With the goal of opening on Friday, May 5, 2017 (aka Cinco de Mayo), Casa Añejo Tacos and Tequila (5602 N. 7th St.) is a stylish sit-down restaurant, lounge and outdoor patio overlooking the sizzling 7th Street dining district.
Tucked inside The Colony shopping center (just across from Stock & Stable), Casa Añejo Tacos and Tequila serves an all-day menu of modern, wood-fired twists on authentic Mexican fare within the walls of a vibrant space created by professional designer and host of HGTV and DIY Network’s Kitchen Crashers, Alison Victoria.
With Casa Añejo, Victoria is using inspiration from her international travels, as well as her passion for mixing modern and vintage with high-end and more affordable pieces, to develop a bright white space, with colorful neon accents and a southwest flare. Seating approximately 150 indoors and an additional 50 on the outdoor patio, Casa Añejo is the chic Mexican cantina you’ll never want to leave.
“I have a passion for designing hotels and restaurants, where I get to be more creative and appeal to the masses rather than to one individual homeowner,” said Victoria. “You really get to play with textures, color and art.”
Using her experience as host of HGTV and DIY Network’s Kitchen Crashers, the kitchen is a central part of Casa Añejo with storefront windows dividing the restaurant and kitchen, allowing guests to be part of the action.
“I love the floor plan of this restaurant and the creative opportunity with the patio, I feel like we’ve built a little sanctuary.”
The menu at Casa Añejo is as vibrant and contemporary as the décor. Small Plates such as Chicharróns topped with cojita cheese and hot sauce, or Chorizo and Papas (fingerling potato, eggplant, squash, pearl onion, almonds, feta, chorizo vinaigrette) with have guests eager for more. Shared Plates includes Green Chili Queso Fondito spiced with Phoenix’s own, Schreiner’s chorizo, or a Wood Fired Tlayuda, a traditional Oaxacan-style tostada that’s been quick-smoked inside a pizza oven. Not to mention up to a dozen varieties of tacos, served on fresh-made tortillas and topped with everything from Carne Asada to Duck Carnitas, Grilled Octopus or Crispy Striped Bass.
And putting the tequila in Casa Añejo Tacos and Tequila, an extensive menu of premium Mexican spirits and craft cocktails have been developed and overseen by in-house mixologist Riley Jones, formerly of Okra and The Parlor. At Casa Añejo, Jones is shaking up a distinctly South-of-the-border drink menu featuring both premium margaritas and other cocktails, hand-shaken with tequila, mezcal and more.
Plus, both busy office workers and late-night diners will flock to Casa Añejo’s standalone outdoor ‘curbside kitchen,’ a wood-fired grill serving select to-go tacos (carne, chicken, pork) plus Sonoran hotdogs, canned beer and bottled sodas. There is also a custom guacamole bar outside, where guests can add all of their favorite ingredients to their guacamole. Plus, Casa Añejo also temps with a taco take-out menu, allowing guests to order their choice of chef-cooked taco meat by the pound, plus chips, salsa, guacamole and all the fixings to make your own restaurant quality taco feast at home.
Casa Añejo Tacos and Tequila will include a mix of design elements, including Pierre Frey fabrics, locally purchased vintage pieces, traditional Mexican tile work, colorful custom artwork and a one of a kind host stand, built entirely from Alison Victoria’s (boyfriend’s) own imagination.
“First impressions are everything!” said Victoria. “The host stand is the first thing people will see and will absolutely NEVER forget. Trust me when I say it will be an Instagram sensation.”
Casa Añejo is located on the west side of 7th Street just north of Missouri Ave. Located next door to sister restaurant, Stock & Stable, Casa Añejo is the latest dining destination from the Arizona-based Evening Entertainment Group (Bevvy, Bottled Blonde Pizzeria + Beer Garden, Hi Fi Kitchen + Cocktails, Honor Amongst Thieves, Livewire, The Mint, Sandbar Mexican Grill, Stock & Stable and RnR).
Handcrafted by EEG owners, Diane and Les Corieri, Casa Añejo’s expansive menu showcases tacos and other modern twists on classic Mexican recipes that they have personally collected over decades of travelling across Latin America, Southern California and the rest of the US.
Seating approximately 150 indoors and an additional 50 on the outdoor patio, Casa Añejo features a soaring, stylish Santa Barbara-inspired design by the renowned interior designer, Alison Victoria. Host of HGTV’s “Kitchen Crashers” and the all-new “Windy City Rehab” coming later this year, at Casa Añejo the design calls for bright white walls accented by colorful custom artwork and traditional Mexican tilework. Or step through the multiple foldaway window walls to enjoy the expansive and shaded dining patio overlooking bustling 7th Street.
Casa Añejo Tacos + Tequila (5602 N. 7th St. in Phoenix) will serve lunch and dinner daily, as well as a weekend brunch.