Scottsdale is home to some of the best Italian restaurants in Arizona, but none of them are quite as unique as Sassi. Pronounced “saucy,” the restaurant/ wedding venue has been in business for several years. Seated at the foot of Pinnacle Peak, the scenery is absolutely fantastic, and you’ll get an experience like none other since Sassi is privately owned, and not a chain. Step inside this award winning restaurant, and you’ll want to return again and again for the food, the wine, and the memories.
Sassi is open for dinner each evening except for Monday. The best time to come would be on the weekends when live musical entertainment is playing. The sounds of acoustic guitars and Latin American music or Jazz plays in the bar. The bar is a great place to have a relaxing happy hour with a specialty cocktail or Italian wine. The wine list at Sassi is very large and the sommeliers can make recommendations if you’re not sure which one to go with. Both Italian and American varietals grace the menu, and small plates are served as well. The food at Sassi can best be described as rustic, artisan style cuisine inspired by the small towns of southern Italy. Executive Chef Christopher Nicosia takes his time and pride in creating each delectable dish such as the Caprese Salad that Sassi is known for. The ingredients and style of cooking are like those found in the trattorias of Southern Italy. The menu is printed mostly in Italian with food descriptions in English. Get ready to feast on dishes such as Spaghetti Carbonara, Gnocci, and Pasture Raised, Bone in Veal Chop. You can expect everything from meat to seafood on the list.
One of the things that makes Sassi so memorable are the different rooms. The owners wanted to replicate an Italian villa that has matured over centuries from a simple farmhouse into a comfortable estate. Each of the five rooms look like different rooms of a villa with classic Italian architecture while providing astonishing views of the desert and the city. The Main room includes a limestone fireplace and dark wood floors. The Kitchen is the largest room seating up to fifty guests. It resembles a farm house kitchen with terra cotta brick floors, and wood beamed ceiling. This room offers a view of the restaurant kitchen with it’s wood burning stove. The Garden Terrace features views of the city and the mountains. It has a stone fireplace, stone and wood floors, high beam ceilings and Venetian plaster walls. Next, you’ll find a cozy room called the Library. Red Venetian plaster walls contain a masonry fireplace, rich mahogany beamed ceilings, and stone floors. The smallest room is the Wine Cellar allowing for only 14 diners. The high backed upholstered chairs are perfect for a relaxed, elegant evening. Over 200 wines are available to choose from, and this room features a special menu. There is also a private dining room for small parties of eight or less.
The very best thing about Sassi besides the food is the memories that you and your family can make on your wedding day. Sassi has another special room that can hold up to 150 guests with tables and a modest dance floor for your reception. Nothing could be better than to book your special day at Sassi, and let them take care of all the details. The hardest decision you’ll have to make is which menu you’d like. There are several wedding day menus available to fit any taste and budget. Once you book, you can come in for a special tasting to make sure the cake and food will be prepared exactly to your liking. The wedding cake can be made by local company Let Them Eat Cake. They will make you any kind of cake you wish, and on your one year anniversary, they will make you a cake top just like the one you had on your wedding day. Sassi has a list of preferred photographers, florists, and DJ’s that are reputable on their site. On your wedding day, the grounds at Sassi are beautiful and perfect with breathtaking views of the mountains in the background, and rose petals and perfectly manicured grass on the lawn. There are separate changing rooms for the bride and groom and their parties. On your day, you and your spouse-to-be will be followed by your own personal shadow who will take care of your every need.
The memories never end at Sassi whether joining friends for happy hour, dining in each of the five rooms, or starting your life anew with your partner. Let Sassi become the one you choose to create the ambiance, food, music and wine that will become a backdrop to your life.