Sophisticated Palette

This Phoenix restaurant paints the perfect dining experience.

By Shane Luitjens

The Wine Cellar at Lon’s

While the painterly qualities of the Arizona sky are what originally inspired cowboy artist Lon Megargee, it is the Southwest cuisine found at the AAA Four Diamond restaurant built from the walls of his old studio that continues to draw Phoenix locals and visitors alike.

Built in the 1930s, the ranch home was purchased after a fire in 1992 and many aspects, from its adobe walls to its detailed ironwork, were restored to their original finish. Today, Megargee’s work fills the Library, Boardroom and Stetson Room, which sports a hand-painted ceiling, fireplace and large patio. As you enter the restaurant, check out the au- thentic Stetson hat in the corridor and turn it over to find the classic paint- ing that has made up the hat company’s signature for decades.

Chef Michael Rusconi’s culinary style incorporates excellent locally grown ingredients, and the restau- rant relies heavily on its own half-acre garden. “Cooking something we have grown ourselves creates a stronger, more passionate connection to our food,” Rusconi says.

If you dig deep enough at Lon’s, you won’t just find fresh arugula, basil and heirloom tomatoes— you might also discover the subterra- nean wine cellar. “Since there was no place to build out, and the city wouldn’t let us build up. We asked ourselves, ‘What could we build down below?’” says owner Fred Unger.

Utilizing a mix of media including Chicago brick and wood planks from retired European railcars, the wine cellar plays host to numerous private events. The old-world feel is complemented by an innovative cooling system that maintains cask-friendly temperatures towards the edges of the room, where more than 1,000 of the restaurant’s 5,000 bottles are displayed. This provides a comfortable warm center area where participants dine at the 15th-century French winery leather table.

While the sky may be what draws artists and visitors to the city, it’s the elegant cuisine and setting of places like Lon’s that keep them com- ing back for more.

602-955-7878; www.lons.com