Fat Ox Has the Best Italian Bar Program in Town
The thing that drives me nuts about Italian places are the terrible cocktails (I know, fight me). Aperol everywhere, so many syrups, messes of amari, and so much ice. Not good ice, mind you, but the regular ol’ ice machine ice. Most places can’t even get a Negroni right. Fat Ox though—that’s my kind of Italian place. The food is bold but simple (ok, some of it is on the wild side)—as most good Italian is—but the drinks are top notch. Ponder this one: Green Gold, with tequila, pistachio, cucumber, and chimichurri. Or the Haunted Highway with Panamanian Rum, pumpkin, maple, rhum Agricole. If I lived closer I’d just go for drinks, and that’s a crazy thing to say about an Italian place.
Website: ilovefatox.com
Reservations: OpenTable
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Fat Ox Has 4.5 Yumpoints
APR 26, 2024
Foodists Awards: 2024 Finalists
FOOD PIONEER - Matt Carter
FEB 1, 2024
Phoenix New Times: The Top 100 Restaurants
Chances are you will have to make reservations to get a spot at Fat Ox. This fine dining experience is curated with special attention to the drinks, appetizers, and of course, entrees. The cocktail menu recently got an overhaul and now includes creations such as the Spice Queen made with whisky, chicory, black cardamom, turmeric and vanilla and the Green Gold which blends tequila with pistachio, cucumber and chimichurri. Both are a great way to complement the house bread that is served with a light ricotta spread.
NOV 9, 2023 / NIKKI BUCHANAN AND JAMIE KILLIN
Eater: 15 Fabulous Cocktail Bars to Try in Phoenix
Now that Bar Chef author and mixologist Christiaan Rollich has become bar director at Matt Carter’s sleek, high-end Italian enclave, the bar has taken a giant leap forward. Rollich, who thinks like a chef, is inspired by ingredients in Carter’s kitchen, and the delicious result is balanced, creative cocktails with ingredients such as turmeric and harissa.
AUG 7, 2023 / ASONTA BENETTI
Thrillist: The Scottsdale Restaurants You Should Be Dining at Right Now
Fat Ox’s elegant and contemporary setting matches the modern and sophisticated approach to Italian cuisine. It is definitely worthy of a special evening but the atmosphere is welcoming enough for a casual night out. And, quite frankly, whenever you can get chef Matt Carter’s handmade pasta, you should. New bar director, Christiaan Röllich, is using his years of top-tier libation creation to redesign the cocktail menu. The new drinks are impeccable, light, and easy to savor; make sure to try The Bartender’s Handshake for a fernet cocktail you will devour.
MAY 5, 2023 / LAUREN MILLINGTON
Female Foodie: The 10 Best Italian Restaurants in Phoenix
For a fine dining experience, we love Fat Ox in Scottsdale. Self-described as modern Italian, Fat Ox tends to showcase bolder flavors than the many Italian restaurants in Phoenix and on this guide. To start, you’ll be greeted with complimentary focaccia bread served with Calabrian chili butter and whipped ricotta drizzled with olive oil—a combination that leaves the typical bread and olive oil starter in the dust. Their menu is set up in true Italian style, structured around eating at least three courses. So, the pasta is on a small plate, intended to be followed by meat or fish.
MAR 6, 2023 / NIKKI BUCHANAN
Eater: 11 Top-Notch Italian Restaurants Around Phoenix
Fat Ox is the place to go for modern Italian food and the sort of see-and-be-seen crowd associated with Scottsdale. When it’s crowded (and that’s often), the Ox is noisy, but most customers pay no mind to the din once the riveting, beautifully plated food arrives. Pastas, one of the menu’s highlights, are made in-house daily, while premium proteins (think: Berkshire pork, branzino, Ora king salmon, and Linz Reserve steaks) are cooked over wood and charcoal in a custom-made hearth.
