Aaron Lopo, founder of Dapper & Stout Coffee, Cocktails and Eatery, has launched his newest concept, Horse & Hyde Barroom Saloon. A chic, Nashville-style country bar located at 3730 E. Indian School Rd., Horse & Hyde features an intimate lounge-style country bar featuring live music five days a week, a creative bar program with traditional cocktails with a country kick and a simple straightforward menu served from open to close.
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“I’ve always all things country and I wanted to develop a concept that challenges the stigma of traditional country bars,” says Lopo, whose passion for and expertise in design and development is evident in every last detail of Horse & Hyde. “I love to build spaces and create something where people want to go every day. There is a lot of escapism coming into a restaurant. I like knowing that I get to be a part of our customers’ day and ensure they have the most memorable experience here.”
The intimate Horse & Hyde is just about 1,200 square feet that manages to house a stage, dance floor, full bar, dining area and patio. Beautifully decorated with a high-quality sound system, that provides an easy plug-and-play format for performers, Horse & Hyde features live music five days a week, including open mic night on Wednesdays.
The menu, described as simple Sonoran cowboy food, features upscale yet straightforward items such as the Braised Beef Panini with smoked gouda, crispy caramelized onions and trail aioli ($14); Hermosillo Dog with locally sourced chorizo, ranch style beans, white onions, jalapeno and mayo on a fresh brioche bun ($11) and Wild West Potato Nachos with choice of open-pit BBQ pulled pork or pulled chicken, ranch style beans, a three-cheese blend, jalapenos and seasoned sour cream atop a mound of kettle chips and served with green chile salsa ($13).
Signature cocktails include the Smokin’ Joe featuring Gracias a Dios Oaxacan gin, Vida mezcal, dry curacao, lime juice , chipotle pineapple and orange bitters ($15); the Buckin’ Bronco with Maison Rouge cognac, Mr. Black coffee liqueur, demerara syrup and Dapper & Stout’s own Ensemble espresso ($14); and the City Slicker made with Whistle Pig six year rye, Antica sweet vermouth, Averna Amaro, orange and angostura bitters, barrel-aged with a hint of cacao ($15).
Horse & Hyde also features a variety of classic cocktails, a full bar, wine, four beers on tap and a variety of canned and bottled beers as well as seltzers.
With three Dapper & Stout locations and the new Horse & Hyde, Lopo’s four-restaurant footprint is making a significant mark on the valley. And though he opened the doors to Horse & Hyde quietly just two months ago, he already has his sights set on expansion of other locations around the valley. Through his lifelong career in the hospitality industry, starting out working in restaurants himself, Lopo is now looking to delve further into the development and conceptualization of building inviting, welcoming spaces.
Horse & Hyde is open Tuesday through Friday beginning at 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. For more about Horse & Hyde Barroom Saloon, visit horseandhyde.com