The gesture sets the tone for her new eatery, which she launched with chef Darryl Montana. At the Frybread Lounge, Tracy wants you to sit and appreciate the moment. And that's exactly what a steady stream of Phoenicians and Native patrons have done since the restaurant opened last month.
Tracy arrived on the scene two years ago in Old Town, setting up shop at the Native Art Market with her mother. Their goal was to give Indigenous creators a bigger platform. While the idea of expanding into a restaurant was not originally part of their plan, a series of serendipitous events made it apparent that it was their destiny to expand their offerings beyond art curation and bring Indigenous food, sourced from Indigenous food producers, to Old Town.
“It kind of fell in our lap," Tracy recalls. "The space had been renovated by other businesses in the community, and there were several ideas there, but it wasn’t working out. We were asked if we would be interested and wanted the space, and we knew that with the right vision we could make it work. And when we connected with Darryl, all the pieces started to fall into place.”
The Darryl she's referring to is the renowned Darryl Montana, who previously led Minneapolis' first Indigenous restaurant, Owamni, which received a 2022 James Beard Foundation Award. The same year, it was recognized as The New Yorker’s “Best New Restaurant in America" and was on USA Today’s 2024 “Restaurants of the Year” list. Montana, a member of the local Tohono O’odham community, was intrigued by the possibility of returning home to spread the word about Indigenous food.
Chef Darryl Montana led Minneapolis' first Indigenous restaurant, Owamni, which received a 2022 James Beard Foundation Award.
Zach Oden
“It’s been a very welcoming homecoming. We need an Indigenous chef around. And I get to tell my story and hear their stories through the food and connecting with the food and about the food, so coming back home and doing this ... You never know, you might be talking and realize these are your cousins and uncles and aunties,” he laughs.
Tracy met Montana last year when he was working at his Minneapolis restaurant and told him about the concept. "He was going to be coming back home over the summer and he agreed to take a look at the space. After the tour, he offered to come home and run the kitchen for us. The way it has worked out, it seems almost like it’s meant to be.” Tracy recalls.
The titular frybread lays a rich foundation for the locally sourced, vibrant flavors of true Native, non-processed dishes. The food, space, and atmosphere adhere to the idea of connecting or reconnecting to traditional dishes which reflect, not a product, but the actual food and its ingredients. This makes it a carefully curated experience that is fresh, simple, joyous and fun.
Standouts include the Bison Asada Tacos, which pack heat, zing and smoke. The signature Bison Ribeye, paired with the Indigenous pesto, is a singular event. It's leaner than beef, more flavorful, and elevated even further if you consume it in a pocket of fresh greens, tomatoes and hot, fluffy, crispy frybread.
Flights of frybread are paired with local honey and prickly pear syrup and the savory, slightly slow-spice of the white bean spread. It offers a balance of light and weighty.
“Frybread is resilient food. In cold winters, it shows Native Indigenous ingenuity, creativity — the mothers and aunties making something that we could carry with us, sustain us. And then, combining that with these traditional foods, Indigenous foods, five or six ingredients, super fresh, locally sourced from our partners at Romona Farms and Prairie Harvest, letting the food speak for itself. I don’t want to do too much with it, the components themselves,” Montana says.
The Frybread Lounge is about thoughtful consumption: eat, drink, remember, reflect.
“Heather took the time and effort to intentionally create something relaxing, hence the idea of a lounge with traditional food that is not too heavy, just enough. And to keep it light, fun, but still rooted in our history and experience,” Montana says.
The cocktail menu brings levity with standouts that include the Desert Rose, a floral mix of Casa Noble Tequila, hints of rose, lime, agave and black salt, and the Fire in the Sky with corn whiskey, chili liquor, agave, angostura bitters and served with a smoke top.
In addition, the music is carefully crafted with a playlist curated by Tracy that features Indigenous bangers, including singer-songwriter tunes, hip-hop\ and classic country swing. “People are coming in, our non-Native patrons, and at first, I was worried, like, is this too loud? Too powwow? But they have expressed how the music pairs with the experience, and how much they loved it,” Heather shares.
While only open a few weeks, the Frybread Lounge is looking to expand its menu and take on new projects. Montana has mentioned adding plates with proteins that reflect the Indigenous palate in the region, like quail and rabbit. They will also soon cater the Desert Botanical Garden’s “Plants and People of the Sonoran Desert” event on Nov. 16 and 17, giving more Phoenicians access to their cuisine.
“For us, food is sacred. It is not just to be consumed — from the harvest to the plating, it brings together the family, the tribe, and the community. This is a spiritual experience as much as a culinary one, and we want to share that with the entire city," says Tracy.
The Frybread Lounge
7211 E. Main St., Scottsdalethefrybreadlounge.com
