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DINING
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Preserve Tavern boasts comfort food delights
By Kristine Cannon
Taking over the old Four Peaks Grill & Tap in North Scottsdale is family-friendly tavern, The Preserve Tavern & Grille.
Opened by husband-wife team Nick and Shannon Broemer and inspired by the sights of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, the Broemers’ neighborhood pub offers patrons a variety of comfort food dishes and nearly daylong happy hours.
“It’s all about the customers and their experience,” Nick says. “It’s like a family.”
Described as serving “Americano cuisine with a Southwestern flare,” the Preserve’s menu is loaded with comfort food favorites, like deviled eggs, nachos, loaded fries, wings, pork ribs, mac ’n’ cheese, burgers and even meatloaf.
“The meatloaf is to die for,” Nick says. “And the wings, people said they’re probably top three in the Valley.”
Shannon attributes the wings’ popularity to how they’re cooked.
“The meats are all smoked,” she explains. “It’s such a distinctly different flavor.”
Other popular items include the Preserve Burger, which is topped with bacon and porter cheddar cheese between a toasted brioche bun, and the Preserve Poblano Rings, a heap of beerbattered poblano rings drizzled with chipotle basil honey and served with an apricot garlic aioli.
As for the meatloaf, that’s wrapped in bacon and served with seasonal vegetables.
“I’m telling you, it’s the best,” Nick raves.
The Preserve has been in the works since last summer.
The Broemers originally had their sights set on a location farther north, closer to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.
But when the Four Peaks space opened, they were quick to snag it to take advantage of the high-traffic area.
Now, the more than 6,800-squarefoot space caters to sports fans, families looking for a place to grab a bite after soccer matches, and people wanting to sip on an ice-cold beer as they listen to live country music on the weekends.
“Mark Florentine books all of our artists,” Nick says of the local guitaristvocalist, who plays everything from classic rock to country and grunge. “Every Friday and Saturday has different local artists.”
Other events include open mic Wednesdays, trivia night Thursdays, and dedicated UFC fight nights.
Food specials include $1.50 tacos on Tuesdays and all-you-can-eat fish and chips for $12.50 every Friday.
The restaurant also serves brunch on the weekends from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and every meal includes a free mimosa or bloody mary.
The Preserve’s cocktail menu includes classics, too, including Old-Fashioned cocktails, Manhattans, margaritas, martinis and more.
As for beers, there is a wide variety, with 20 beers on draft.
Every Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m., wine drinkers can stop by The Preserve for half-off bottled house wines.
Other specials include hourslong happy hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Their more than 800-square-foot covered patio is dog friendly.
“They (customers) just love the atmosphere. You can literally feel the positivity in the building while we’re working. We just try to make it exciting,” Nick says.
The Preserve is now open and offers a 15% discount to military and first responders.
The Preserve Tavern and Grille
22 UPFRONT | CITY | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC | IN CLOSING
A HIDDEN GEM
Step back in time at The Spicery in Our 1895 Home
By Claire Spinner
The Spicery in Our 1895 Home in Glendale is a hidden gem.
Set inside a residential home in the Catlin Court Historic District, Th e Spicery is a step back in time.
“It’s like going to your grandma’s house, if your grandma was a good cook, of course,” says owner Matt Borowski.
Th e quaint restaurant’s charm stems from its authenticity. Th e afternoon lunch and tea restaurant in one of Glendale’s oldest buildings has allowed patrons to relive their childhood since the 1980s.
Th e retrofi tted home, purchased in 1986 by Martha Campbell, was opened as Th e Spicery in Our 1895 Home in 1987.
After being resold in 2002, Campbell missed running Th e Spicery and repurchased the restaurant in 2010. She ran the restaurant for two years until, after turning 82, she retired. She sold it to the current owner, family friend Borowski, in 2012.
“It took a little pushing, but I came around to the idea, and I honestly was looking for something new,” Borowski says.
While Campbell is no longer around to see the restaurant, Th e Spicery continues to operate with her traditions.
Primarily a lunch eatery, Th e Spicery off ers a three-course tea. Th e staff bakes bread every day from scratch and creates classic dishes with a twist.
“Th e traditions are all still there,” Borowski says. “Th e decorations, the food, everything — it’s all Martha. I just keep the place open, honestly.”
Th e Spicery has several themed rooms: the children’s tearoom, the garden room, the blue room and the rose room, to name a few. Each room is intricately decorated. From the ceramic animal sculptures and the wall art to the printed tablecloths, the decor is reminiscent of a diff erent time.
“I think the most unique thing about Th e Spicery is that it really is like stepping back in time,” Borowski says.
“It’s relaxing, it’s comfort food and it’s full of tradition. It really does feel like going to your grandma’s house.”
Th e tea menu includes a three-course tea with pastries, sandwiches and desserts, as well as options from the restaurant’s lunch menu. Th ere is also the choice of a children’s three-course tea, which includes ice cream, sandwiches and cupcakes.
Th e lunch menu includes a daily special like roast beef with mashed potatoes or mac and cheese.
Borowski jokes that the restaurant “does it for the men, because they like to eat.” Th e lunch menu has traditional and home-cooked-inspired salads, sandwiches and soups, as well as a dessert menu.
All of the menu items at Th e Spicery are ornately presented to induce
nostalgia and elegance. Th e restaurant is designed to draw diners into an interactive experience.
“It’s not necessarily high-end dining, but everything is presented in really traditional ways, especially with the teas,” Borowski says.
“It’s just fun and relaxing. People love to dress up and take pictures of all the desserts and little sandwiches. It becomes a whole fun event. It’s very Instagrammable.”
Th e pandemic took its toll on Th e Spicery, as customers couldn’t experience the restaurant in person.
“Our clientele isn’t really the takeout crowd,” he says. “Th ey are ladies and gentlemen who lunch. Th ey want to visit and have that in-person atmosphere.”
In response, they switched to a farmers market-style system during lockdown. Every two weeks, Th e Spicery released a menu with shareable-sized dishes.
“We would premake all sorts of things,” Borowski says. “And everything was in these large quantities that were really perfect for small gatherings. We’d sell packs of a dozen cinnamon rolls, a pound of chicken or tuna salad, pretty much what’s on our menu but made to be taken home.”
Borowski says it is refreshing to see customers return to Th e Spicery after a challenging year. He says business is fi nally returning to normal, and he expects a successful summer season.
“It’s been a slow process, but we’re starting to get back to normal,” Borowski says.
“You can’t necessarily expect people to jump right back into socializing immediately, especially when you’re talking about dining out. But I’m starting to see familiar faces again, as well as new ones, and I think things are evening themselves out.”
Th e 45-year-old restaurant has become a family tradition. Many of its patrons who visited the restaurant as children are returning with their children and grandchildren. Borowski says this family environment is what sets Th e Spicery apart. With friendly service and a team that knows each other like family, Th e Spicery feels like being at home.
“I really say it’s one-third the food, one-third the atmosphere and one-third the service that really makes it feel like being at a home away from home. I think that’s what makes it really special, just that feeling of family.”
The Spicery
7141 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale 623.937.6534, 1895spicery.com 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays for tea and lunch 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays for breakfast
THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE JULY 2021 23
TEA FOR TWO
Arizona is a hot spot for afternoon sipping
By Taylor O’Connor
Sipping tea and eating fi nger sandwiches while donning pristine outfi ts wasn’t done just for looks. Although that may enhance someone’s experience, it was done to fi ll the day until a late dinner.
Great Britain is the queen of high tea, but it grew into a worldwide phenomenon. We may not be in the United Kingdom, but Arizonans can still appreciate teatime in all its classy glory. Hold up your pinkies — or maybe not — and sip tea inside this summer with friends in these fi ve other Arizona tea houses.
THE PHOENICIAN
Th e Scottsdale luxury resort hosts afternoon tea from 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays to Sundays. Th e Phoenician afternoon tea includes fi nger sandwiches, scones with Devonshire cream and preserves, pastries and a selection of fi ne tea blends. Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and vegetarian options are available with 24 hours’ notice.
To enhance the atmosphere, pianist Alan Comyns performs contemporary music during afternoon tea. Be sure to make reservations.
Full tea is $65, and Royal Tea, which includes sparkling wine, is $85. Th e Grand Royal Tea, which includes Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut, is $100, and children ages 4 to 12 years old are served for $35.
e Phoenician, A Luxury Collection Resort 6000 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, 480.941.8200, thephoenician.com ENGLISH ROSE TEA ROOM
Anglophiles will love Th e English Rose Tea Room in Carefree. Th e walls are covered in English memorabilia; Kate and Wills, and Meghan and Harry goodies; and a life-size Queen Elizabeth II that’s perfect for Instagram.
Th ose who feel like they don’t have the class for tea can brush up on etiquette with owner/England native Jo Gemmill.
Since 2002, the tearoom has off ered 50 teas along with scones, crumpets, cottage pie and Ploughman’s lunch to suit any palate.
Th e romantic interior and shady patio makes this a gem within the desert. Be sure to bring your best hat — or borrow one from the dress-up trunk fi lled with vintage chapeaux and thoroughly enjoy the pleasure of taking time for tea.
Prices are $32 for formal afternoon tea, $12 for nursery tea, $14 for cream tea, and $16 for just desserts.
English Rose Tea Room 201 Easy Street, Suite 103, Carefree 480.488.4812, carefreetea.com
TEATIME SCOTTSDALE
Th is Old Town Scottsdale spot honors tea traditions but with a fresh, modern twist. TeaTime strives to turn tea into a lifestyle by creating a culture that appreciates the science and art of tea.
Along with afternoon tea options, TeaTime off ers classes, private events and more than 100 teas from around the world or in-house blends. Customers can order their own tea boxes to take home. Delivery is available through DoorDash, Grubhub or Uber Eats.
Individual tea prices vary, but full tea services are $50, or $45 with a party of more than three people.
TeaTime Scottsdale 7051 E. Fifth Avenue, Suite C, Scottsdale 480.686.8503, teatimeaz.com
DRINK ME! TEA ROOM
Th is whimsical, “Alice in Wonderland”-inspired tearoom off ers a variety of tea blends in potion bottles with names like the Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit.
Th e menu has savory sandwiches and scones — plus all the sweets imaginable — while sipping organic tea. All teas are plant based and gluten free. Special-Tea Cocktails are for guests who need a little zip in their tea. Drink Me! Hosts private events. To schedule, email contactus@ drinkmetearoom.com.
Th e full afternoon tea, which includes savories, scones, sweets and a pot of tea, is $49.50. Th ere are seasonal, petite and children’s options. Th e Literary(seasonal) is $33, and Petite Tea is $17. Th e Children’s Tea includes a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, shortbread cookies, meringue mushrooms, fresh fruit, and an herbal tea or lemonade.
Drink Me! Tea Room 1730 E. Warner Road, Suite 5, Tempe 602.206.5469, drinkmetearoom.com
English Rose Tea Room
CROWNING GLORY TEA ROOM
For $51, guests can enjoy Crowning Glory’s full afternoon tea service with savories, salad, scones and sweets served on three tiers of fi ne china on Saturdays for dining in. Relax and have unlimited cups of tea from the extensive collection of more than 20 loose-leaf teas.
Th e high tea to-go option, available every Saturday in August, comes with an array of heavenly handmade savories; home-baked breads and spreads; and a glorious selection of sweet dainties.
Th ere is an online tea shop where customers can pick out their favorite Morning Glory Teas to brew at home.
Crowning Glory Tea Room 16733 E. Palisades Boulevard, Fountain Hills 480.868.4832, crowningglorytearoom.com
DINING
CALENDAR
By Annika Tomlin
Passport Series
JULY 10 FOUND:RE hosts a monthly Passport Series showcasing cuisines and cocktail specials from around the world. For the month of July, FOUND:RE will bring Jamaica to Phoenix.
FOUND:RE Phoenix Hotel, 1100 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, eventbrite.com, 6 to 10 p.m., $15
Meet Me in Mexico
JULY 10 Sanctuary’s Lunch & Learn series returns with a twist. Chef Beau MacMillan hosts the summer dining series featuring chef de cuisine Samantha Sanz and bar chef Christiaan Röllich. Events include live music, a demonstration from the hosting talent, and other surprises along the way. Meet Me in Mexico features a threecourse menu of Mexican cuisine paired with tequila cocktails.
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa, The Views Ballroom, 5700 E. McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley, 855.421.3522, sanctuaryoncamelback.com, reception starts at 6 p.m., $165 (plus tax and gratuity)
Singles Event at Classic Cooking
JULY 16 Come grab a drink and then learn to prepare small appetizers/hors d’oeuvres while mixing and mingling with fellow singles. This casual cooking class includes sauteed shrimp with garlic and Spanish paprika, meatballs in chipotle tomato sauce, potato and onion omelet, warm stuffed tomatoes with serrano ham and manchego cheese and chorizo puffs. Attendees must be 21 to consume alcohol.
Classic Cooking Academy, 10411 E. McDowell Mountain Ranch Road, Scottsdale, 480.502.0177, ccacademy. edu, 6:30 to 9 p.m., $50
National Ice Cream Day at The Screamery
JULY 18 The Screamery will celebrate National Ice Cream Day by offering $2 kid-size cones and $5 ice cream sundaes. The 24 flavors include two nondairy options and two types of chocolate. Try classics like vanilla or strawberry, or venture out with the Mississippi mudpie with an organic coffee base, fudge swirl and chocolate cookies. Bring the family and dig into the Farmhouse sundae featuring eight scoops of ice cream on top of a warm cookie, brownie and butter cake with unlimited toppings.
The Screamery, 10625 N. Tatum Boulevard, Suite 136, Phoenix, 140 N. Arizona Avenue, Suite 106, Chandler, thescreamery.com
Fiesta Americana: Dinner en Blanco
JULY 23 A white-hot dining experience embraces the American dream with a fun twist on traditional Mexican cuisine. Guests, who wear all-white attire, will experience six tapas with six delicious cocktail pairings, live entertainment and a take-home margarita glass.
The Herb Box, 7000 E. Shea Boulevard, Scottsdale, eventbrite. com, 7 to 9 p.m., $185
The Phoenix Pancakes & Booze Art Show
JULY 24 Originated in Los Angeles in 2009, the Pancake & Booze Art Show will showcase more than 75 local artists exhibiting over 300 pieces of artwork. Attendees will dine on all-you-can-eat pancakes. Batter sizzles, beer foams and canvas lines the walls from ceiling to floor as hundreds of revelers indulge in endless pancakes. This is an 18 and older event.
The Duce, 525 S. Central Avenue, Phoenix, pancakesandbooze.com, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., $10 preorder tickets or $15 tickets at the door
Farmhouse sundae - The Screamery
Five-Course Wine Dinner with Classic Cooking
JULY 31 This class is one of few that does not incorporate hands-on cooking. Instead, after diners are seated, they meet the chef(s) and sommelier and continue on to a five-course tasting menu with paired wine. The chef will discuss each course, while the sommelier will share the wine’s taste, variety, background and vintage. The menu includes salmon rillettes, fennel and fish soup, chicken savoyarde, lamb chop with ratatouille finishing with vanilla bean creme brulee.
Classic Cooking Academy, 10411 E. McDowell Mountain Ranch Road, Scottsdale, 480.502.0177, ccacademy. edu, 5 to 7:30 p.m., $60
Fire in the French Quarter
SATURDAY JULY 31 Enjoy New Orleans- and French Quarter-influenced dishes and craft cocktails with chef Beau MacMillan, chef de cuisine Samantha Sanz and bar chef Christiaan Röllich. The events feature live music, a demonstration from the hosting talent and other surprises along the way.
