Dad’s Modern Cocktails & Eatery will open soon at 7337 E. Shea Blvd. in Scottsdale, according to a recently filed liquor license application. Taking over the former Fate Brewing Company Bistro space, the new restaurant is an offshoot venture from Dad’s Pizza Co., which parted ways with Arizona Boardwalk at the end of November.
In confirmation of the news, owner Robert Eckhardt says he looks forward to starting over with Dad’s Modern Cocktails & Eatery. Eckhardt’s background in the restaurant industry spans more than a decade, including stints as Executive Chef at Drexyl Modern American and Stella.
Though his first independent venture hasn’t exactly panned out, he’s nowhere near throwing in the toque. “We put love into this food and want to continue sharing it with our community,” Eckhardt tells What Now Phoenix, adding that while they plan to serve the same great pizza from Dad’s Pizza Co., there are plans to upscale the menu.
Expect dishes with shrimp, scallops, bacon-wrapped pork loin, roasted half-chickens, fresh pastas and more. Of course, rebranding themselves as Dad’s Modern Cocktails & Eatery means there will be some stellar libations in the mix, thanks to the help of veteran bar manager Michael Anderson.
“We plan to have a modern drink menu with a neighborhood feel, which is why we are focused on sourcing from local vendors,” Anderson says. There will be 22 handles that will pour local beers, wines, and cocktails on tap. In developing the cocktail menu, Anderson is also creating a list of “mocktails” for the younger crowd.
With a solid pizza menu and an existing customer base, Dad’s transition from “Pizza Co.” to “Modern Cocktails & Eatery” sounds like a seamless one. Eckhardt says that after a two-night soft opening, they plan to make their official debut on January 17, 2022.
