Metro Phoenix Dining Thread - Page 33

exit2lef · #**641** Posted **Oct 22, 2020, 3:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phxguy

Not sure where to put this but I think a Cat Café is opening in downtown Phoenix, in the former Velo space.

https://m.facebook.com/events/693136...content_filter

The event is an open house to fundraiser show off the ‘new location.’

I visited La Gattara at its old location in Tempe. My family is cat crazy, so it was a fun outing. This new location is going to be easier to find and more central than the Tempe one, which was sort of tucked in a hidden corner of a shopping center, although it did have the advantage of being around the corner from Four Peaks.

biggus diggus · #**642** Posted **Oct 22, 2020, 4:45 PM**

I really hope they can survive there. That building is a disaster cost-wise. No central AC, we put a mini-split in and it costs close to $1,000 a month to run and keep the place in the low 80s during the summer. If they can make good use of the little coffee shop they will be able to make it work, I think, but the nut on that building for the bike shop was just shy of $10K a month. Triple net situation so taxes, upkeep, repairs, etc. all fall on the tenant.

We will definitely go check the place out and bring them something from the donation list, I like cats but not in my home so this can be fun for us. I just hope Keyran is being reasonable with them.

exit2lef · #**643** Posted **Oct 22, 2020, 5:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

I really hope they can survive there. That building is a disaster cost-wise. No central AC, we put a mini-split in and it costs close to $1,000 a month to run and keep the place in the low 80s during the summer. If they can make good use of the little coffee shop they will be able to make it work, I think, but the nut on that building for the bike shop was just shy of $10K a month. Triple net situation so taxes, upkeep, repairs, etc. all fall on the tenant.

We will definitely go check the place out and bring them something from the donation list, I like cats but not in my home so this can be fun for us. I just hope Keyran is being reasonable with them.

The Tempe location never really lived up to the "cafe" in its name. I think health codes make it difficult to serve food and beverage in an animal shelter, but maybe there's enough separation between the former Velo and Bicycle Nomad portions of the building to make it compliant. I cannot imagine La Gattara having the revenue to pay $10,000 per month, so I wonder if there's some other arrangement.

biggus diggus · #**644** Posted **Oct 22, 2020, 5:15 PM**

He was trying to raise the bike shop's rent which is what led to the move. Perhaps they gave him a wake-up call and he lowered rent for the cat ladies? I can only hope.

edit: went back and did some digging. Tax bill is about $22K/yr. Rent was about $7K, utilities about $850/mo average over a year.

They were advertising it as of two weeks ago for $26/SF triple net. Based on square footage that's $9,022/mo rent. Add in taxes and utilities and it's about $12K/mo before landscaping, housekeepers, repairs etc.

edit: found the ad for it - https://www.showcase.com/828-n-2nd-s...5004/19683064/

Bottom line: a cat cafe sounds really fun to me. They are going to fail miserably if Keyran isn't subsidizing the rent somehow. Or they are going to rely on a lot of grants or donations.

exit2lef · #**645** Posted **Oct 25, 2020, 11:54 PM**

La Gattara had an open house today, and I went with one of my children. It was amazing to see how much bigger the space looked without all the bikes. They've drawn up some nice plans to improve the interior and hope to have the work done and the cats moved in by January or February. They also plan to use the old Bicycle Nomad space to become a true cafe. Health regulations will require a barrier that prevents the cats from coming into the cafe, but customers will be able to take food and drink from the cafe into the cat room. I didn't want to pry by asking about any rent concessions. It's definitely a better space than their prior location on Dorsey in Tempe.

Phxguy · #**646** Posted **Oct 27, 2020, 3:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by exit2lef

La Gattara had an open house today, and I went with one of my children. It was amazing to see how much bigger the space looked without all the bikes. They've drawn up some nice plans to improve the interior and hope to have the work done and the cats moved in by January or February. They also plan to use the old Bicycle Nomad space to become a true cafe. Health regulations will require a barrier that prevents the cats from coming into the cafe, but customers will be able to take food and drink from the cafe into the cat room. I didn't want to pry by asking about any rent concessions. It's definitely a better space than their prior location on Dorsey in Tempe.

I'm glad someone on here managed to make it. Will add to this part of downtown's eclectic-ness, now PBS needs to figure itself out...

exit2lef · #**647** Posted **Oct 27, 2020, 6:15 PM**

Remember Via Della Slice Shop? It had been coming soon for at least a year as the building on 5th Ave just south of Van Buren was slowly renovated. Then, with the pandemic, everything stopped. Now, there's a Kickstarter effort to finish the job and open the restaurant:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...wntown-phoenix

biggus diggus · #**648** Posted **Oct 27, 2020, 6:37 PM**

If you need a kickstarter effort to afford to open your business you must be pretty confident in your product...

I'm thrilled with all the new businesses opening up downtown, probably not comfortable going out too much but slowly I'll check them out. We still haven't been to dog house or pig tail, probably will go to those first since htey're the oldest on the list.

The ramen place that replaced z pizza, if anyone is interested, was very very good.

CrestedSaguaro · #**649** Posted **Oct 27, 2020, 10:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

If you need a kickstarter effort to afford to open your business you must be pretty confident in your product...

I'm thrilled with all the new businesses opening up downtown, probably not comfortable going out too much but slowly I'll check them out. We still haven't been to dog house or pig tail, probably will go to those first since htey're the oldest on the list.

The ramen place that replaced z pizza, if anyone is interested, was very very good.

Z Pizza off Thomas and Central?

ASU Diablo · #**650** Posted **Oct 27, 2020, 10:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrestedSaguaro

Z Pizza off Thomas and Central?

Downtown. Next to Harumi Sushi

TJPHXskyscraperfan · #**651** Posted **Oct 28, 2020, 4:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASU Diablo

Downtown. Next to Harumi Sushi

Z Pizza on Thomas closed again, says for good on the sign on the door due to COVID.

CrestedSaguaro · #**652** Posted **Oct 28, 2020, 7:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJPHXskyscraperfan

Z Pizza on Thomas closed again, says for good on the sign on the door due to COVID.

Well that sucks. I really liked their pizza.

pbenjamin · #**653** Posted **Oct 29, 2020, 11:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJPHXskyscraperfan

Z Pizza on Thomas closed again, says for good on the sign on the door due to COVID.

The new owner never seemed to get things right. Self-appointed pizza critic that I am, I wrote a review of the place for Inside Willo. Primarily about delivery issues, but the place always seemed a bit off.

biggus diggus · #**654** Posted **Oct 29, 2020, 11:13 PM**

Hard for me to imagine going to Z Pizza when one of the all time Phoenix classics, Pino's Pizza al Centro, is right next door anyway. Sad that someone lost his business, though.

exit2lef · #**655** Posted **Oct 29, 2020, 11:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

Hard for me to imagine going to Z Pizza when one of the all time Phoenix classics, Pino's Pizza al Centro, is right next door anyway. Sad that someone lost his business, though.

Is Pino's full service at night? At lunch, it's order at the counter, but I don't think I've been there after dark in a long time.

biggus diggus · #**656** Posted **Oct 30, 2020, 4:55 AM**

It used to be. Also haven't been at night in ages.

exit2lef · #**657** Posted **Oct 30, 2020, 12:42 PM**

Speaking of pizza, Scottsdale-based Il Bosco is setting up a second location on 5th Street just off Roosevelt. This spot has been home to Jobot, then Rise, and finally Dvina. The detail about why the restaurant couldn't expand in Gilbert is kind of amusing. To think that Papa John's and a place like Il Bosco would be competitors is silly.

https://mouthbysouthwest.com/2020/10...ow-in-phoenix/

biggus diggus · #**658** Posted **Oct 30, 2020, 2:33 PM**

Nice, thanks. You just triggered a memory. Wasn't EVO opening in the apartments on roosevelt? I know they were because I talked to them about it. Was supposed to be a spring opening which we all know why that didn't happen. I wonder if it still will, it's a very good restaurant.

soled · #**659** Posted **Oct 30, 2020, 4:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by exit2lef

The detail about why the restaurant couldn't expand in Gilbert is kind of amusing. To think that Papa John's and a place like Il Bosco would be competitors is silly

Those competitive battles are maybe more common than most realize. I used to own an Italian restaurant in a strip center. When we moved in the owner of a sandwich joint there didn't want to allow me to have sandwiches on my menu, and he got the landlord to enforce it. The thing that was odd was he had no Italian sandwiches on his menu, and I would have only had a 2 or 3.

He tried to battle us over every little thing. I went out of my way to eat at his joint 3-4 times a month, just because I'm a really outgoing and friendly guy. But he never stepped one foot into my place. Hell, he wouldn't even say hello to me when I would eat in his place.

exit2lef · #**660** Posted **Oct 30, 2020, 4:22 PM**

Another new development in the same neighborhood: Apparently, there's a San Diego restaurant called "Breakfast Bitch" (for real), and a Phoenix location is coming soon at 222 E. Portland. That address is the Cambria Hotel, so I wonder if the bitch is replacing Poppy, the original restaurant there.

https://eatbreakfastbitch.com/san-di...-bitch-article