Island Time

Coastal-inspired California restaurant Élephante arrives in Scottsdale

By Wendy Rose Gould / Photos courtesy of Élephante

Straight from balmy Santa Monica comes Élephante, a coastal-inspired restaurant with all the vibes of a modern eatery infused with island flair. The restaurant—located in Scottsdale Fashion Square—marks an exciting expansion for the Wish You Were Here Group and is the second-ever location of the California hotspot.

Dreamed up by renowned restaurateur and designer, Nick Mathers, the 12,000-square-foot dining destination leaves no detail unturned. From the furniture to the artwork, the space strives to transport you to the sun-drenched Mediterranean.

“We always aim to make guests feel like they’ve escaped somewhere else for a moment,” Mathers says. “I was most inspired by the island of Pantelleria off the Sicilian coast. On the island, there is a rock formation that resembles an elephant called the Arco dell’Elefante that inspired the name.”

This source of inspiration also has a desert-like feel with its rocky, cactus-spotted terrain. “If you took it and reoriented the island in the middle of Arizona, it wouldn’t look out of place,” he says. “Bringing Élephante to Scottsdale was a natural fit.”

While the custom-ordered decor and a vibe-y atmosphere are pillars, the menu offers plenty of tasty Italian fare. It features classics from the original Santa Monica restaurant that opened in 2018, including wood-fired pizzas made with long-fermented dough (and a starter that’s over 30 years old), diver scallops, a whole branzino and pastas made from scratch in-house.

“Some of my favorites are the vodka sauce canestri and the ricotta cavatelli with a pork fennel sausage ragù,” Mathers says. “We’ve added to our puccia bread offering with new options such as imported burrata and anchovies crudo and have expanded the selection of wood-fired entrées, such as dry-aged bone-in ribeye, a pork pluma that’s like the wagyu steak of pork and a lobster piccata—cooked whole and then split and drizzled with lemon-caper-butter sauce.”

Of course, you’re not truly on vacation without a drink in hand, and Élephante has you covered with its extensive beverage menu. From signature cocktails and mocktails to punch bowls, there’s a sip for every mood. Not sure what to order? Try the restaurant’s namesake cocktail, The Élephante, which fuses passion fruit, lemon, almond orgeat, Montenegro and Calabrian chili with your preferred choice of spirit.

“We want to deliver the total experience and not be just another place to eat,” Mathers says. “We want to make someone feel like they’ve been transported somewhere incredible. The idea is to go on vacation, while only driving a few blocks.”

Élephante Scottsdale, 7014 E. Camelback Road, Suite 601, Scottsdale AZ 85251; www.elephanterestauarants.com; 480.576.8168.