Life is sweet at Zak's Chocolate, a craft chocolate factory, café, and classroom that opened in Scottsdale in April. Zak's is equipped to host interactive classes, teambuilding events, or social functions. In total, the space measures 1,750 square feet and seats about 50 guests. The cuisine focuses on—naturally—cocoa, with treats from bonbons to brownies made on site. Alternate catering can also be arranged.
As of May 1, Goldwater Brewing Company became the first facility to brew on site in Old Town Scottsdale. Including a 240-square-foot patio, the industrial-style space measures more than 2,000 square feet and holds 80 people with a mix of seats and standing room. While complete buyouts are not available, Goldwater can host private tastings for as many as 25 people.
Sorso Wine Room opened in April and is available for happy hours, tastings, parties, and networking events. Measuring 2,500 square feet, Sorso seats 120 guests or holds 160 for receptions. An innovative Wine Emotion dispensing system allows guests to try as many as 32 different wines by the sip, taste, or pour. In total, the venue has a wine list consisting of more than 125 varieties.
The Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa unveiled its updated Red's Bar & Grill in April. The new look features an open floor plan with indoor and outdoor seating, views of the resort's golf courses, and retractable doors. Fourteen televisions are available for use, and more involved audiovisual needs can be arranged through PSAV. A private room seats 12 guests, and for larger parties, the restaurant seats 240 guests—140 inside and 100 outside. In total, the resort has more than 100,000 square feet of event and meeting space for groups of as many as 1,000 people.
In September, the Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch, a Destination Hotel will open its new food and beverage outlet, Kitchen West Restaurant. The dining room will seat 84 guests, with an additional 30 seats available on the patio. The lively restaurant will feature seasonal Western American fare cooked in an open kitchen and on a wood-fire grill. A selection of regional wines, craft beers, and seasonal cocktails will complement the cuisine.
Nerds, geeks, and gaming addicts are welcome at 8-Bit Brewery in Avondale, where the keg handles look like Nintendo controllers and the soundtrack features video game music. The microbrewery opened in May, and at 2,500 square feet, it seats 65 guests. All of the beer is brewed on the premises, and planners are welcome to arrange outside food catering. Tours of the brew house and special tastings for groups are also available.
Formerly a sandwich shop, Copperleaf Restaurant opened in May in Old Town Scottsdale. Dark, burnt woods and Southwestern flare give the casual bar and lounge a comfortable feel. In total, the 3,300-square-foot space seats 100 guests, including a private room with 40 seats. The menu features local craft beers on tap, moonshine cocktails, and food including casual appetizers, steaks, and seafood.
Located in Old Town Scottsdale, Holy Spirits opened in a renovated building in May. The venue serves a sophisticated tapas-style menu in a casual, modern setting. The 2,000-square-foot bar and restaurant seats 81 guests inside and 50 on a patio. It is available for group dinners as well as buyouts, and planners can take advantage of a DirectTV hookup, five flat-screen TVs, and an adaptable sound system.
Open since May, RingSide Pub & Grub offers a laid-back setting for a casual event. The 1,200-square-foot venue has a boxing theme; the interior looks like a boxing ring and fights are broadcast live, complete with on-site ring girls that hold up round cards. It seats as many as 46 guests. The food is traditional bar fare, including standards like burgers and tacos.
At the corner of Central and Monroe in downtown Phoenix, the building previously occupied by a theater, a deli, and an art gallery is now home to the event space Valley Bar. The 8,000-square-foot venue opened in May and offers several rooms of varying sizes that can be rented on their own or as a whole for parties of as many as 300 guests. The venue is equipped for concerts and offers full production capabilities, stage sound and lighting, speakers throughout the facility, screens, and projectors.
