Location: 7240 E Main St, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Menu: European
Price: $$
Top Marks Café holds a special place in my heart – for many reasons. For one, every time I think back to living in Scottsdale, I think about all the places that put a smile on my face; and Top Marks Café is one of them. A few other reasons include the incredible gelato (made in-house), the fun and friendly atmosphere, and the owner, Jane.
Nestled away in Old Town Scottsdale, Top Marks isn’t just your average café. Proudly displayed when entering the Top Marks Café, you’ll see a sign that reads, “Top 50 Restaurants in Greater Phoenix”. And let me tell you this, that isn’t a small feat. The Arizona restaurant industry is huge – and very competitive. But once you visit Top Marks Café, you’ll understand why it’s made the top 50 list.
The Atmosphere at Top Marks Café
As soon as you step foot into Top Marks Cafe, you’ll be greeted by the warm and welcoming face of Jane Marks. Jane, who’s fabulously British and the owner of the cafe, has spent over 20 years working in the hospitality industry – which prepared her to open up her first establishment (while she was still living in London) called Soupendous. Jane then moved to Scottsdale in 2016, with the idea of opening up another venture, and thus, Top Marks Café was born.
Brilliantly British, Jane is one of the many reasons to visit Top Marks Café. Yes the food is amazing. Yes the service is great. But at the end of the day, the atmosphere of this place is something special in itself. With quirky trinkets, and odes to Jane’s British background scattered about, you’ll just want to hang out here, and with her all day.
The Service at Top Marks Café
We decided to head to Top Marks Café during the middle of the week, and early in the morning, around 9:00am. Ok, that’s not that early, but during our late night packing and studying for my citizenship test, 9:00am was early. Anywho! There were a few couples already seated outside on the patio, but we were the only ones within the restaurant when we first walked in. Score! I love when this happens, because it allows me to sneak in some photos before more people show up and get in my moody photographer way. I kid I kid.
We walked in and were immediately greeted by the warm voice of Jane Marks. She gave us a little tour of the place, explaining what was popular on the menu, showing us the display of gelato, and then turned and asked us what we’d like to drink.
Head to the next page to see what we ordered!
