The Brickyard Downtown, a small but stylish restaurant and bar specializing in New American tapas and craft cocktails, is set to open next week in downtown Chandler.
The venue, located in a former interior design store next to Vintage 95 on Boston Street west of Arizona Avenue, just has to pass a couple of final inspections later this week.
‘‘We want to start serving Chandler diners ASAP,’’ says general manager and co-owner Gavin Jacobs. ‘‘And if everything goes well, that’ll be next week.’’
The restaurant is a partnership between Jacobs – a longtime industry veteran who previously worked at House of Tricks in Tempe and left to help open Vintage 95 in 2011 – and building owner Elliott Hall.
Just under 1,900 square feet, The Brickyard has exposed brick walls, a 30-foot concrete bar, and indoor seating for about 70. Front and back patios will accommodate another 30 people.
The front will have a roll-up garage door, allowing the sights and sounds of The Brickyard to spill out onto the sidewalk.
Heading the scratch kitchen is chef Vincent Contreras, a Valley native who worked under multiple James Beard-winning chefs at Las Vegas restaurants including Valentino’s, Lutéce, and Tsunami.
Contreras had spent the last several months at Local Bistro in Scottsdale.
The dinner-only menu will focus on small plates and shareable dishes like:
- Beet & Goat Cheese (pictured below in center): Roasted beets, fried goat cheese, beet paint, and beet marshmallow, finished with citrus dressing.
- Crusted Ahi Tuna (above): With wasabi-scented potato, green apple gremolata, bok choy, and ginger foam.
- The Block Cut (below left): Strip loin plated with charred shishito peppers, king trumpet mushroom, and fried herbs.
- Pork Belly Skewers (below right): Braised pork belly skewers with garlic chips, honey soy, and a ryu powder.
The mixology program is supervised by Bobby Kramer, formerly bar manager at Virtu in Scottsdale and, most recently, bar lead at the Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails in downtown Phoenix.
Examples from the craft cocktail lineup include:
- Root Beer Flip: The Brickyard’s version of a classic flip combined with a root beer float. Made with Kentucky straight rye, sugar, Amaro (a bitter herbal liqueur), A&W Root Beer, an egg white, and a dash of cocoa bitters.
- Ain’t Cho Paloma: Ancho chile pepper, pepper-infused reposado tequila, and poblano liqueur mixed with ruby red grapefruit shrub and sparkling lemon soda. Finished with grapefruit zest and a spicy salted rim.
There will be 12 craft beers on tap. The wine program will be limited because of Jacobs’ non-compete agreement with Vintage 95.
The Brickyard Downtown will open at 3 p.m. daily for happy hour.
“We’re all working hard to add something cool to downtown Chandler,’’ Kramer says. ‘‘There’s some great stuff already here, but with a little more, it’ll make this area a destination.â€
