Most Festive Christmas Restaurants in Phoenix (2026)
15 festive restaurants and two Christmas menus across Phoenix, Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, from decorated dining rooms to resort dinners and dinner before the luminarias.
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Every restaurant in this guide gets its Christmas from somewhere specific: a dining room that decorates, the resort or estate around it, or a holiday attraction you can pair with dinner. Phoenix does Christmas in its own way. Dinner might be beside an adobe fireplace hung with garlands, inside a historic estate strung with lights, or right before a walk through a desert garden glowing with luminarias.
If you only book one, start with LON's at The Hermosa Inn for a romantic dinner. La Hacienda at the Princess is the big family outing, Gertrude's is dinner before the luminarias, and ZuZu pairs a retro roller rink with dessert. For decorations inside the restaurant itself, keep Salt + Lime's Feliz Navidad Cantina, AZ88 and Hanny's on your list as their 2026 plans take shape.
Phoenix Christmas Restaurants at a Glance
All 17 places, where the Christmas comes from, and the 2026 dates announced so far. At the resort and Garden picks, the restaurant table and the holiday attraction are booked separately.
| Restaurant | Area | The Christmas setting | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt + Lime, Shea | Central Scottsdale | Ornaments, lights and tinsel through the dining room | To come |
| BLVD Kitchen & Bar | Old Town Scottsdale | Miracle holiday takeover | Nov 27–Dec 24 |
| Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails | Downtown Phoenix | A Christmas Story pop-up | From Nov 27; short run |
| Hanny's | Downtown Phoenix | An unconventional Christmas tree | Tree dates to come |
| AZ88 | Old Town Scottsdale | A Christmas tree treated as art | Tree dates to come; closed Dec 25 |
| LON's at The Hermosa Inn | Paradise Valley | Adobe fireplaces, garlands, garden patio | Dec 24–25 dinners; brunch Dec 13 |
| T. Cook's at Royal Palms | Camelback corridor | Historic estate lights and decor | Santa brunch Dec 13; dinner Dec 25 |
| Prado at Omni Montelucia | Paradise Valley | Lit courtyards and the Cortijo Plaza tree | Seasonal; confirm holiday menu |
| Mowry & Cotton at The Phoenician | Camelback / Scottsdale | Luminous Winter and a lit cactus garden | Christmas feast Dec 25 |
| Talavera at Four Seasons | North Scottsdale | Resort decor and firelight | Dinner Dec 24; resort brunch Dec 25 |
| McArthur's at Arizona Biltmore | Biltmore area | Resort gingerbread display | Teddy Bear Tea Dec 6 and 20 |
| COURSE | Central Scottsdale | 12 Days of Christmas tasting menu | Dec 11–30, Tue–Sat |
| El Chorro | Paradise Valley | Christmas Eve and Day dinners | Dec 24–25 |
| Gertrude's by Tarbell's | Papago Park | Las Noches de las Luminarias | Selected nights Nov 27–Jan 3 |
| La Hacienda at the Princess | North Scottsdale | Christmas at the Princess | Nov 20–Jan 2 |
| Tía Carmen at JW Desert Ridge | Desert Ridge | Jingle at JW lights and skating | Nov 18–Jan 3 |
| ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho | Old Town Scottsdale | Ho Holidays roller rink and firepits | Nov 23–Jan 3; closed Dec 3 |
Phoenix Restaurants That Go All Out for Christmas
These are the dining rooms and pop-ups where the decorations are the main event. Three are annual traditions still waiting on 2026 dates, so check before you build a night around them. BLVD and Blue Hound also appear in our Phoenix Christmas bars guide, along with the rest of the season's pop-ups.
Salt + Lime, Shea
9397 E Shea Blvd #115, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, USA
For sheer Christmas exuberance, Salt + Lime's Feliz Navidad Cantina belongs near the top of the list. Past editions have filled the Shea dining room with hanging ornaments, lights and tinsel, with Christmas movies playing while tacos and enchiladas keep the table busy. The decorations are the event; the meal stays casual. Details: 2026 dates and holiday seating rules are still to come, so confirm before a special trip. Book the Shea location specifically (480-661-5463).
BLVD Kitchen & Bar
7324 E Indian School Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251, USA
Miracle takes over BLVD's indoor-outdoor space with lights, seasonal drinks, live music and a lively holiday crowd. It's the cocktail-leaning pick for a relaxed catch-up surrounded by decorations. The regular menu runs to burgers, tacos and sandwiches, but the pop-up can use a shorter one. Details: Miracle runs November 27–December 24. Call 480-481-0400 about seating and holiday food service if this is your main dinner.
Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails
2 E Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
Blue Hound is leaning into A Christmas Story this season, giving a downtown meal a dose of holiday-movie nostalgia. Themed drinks come with crab wontons, walnut shrimp, char siu spare ribs and crab fried forbidden rice, so bring a group happy to share plates. Details: begins November 27 for a short run; the final date hasn't been announced. Confirm the end date and the food for your seating before reserving.
Hanny's
40 N 1st St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
Hanny's gives Christmas an artistic streak with its tradition of unconventional holiday trees, set inside a former downtown department store. Thin-crust pizza, sandwiches and salads keep it easy: a pizza to share, a martini, and time to take in whatever shape this year's tree takes. Details: the 2026 tree and installation dates are still to come. Check that it's up if the tree is the reason you're going.
AZ88
7353 E Scottsdale Mall, Scottsdale, AZ 85251, USA
AZ88 treats its Christmas tree as an art installation, and seeing what it does with the idea each year is half the fun. Settle in with dinner and a martini in a lively Old Town room that suits a date or a small group. Details: the 2026 tree design and dates are still to come. Parties are capped at eight. Christmas Eve hours are 11 a.m.–4 p.m., and it's closed Christmas Day.
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Seasonal favorites to watch. These takeovers ran last season but haven't announced a 2026 return, so check for fresh dates before booking for the decorations.
Bar Blitzen at Culinary Dropout, Tempe and Gilbert. Past editions turned The Coop at both locations into an extravagant Christmas bar. Book The Coop specifically if it returns. 149 S. Farmer Avenue, Tempe; 383 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert.
Frosty Flamingo at Royale Kitchen + Cocktails. Last year's edition turned the Flamingo Room patio into a pink Christmas scene with a flocked tree. Royale is still a good casual meal; check for the event itself before planning around it. 635 W. Glenrosa Avenue, Suite 101, Phoenix.
Christmas in the Parlor at Sottise. The French bistro's 2025 parlor event paired vintage holiday decor with a sweet-and-savory tasting. It was an after-hours format, so check how it works as well as the dates if it returns. 1025 N. 2nd Street, Phoenix.
Christmas Dinners in a Festive Setting
These are the picks for a dressed-up dinner, a romantic evening or a holiday meal with several generations at the table. At the resorts and the Royal Palms estate, the decorations live in the grounds, lobbies and courtyards as much as the dining room; COURSE and El Chorro earn their place with the Christmas menu itself.
LON's at The Hermosa Inn
5532 N Palo Cristi Rd, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253, USA
Adobe walls, fireplaces, garlands and a garden patio make LON's our first choice for an intimate desert Christmas. The setting suits a long conversation over a seasonal meal, and a December gingerbread workshop with a brunch buffet gives families their own reason to come. Details: three-course dinners run December 24 (4–8 p.m.) and December 25 (noon–8 p.m.), $135 per adult and $35 per child plus tax and gratuity. Patio seating is a request, not a guarantee. The December 13 gingerbread brunch is booked separately.
T. Cook's at Royal Palms
5200 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018, USA
Royal Palms' lights and decorations make Christmas dinner feel like an occasion before you sit down. T. Cook's follows through with Mediterranean-inspired cooking and an intimate dining room, ideal for a couple who wants to dress up and linger. Families get the December Santa brunch, with photos in the Mansion Courtyard. Details: Christmas Day dinner is three courses, 1–8 p.m., $175 per adult before tax and gratuity. Santa brunch is December 13; photos run 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., first come, first served.
Prado at Omni Montelucia
4949 E Lincoln Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85253, USA
Montelucia's sparkling courtyards and the tree in Cortijo Plaza bring Christmas to the resort's Spanish-inspired grounds, with Prado's dinner at the center of the plan. Arrive before your table to walk the lights, then settle in for a leisurely meal. Details: dinner reservations are required; confirm the holiday menu for your date. The resort's holiday bar is a separate venue with its own schedule.
Mowry & Cotton at The Phoenician
6000 E Camelback Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251, USA
The Phoenician's Luminous Winter supplies the glow here, including an illuminated cactus garden, and Mowry & Cotton is the approachable way to turn it into dinner. A Christmas feast sits alongside individual dishes, which helps when the group wants some flexibility. For something more formal on the same property, J&G Steakhouse runs its own Christmas dinner. Details: December 25 service is 1–9 p.m.; the Christmas feast is $70 per person, and J&G's Christmas Day menu is $170. Confirm the final bill and access to resort activities when booking.
Talavera at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale
10600 E Crescent Moon Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85262, USA
Firelight, open-air spaces and the resort's Christmas touches make Talavera the holiday splurge with the desert built in. Book the Spanish steakhouse for Christmas Eve, or gather several generations at the resort's Christmas Day brunch, which adds live music and activities for kids. Details: Christmas Eve dinner is $170 per person. The December 25 brunch is $225 per adult and $75 for ages 5–12, before tax and gratuity; children under five eat free. Reserve the specific holiday experience.
McArthur's at Arizona Biltmore
2400 E Missouri Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA
The Biltmore's lobby gingerbread house and seasonal celebrations set the mood, and McArthur's is the relaxed way to fit a meal around them. The New American menu covers an everyday family breakfast, lunch or dinner, with time to wander the public spaces before or after. Details: for a dedicated holiday treat, Teddy Bear Tea at Renata's Hearth runs December 6 and 20 and is booked separately. Check McArthur's holiday-day hours when choosing a date.
COURSE
7366 E Shea Blvd Ste 106, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, USA
COURSE turns December into a 12 Days of Christmas tasting menu, a long, food-focused evening for an enthusiastic dining companion or a small group happy to hand the kitchen the night. Details: December 11–30, Tuesday–Saturday. Select the holiday experience when booking, and confirm the menu, dietary accommodations and price.
El Chorro
5550 E Lincoln Dr, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253, USA
For a classic Christmas Eve or Christmas Day dinner with everyone around one table, El Chorro's desert setting and three-course holiday menus fit the tradition, especially for a group that prefers a sit-down meal to a big attraction. Details: menus are announced for December 24 and 25; final dishes and prices are still to come.
Dinner Plus a Christmas Attraction
These evenings pair a restaurant table with a holiday event on the same grounds: luminarias, a resort festival, skating or a roller rink. Dinner doesn't include the attraction, so book both. Our Phoenix Christmas lights guide and holiday ice skating guide cover the attractions themselves.
Gertrude's by Tarbell's
1201 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA
Las Noches de las Luminarias fills the Desert Botanical Garden with glowing paths, festive displays and live performances, and Gertrude's lets you build the whole evening around it. Dinner first, then the walk: it's one of our favorite plans for a December date or for visiting family, and the seasonal, desert-inspired cooking fits the setting. Details: Luminarias runs on selected nights, November 27–January 3, 5–9:30 p.m. Book Gertrude's and the event separately, and check the event calendar before choosing your dinner date.
La Hacienda at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
7575 E Princess Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85255, USA
Christmas at the Princess brings huge light displays, an enormous plaza tree and holiday activities to the resort, and La Hacienda puts a proper dinner at the center of it. Mexican food keeps the mood celebratory for family or friends; Bourbon Steak is the alternative when the occasion calls for a steakhouse splurge. Details: the festival runs November 20–January 2. Dining-only guests get a separate wristband through valet. A restaurant reservation doesn't include festival admission, attractions or parking.
Tía Carmen at JW Marriott Desert Ridge
JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort, 5350 E Marriott Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85054, USA
Jingle at JW fills the resort with Christmas lights, skating and an ICE! attraction, and Tía Carmen gives the outing a substantial dinner. Tostadas, mesquite-grilled meats and hearty vegetable dishes suit a group with different appetites. Details: Jingle at JW runs November 18–January 3. Reserve dinner and attraction tickets separately, and budget for paid resort parking. Day guests are welcome; hotel guests get booking priority.
ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho
6850 E Main St, Scottsdale, AZ 85251, USA
Hotel Valley Ho turns its OH Pool into Ho Holidays, a retro roller rink with festive touches and firepit lounging, and ZuZu is the cheerful base for the evening. Have brunch or dinner, save room for the seasonal Show Stopper Shake, then lace up. It works for a family evening or a date with something to do before dessert. Details: Ho Holidays runs November 23–January 3 and is closed December 3. Admission is $25 with skate rental, sold separately from your ZuZu table.
Tips for a Festive Phoenix Christmas Dinner
- Book each part of the evening. At the Princess, JW Desert Ridge, Hotel Valley Ho and the Desert Botanical Garden, the restaurant table and the holiday attraction are separate bookings, and dinner doesn't cover parking or tickets.
- Keep Christmas Day separate from the season. A great December pick can still close on December 25 (AZ88 does), so book a dated holiday meal for the day itself.
- Ask for the setting you pictured. If a tree, patio or fireplace is why you booked, request it and ask what can be guaranteed, then bring a layer for time outside. After dinner, our cozy bars guide has a quieter drink nearby.
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