Yet another addition is coming to Tucson’s culinary scene — just in time to end the year on a tasteful and positive note, too.
On Friday, December 4, Locale Neighborhood Italian will open its doors at 60 N. Alvernon Way., the midtown space that previously housed Old Pueblo Grill.
The location near Alvernon and Broadway had been empty for some time when owners of Contigo Latin Kitchen, Deb Tenino and Nick Kreutz, got the opportunity to consider a second restaurant concept.
“We felt it was time to breathe new life into the space,” co-owner, Deb Tenino said. “We wanted the restaurant to evolve in a contemporary way to celebrate the juxtaposition of its life as an older home and add a new layer to its history as a restaurant.”
Their initial vision for Locale was to open the historic Italian farmhouse, which is conveniently nestled in the center of Tucson, earlier in the year, but COVID-19 stifled their plans of an earlier start.
However, you can’t keep a good restaurant down, and in the last few months, construction revved up once again and now everything’s ready for an early December opening.
“We chose the name Locale not only because we wanted to use local ingredients, but Locale in Italian also means ‘place’ and ‘resident’,” co-owner, Nick Kreutz said. “More than anything, we want Locale to be the heart of its neighborhood; a place where people can meet, have coffee, pick up dinner after a busy day, enjoy a great meal with friends.”
What’s on the Italian Farmhouse menu?
The expansive menu features breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all while offering a combo of grab-and-go and dine-in on the patio and inside. The regular hours will be 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Tuesday – Sunday.
Coming out of the kitchen will be a blend of Italian classics made with a wide range of local products, like the Seven-layer Lasagna, Pizza a Taglio, and the Pomegranate Sorbet — made with local milk and fruit from trees on the property.
An on-site bakery to open soon
The southern side of the property is taken up by a bakery and grab-and-go center, which will be opening later on near the end of December.
The bakery will be serving freshly-brewed Cappuccino, tarts, egg sandwiches, polenta, and other delights to get your day off to a great start — to-go or for dining in or on the patio.
The peaceful patio remains intact
For those who are familiar with the main patio, it’s been restored back to its former glory with help — locally — from Spadefoot Nursery, Mesquite Valley Growers, Green Things, Turf Yards, and Furniture-in-the-Raw.
“We want Locale to fill a need for taking an unused urban space and turning it into a dynamic part of the community,” Tenino said.
Locale Neighborhood Italian s located at 60 N. Alvernon Way. For more information, visit localetucson.com or call (520) 398-7549.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
