First Look: True Food Market brings grab-and-go options to Scottsdale

A fast-casual model with a market that features grab-and-go dishes and pantry items, True Food Kitchen’s playful, go-with-the-flow concept, True Food Market, will give hungry customers the option to stay or leave. The new breakfast-lunch-dinner spot will debut in Scottsdale on Oct. 7.

“We wanted to create a more casual and super fun place while bringing the same standard as True Food Kitchen with a chef-crafted feel,” says Matthew Padilla, senior vice president of culinary for True Food Kitchen. “We want to be a place where people can gather and come into a fun and welcoming space.”

Located at The Edge shopping center at Loop 101 and 90th Street, the Market comprises 2,800 square feet of dining, retail, and kitchen space. It will serve an all-day menu from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with breakfast served from 7 to 11 a.m. daily.

Try to make it to the launch early. The first 100 guests on opening day will receive a complimentary tote bag filled with goodies, including a $10 gift card for the restaurant, products and food and beverage samples.

Showing local love

When guests enter True Food Market, they'll find a retail section that showcases Arizona-made shelf-stable goods, including Passport Coffee and Tea selections, Honey Hive Farms honey, olive oil cake mix by Wild Rye Baking Co. and Phoenix chef and restaurateur Chris Bianco’s Bianco DiNapoli spaghetti and pizza sauces.

In a refrigerated case, they can pick up chef-prepared wraps, overnight oats and layered salads in clear jars — all packaged for portability. To wash it down, there's wine and beer — on tap from local breweries plus canned non-alcoholic options. The store will also sell local refreshers like True Nopal Cactus Water and Big Marble Organics lemon and hibiscus soft drinks. Self-serve stations include a cold beverage area and a warmer filled with breakfast tacos.

Padilla brings his culinary visions to life with homegrown ingredients like a seed oil-free roll from Noble Bread, Mount Hope spices and Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes used for flatbread sauces. “We partner with other local businesses to offer high-end ingredients that are super functional,” he says.

There are some crossover dishes from the Kitchen, like the gluten-free air-fried True Crisp’d Chicken, which debuted this summer, and twists on entree-sized salads. Popular beverages like the Kale Aid also made the transition.

New spins and twists

Market exclusives include house-made breakfast biscuits stuffed with egg and cheese, creamy smoothies and chopped salad flights that let indecisive diners order two or three varieties.

Another fun offering guests can find only at the new spot is the Pie Spiced smoothie, which is Padilla’s personal favorite. It's a drinkable version of the Kitchen’s beloved seasonal squash pie. It's the creation of former general manager Joe Bazzi, now the beverage manager at True Food Kitchen, who incorporated pieces of pie that didn’t sell that day into smoothies for the staff.

The torpedo roll is Padilla’s spin on the iconic Maine lobster roll, but with the restaurant's signature True Crisp’d Chicken as the centerpiece. It's adorned with fixings like barbecue ranch, Nashville sauce, Korean barbecue sauce and fresh vegetables. The breakfast migas taco is Padilla’s twist on the Kitchen’s brunch taco, and the flatbread is his reinvention of the pizza in quick form.

The broccoli and cheese flatbread has a special nostalgic place in Padilla’s heart, and belly. “One of my favorite soups is broccoli and cheddar, it’s a classic," he says. "And with fall coming up, I thought it would be perfect."

Real food for busy lives

The space has ample windows, allowing natural light to enhance the cheery and slightly retro vibe. During cooler months, employees can roll up a garage door to connect the interior dining area and the covered patio. Mid-century-inspired tables, chairs and banquettes add to the relaxed, throwback ambiance, while high ceilings and exposed steel beams create a contemporary open-and-airy feel.

Diners can see the chefs hard at work through a large kitchen window, a feature uncommon to a fast-casual eatery that True Food CEO John Williams hopes demonstrates "an implied transparency." “It shows how much we care about our food,” Williams says.

Launching the 16-year-old restaurant's new concept in Scottsdale was an obvious decision. It's the birthplace of the brand, which currently boasts 45 locations in 17 states. True Food's longtime following in the area made it the best locale for the launch, Williams says. He hinted that there may be more markets to follow in states where True Food Kitchens are established — and maybe even in states where they aren't yet.

“It’s a great place for us to start,” Williams says. “I’m very, very excited and can’t wait for it, and I hope everyone feels the same way.”

This spot was created to fit into customers’ busy lifestyles, whether they need a hot dinner to bring home, want to pick up a drink and snack to tide them over or desire only to sit with their lunch and iced coffee while checking emails. Williams calls it real food for real life.

“We want to make it easy to eat real food all the time, and understand where people are at and meet them there,” Williams says. “We realize it’s important for us to help people eat better, and this is another way for people to do that.”


True Food Market
8980 N. 90 St., Suite 124, Scottsdale