After a year of renovations that owners say cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, Union Public House in St. Philip's Plaza announced its opening Tuesday.
The upscale pub - think craft beers and a chef-proud menu - is located in a space that once housed Acacia at St. Philip's Plaza and Daniel's Restaurant before that.
Owner Grant Krueger, who is in the venture with partner Jason Anderson, said the space was gutted floor to ceiling and required an extensive plumbing overhaul to accommodate a 1,000-gallon grease trap.
The partners quietly tested the waters last weekend and hosted a Halloween party on Monday to iron out the kinks before Tuesday's grand opening.
Union Public House has 30 craft beers on tap, from domestic lagers to double Indian pale ales, including microbrews from Flagstaff, Sedona and Tempe. Krueger said they also are negotiating with a couple of Tucson brewers.
Kreuger described the menu as "chefed-up pub food" - American comfort food like a house pork chop given a dressing-up with smoked cherry barbecue sauce and plated alongside gouda and Nueske's bacon hash browns ($15). A house-ground burger is dolled up with Red Dragon English cheddar cheese, arugula and pickled onions, then slicked with bacon jam ($11). Entrees run $11-$15, while small plates start at $5 and go up to $12.
Union Public House, 4340 N. Campbell Ave., is open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Happy hour specials are daily from 4 to 7 p.m. Details: www.uniontucson.com or 329-8575.
Tucson has two other gastropubs - Wilko near the University of Arizona, which last month added a bar; and Noble Hops in Oro Valley.
