A Phoenician for the last 15 years and full-time commercial real estate developer and manager, Moran has long had an entrepreneurial appetite. With a group of friends and no prior restaurant experience, he opened and ran Draft Sports Grill in Mesa for the last decade.
But, when Suite 150 opened up in Paradise Village Gateway, Moran and his friends seized the chance to bring a new concept to life in their neck of the woods. Vintage XIV opened in April.
“Originally we were going to be a sister restaurant to what we opened (The Draft Sports Grill) in 2014," Moran says, explaining the origin of the restaurant's unique name. “And ‘vintage’ was just the vibe we were trying to convey. When you come in here, have a cocktail, have a glass of wine, get that vintage feeling."
The aesthetic is slightly dark with lots of wood elements, similar to that of a '50s style home.
Much like a classic sports bar, the restaurant has plenty of TVs to watch your favorite team. However, they’ve turned the experience on its head. The drinks? Craft cocktails and an assorted variety of wines. The sounds? Live music on the weekends and football games on low enough that you can hear each other. The ambiance? Relaxed and eclectic. Plus, there’s a spacious patio, perfect for cooler temperatures.
The shareables menu includes a variety of bruschettas and dips.
Vintage XIV Wine Bar & Sports Lounge
What's on the menu?
Aside from the character, what really sets the lounge apart from other sports-centric competitors, is its food selection.“I personally love our smashed avocado,” Moran says. “Whether you put it on a bruschetta or have it just with chips. (And) our Hunter Burger is awesome — I think we have one of the better burgers in Arizona.”
The Two-Handed Hunter Burger is a half-pound patty topped with chasseur sauce, red wine braised mushrooms, Swiss cheese, roasted garlic aioli and greens between a brioche bun. The "Handhelds" section of the menu also includes a Poulet Baguette, Fourchette Grilled Cheese and a Salmon BLT.
The shareables include 10 decadent options ranging from classic wings and ale-battered artichoke hearts, to multiple flatbreads and sliders. For Kitchen Manager Jesse Lambries, who followed the team from the Mesa predecessor, the "Snacks" section of the menu houses his favorite offering.
“My guilty pleasure is our Dirty Martini Dip. Every single day that I work, I have to eat it,” he admits. “It's basic, but elevated.”
The Dirty Martini Dip includes crostinis, blue cheese, house olives and a mist of vermouth.
An extensive cocktail and wine menu is available to pair with the food offerings.
Vintage XIV Wine Bar & Sports Lounge
Craft cocktails and wine pairings
To compliment all the good food, you can choose from a large selection of curated wines and crafted cocktails. Two popular pairings include the oysters with sparkling rosé, or the pinot grigio with shrimp cocktail."Either of our cabernets go really well with our sliders or the Two-Handed Hunter Burger — since it’s made with chuck and brisket and is really high quality, it just really goes nicely with the palate," restaurant manager Michaela Bond says.
Despite being in a prime location, being the new guy in town brings its own set of obstacles, Moran says.
“It's always hard when you're a brand new concept and you're not one of the big players. You're not Fox Restaurants, you're not chef Joey (Maggiore)," Moran says.
Getting the word out may be a steady effort, but wowing customers once they make their way in is the focus for the Vintage XIV team.
“I think every location has its own unique challenges. Obviously, the demographic in Paradise Valley is substantially different from the demographic we had in Mesa," Moran says. "And so what we wanted to do was offer something more elevated... where you can come, enjoy date night, have a glass of wine, have a cocktail, a nice shareable plate or your own handheld.”
