“Call Her Martina” in Scottsdale Adds Upscale, Modern Twist to Mexican Cuisine

Nestled in Old Town Scottsdale, Call Her Martina is the modern Mexican restaurant that’s already a Valley standout for its culinary innovation – seamlessly blending tradition with a modern flair.

Since opening its doors in April 2022, this family-owned and operated restaurant has captivated taste buds with its unique concept. “It’s modern Mexican. It has traditional recipes, but we added a twist to every single dish,’ Elisa Moreno, Co-Owner explains.

The restaurant is the brainchild of the Moreno family, who drew inspiration from Mexico City’s current culinary trends. “If you’ve ever been to Mexico City, the gastronomy there, it’s amazing,” she said. Her father lived there for a decade, and it was the family’s love for the city, mixed with their passion for food that sparked the idea.

“It was always a dream of ours, to open one of those restaurants someday, but it was just a dream,” she said, “we never thought it was actually gonna happen.”

The Moreno family has built a menu that reflects the family’s culinary heritage. “We grew up eating a little bit of everything.” she explains, “My grandmother used to give us like artichokes and weird stuff that kids are not supposed to like. So, we all grew up being big foodies.”

The restaurant’s name, Call Her Martina, is a tribute to the women in their lives. Rather than using real names, “we basically made the restaurant like a character we knew,” she explains, “we wanted it to have a big personality.” “So, we said Martina – she’s gonna be mysterious, sexy, bold. Bottom line – it just represents all women.”

Among the restaurant’s best-selling dishes include the Taco’n Madre, prime ribeye steak tacos with a cheese crust, or the Quesabirria, tacos made with birria beef, also with a cheese crust, served with a side of birria broth. “Basically, everything that says ribeye in our menu is gonna be the favorites.”

And for happy hour, mezcal takes center stage. “It’s kind of like our tequila now. Mezcal cocktails are something else because you can create unique flavors. We realized that people here in Scottsdale are not used to mezcal, so most of our cocktails are mezcal based.”

“At the end of the day, you can taste the quality and that’s what’s gonna keep you coming back for more.”

And for this family, the future looks bright.

“We are working in building a new concept. I cannot share any details about what exactly it’s gonna be, but we’re working on it.”

Click here to learn more about Call Her Martina.

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Location:
7135 E. Camelback Rd. Unit #165
Scottsdale, Az 85251