This beloved Phoenix chef opened the laid back restaurant Old Town didn't know it needed

Only months after Piccolo Virtu closed, a new concept from a familiar name has opened in the prime Old Town restaurant space.

Bernie Kantak, the chef and owner at The Gladly and Citizen Public House and partner Andrew Fritz teamed up with beverage director Kurtis Williams and chef Benjamin Graham to open Beginners Luck.

Kantak just wants to feed people with a menu that's an homage to family recipes in addition to his favorites from his other restaurants. Currently, patrons can enjoy breakfast and lunch, but he plans to open for dinner service in the future.

Since December 2023, the crew has transformed the space into a comfortable, relaxed indoor-outdoor restaurant. On a recent visit, people sat at the copper bar chatting with Williams and Fritz, while Graham could be seen in the open kitchen, the happy bustle punctuated by occasional shouts of "yes, chef," as he and Kantak checked the plates on the pass.

Behind the bar, a handmade Italian Rocket espresso machine is a focal point. Fritz chose the ceramic espresso cups that sit on shelves above based on weight, size and feel — bottom heavy 12-ounce cups for coffee and narrow-mouth cups for smooth craft coffee drinks made with beans roasted by Moxie Coffee Co. in Phoenix.

The current menu is divided between morning and noon mains and pastries with an extensive beverage menu of coffee and tea, beer and cider, wine, cocktails and mocktails. It may sound simple, but some of these dishes are as trail blazing (and crave-able) as the chop salad that made Kantak famous.

What's on the menu at Beginner's Luck

Beginner's Luck's gypsy toast is intimidating at first glance. An enormous piece of challah is served in a moat of coconut-pecan streusel with salted butterscotch syrup and stiffened cream. Don't let the size scare you. The bread is airy and light. Pay attention and you may detect little pops of five-spice. Pair it with the unputdownable chai-rish iced coffee, made of chai, simple syrup, coffee, whiskey and fresh whipped cream.

Kantak said he'd been insisting on this drink for years and he finally got his way. Chefs and mixologists, please listen to him the first time he comes up with an idea.

For a savory option, order the 12-hour Niman Ranch pork served over blue corn grits with crushed cucumber, pickled onion, jalapeno, avocado, lime, cilantro, chicharron and queso fresco. Kantak plays with the texture of crunchy chicharrones against the soft blue corn to great effect.

The poke bowl, made with salmon, avocado, pickled onions, arugula, smashed cucumbers, pickles and smoked moody blue cheese was light and bright and felt like the perfect meal after a stroll in Old Town.

But, if you try nothing else, order the Lucky 7 cereal bowl. An earthenware bowl held half chia pudding and half blue corn grits sprinkled with coconut-pecan granola, corn flour, blue agave syrup and a mix of blueberries and raspberries. Kantak's version is inspired by a dish he loves at his Sedona retreats. It's a yin yang of warm and cold, crunchy and soft with fresh pops from the berries without being overly sweet — a bowl of comfort that could become the chopped salad of breakfast service.

I have made a list of all the things I'd like to try next time I visit, and there will definitely be a next time. I can't wait to taste the mesquite date nut bread with cheese, a childhood favorite that Kantak's grandmother used to make. I'm intrigued by the sweet daily kolache made by pastry chef Benjamin Cadriel. Then there's the crab and shrimp roll and the eggplant shakshouka.

Solidly good food in a beautiful setting? Beginner's Luck is the restaurant Old Town didn't know it needed.

Visit Beginner's Luck

Beginners Luck is currently offering breakfast and lunch service. Dinner service is expected to start in early March.

Prices: $12 - $24 for entrees, $6-$10 for pastries, $12-$16 for cocktails and wines, $5-$11 for beer and cider, $3.75-$6 for coffee drinks.

Hours: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.

Details: 7240 E. Main St., Scottsdale. beginnersluckaz.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Beginner's Luck is now open in Old Town Scottsdale. What's on the menu