Sphinx Date Ranch vs Desert Sun Dates: Scottsdale Institution or Farm-Direct Shipping?

Sphinx Date Ranch is a Scottsdale institution — a specialty date shop with roots going back generations, named for the Black Sphinx, the heirloom date born in Phoenix a century ago. If you’re in the Valley of the Sun, it’s a genuinely lovely stop: Arizona-grown dates, gift packs, local goods.

We’re the other model: a working date farm in Sky Valley, California, shipping our own crop straight from the cold room.

We grow these. Golden Zahidi Dates — Nutty, Less Sweet, Never Sticky | California Farm-Direct from our family farm in Sky Valley, California — from $15/lb, shipping included. See them →

What Sphinx Date Ranch does well

Curation and place. A real shop you can walk into, the Black Sphinx connection, Arizona gift baskets done right. For a Scottsdale local or a visitor, that experience is the point.

What farm-direct from us looks like

One farm, three varieties, no middle steps. Jumbo Medjool from $19 (down to $9.83/lb by the box), golden Zahidi from $15, seasonal Barhi by waitlist — picked by us, packed by us, shipped within days, shipping included. Phoenix and Scottsdale are about a day away by ground. Volume buyers get posted case prices from $9.00/lb freight included — no negotiating games.

The honest verdict

In Scottsdale and want the shop experience or a Black Sphinx fix? Go — and enjoy it. Want this season’s jumbo fruit at farm prices on your doorstep anywhere in the lower 48? That’s what we built. More on the region: our honest guide to Arizona dates.

Written by Jason Shopshear of Desert Sun Dates, Sky Valley, California.