The name Scordato in Tucson is synonymous with Italian food, but Daniel Scordato is hoping his latest culinary venture might add an asterisk: Burgers.
On the eve of the 30th anniversary of his upscale Italian restaurant Vivace, Scordato opened Uptown Burger, a counter-service, fast-food restaurant that serves a half-dozen eclectic burgers, salads, fries and gelato.
βIβve always loved burgers,β said Scordato, who has spent 50 years pursuing Italian fare in a career that started in his fatherβs iconic Scordatoβs Restaurant in the 1970s before he ventured out on his own with Danielβs in 1984. βI wanted to do a hamburger restaurant before it got real popular.β
Uptown Burger, a joint venture with Scordatoβs chef nephew Justin Fitzsimmons, comes a dozen years after the burger wave hit Tucson, but Scordato thinks he might have something that sets him apart from the others.
The beef.
His burgers start with 100% Piedmontese beef, a breed that originated in Italy and is known for being lean yet flavorful.
βIt really has a very good meat flavor,β Scordato said.
Burgers come one of two ways β medium pink or well done β and are served on a toasted brioche bun. The only exception is the French dip burger, whose patty oozing with melty Brie cheese, sauteΓ©d mushrooms and caramelized onions is served on a toasted ciabatta roll that can hold up to the side of beef aux jus.
Walk-up order kiosks cut down wait time at Uptown Burger.
The menu includes Southwest accents on the Sonoran burger β avocado, poblano chiles, Oaxaca cheese and a fresh corn and Cholula relish β and a hint of California in the BLT avocado burger. Scordato didnβt put Italian entirely on the backburner at Uptown Burger: the Tuscan tops the beef patty with roasted eggplant β Scordato credits Fitzsimmons with that stroke of culinary genius β marinated mozzarella and diced tomatoes with pesto.
Thereβs also a Nashville hot chicken sandwich and grilled ahi tuna steak sandwich on the menu, alongside a half dozen salads.
Uptown Burger is Scordatoβs second venture into fast food. In late 2019, he opened the healthy Italian-leaning fast-food restaurant Posto Sano Foods in the Uptown Burger space at 6370 N. Campbell Ave. That restaurant, which offered vegan and vegetarian versions of everything on the menu, was open about a year before it became a casualty of the pandemic.
Scordato said he has a five-year lease on the space and had contemplated subleasing it to another restaurant operator before deciding to open Uptown Burger.
βThe reception has been really good,β he said earlier this week, sitting in the dining room as late lunch diners including retired Maj. Gen. Hoyt βSandyβ Vandenberg picked up takeout or placed orders at the countertop kiosks.
The kiosks send the orders straight to the kitchen, cutting 10 to 15 minutes off a dining experience since customers donβt have to wait for a server to take their order.
Uptown Burger also serves a half dozen craft beers and wine by the glass.
The restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily except Sundays. For more information, visit uptownburgertucson.com.
You can go traditional or you could go wild! Yair Ben-Dor has more.
