I think this is a smart move, and honestly, it feels overdue in the best way. DiMaggio’s has already built the kind of reputation that makes a second Valley location make sense, and Phoenix New Times says the restaurant has become a destination for athletes and other VIPs. That’s not the sort of pull you fake. You either have it, or you don’t.
Now it’s heading to Uptown Plaza this fall, and that location matters. Phoenix New Times reports the new spot will land at the heart of the shopping center on Camelback Road and Central Avenue, taking over the space where Lou Malnati’s served Chicago-style Italian eats for nearly nine years. That’s a pretty clean handoff in my book: one Italian-era chapter closing, another opening with a different vibe and a little more Valley swagger.
What I like most is that DiMaggio’s isn’t trying to act like a brand-new idea. It already has a home at The Grove in McCormick Ranch, where it serves giant bowls of pasta, according to Phoenix New Times. So this isn’t some random expansion for the sake of expansion. It’s a restaurant with a lane, and it’s leaning into it. That usually plays better than a place trying to be everything to everyone.
And yes, I’m reading the Uptown Plaza move as a sign of confidence. The center gets a restaurant with a built-in following, and DiMaggio’s gets a second stage in a part of the Valley that knows how to show up for a dinner spot with a little buzz. That’s the real story here: not just that a Scottsdale favorite is opening again, but that it’s opening in a place where the energy already feels right for it.
So no, I’m not treating this like a cautious maybe. I’m treating it like a good fit. DiMaggio’s has the kind of momentum that makes a second location feel less like a gamble and more like the obvious next move.
— Sloan Rivers
