10 New Venues in Phoenix/Scottsdale for Summer 2024 Meetings and Events

This summer, The Phoenician wraps up its two-phase, multimillion-dollar renovation that includes makeovers to the 20,533-square-foot Phonenician Grand Ballroom, the 14,344-square-foot Camelback Ballroom (pictured), the 5,822-square-foot Estrella Ballroom, 24 meeting rooms, and four boardrooms. In addition to aesthetic changes like new patterns and textures inspired by the Indigenous cultures, topography, and flora of the Southwest, notable technical upgrades include greater lighting controls, more flexible setups, custom branding opportunities, and the ability to stream AV content into all meeting spaces at once. In total, the iconic Scottsdale resort offers 160,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, and eight on-site dining outlets are also available for private gatherings.

In April, The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa completed a renovation that included the opening of a new restaurant, Faro & Brag. For private events, planners can reserve Mariposa, the adjacent 1,156-square-foot private function space that seats 75 guests with a dance floor and 120 without. Mariposa boasts floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the golf course and offers Faro & Brag’s modern, sophisticated menu, which features specialties like tamarind-braised pork shank, paella brimming with seafood, and limoncello tiramisu.

March brought the opening of Backyard Desert Ridge, an 8,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor venue that can host groups of as many as 700 guests. The vibe here is fun and casual, with oversize lawn games, arcade games, and 18-foot-long screens ideal for broadcasting major sports and events. The family-friendly, backyard-barbecue feel extends to the menu, which features approachable favorites like hand-cut turkey sandwiches, flatbread pizzas, homestyle meatloaf, and sticky toffee pudding.

North Scottsdale got a dose of Gatsby-style glamour when Tell Your Friends, a 52-seat cocktail bar and live music lounge, made its debut in May. Accessible through a nondescript side door underneath The Americano restaurant, the space spans 2,184 square feet and is adorned with luxe decor like maroon velvet drapes and mirrored walls. The kitchen serves a curated selection of upscale small bites like Korean fried chicken topped with caviar, fire-roasted oysters, and pizza with vodka-cured salmon and potato.

North Scottsdale welcomed Pinnacle Brewing Company in May. The indoor-outdoor venue embraces the spirit of a modern mountain lodge with playful, repurposed decor from the site’s former incarnation as a gas station, as well as two fire pits, 10 screens, and a rotating selection of 15 brews on tap. The space includes a 2,000-square-foot taproom and a 2,000-square-foot covered patio, each of which can accommodate 104 seated guests or 200 for cocktail receptions. For catering, Pinnacle partners with local food trucks that can park on site.

Paradise Valley welcomed The Rosticceria in December 2023. The stylish space is at once trendy, rustic, and fun, with TV screens and a DJ booth that planners can use for events. As its name implies, the restaurant serves a menu that centers around the rotisserie, which slow-cooks meats for Italian dishes like sausage cacciatore, braised short ribs, and shrimp parmesan. The 103-seat dining room spans 5,530 square feet, while a 1,486-square-foot patio seats 48.

Pizza to the Rescue is a new backdrop for events with a built-in philanthropic twist; the indoor-outdoor venue donates 25% of all pizza sales to neighboring animal rescue Almost There. Open since April, the 1,300-square-foot venue encompasses a 42-seat dining room, 30-seat bar, 10-seat wine room, and 38-seat patio. The menu centers around authentic Italian fare like wood-grilled meatballs, short rib lasagna, and artisanal pizzas. An extensive wine and cocktail program complements the from-scratch dishes.

Ambrogio15 opened in Biltmore Fashion Park in February. Part of a brand hailing from San Diego, the restaurant serves modern Italian favorites like lobster pasta, dry-aged porterhouse steaks, and pizza with fresh burrata, while the wine program focuses on biodynamic wines from small-scale Italian producers. The 5,000-square-foot space seats 140 guests and includes luxe touches like a two-story wine tower and bespoke leather booths. A 12-person private dining room with views into the kitchen is available for more intimate gatherings.

Roosevelt Row welcomed Pretty Penny in January. Spanning 900 square feet, the upscale cocktail lounge serves a rotating menu of elevated, shareable dishes like black truffle salad, braised octopus tostadas, and duck carpaccio. The venue seats 42 guests inside and 20 on the outdoor patio; Legends Never Die, the bar within the restaurant, can accommodate sit-down meals for as many as 22 diners.

In the spirit of sister concepts The Ostrich and Blue Heron, both of which are speakeasy-style lounges located within Crust restaurants, The Goose opened in April within the Mercado del Lago location in Scottsdale. Throughout the 1,000-square-foot venue, decorative details like candlelit tables, a marbled floor, gold accents, and art deco design set a stylishly moody tone for events for as many as 42 guests. The bar serves high-concept cocktails with unique ingredients ranging from smoked bourbon to pomegranate tea syrup, and shareable dishes including charcuterie and pizza are available from Crust Simply Italian.