"Matt Carter's tableside guacamole, built to order from a rolling cart, is the set piece, but the wood-grilled meats and a salt-block-lit room are why The Mission has held Old Town since 2008."
The Mission opened in 2008 on Brown Avenue in Old Town Scottsdale, the modern Latin restaurant from Scottsdale-raised chef Matt Carter, who also runs the Italian kitchen at Fat Ox nearby. In 2024 Carter took the Arizona Restaurant Association's lifetime achievement award for his work across the Valley.
It blends Spanish, Mexican and Central and South American influences over wood fire. For the wider field, see the Scottsdale dining guide.
Tortillas, salsas and sauces are made from scratch daily, and the meats come off a plancha or grill fired with pecan and mesquite. The signature is tableside guacamole, mashed to your taste from more than a dozen ingredients on a rolling cart; the crispy pork with cola-lime glaze and the skirt-steak tacos are the plates regulars return for. It is bold, smoke-driven cooking rather than a tasting-menu temple.
For the city's quieter rooms, see Scottsdale's fine-dining tables.
A wall of glowing Himalayan salt blocks lights the room, with candle-lit corners for two and a lively bar with communal tables. It runs warm and loud, better suited to a date, a birthday or a group than a silent dinner. Old Town foot traffic keeps weekend nights busy, so book ahead.
Start with the tableside guacamole, then build around the crispy pork with cola-lime glaze and the skirt-steak tacos, with a signature margarita alongside. Dinner runs roughly $50 to $80 a head. For other Latin and Mexican rooms in the area, see Scottsdale's Mexican restaurants.
The Mission suits a birthday or a first date: a salt-block-lit room, tableside guacamole and margaritas built for a celebration. See more birthday tables and first-date restaurants in Scottsdale.
Not for a hushed, formal business dinner or a tasting-menu night: The Mission is a warm, loud Old Town room built around shared plates, margaritas and a busy bar. Diners after a quiet, white-tablecloth or multi-course experience will be happier elsewhere in Scottsdale.
Matt Carter is the chef and owner of The Mission, which he opened in Old Town Scottsdale in 2008. Raised in Scottsdale, he also runs the Italian restaurant Fat Ox, and in 2024 he received the Arizona Restaurant Association's lifetime achievement award. His modern Latin cooking blends Spanish, Mexican and South American influences over a pecan and mesquite wood fire.
The Mission is at 3815 North Brown Avenue in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona, a short walk from the district's galleries and bars. The room is lit by a wall of Himalayan salt blocks, with candle-lit corners and a busy bar. Old Town foot traffic keeps weekend evenings full, so a reservation is worth making ahead of time.
Begin with the tableside guacamole, mashed to your taste from more than a dozen fresh ingredients on a rolling cart, which is the restaurant's signature. From there, the crispy pork with cola-lime glaze and the skirt-steak tacos are the standouts, alongside a signature margarita. Tortillas and salsas are made from scratch daily, so keep the chips coming.
Dinner at The Mission runs roughly $50 to $80 per person before drinks, putting it in the upper-mid range for Old Town Scottsdale. Shared starters like the tableside guacamole, wood-grilled mains and a round of the signature margaritas are the usual shape of a bill. It is built for a celebration rather than a quick weeknight meal.
Via themissionaz.com - Old Town Scottsdale
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