What’s better than happy hour all day every day? That is what you will find in the bar area at the Sicilian Butcher, the latest concept from the Maggiore family which owns several Valley restaurants including Tomaso’s, which opened in 1977, and Hash Kitchen.
The Sicilian Butcher is located on Tatum and Greenway in North Phoenix.
Located at Greenway and Tatum in North Phoenix, the Sicilian Butcher opened in early December. It has a fun and energetic vibe with a modern look. The patio has ample seating, a beautiful fireplace and strong heaters that will keep you warm on the chilliest of Phoenix nights.
The Sicilian Butcher has an inviting patio with a fireplace and heaters for winter nights in Phoenix.
The Sicilian Butcher’s menu is focused on meatballs and boards, two of my favorite things. There are nine types of meatballs, including Tomaso’s Sicilian meatballs, traditional meatballs made with beef, veal and pork, as well as options made with sausage, lamb, turkey, seafood and eggplant. You can order meatballs by the bucket, one at a time, or with your choice of savory sauces and homemade pastas. There are nine sauces to choose from including a tangy marinara, a meaty Sunday Sugo similar to Bolognese, spicy arrabiata, vodka cream, truffle mushroom and carbonara. Pasta options include mafalde ribbon shaped pasta, paccheri tube shaped pasta, gnocchi stuffed with ricotta and spinach, creamy polenta with mascarpone and parmesan cheeses, and saffron risotto, as well as a gluten-free option.
With nine meatballs and nine sauces on the menu, diners have the option to sample.
Happy hour is available all day every day in the bar area with discounted pricing on several items. Wine and beer are available for $5 and a selection of craft cocktails for $8 (normally priced at $10). The happy hour bottle and board for $19 includes a bottle of red or white wine, and the meatball polenta board which includes four large meatballs with your choice of sauce served on a bed of creamy polenta with toasted bread. Other boards available at happy hour include a bruschetta board for $8, mozzarella caprese board for $9 (normally priced at $13), and a meat and cheese board for $10 (normally priced at $15).
The bottle and board is a happy hour bargain that includes a bottle of wine and four meatballs on a bed of creamy polenta for $19.
I loved the happy hour bottle and board but it came with only one type of meatball. Luckily there is an option to order a single meatball with a choice of sauce for $2.50 or $3 each. I enjoyed trying the eggplant parm ball with the Amatriciana sauce (tomato sauce with pancetta and onion), the lump crab and shrimp ball with the vodka cream sauce and the steak ball with the Sunday Sugo sauce. My favorite meatball was Tomaso’s Sicilian. My happy hour companion and fellow meatball lover especially enjoyed the lump crab and shrimp ball as well as the eggplant parm ball even though eggplant is not typically his favorite.
There are a lot of options that are not on the happy hour menu, including a variety of bruschetta, flatbreads, panini sandwiches and boards. The Sicilian in Strada board is a five-foot board available for $14 per person for a minimum of four people featuring bruschetta, meatballs, polenta, meats, cheeses and pickled condiments.
My first visit to the Sicilian Butcher was all about the meatballs. I greatly enjoyed the variety of meatballs and sauces I sampled. I need to go back so I can try them all, as well as some of the beautiful boards.
The Sicilian Butcher | 15530 N. Tatum Blvd. | Phoenix | 85032 | 602.775.5140
Happy Hour: All day every day in the bar area
Favorite items: Bottle and board ($19), meatballs ($2.50-$3 each)