If you have yet to try one of the innovative concepts from Flagship Restaurant Group, owned by industry veterans Nick Hogan, Tom Allisma, Anthony Hitchcock, and Tony Gentile, 2024 is going to be your year! Known for pushing culinary boundaries and championing sustainability, the group recently unveiled its latest venture: PYRO, an upscale Japanese-American Bistro in Phoenix, Arizona, one of the country’s emerging food and beverage destinations.
It’s no surprise that PYRO has been setting the city “on fire” and gaining national attention and check marks since its debut. With decades in the hospitality industry and over 30 restaurants and elevated cocktail bars to call their own, including Ghost Donkey Phoenix and Denver, Palma, Plank Seafood Provisions, Anthem, and Blue Sushi Sake Grill, the owners and their respective teams poured their hearts and souls into this concept for years. It’s not bad for four friends who started with a standalone sushi restaurant in Omaha, Nebraska, over 20 years ago and have continued to evolve on a national level, including a major partnership with the prestigious Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, focused on sustainability.
PYRO is a culinary experience for the senses. Guests are drawn to the restaurant’s custom-made hearth, which takes center stage in this open-flame concept, utilizing wood and charcoal to roast, sear, grill, and smoke, intensifying the natural flavors of responsibly sourced prime meats and seafood. All seafood and meats available in-house are meticulously sourced, and animal welfare plays a defining role in what translates to each guest’s plate. The Flagship Restaurant Group’s all-star team, including veteran chef and James Beard Foundation honoree Benjamin Maides, spent years sourcing the most premium products for the concept. From all-natural 40-Day Dry Aged Bone-In Ribeye to house-made noodles to unique spins on traditional sashimi and crudos and branzino raised indoors in a recirculation aquaculture system, each dish is crafted to offer a unique and delicious dining experience.
The beverage program at PYRO is equally impressive, including a highly allocated Japanese whisky collection (think Yamazaki 18 – 100 Year Anniversary and Hibiki 21 Year) alongside a globally diverse selection of sake and wine labels. Here, your glass of wine is just as likely to come from some of the highest-elevation vineyards in the Alps as one of the most southerly coastal wineries in Patagonia. To make this program possible, Sommelier and Wine Director Shannon Saulsbury brought wines to Arizona that had never been in the state prior. This includes a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc fermented with rare sake yeast, organic Etna Bianco from a vineyard carved into the very slopes of an active volcano, and traditional method bubbles from the mountainous borders of Armenia.
The craft cocktails and zero-proof libations, created by Dustin Fox, take inspiration from classic cocktail culture while highlighting the flavors and sensibilities of Japan. The humble creations are minimalist and unpretentious, while the flavors are exotic and unique yet somehow familiar. Guests can try a Calamansi Margarita with Lalo Tequila, Thai Chili and Calamansi Sherbet, Aloe Liqueur and Lime, an Old Fashioned with Russell’s Reserve 10 Private Barrel, Choya Kokuto Umeshu, Lapsang Souchong and Sansho Bitters and a Thai-Pache (Alcohol-Free) with Pineapple Tepache, Thai Chili, Lime, Chamoy and Tajin.
The food and beverage is not the only A-list moment at this hot spot. The design and social media-worthy aesthetics alone will attract crowds from near or far. In collaboration with the award-winning global design firm AvroKO, PYRO immerses guests in a modern articulation of a traditional Japanese home. Drawing inspiration from a 1930s Japanese supper club run by “Madam Geisha,” the restaurant features special fixtures, luxurious velvets, and traditional geisha patterns, fostering a refined yet inviting atmosphere within its 4,200 square feet. The restaurant boasts an expansive dining room and lush outdoor patio with an open hearth and bespoke cocktail bar.
PYRO is open daily for lunch from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, while dinner hours are Monday through Thursday and Sunday from 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM and Friday and Saturday from 5:00 PM – 10:30 PM. The Bar is open daily from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and “Social Hour” (PYRO’s version of happy hour) offerings are available Monday through Friday from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. To learn more, please visit pyrophx.com.
