Tucson, AZ – Tucson Wine lovers rejoice! The Living Room Wine Café & Lounge is officially open at La Encantada shopping center –2905 E Skyline Drive. Offering a relaxed, comfortable and welcoming lounge experience, The Living Room’s customers will be welcomed with delicious food and indulgent wine in beautiful and comfortable surroundings.

The coziness of the restaurant masks the 3,000 square-foot space which formerly housed the Armitage. Filled with conversation and rendezvous-style nooks, the restaurant balances an open-air and welcoming feel for both the interior and patio areas. Seating is comfortable, social and soft, designed for stretch-out and hang-out pleasure.

With wine as the star, the bar offers a selection of 35 wines and sangrias by the glass, a handpicked list of wines available by the bottle and a full cocktail and beer-on-tap and by-the-bottle bar. Happy hour specials delight with an ever-changing selection of exclusive boutique wines only offered at The Living Room.

“The Living Room is truly the modern day neighborhood hangout; it’s a chill lounge with great food,” says Tom Kaufman, owner, The Living Room Wine Café & Lounge. “We are thrilled to bring this concept to Tucson.”

Diners can expect a menu packed with delicious and sharable salads, seafood, starters, bruschetta, flatbreads, burgers, desserts and more. Saturday and Sunday brunch is stocked with both healthy and hearty options including signature crepes.

Building on the success of locations in Scottsdale and Chandler, The Living Room Wine Cafe & Lounge is privately owned by Tom Kaufman, Patrick King, Dave Dabruzzi, Tim Valencia, Tony Eden and a group of Arizona investors.

The Restaurant is Open Monday – Thursday, 11 am – midnight;
Friday, 11am – 2 am;
Saturday,  9 am – 2 am; and
Sunday, 9 am – 10 pm.
Brunch served Saturdays & Sundays 10 am – 2 pm
DJ Spin every Thursday through Saturday. 

For more information visit Livingroomwinebar.com or call 520.308.5591.

Tucson Foodie, Gerald M Gay, reports Phoenix-based restaurateur Tom Kaufman will be making his grand debut in the Tucson market with two of his concepts set to open at La Encantada, 2905 E. Skyline Drive, by the end of the year.

Kaufman and his partners will launch The Living Room Wine Café & Lounge in the old home of Armitage Wine Lounge and Café by mid-October.

The Living Room, which will sit at about 3,000-square-feet, has two sister locations, one in Chandler and one in Scottsdale.

The first Living Room launched in Chandler in 2010.

He will follow-up by opening his first Tucson Humble Pie pizza restaurant in 2,100-square-feet of space, once part of the seafood eatery, Bluepoint Kitchen & Bar, by late November.

He and his partners opened their first Humble Pie in 2007.

Kaufman looks at expanding into Southern Arizona as a great opportunity.

“There are a lot of people in Tucson who want to try new things,” he said. “You also have the winter visitors and students and their families from the university.”

Kaufman came to Arizona from Michigan in 1973 to attend Arizona State University. He lived in Tucson for a short time in the early 1990s, working as a wine sales representative.

Kaufman opened his first restaurant, Rancho Pinot in Scottsdale, with his now-ex-wife Chrysa Robertson in 1993. Roberston took full ownership in 2010.

Today, Kaufman is one of the driving forces behind 10 dining establishments in the Phoenix area, including eight Humble Pie locations, a Chandler steakhouse called CHoP, and a sushi spot dubbed Rock Lobster, also in Chandler.

Kaufman said he had been looking for the right place to land in Tucson for the last five years.

He toured locations from Joesler Village to downtown, but “came home empty-handed about a dozen times.”

“I am glad we waited,” Kaufman said. “La Encantada has such a gorgeous view. We feel fortunate to be in the right place at the right time.”

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