Dining Guide | Local Harvest: 9 Hot Spots for Cool Summer Salads

With the 100-plus temperatures in full swing, we are all looking for the best ways to beat the heat. Salads tend to be the perfect summer fare; light, cool and refreshing. Summer in Arizona is the prime harvest season for many fruits and vegetables and with so many restaurants promoting local sourcing and farm to table menus, you are bound to find a local grower’s bounty on your plate. Feast your eyes and taste buds on the best that Scottsdale has to offer in the way of refreshing, original and cool summer salads.

9 Hot Spots for Cool Summer Salads

Cowboy Ciao
7133 E. Stetson Drive| Scottsdale| 480.WINE.111
Stetson Chopped Salad        $13.00
This salad is quite possibly the most popular offering on their menu and for good reason. The simplicity of the preparation along with the thoughtfulness of the ingredients make this a classic Scottsdale Salad and a perfect introduction to a meal as well as standing on its own. Comprised of smoked salmon, pearl couscous, arugula, marinated tomatoes, sweet dried corn, ‘Ciao’ trail mix (asiago, pepitas, dried black currants), and a pesto buttermilk dressing. Your salad will arrive in a gorgeous display, each component laid side by side and will be tossed by your server tableside. Not a fan of salmon? Feel free to substitute avocado or grilled and diced herb chicken.

elements
5700 E. McDowell Road| Paradise Valley| 800.245.2051
Shaved Vegetables & Roasted Beets          $13.00
The decadence of the menu at elements is rivaled only by the stunning dining views. The menu is full of carefully crafted farm-fresh American cuisine with Asian accents and the shaved vegetable and roasted beets salad is a shining example of this. Created by Executive Sous Chef Aaron Rickels, the sweet earthy flavor of the beets combined with the bite of local feta are in perfect contrast to the sweetness of the honey walnut drizzle and the complexity of the added pomegranate. This salad is built to delight and impress.

Grassroots Kitchen and Tap
8120 N. Hayden Road| Scottsdale| 480.699.03699
Cardiff Salad   $13.00
As a fourth generation restaurateur, Christopher Collins knows what it takes to create a successful restaurant as well as orchestrate dishes that keep loyal customers. The eclectic menu ensures that there is something for everyone. Here, the Cardiff salad is definitely eye-catching. A salad with poached shrimp, field greens, cherry tomatoes, corn, California avocado, radishes and edamame sounds phenomenal on its own but the most intriguing component of this salad is the Louis dressing. The dressing is essentially a creative cross between a Russian-style dressing and cocktail sauce which pairs brilliantly with the poached shrimp. Perfect for when your salad needs a little kick!

The Herb Box
7134 E. Stetson Drive| Scottsdale| 480.289.6160
Serrano-Avocado Shrimp Salad       $15.00
What the Herb Box may lack in square footage, Chefs Susan Wilcox, and Becky Windels more than compensate with big and bold flavors. With a menu so rife with fresh and healthy options, it’s hard to make a decision at the Herb Box, but the salad that shines brightest is the Serrano-Avocado Shrimp Salad. Your palate will delight from the crispy shrimp, wild arugula, fried fennel, and pancetta. Add to that the flavor contrast that comes from the Serrano pepper and the lemon-honey vinaigrette and if you do it just right and save the avocado toasts for last, you can delight in the texture of the slightly softened bread and the creaminess of the avocado.

Humble Pie
6501 E Greenway Pkwy.| Scottsdale| 480.998.2199
Veggie Salad  $12.50
When you’re too heated to choose one of Humble Pie’s 25 pizza pies, be sure to treat yourself to their gratifying Veggie Salad. Comprised of avocado, jicama, white beans, green beans, tomatoes and house mozzarella with a herb vinaigrette, this salad is anything but humble. Crunchy, creamy with the slightest bit of sweetness from the jicama creates the perfect alternative or complement to pizza.

Original ChopShop Co.
7158 E. 5th Ave.| Scottsdale| 480.794.1536
BBQ Chicken Salad              $9.00
A fast-casual restaurant that uses only the freshest seasonal ingredients to prove that you can eat healthy food on the go without sacrificing flavor or affordability? Sounds like the best idea ever. The menu boasts unexpected twists on familiar dishes and their BBQ Chicken Salad could certainly become a new favorite. The traditional ingredients: house greens, chicken, cheddar cheese, corn, green onions and tomato get introduced to corn nuts, cilantro, and a bbq ranch dressing, kicking up familiar flavors just the right amount of notches.

Picazzo’s Organic Italian Kitchen
7325 E. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd.| Scottsdale| 480.990.2212
The Berry-licious        $12.00
While Picazzo’s may be known for their creative, organic, and allergy sensitive pizzas, they also have extensive salad offerings. If you like a little sweetness and tang to your salad, then the Berry-licious is right up your alley. Mixed with organic greens, spinach, strawberry, orange, feta, sweet walnuts and a berry balsamic dressing, this salad hits all the marks. The crunch of the sweet walnuts paired with the crisp greens and the smoothness of the feta provide a great textural contrast and the fresh fruit and tang of the dressing scream summer.

Rancho Pinot
6208 N. Scottsdale Road| Scottsdale| 480.367.8030
Shaved Summer Squash      $12.00
Chef Chrysa Roberson is renowned for using only the freshest and best available ingredients, organic and local when available, and she’s looking to change your mind about fava beans. Fava beans have received a bad rap based on their connection to a certain Dr. Lecter. These nutty little legumes when matched up with creamy burrata, mint, crunchy Marcona almonds, dry cured olives and tossed with lemon and olive oil result in a light and elegant salad perfect for a summer day and deserving of a nice chianti.

True Food Kitchen
15191 N. Scottsdale Road| Scottsdale| 480.265.4500
Farmer’s Market Salad (gluten free/ vegetarian)    $11.00
Knowing that all items on the menu here are based on Dr. Andrew Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid, you’d be sure to feel great with any dish out of the open kitchen. The Farmer’s Market Salad is a perfect choice for summer. This gluten free and vegetarian salad features peas, asparagus, artichokes, avocado, mint, fava bean, manchego and a champagne vinaigrette. The salad exhibits some bold, but not overpowering, flavors while the vinaigrette is light and bright. This salad will give you a new appreciation for kale!

This article was originally featured in the August 2013 issue of So Scottsdale Magazine, where Taryn Jeffries is a monthly contributor.