No Horsing Around at Stock & Stable

The Place: Stock & Stable
The Location: 5538 N. 7th Street, Phoenix
The Dishes: Chicken & Waffle, Biscuits ‘N Gravy, Arugula Salad, Cheeseburger & Fries, Hot Fried Chicken, Ad Hoc Board, Cheesecake
By: Tessa Esposito

Have you ever been out and about and gotten a bit distracted as your attention was drawn elsewhere? Me too! Which is how I came across Stock & Stable, near the crossroads of 7th Street and Missouri in Uptown Phoenix. The lovely patio, strung with market lights and surrounded by foliage, drew us in, and our dining experience had us coming back again and again.

Stock & Stable was opened in June 2015 by Evening Entertainment Group (EEG), and for this concept, they focused on creating a classic American Gastropub. The ambiance is classy and subtely contemporary, with elements of leather, tile, hardwood and stainless steel, and playful Warhol-esque bovine artwork. The patio is a little more relaxed, with punches of color and patterns. Between those two areas, and the bar with its rich, casual vibe, it was almost difficult to decide where to sit!

For our first visit, we chose the patio and indulged in their amazing brunch menu. Even with a large party taking up most of the patio, our server was quick and attentive. Seriously, everything on the menu looked delicious, but we finally settled on some mid-morning classics; Fried Chicken & Waffle, which was a bit more sweet than savory, with its cinnamon belgian waffle ($16), hearty Biscuits ‘N Gravy ($12), and a side of their sumptuous, flavorful Breakfast Fries, which come slathered by sausage gravy, tillamook cheddar cheese and a fried egg ($12). Everything was perfectly cooked and too good to put the fork down! We literally ate every bite.

Stock & Stables offers a fantastic Social Hour from 3 pm to 6 pm Monday-Friday, with half-off select menu items and drink specials like $5 house wines. It’s a great way to try some of their prime offerings at a lower price point. So for our next visit, we planted ourselves at the bar and dove in. We started with the Arugula salad, a mixture of arugula, avacado, feta, grapefruit, pepitas and lemon vinaigrette, which was light and refreshing ($6). We then moved on to the very simply named Cheeseburger and Fries, which really doesn’t need a catchy name or gimmick. If you’re looking for a classic, juicy, cooked-to-order burger, you can’t miss this one! No frills, just flavor. We were also impressed by the presentation of our food and drinks. Everything was beautifully crafted.

A third visit brought us back to try their dinner menu. It was a busy evening, but we found seats at the bar where we were soon talking with other guests, and it really created a fun neighborhood feel. We ordered the Hot Fried Chicken, which is different from your standard fried chicken, thanks to the incorporation of calabrian chili, honey and pickles, accompanied by noble bread ($13). We loved the tangy variation. Next came the Arugula salad (again—we’re fans!), and then, to make it a true feast, we ordered the Ad Hoc Board, their version of a charcuterie board ($25), topped by artisan meats, delectable cheeses, grilled noble bread and house made jams and spreads. We were pretty full at this point, but what’s a night out without dessert? The bartender highly recommended the Cheesecake, and we’re glad he did. It was different from other slices of the rich dessert we’ve had, mostly because of the texture, with was silky and fluffy, as opposed to dense. This is a dessert worthy of (many) repeat orderings! Our cheesecake and coffee were the perfect ending to a fantastic evening of indulgence.

When EEG created Stock & Stable, they weren’t horsing around—it is a champion!

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