th Century modern art in museum-like displays. Works include postwar-modernist and abstract-expressionist paintings, drawings and sculpture.
• Wilde Meyer Gallery emphasizes upbeat, colorful contemporary paintings and sculpture from artists such as Linda Carter Holman, Jim Budish and Sherri Belassen.

This area, between Indian School Road and 5th Avenue, has a lovely neighborhood-like setting.

Tree-lined streets and a small town atmosphere encourages shoppers to explore the 5th Avenue boutiques

This area is a mix of more than 80 boutiques, clothing and jewelry stores, art galleries, salons, nightclubs and over 35 restaurants.

When you visit the 5th Avenue district, don’t miss The Poisoned Pen Bookstore on Goldwater Boulevard.

This popular, independent bookseller is one of the three largest mystery bookstores in North America.

They carry over 15,000 titles and, although they specialize in crime fiction, you’ll find a wide assortment of books on many subjects.

The Poisoned Pen also hosts numerous events including author book signings and a book club.

Although Clarke & Clarke Art + Artifacts specializes in Asian art, they have an amazing array of contemporary art mixed with cultural artifacts from Asia, Africa, India, New Guinea and the Himalayas.

You’ll find everything from tribal weapons to Chinese Dynasty vases here.

Popular nightclubs, bars and lounges in this area include Devil’s Martini, Stingray Sushi Bar and Restaurant, Anderson’s 5th Estate, Next and Upper Deck Sports Grill.

On Saturdays, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (October – April), the 5th Avenue District is home to the colorful, bustling downtown Scottsdale farmer’s market.

Shop for fresh Arizona produce like peaches, citrus and sweet Grand Canyon onions, breads, coffee and flowers.

If you’re on 5th Avenue, stop by the famous Bob Parks Horse Fountain - a popular piece of downtown Scottsdale public art and one of the most photographed spots in Arizona.

Cowboy Ciao restaurant offers delicious and unique dishes in a creative atmosphere

The brainchild of developer Fred Unger, this $41 million urban, pedestrian-friendly development is notable because it only has independently-owned boutiques and restaurants; there are no chains.

An eclectic mix of shops includes high fashion boutiques, home furnishings stores, pet couture and a toy store.

A waterfront park, breezy sidewalks and open air courtyards give it a European flair.

If you love food and wine, Southbridge is the area for you.

Stetson Drive, opposite the canal, is home to the popular Cowboy Ciao and Sea Saw restaurants and Kazimierz World Wine Bar.

All three are the brainchildren of Peter Kasperski, an innovative restaurateur, who has helped to raise the bar on the Scottsdale dining scene.

Our favorite is Cowboy Ciao.

This unique restaurant serves an eclectic cuisine that melds the flavors of Mexico, Italy and the Southwest.

If the great food of Chef Bernie Kantak wasn’t reason enough to visit, adventuresome diners would come for the whimsical and creative atmosphere, which one reviewer referred to as "Addams Family meets Old West Bordello."

Kazimierz Wine Bar boasts a collection of over 2,400 wines with 20 varietals from over 40 countries.

You can relax on plush couches and armchairs in a comfortable setting reminiscent of a European wine cellar.

The section of the Arizona Canal that runs through downtown Scottsdale is now called the Waterfront

In addition to wine, Kazimierz offers a global grazing menu of flatbreads, patés, fondue, cheese plates and salads.

Stop by on Sunday, Monday or Thursday evenings to hear live jazz from local musicians.

As their web site says, "Like all good speakeasys, the entrance is hidden in the rear."

The equally famous Sea Saw has been a 6th and Stetson fixture for several years but is moving across the street into a new Southbridge location.

Chef Nobu Fukuda calls the food at Sea Saw "Tapanese," offering sushi and Japanese food in a small plate style and pairing each dish with wine.

His inventive, ethereal dishes have earned him rave reviews from numerous food critics. In 2003, he was named one of Food and Wine Magazine’s Best New Chefs of the year.

There are also seven new Southbridge restaurants to try.

Some are currently open; others will be opening soon:

• THE FOODBAR: is a European-style café offering convenient grab-and-go fare or alfresco dining on the patio. Items include salads, Alsatian flatbread sandwiches, pizzas and noodle dishes along with pastries, fruit and imported coffees and teas.
• CANAL, home of the high-priced $30 lobster tail, boursin cheese and chanterelle mushroom sandwich, mixes global cuisine with fashion and entertainment. Diners can watch fashion shows on a state-of-the-art runway and A/V system while noshing on tiered food flights with duck confit tacos and ahi tuna three ways. A mixologist prepares your cocktails and martinis tableside.
• The Estate House is fine dining the old European way. This three-level, mansion-inspired, dinner-only venue welcomes you with a champagne bar at the entrance. You’ll then sit down to feast on California wine country-meets-French Mediterranean cuisine, artisan cheeses and fine wines.

Peter Kasperski is adding three new restaurants to his already successful list of dining venues:

• Digestif is a hip and cozy modern style restaurant with an early 1960s vibe. Chef Payton Curry’s California-inspired, Italianesque dishes such as warm sunchoke puree with fava beans and cider-glazed pork use quality ingredients. The beverages are impressive and include classic cocktails, after-dinner drinks ("digestifs" in French) and absinthe - the recently legalized, powerful anise-flavored spirit made popular by 19th century bohemians like Toulouse Lautrec and Oscar Wilde.
• Mexican Standoff is the creation of Bernie Kantak, chef of Cowboy Ciao. His new restaurant is a refined interpretation of the indigenous foods of Mexico and Latin America. Pastry chef Tracy Dempsey will again be providing the desserts, which will feature dark chocolate, tropical fruits, chiles and honey.
• Shell Shock is Chef Nobu Fukuda’s (of Sea Saw fame) new restaurant and has a Jetsons-under-the-sea design. This modern take on izakaya (Japanese tavern) food includes fanciful Asian-inspired cocktails, an all-day grazing menu and exotic Japanese finger foods.

Just across the street from Southbridge, talented pastry chef Tracey Dempsey (Cowboy Ciao) will open her own shop, Confection.

Inspired by Parisian tea rooms, Confection will showcase Dempsey’s own philosophy.

Offering both take-out and dine-in options, the pastries will span the range of sweet and savory.

Downtown Scottsdale hotels in this area include the Hilton Garden Inn, the Hyatt Place, Scottsdale Marriott Suites Old Town and Summerfield Suites by Wyndham.

Restaurants include L-Academie Restaurant, Medizona, Pacific Café and the Saddle Ranch Chop House.

One of the newer nightclubs, E4, is here.

This multi-million dollar, Las Vegas style nightclub and restaurant has four separate rooms modeled after the four elements – earth, wind, water and fire.

Each space is unique with its own design, energy, mood and music.

This is where many of Scottsdale’s young "see and be seen" crowd tends to congregate.

There are quite a few restaurants, bars and nightclubs in the area.

Here’s a few Scottsdale nightclub and lounge highlights:

• Axis/Radius: Axis/ Radius is two different nightclubs in one spot. Axis has an open, glittering bar with a raised seating area and high energy music. Radius features a mahogany dance floor, VIP club with floating bar and everything from techno pop to top 40s music.
• Drift: is a modern take on a Polynesian tiki bar. This lounge and restaurant has a hip and casual atmosphere with dramatic lighting and décor. Food and drinks include Pu Pu platters, coconut shrimp, braised spare ribs and tropical umbrella drinks.
• Drinx: is more low key with a classy, red décor. Not as crowded, it’s considered a great spot to relax and have a drink with friends. The menu includes appetizers, wraps, salads and entrees.
• Myst: is an 18,000 square foot club with some of the best DJs i ntown. There's also scantily clad dancers, VIP tables, skyboxes, a catwalk bridge and a wide variety of special events.
• Suede Euro-Asian Restaurant and Lounge: has an art deco-retro décor with suede-paneled walls and furniture, a full bar and a contemporary lounge. The restaurant serves a fusion East-meets-West cuisine.

Downtown Scottsdale Trolley: Begins at Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall and loops through all districts of downtown Scottsdale, stopping at various points along the way including:

• Scottsdale Fashion Square
• Fifth Avenue Shops
• Marshall Way Arts District
• Main Street Arts District
• Old Town Scottsdale
• Southbridge
• Scottsdale Waterfront
• Scottsdale Convention and Visitors’ Bureau

Service: Year round

Schedule: Every 10 minutes, 7 days per week 11:00 am – 9:00 pm

No trolley service on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Fee: Free

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