Old Town Tortilla Factory closes after 30 years in Scottsdale

For three decades, the patio at Old Town Tortilla Factory was where Scottsdale went to celebrate. Engagements, anniversaries, family birthdays, first dates that turned into second dates – all of it happened under century-old pecan trees on East Main Street, with a cold margarita and a basket of warm, flavored tortillas on the table.

Today, however, the patio sits empty. For good.

Old Town Tortilla Factory opened in 1996 and quickly became one of Scottsdale’s signature dining destinations, known for Southwestern fare with a Mexican twist. Chad Flaum bought the restaurant five years after it opened, steering it through a rocky stretch before the neighborhood – helped along by the arrival of the Hotel Valley Ho and a wave of new condos – filled in around it. In recent years, Flaum’s son, James, has managed the restaurant’s day-to-day operations.

The restaurant’s identity was built on small, distinctive touches: complimentary house-made tortillas served with a different flavored butter daily, a 1,400-square-foot flagstone patio, and a freestanding bar gazebo pouring more than 120 tequilas. Regulars brought their out-of-town guests there specifically to show off the patio. It was a Scottsdale institution.

The end came in two acts. On June 28, the restaurant told followers it was closing for a few weeks:

‘‘We’ll be closed June 30th through August 2nd and back on the patio August 3rd. Thank you for your continued support – we’ll see you soon!’’

Plenty of Valley restaurants go dark for part of the summer, and there was no reason to think this was anything else. Then, on Friday – just three days before the promised reopening – the restaurant posted again. This time, there was no coming back:

‘‘Old Town Tortilla Factory has decided to close after three decades of serving Scottsdale! It is with much gratitude that we say goodbye to our restaurant that has been a gathering place for celebrations, special occasions, family dinners, date nights, and countless memories. It is an end of an era and stay tuned for what is next. Most importantly thank you for your patronage and allowing us to serve you over the years. Cheers from your friends at TF.’’

What changed in the month between those two posts hasn’t been explained publicly. Attempts to reach the Flaums for comment were unsuccessful. There was no one at the restaurant Saturday, and its phone went unanswered.

The restaurant’s own farewell post promised more news is coming – ‘‘stay tuned for what is next’’ – but as of now, no details have been shared publicly about what will take the restaurant’s place on Main Street, just west of Goldwater.