The Grove — a mixed-use destination from Red Development, the crew that brought multi-purpose spot CityScape to downtown Phoenix — is being erected.
Roughly 4,200 square feet of this new place will house Pyro, a Japanese izakaya-style bistro. The new restaurant is the latest of a host of Valley locations from the Flagship Restaurant Group. They opened Ghost Donkey, Cham Pang Lanes, and Palma in downtown Phoenix and their concepts aren’t tied to one idea or style. American bar and grill, sushi, brunch, and seafood are among the themes of their current restaurants.
Flagship’s CEO and co-founder, Nick Hogan shared some details about what to expect at Pyro. While the company has eateries around the U.S., Hogan is a Phoenix resident and he is beyond excited about Pyro’s location.
"Not only do I enjoy dining in that area, I also know the potential of the intersection. We wanted to do something unique that fits the neighborhood, and that’s where the concept of Pyro was born," he says.
“There are great steakhouses and seafood restaurants in the area,” Hogan says. “We didn’t want to go toe-to-toe with any of them. The idea for Pyro is an American bistro that meets Japanese izakaya — American fare with Japanese flavor profiles."
He explained the food menu will be accompanied by a "refined" cocktail program as well.
In Japan, izakaya joints serve drinks and snacks in a warm, comfy, and casual environment. That’s the pervasive idea for Pyro’s vibe.
“Everything we’ve ever built over the last 20 years; we have wanted to have the atmosphere that everyone is comfortable in — from people dressed for a business lunch to those casually dressed in t-shirts and shorts. We want to appeal to everyone.”
The place will also offer a patio with a relaxed atmosphere for drinking and dining. The design, Hogan says, will be full of “refined finishes with every part well-thought-out, from the atmosphere to the acoustics and lighting.”
As for the food, Hogan explained an effort toward using local ingredients.
“We’ll have a hearth that will be used for live-fire cooking visible to indoor diners. It’s an exciting piece of equipment that our chefs can use to do a lot of different techniques — they’re geeking about all the things they want to do," Hogan says.
Sustainability is also front of mind, he says.
"Flagship as a whole runs a very large sustainability program. All the proteins we use are sourced sustainably — we have a partnership with Monterey Bay Aquarium. We learned their program and procedures to ensure that we are running a sustainable program — not just with seafood but all animal proteins. So, typically, our restaurants will run a program that is first and foremost sustainable.”
Opening day for Pyro was pushed back from its original schedule, but Hogan hopes to welcome customers within the year.
"We plan to start construction by July 1,” Hogan says. “COVID, of course, affected construction, but we will try our hardest to open at the end of the year or the first of 2023. We’d love to have people celebrating New Year’s Eve there.”
Stay tuned to Flagship Restaurant Group’s website for further details.
