Tempe's iconic Monti's La Casa Vieja closing Nov. 17
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news...ic-montis-la-casa-vieja-closing-nov/18436845/
Tempe's iconic Monti's La Casa Vieja, the oldest restaurant in the city and which is housed in the historic Hayden House on Mill Avenue, will close on Nov. 17 after nearly 60 years in business, restaurant owner Michael Monti confirmed Monday.
Monti said that for some time he's been interested in arranging developments around the Hayden House and, due to growing operating costs of the restaurant, he decided to sell.
On Oct. 29, The Republic reported that the new owner of the property plans to develop two high-rise towers on the site, raising speculation about the future of the downtown restaurant that has been the gathering place for countless groups through the years and known Valley-wide for its steak, Roman bread and historic memorabilia.
"In this case, the primary factor really is cost of beef and cost of doing business," Monti said of the decision to close.
Monti's father, Leonard, bought the Hayden House in 1954 and opened Las Casa Vieja in 1956. The Hayden House, believed to be built in the 1870s, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The house, where Arizona politician Carl Hayden was born in 1877, will be preserved and be part of the $200 million office and hotel project on the southwestern corner of Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway.
Monti said that the closing is bittersweet but that he has faith in the proposed project, along with the developers, which aim to keep the historical significance of the Hayden House intact.
"They are willing to do something worthy with the land and historic structure," Monti said. "The tradition and history aren't going away."
Monti said he has no plans to open another restaurant because the cost he would have to incur to stay in business would alter the experience that customers have come to count on at the original steakhouse. He will instead be focusing on his family.
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news...ic-montis-la-casa-vieja-closing-nov/18436845/
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Tempe's iconic Monti's La Casa Vieja, the oldest restaurant in the city and which is housed in the historic Hayden House on Mill Avenue, will close on Nov. 17 after nearly 60 years in business, restaurant owner Michael Monti confirmed Monday.
Monti said that for some time he's been interested in arranging developments around the Hayden House and, due to growing operating costs of the restaurant, he decided to sell.
On Oct. 29, The Republic reported that the new owner of the property plans to develop two high-rise towers on the site, raising speculation about the future of the downtown restaurant that has been the gathering place for countless groups through the years and known Valley-wide for its steak, Roman bread and historic memorabilia.
"In this case, the primary factor really is cost of beef and cost of doing business," Monti said of the decision to close.
Monti's father, Leonard, bought the Hayden House in 1954 and opened Las Casa Vieja in 1956. The Hayden House, believed to be built in the 1870s, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The house, where Arizona politician Carl Hayden was born in 1877, will be preserved and be part of the $200 million office and hotel project on the southwestern corner of Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway.
Monti said that the closing is bittersweet but that he has faith in the proposed project, along with the developers, which aim to keep the historical significance of the Hayden House intact.
"They are willing to do something worthy with the land and historic structure," Monti said. "The tradition and history aren't going away."
Monti said he has no plans to open another restaurant because the cost he would have to incur to stay in business would alter the experience that customers have come to count on at the original steakhouse. He will instead be focusing on his family.
