Family-Friendly Culinary Events in Scottsdale AZ

If you're looking for a family-friendly culinary experience in Scottsdale AZ, the Scottsdale Culinary Festival is the perfect place to go. This single-day event held at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick is one of the oldest food festivals in town and offers something for everyone. From delicious snacks and beverages to informative cooking demonstrations and live music performances, this event has it all. Plus, there's an exclusive VIP lounge with unlimited tastings and early access! My family loves to eat out, and before we had children, we made a pact to continue living life with children as close as possible to the days when we were just a couple.

We definitely use a babysitter if we want to try a fancy steakhouse, but we prefer to bring the kids whenever possible. I think every parent knows how difficult it can be to go out to eat with children, especially anxious toddlers. If it were for my kids, they would probably choose sites like Peter Piper and Chuck E. Cheese, but we only go there on special occasions.

While they may lack games for handing out tickets, I definitely prefer to support local restaurants with adult-oriented menus. I've put together a list of places that we frequent regularly, not only because the food is amazing, but they're also fun for parents and children. All of the restaurants downstairs have an area that allows children to get up from their seats and play. Every time our little ones are not forced to spend an hour tied to a high chair, they are obviously much happier.

This also makes it more enjoyable for parents instantly. Here are eight local restaurants that are fun for the whole family:

The Mission
The Vig
The Gladly
The Henry
The Arrogant Butcher
The Handlebar
The Mission South Scottsdale
The Mission Old Town

Family restaurants are ideal for families with children, but I think those families should remember that not everyone who eats at those restaurants has children. There are many different types of families, and everyone who pays to enjoy a meal has the right to enjoy it. If a family restaurant has a play area, that's great. If not, it is rude and selfish on the part of parents to let children run around the restaurant without supervision or discipline.

And if a baby is screaming, parents should take him outside until he stops crying. It's not true that when you have children you can continue with your same lifestyle. Their lives are different now and young children will benefit greatly if they learn to behave well and to be respectful to others who also try to enjoy their meals. If parents are not willing to teach this to their children, takeaway food is a great option for them.

Founded in 1978

, the Scottsdale Culinary Festival is, in particular, the oldest food festival in Scottsdale.

In addition to delicious snacks and beverages, the Scottsdale Culinary Festival also offers informative cooking demonstrations, live music performances, and unmissable VIP experiences. The single-day food festival includes a series of exciting cooking demonstrations, exclusive snacks prepared by chefs, expert-led alcoholic beverage tastings, live music and entertainment, photo sessions with celebrities and culinary personalities, and an exclusive VIP lounge with unlimited tastings and early access to this extravagant Scottsdale culinary event.

The Scottsdale jazz festival

, a tribute to the eleventh annual International Jazz Day and supported by a Scottsdale tourist grant each year, highlights dozens of local food vendors and Arizona-based restaurants in an outdoor setting at the Park-like Scottsdale Civic Center.