"The Royal Palms' Spanish Colonial room - chef Lee Hillson's open-hearth Mediterranean cooking under Camelback Mountain, for a romantic Phoenix dinner."
About T. Cook's
T. Cook's is the flagship restaurant of the Royal Palms Resort and Spa, at 5200 E Camelback Rd in the Camelback East area of Phoenix, at the foot of Camelback Mountain. It takes its name from Delos Willard Cooke, who built the original estate off Camelback Road in 1929, and the dining room keeps that Spanish Colonial character, built around an open hearth. Executive chef Lee Hillson leads the kitchen.
The cooking is Mediterranean, drawing on Northern Italy, Greece and Spain. For more of the city's high-end tables, compare the cliffside Different Pointe of View, the French-Southwestern Vincent's on Camelback and the hillside Lon's at the Hermosa. For the wider category, see our fine dining guide or plan a milestone with our anniversary picks.
The Kitchen
Chef Lee Hillson cooks Mediterranean food with bold flavours and regional notes from Northern Italy, Greece and Spain, much of it finished over the room's open hearth. The seasonal menu rotates through breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, with delicacies such as garlic and rosemary lamb chops, wood-roasted black striped bass with pumpkin mash, lobster carpaccio with ham broth and sweet corn, house-made pasta bolognese and cioppino. Prices sit at the upper end for Phoenix, in line with the resort setting and the kitchen's ambition: this is a polished, occasion-minded dinner rather than an everyday one. The hearth and the rotating menu keep the cooking seasonal and ingredient-led across the day.
The Room
The room carries the Royal Palms' Spanish Colonial style: warm plaster, dark wood and an open hearth at its centre, with a patio that looks toward Camelback Mountain. It sits within the resort on Camelback Road, between the Biltmore area and Scottsdale, with valet parking and the grounds' courtyards around it. The setting reads romantically for an anniversary or a special date, while the patio and the daytime brunch and lunch service open it up to a more relaxed visit. Reservations are recommended, particularly for dinner, weekend brunch and patio tables in the cooler months.
Best for an Anniversary
The hearth-warmed Spanish Colonial room, the mountain-facing patio and the Mediterranean menu make T. Cook's a romantic anniversary or first date, and a graceful room to impress clients over dinner in Phoenix.
Not for
Not for a quick or budget meal - this is an upper-end resort dining room built around an open hearth and a seasonal Mediterranean menu, best saved for a romantic or special-occasion dinner.
Frequently Asked
What is T. Cook's known for?
T. Cook's is known for Mediterranean fine dining cooked over an open hearth in the Spanish Colonial dining room of the Royal Palms Resort, with chef Lee Hillson's dishes such as garlic and rosemary lamb chops, wood-roasted bass and lobster carpaccio, at the foot of Camelback Mountain.
Where is T. Cook's?
T. Cook's is at 5200 E Camelback Rd in the Camelback East area of Phoenix, within the Royal Palms Resort and Spa, between the Biltmore area and Scottsdale at the foot of Camelback Mountain, with valet parking on the resort grounds.
Who is the chef at T. Cook's?
Executive chef Lee Hillson leads the kitchen at T. Cook's, cooking Mediterranean food with regional notes from Northern Italy, Greece and Spain, much of it finished over the dining room's open hearth.
How much does T. Cook's cost?
T. Cook's sits at the upper end for Phoenix, in line with its resort setting. It is a polished, occasion-minded restaurant serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, so plan for a special-occasion spend at dinner in particular.
Do I need a reservation at T. Cook's?
Reservations are recommended, especially for dinner, weekend brunch and patio tables in the cooler months. The restaurant is part of the Royal Palms Resort and Spa and serves across the day, so earlier sittings can be easier to book.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at T. Cook's
Reservations are recommended for dinner and patio tables; T. Cook's is at the Royal Palms Resort, 5200 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix.
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Practical Information
Address5200 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018
NeighbourhoodCamelback East (Royal Palms Resort and Spa)
CuisineMediterranean
PriceUpper-end Phoenix; seasonal Mediterranean menu across the day
Dress CodeSmart casual
SeatingSpanish Colonial room with an open hearth and a mountain-facing patio
ReservationRecommended
