As eager customers patiently await the highly anticipated opening of Élephante, the restaurant’s owners, Wish You Were Here Group, is just getting started in Phoenix.
The well-established restaurant group is getting ready to open Élephante in the coming weeks. The company, led by Nick Mathers, is already considering opening more concepts in the Valley, according to Phoenix Business Journal. While Élephante is expected to open this fall in Scottsdale Fashion Square, the company is considering opening Ruby’s and Belles Beach House locations in Phoenix. Exact locations and timelines have yet to be discussed, considering the group is focusing on Élephante.
“I really enjoy the people of Arizona. They’re super sweet, they’re very engaging, and they’re positive people,” Mathers tells Phoenix Business Journal. “It reminds me a lot of Australia, and I’m excited to meet a lot of folk and show them what we do. I think we’re doing something different and new that hasn’t been in Arizona yet. I want to really focus on Élephante because it’s such a magic project, but I can’t wait to then roll out Ruby’s and Belles. I really want to plant a flag in Arizona.”
Ruby’s is an Australian café concept with multiple locations in New York, while Belles Beach House is a retro Tiki Bar in Venice, California. The success of Élephante will likely determine whether or not these two new concepts make their way to the Valley. Fortunately for Arizona, the Wish You Were Here Group has spent a lot of time and energy on this new project, so it’s likely to be a hit when it opens. Customers can expect a new-to-market, high-end, coastal Italian concept with a lounge. The 12,000-square-foot restaurant will have a capacity of 345, including 60 seats on the patio.
