If you've been wondering when Phoenix's arts district would get a contemporary American restaurant to call its own, the answer is soon. Because Chef Chris McKinley, previously of Atlas Bistro, and former Merc Bar general manager Adam Hargett have decided to bring a new restaurant to Roosevelt Row -- at 1011 North Third Street, to be exact, in the space that briefly housed a second location of the now-defunct Scratch Pastries.
The Local will serve a rotating menu of "contemporary American" food, and cocktail fans can look forward to a drink with fresh ingredients, homemade mixers and local liquors.
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McKinley's menu will draw from global influences to create such dishes as Roman-style gnocchi with quadrillo di bufala, tomato jam, fennel pollen, and grana padana, and grilled pork head cheese open-faced banh mi with foie gras smear, Vietnamese pickles, yucca frites, and Sriracha aioli. The restaurant will welcome guest chefs to the kitchen monthly, and McKinley says he expects to change the menu as often as every week.
The restaurant will focus on sourcing everything locally, if possible, from ingredients to décor.
On the cocktail front, look forward to on-trend creations like a barrel-aged Fer-groni, made from Fernet Branca, house-blend sweet vermouth and Campari, and the Sunday Market, with Flor de Cana rum, fresh cantaloupe puree, Aperol and fresh lemon with an absinthe rinse.
The Local will try to capture a neighborhood feel while still appealing to the high-end clientele with which McKinley and Hargett know from their work at Atlas and Merc Bar. It also will offer a private dining space, allowing the restaurant to accommodate larger parties.
The Local 1011 North Third Street www.iamthelocal.com
Tuesday through Sunday Lunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner, 5 to 10 p.m. Late night until 2 a.m. Brunch served Sunday only