FnB in Scottsdale serves inventive, veggie-forward New American fare using hyperlocal produce and pairs plates with stellar Arizona wines in an intimate setting.
"For more than a decade, James Beard Award-winning chef Charleen Badman has skillfully turned the Valley’s bounty into vegetable-rich plates drawing inspiration from a constellation of world cuisines. On her frequently changing seasonal menu, you might find socca (chickpea cakes, a specialty of Nice), Peruvian chicken spring rolls, or Hungarian potato bread, each dish enlivened with local ingredients and far-flung spices. Partner Pavle Milić echoes Badman’s local focus with a beverage menu that puts Arizona wines center stage." - Mcconnell Quinn, Chris Malloy, Nikki Buchanan
"FnB acolytes call its James Beard Award-winning chef and co-owner (whose given name is Charleen Badman) 'Veggie Whisperer' for a reason: She’s a wizard at turning local produce into enticing dishes." - Nikki Buchanan
"Your vegan-curious, picky eater friend texts about grabbing dinner. Take them to FnB and split some of the most creative plates in town. There’s a funky-tiled floor and stained glass, not unlike the house of every family’s favorite aunt with stellar taste in artsy coffee table books. The menu changes often, but their salads always use whatever super fresh produce they can secure (like kohlrabi, watermelon, or radishes). If they’re available, definitely order the crispy-kale-outside, almost-melty-inside falafel. Ask for one of the Los Milics Vineyard reds to cheers with, and check to see if they have the brioche donuts for dessert. " - lauren topor
"This pioneering vegetable-centric restaurant in downtown Scottsdale whisks hyperlocal Arizona produce in new directions, resulting in dishes new to the world. But this isn’t simply a case of a chef taking a hands-off approach and letting the carrots and kohlrabi shine. Charleen Badman is a creative and technically refined force. She shaves the kohlrabi into a salad with apple, aged cheddar, and horseradish, gives those carrots a Mexican street treatment and pairs them with lime-avocado mayo, chile, and cotija. The menu changes closely to track the evolving produce microseasons. Arizona beverage champion Pavle Milic matches Badman’s food with a thoughtful, thrilling drink program; libations often include local gose, esoteric ciders made from foraged apples, and a range of interesting potables from afar. Cocktails keep things relatively classic. All drinks are best enjoyed at the “FnBar,” a cozy, whimsically tiled room on the restaurant’s easternmost end." - Lizbeth Scordo, Chris Malloy
"Your vegan-curious, picky eater friend texts about grabbing dinner. Take them to FnB and split some of the most creative plates in town. There’s a funky-tiled floor and stained glass not unlike the house of every family’s favorite aunt with stellar taste in artsy coffee table books. The menu changes often, but their salads always use whatever super fresh produce they can secure (like kohlrabi, watermelon, or radishes). If they’re available, definitely order the crispy-kale-outside, almost-melty-inside falafel. Ask for one of the Los Milics Vineyard reds to cheers with, and check to see if they have the brioche donuts for dessert." - Lauren Topor
