A new dining concept, Lydia’s Kitchen, is set to open next month at The Frederick, a curated retail and restaurant complex located at 1215 E. Missouri Avenue in Uptown Phoenix.
The restaurant is a collaboration between Jonathan Madrigal, owner of the popular coffee shop Berdena’s, and Chantell Nighswonger and Kevin Cieszkowski, the couple behind The Frederick, according to Phoenix New Times. Madrigal’s Berdena’s is known for its fine coffee and food, while Nighswonger and Cieszkowski transformed a former office complex into The Frederick, a mid-century retail space filled with local shops.
“Truth be told, this is an idea I have been working on for years,” Madrigal tells Phoenix New Times. “We had been playing with the idea of a brunch spot in Scottsdale, essentially expanding on Berdena’s. But the more we thought about it, looking at the space at The Fred, it started to feel like the natural fit for what we were wanting to do. It was a long time coming, but we are finally about ready.”
Lydia’s Kitchen will be Frederick’s first full-service restaurant, offering a unique dining experience in the heart of the complex. The space is expected to feature a modern aesthetic that complements the mid-century architecture of The Frederick. Madrigal and Nighswonger anticipate a mid-May 2025 opening for the all-day concept, which will serve brunch and dinner from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The Frederick is home to a variety of local businesses, including Vida Moulin, Creative Kind, Cricket & Ruby, Metalmark Fine Jewelry, Form Floral, Melt by Melissa, Batea Boutique, Mahalo Made, and Berdena’s. The addition of Lydia’s Kitchen further enhances the complex’s reputation as a vibrant hub for local commerce and community engagement.
“From Berdena’s, we knew that everything Jonathan does, he does earnestly. What we were tiring of in Phoenix and Scottsdale was this impulse for everything to be a trend or have a gimmick, whether it be the menu or the interior design,” Nighswonger tells Phoenix New Times. “Lydia’s Kitchen is a direct rebuttal of that sort of approach.”
