Here's a look at new Phoenix/Scottsdale eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms, and other spaces to open for events this winter. The new and renovated venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fund-raisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, teambuilding activities, conferences, meetings, and more.
Denver-based chain Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, opened a fifth Phoenix-area location in Ahwatukee in October. Serving hearty and imaginative breakfast and brunch dishes like pancake flights and breakfast pot pie, the high-energy restaurant also features a full coffee and cocktail bar, as well as games such as cornhole and Jenga. The 4,000-square-foot eatery seats 148 guests indoors and an additional 48 on an expansive patio. Snooze is committed to sustainable business practices, which includes using responsibly grown ingredients, composting up to 90 percent of waste, and recycling as many materials as possible.
A downtown Phoenix space that was once a mid-century automotive showroom was transformed into the Van Buren in August. The live music venue encompasses a total of 20,000 square feet, including a 7,381-square-foot showroom, a 2,700-square-foot patio, and several additional spaces that allow for events of a range of sizes. In total, the venue can accommodate as many as 1,900 guests for a standing-room-only setup, 1,500 cocktail-style, or 550 banquet-style. Amenities available for events include in-house sound and lighting equipment and technicians, customizable menus, in-house security, theater-style seating, and bleachers.
The Scott, a mission-style resort in Old Town Scottsdale, completed the first phase of a $15 million renovation in September that included all 204 guest rooms and suites, as well as public spaces, two pools, the lobby bar, the restaurant, and 14,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space. The resort can hold events of various sizes; the 6,800-square-foot Heritage Ballroom, for example, seats as many as 600 guests. The 4,500-square-foot Orangedale Ballroom holds as many as 350 guests for dinner and dancing, while smaller spaces like the 1,504-square-foot Frio and Fuego rooms each fit as many as 30 for conferences or 60 for banquets. Most meeting rooms open onto patios, offering additional space, natural light, and views of the Arizona desert. Audiovisual professionals on staff are available to meet the needs of planners, and the in-house catering team can customize event menus.
Bitters, a craft cocktail and beer bar, opened in Scottsdale’s SkySong development in October. Cocktails are made from fresh-squeezed juices, and a rotating selection of craft beer on tap includes limited-release and hard-to-find varieties. The food menu features small plates from kale chips and burrata to truffled popcorn and campfire s’mores. The 2,700-square-foot space can accommodate as many as 135 guests in a mixed seated/standing setup.
On November 1, Embassy Suites by Hilton Phoenix Scottsdale unveiled its newly renovated property, which includes a total remodel of the meeting space, guest rooms, the restaurant, and the front office. The hotel, which overlooks Stone Creek Golf Club and the surrounding mountain landscape, offers 17,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. The largest meeting room, Painted Mountain Ballroom, measures 6,100 square feet and can accommodate as many as 700 guests theater-style, 450 banquet-style, or 750 for cocktail receptions. Smaller rooms are available for events as well, including three 700-square-foot executive suites that each seat 10 guests conference-style. Audiovisual equipment and catering are available in-house.
Scottsdale’s popular Twisted Grove Parlor & Bar opened a Phoenix location in August. Both the menu and the decor are modern yet comfortable. The display kitchen serves dishes such as stone-oven flatbreads, artisanal sandwiches, an array of bruschetta, and hearty entrees, and guests are welcome to linger in inviting, oversize tufted booths. The 5,000-square-foot venue seats 120 guests inside and an additional 26 on the patio.
Bobby-Q’s metro Phoenix location completed a renovation in July, which included updating the bar and installing a new dance floor. The all-American barbecue joint serves crowd-pleasing dishes such as pulled pork, smoked wings, baby back ribs, and barbecued brisket, accompanied by classic sides like pecan cole slaw, mac ’n’ cheese, and potato salad. The restaurant includes an 1,100-square-foot private dining room that can accommodate as many as 100 guests in a mixed setup of seated and standing guests; the room has a private entrance.
As of July, Uptown Phoenix is home to Huss Brewing Co. Taproom, a neighborhood taproom from one of Arizona’s largest brewers. The venue is crafted from 60-year-old brick and features garage doors and a patio. Measuring 2,000 square feet, the space seats as many as 150 guests for buyouts. The menu includes light bites and elevated bar snacks such as black bean nachos, green chili pork sliders, and roasted tomato caprese salad. Planners can also bring in food from outside caterers and restaurants.
Tomaso’s Italian Restaurant in the Camelback Corridor completed a renovation in September, taking over the vacant space next door to create an elegant 2,000-square-foot private event room that can seat as many as 175 people. The menu features homemade pastas, meat, seafood, and vegetarian options, and customized menus are available. Planners can use the restaurant’s screen projector and microphone for events.
Aloft Phoenix Airport will debut its newly renovated property in November following a refresh that includes enhanced guest rooms and updates to the meeting space, lobby, and outdoor space. The 143-room select-service hotel includes 600 square feet of indoor meeting space that can accommodate as many as 40 guests for receptions, 30 theater-style, or 20 conference-style; the hotel's patios also are available for events. A 50-inch TV and audiovisual hookups are available for meetings. Elsewhere on site, the pet-friendly property includes a gym, an outdoor pool, and a bar.
