What: Postino
Website: Click here
Where: 7030 E. Greenway Parkway, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Rating: 
Why:
The Kierland Commons outdoor shopping centre in Scottsdale, Arizona, boasts a number of excellent restaurants, and this one is a shining example of just that.
At first blush, Postino seems like a smart casual Italian restaurant – and it is at least that – but it is actually also a very worthwhile wine and cocktail bar.
This venue is one of a number of Postino restaurants across Arizona, Colorado and Texas, and their website markets them as “wine cafes” – which seems unkind if this restaurant is typical of the group. The quality of the food, drinks, and for that matter, the professional and ebullient service, makes this excellent venue much less cafe and much more restaurant and wine/cocktail bar. It could be fine dining if not for its more casual and relaxed atmosphere.
Most of the staff are young twenty-somethings and most of them seem to have the gift of the gab and to have received very good training. Our waiter was certainly able to make great food and drink pairing suggestions, which was unexpected but most welcome.
The ambience probably depends upon the time of day – it was lunchtime when we attended and the restaurant was only half full with a relaxed, casual atmosphere where you could have a quiet conversation if you were a duo, or you could come as a group and be seated outside if you wanted to make more noise. However, with tiled flooring and great acoustics, the atmosphere would likely become quite energetic with the after-work crowd, amongst whom we imagine this place is quite popular. Your quiet conversations should probably be reserved for before 5pm or after 8pm.
There are separate menus for the food and the wine / cocktails – the cocktails are certainly worth a look. Be wary though, they carry a potency that will make two more than enough if you want to walk out straight and certainly only one if you are going to go near a steering wheel.
The food itself is predominantly Italian fare, and the generous servings are full of flavour and more than a hint of spice if requested. The pasta is reportedly home made and absolutely delicious. Requests for more parmesan are always cheerfully granted.
As we have found with other venues in Kierland Commons, service is swift and friendly and the food and drinks also come out swiftly.
The restaurant is well-lit, during the day mainly with natural light which is used well courtesy of slightly higher white corrugated iron ceilings. This comfortable brightness seems exemplified in the effervescence of most of the staff. That combined with excellent quality food and drink results in a most enjoyable experience throughout, which will likely be topped off by a fairly modest bill at the end.
We’d have to be quite pernicketty to fault the experience we enjoyed there. It’s a “must visit” if you are passing through or staying in Scottsdale.
