Valley native and lauded chef Christopher Collins is no stranger to the local culinary scene. A fourth-generation restaurateur, Collins is the founder of Common Ground Culinary, through which he owns and operates Grassroots Kitchen & Tap, Wally’s American Gastropub, The Collins Small Batch Kitchen, The Macintosh, Neighborly Public House, Sweet Provisions, Arcadia Catering Co., and Collins Brothers Public House.
“I am 100% unapologetically obsessed with restaurant concepting and development,” said Collins. “I cannot turn my brain off when it comes to dreaming up new restaurant names and recipes, getting inspired from one word in an article, or my travels, or even my dreams. As a result, I spend an inordinate amount of time on the federal trademark search engine, simply looking into possibilities for what is next.” His newest concept, Saint Urban, is the latest and greatest result of this delicious mania.
“About five years ago, I knew I wanted to create a neighborhood wine bar of sorts, so I went down the rabbit hole of every word, machine, and person involved in wine for months,” said Collins. “Through my research, I learned of Saint Urban of Langres, who is the patron saint of winegrowers and vinedressers.” Saint Urban was fervent in protecting others persecuted for their faith, going so far as to help those being hunted seek refuge in vineyards. The helpful vintners quickly came to hold a special place in his heart, he began advocating for them as well.
“I feverishly searched the trademark engine with only a shred of hope that the name was not already taken by an eatery, winery, or other industry entity. To my surprise, it was available, so I began the year-long process to obtain the trademark, all before I even had a location or menu in my mind,” said Collins. By 2022, Collins owned the name and set out to develop the concept. “We originally opened as St. Urban atop The Neighborly concept in Central Phoenix in fall 2022,” said Collins. “And you know what? It just didn’t work. I needed to pivot.”
Collins closed St. Urban in the summer of 2023, converting the upstairs eatery to Bar Neighborly, which also doubles as a private event space. “I got my second chance to do right by Saint Urban in 2024 when my landlord at the Mercado on Hayden—where I had three flourishing concepts already in Grassroots, Collins Bros. Public House, and Sweet Provisions—had a dream space become available,” said Collins.
In late 2024, Collins opened the doors in Scottsdale to Saint Urban—this time spelling it out to avoid confusion from the prior concept—as a combination wine and cocktail bar with a diverse array of small plates and wickedly bold flavor combinations.
“The entire footprint of the space is less than 2,000 square feet, and the kitchen is about the size one might find in an apartment, so we had to be nimble and strategic in the menu planning,” said Collins. “We fell in love with the idea of West Coast-inspired small bites and fresh seasonal dishes because they lend themselves to big flavors without the need for massive prep space, allowing us to execute at a high level every day.”
The current menu combines classics one often craves at a wine or cocktail bar—think regionally sourced charcuterie and elevated takes on grilled cheese—with true West Coast staples such as Santa Maria tri-tip, seared artichokes, a fresh raw bar, and deconstructed sushi rolls served atop a bed of sweet sesame rice.
“We also have a kiss of both global and Sonoran Desert inspiration on the menu, which is common in West Coast cuisine as well,” said Collins, noting his personal favorite item—orange-ginger chicken thighs with chorizo whipped potatoes, au jus, and peppadew peppers—falls into this category.
The cocktail menu is similarly playful and surprisingly packed with six gin-based cocktails. “Of course, we have plenty of whiskey, vodka, tequila, and mezcal offerings as well, and we are always dreaming up something new,” said Collins.
The wine menu is a particular point of pride for Collins. “When I am not cooking—or dreaming up restaurant brands—I am a consumer myself. My wife and I love nothing more than going out to eat and grabbing a great glass of wine, and honestly, we were getting tired of spending $20 on a single glass.” As a result, guests at Saint Urban will be delighted to see a wide variety of primarily West Coast wines available by the glass for $10 to $14. And at happy hour? Several wines go down to $8 a glass.
A final point of pride on the menu is a section called Flightless Birds. “This section of our menu marks our first big foray into fully conceived non-alcoholic cocktails,” said Collins. “We say we want to be approachable and fun, and this addition was really the final step for us in ensuring we are accessible for all.”
written by: alison bailin batz | photographed by: grace stufkosky
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