Rick Phillips and Peter Hearn will debut two new spots and revive a third at The Esplanade, the business and retail complex that’s been undergoing major renovations. In early 2025, the acclaimed Little Pickle Jewish Deli will return, along with the debut of Mexican restaurant Camello and the upscale 151 Tavern, according to a press announcement.
"I think we have so much fun ahead," Phillips says of the forthcoming "block" of restaurants.
He and Hearn previously worked together at Phillips’ New York outpost of the cocktail lounge MercBar. Hearn has since held roles with Fox Restaurant Concepts, Clayton House and Genuine Concepts, among others. In addition to MercBar's New York and Phoenix locations, Phillips opened Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse and launched culinary events including the Arizona Taco Festival. The duo has reunited and formed the restaurant group 151 Hospitality for their new projects.
Executive Chef Fidencio Alatriste, who has cooked at The Mission, The Mexicano and Toro at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, will oversee the culinary programs at all three restaurants.
Rick Phillips (above) and Peter Hearn will open three restaurants at The Esplanade in 2025. One is the revival of the pop-up deli The Little Pickle.
Dominic Armato
What to expect from 'block' of restaurants
The three forthcoming eateries will take over the expanse from the former Tocaya to MercBar, Phillips explains."We're going to have the whole block, if you will," he says.
Camello is a Mexican restaurant that will be "luxury, theatrical, upscale," Phillips says.
Taking over Tocaya and the area next to it, Camello will be a 6,000-square-foot restaurant and lounge that seats approximately 150 people. The food menu will include shareable small plates and entrees, and the bar will feature craft cocktails and have a tequila sommelier on hand to advise on all things agave.
"Camello is going to be a very upscale place," Phillips says, adding that it will be a place for Alatriste, who hails from Puebla, Mexico, to flex that culinary heritage. "Our chef literally wants to present the food he grew up with in a high-fashion, high-style way."
But, just because Camello is swanky doesn't mean it will be stuffy. Phillips says the team will infuse energy into all corners of the space, such as grilling or pouring frozen margaritas on the patio during the weekends. In addition to dining space inside and out, Camello's lounge will host live music performances and have room to boogie with its own dance floor.
The hospitality group will reimagine the space of the long-running, beloved cocktail lounge MercBar, which closed in June. In its place, 151 Tavern will serve a menu of comforting dishes including a dry-aged burger, house-made pasta, prime rib and a raw bar. The cocktail menu will emphasize classics like Manhattans and martinis. Inside the tavern is a private-event space that boasts a speakeasy-style bar for parties and dinners for up to 14 guests.
And, The Little Pickle, a pop-up deli that garnered praise over its initial six-month tenure in 2023, will return for breakfast and lunch. Menu favorites, including its pastrami sandwiches, house-smoked salmon and New York-style bagels, will be available. Catering will also be an emphasis, Phillips says. Some of the deli's dishes will also end up on the tavern's brunch and lunch menus. When the tavern isn't serving during breakfast, Phillips wants to make it a community space for Little Pickle patrons to enjoy their morning coffee and sandwiches.
The restaurateur is excited for the changes coming to dining and drinking at The Esplanade.
"We want everybody to have the best experience and bop around."
