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FOOD & DRINK
SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 8, 2022
Food & Drink
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Hash Kitchen expects to expand by 2024 BY ALEX GALLAGHER Progress Staff Writer
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he year was 2016 and Joey Maggiore had felt burned from spending more time at his restaurant than with his family. He decided to convert his seafood concept restaurant nestled in Gainey Village, Cuttlefish, into Hash Kitchen — a brunch space that offered food that not only looked so good that it had to be shared by diners on social media but backed up its aesthetics with spectacular taste. “It was time to make a move that provided a better home life that worked out better for the business,” said Maggiore, who co-founded Hash Kitchen with his wife Cristina. “We wanted to do something out of the box that was similar to my personality.” He did just that by creating gargantuan portions of food that would leave his customers' bellies filled and still craving leftovers. “The creativity behind each dish plays well and tastes delicious but when it comes to the table, we all eat with our eyes and when food comes out large people love it,” Maggiore said. With signature dishes like giant cannoli pancakes topped with cannoli filling that is made in-house, carnitas hash which features slow-braised carnitas that sits atop a mound of cheese and potatoes smothered in green chili sauce and the restaurant’s signature chicken and waffles, Maggiore had a feeling that he had found his breakout brand. “We always knew we were a breakthrough brand; we were just waiting to get acknowledged,” he said with a laugh. His suspicions were correct as cus-
Hash Kitchen co-owner Joey Maggiore has announced that his brand ambitiously aims to open 24 restaurants by 2024. (Special to the Progress)
tomers began waiting hours just to be sat and fed. “In the first two months, we saw the volume get busier and busier,” Maggiore said. “When you see customers waiting in line from one to three hours
to eat your food, that’s the biggest accomplishment there is.” Fast forward six years and four more locations, Maggiore has seen such a demand that he sold 51% of the brand to the Savory Fund — a Utah-based
company that “partners with restaurateurs to expand unique brands that target unique, new and undiscovered parts of the food & beverage industry,” according to its website. He also added a second Peoria location near Arrowhead Mall and a location in at Verde Cooling Station. Hash Kitchen also plans to add 24 new locations by 2024. “Even though there are great states out there to do business in, we wanted to start here and backfill every area we can and then when there’s not any real estate left, we will look into other states,” Maggiore said. Maggiore is also excited to unveil the evolved look of Hash Kitchen with its new locations. “They say after you build three or five locations, they start becoming the way they should,” he said. Because of this, he plans to give the restaurants a subtle makeover. “Going forward, we’re bringing some more greenery to the interior but the insides won’t change as much,” Maggiore said. “The exteriors are where we’re going to work now since we’re in shopping centers and want to stand out as much as we can and provide a place for Instagram-worthy photo opportunities and display the fun that Hash is.” Although his restaurants may not all look identical, Maggiore hopes that each restaurant makes diners feel at home much like he feels every time he walks into his initial location inside Gainey Village. “People have many restaurants to choose from, but what makes the difference is when they come into our restaurant, they feel like they’re a part of it,” said Maggiore. Info: hashkitchen.com
