PHOENIX — Foodies in Arizona will want to make sure to add two restaurants to their “must-visit” list.
That’s because The Italiano in Scottsdale and Badger’s Den in Prescott were both ranked in Yelp’s Best New Restaurants of 2025 list.
The Italiano came in at No. 9 on the list, while Badger’s Den was ranked at No. 19. Afro-Caribbean restaurant Dōgon from Washington D.C. topped the list.
To qualify for the list, the restaurants had to open after Jan. 1, 2024. Yelp then looked at multiple factors, including the number of reviews and how highly restaurants were rated between Jan. 1, 2024, and June 11, 2025.
Why was The Italiano named a top new restaurant?
The Italiano, which was opened by Valley-based The Maggiore Group and award-winning chef Joey Maggiore in September 2024, was honored due to its selection of handmade pasta and dining room that is meant to make diners feel as if they have been transported to Italy.
Chef Joey Maggiore said he opened the restaurant as a tribute to his late father, Tomaso, a legendary Valley chef who opened Tomaso’s Italian Restaurant at 32nd Street and Camelback Road in 1977.
“I want to bring memories to the table and make food so authentic that, if you shut your eyes, you think you’re in Italy,” Joey Maggiore told Yelp.
Customers specifically highlighted The Italiano’s chicken parmigiana, short rib lasagna and Sicilian cannoli cigars.
The Italiano is located on the southeast corner of Shea Boulevard and 92nd Street in Scottsdale.
The Maggiore Group operates several other restaurants in the Valley, including The Mexicano, Hash Kitchen, The Sicilian Butcher and The Sicilian Baker.
Why was Badger’s Den named a top new restaurant?
Badger’s Den, which opened in July 2024 by Chef Ryan Foster, a Prescott local, and his wife, Kat, was honored due to its rustic and family-friendly atmosphere, along with its menu, which features barbecue, steaks and seafood.
The restaurant evolved from a food truck that the Fosters opened in 2019 called The Hungry Badger.
Dishes on the Badger’s Den menu noted by reviewers included a smoked brisket sandwich, Boston clam chowder and a pork chop with an apricot glaze.
Badger’s Den can be found near White Spar and Haisley roads, just south of downtown Prescott.
The post 2 Arizona eateries named to Yelp’s best new restaurants list appeared first on KTAR.
