In Europe, a telefèric is a cable car that takes you somewhere you couldn’t get to on your own. It’s a fitting name for Telefèric Barcelona, the West Coast eatery created by Spanish brother and sister Xavi and Maria Padrosa, who were trying to transport not just their native food, but that Spanish feeling to their new home in America.
From an early age, hospitality was in the Padrosa siblings’ blood. In the early 1990s, their parents opened Rondes, a restaurant in the Barcelona area. It was the first in Catalonia to serve pintxos, small skewered bites popular in Northern Spain. They named their second restaurant Telefèric after a model of a Swiss cable car they had in Rondes that guests loved. It’s a fitting tribute that Xavi and Maria kept the name for their own restaurant.
“I love that meaning because it has become even more powerful over time,” said Xavi. “When my parents chose the name Telefèric, it was connected to this idea of movement, connection, and being transported. Telefèric is the bridge between where we come from and where we are now. It carries a piece of Barcelona across the ocean and allows people here to experience it, even if they have never been. It also carries us personally—our family story, our memories, our culture—into a new chapter.”
Xavi and Maria literally grew up in their parents’ eateries, but neither planned to make a career in hospitality. Maria studied interior design, and Xavi was a stellar tennis player who dreamed of turning pro while on a college tennis scholarship in the Bay Area. But with hospitality ingrained, and when a dash of homesickness kicked in, so did the idea of a restaurant state-side.
“The restaurant idea didn’t happen overnight,” said Xavi. “It slowly started to take over when I realized how much I missed the feeling of home. Not just Spanish food, but the warmth, the energy, the way people gather around a table in Barcelona. That’s when the idea became very clear. We wanted to bring a piece of Spanish culture to California, and at the same time create a place where Spaniards living abroad could walk in and feel a little closer to home.”
When guests experience Telefèric Barcelona Scottsdale, they should feel like they’ve taken a trip to Spain, minus the jet lag. With her design experience, Maria brings every Telefèric Barcelona location to life using materials she personally sources in Barcelona. For Scottsdale, the first outlet outside California, the goal was to create a warm, Mediterranean vibe inside Scottsdale Fashion Square.
“Compared to some of our other locations, Scottsdale feels especially vibrant and elegant,” Xavi said. “It has a lively energy that makes it unique, while still carrying the warmth and soul of Telefèric Barcelona.” For the siblings, capturing that which is essentially Spanish culture is as important as bringing authentic cuisine.
“For me, feeling at home is not just about the food. It’s the warmth of the team, the sound of our employees speaking Spanish in the dining room, the smell of paella arriving at the table, and the Mediterranean atmosphere created with materials imported from Spain that truly transport you there,” said Xavi. The tone is set in every location by a Spanish general manager.
“Authenticity comes from people,” states Xavi. “You can import ingredients, furniture, tiles, and wine (and we do), but the soul of the restaurant comes from the people leading it. Having Spanish managers means the guest experience is guided by people who understand the culture naturally. They know how a paella should arrive, how a table should be treated, and how to create that feeling of warmth and celebration.”
Most Arizonans are familiar with Spanish tapas, paellas, and sangría, and Telefèric Barcelona brings all that and more to its Scottsdale location. “Our menu is a balance between tradition, creativity, and the local guest,” said Xavi. “We always keep the dishes that define us most, including paellas, Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, croquetas, and other Spanish classics, and then we introduce additional dishes depending on the location and the community.” With a nod to the popularity of brunch in Scottsdale, Telefèric Barcelona is the only location that offers it, featuring standout items like the Barcelona Chicken Sandwich and a spin on steak & eggs.
Since opening in March, some of the most popular dishes on the menu are the crab croquetas, patatas bravas, Wagyu empanadas, and, of course, seven different types of cooked-to-order paella. “Paella is often the dish that surprises people the most because it is so distinctive and deeply rooted in tradition,” said Xavi. “It is not something easy to replicate; you need the right pans, the right technique, and very specific Spanish ingredients.”
Since its first U.S. location in Walnut Creek, California, in 2016, the Padrosa siblings have continued to bring Spanish cuisine and culture to hungry diners on the West Coast. The eighth location just opened in La Jolla, and a Newport Beach outlet is slated for later this year.
“We look for cities where people are curious, social, and excited about dining as an experience,” said Xavi. “Telefèric is not just a place to eat; it’s a place to gather, share, celebrate, and discover. The future isn’t measured by the number of locations we open, but by the experiences we have yet to create. When we look at tomorrow, our single true goal is simple: all we want is to enjoy and have fun doing what we love, because that energy transfers directly to the dining room.”
written by: dena rochè
photographed by: luke irvin
𖡡 7014 east camelback road #0561, scottsdale, arizona 85251
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