Chef Sheila Bryson's Southwest restaurant Alma has reopened in north Scottsdale, landing in the former Preston's Steakhouse space at The Citadel after closing its Old Town Scottsdale location earlier this year. The new spot sits next door to sister restaurant Little Snitch on the northwest corner of Pima and Pinnacle Peak roads, and it arrives with a reworked identity built around mesquite-fired steaks, a rooftop lounge, and a tequila and mezcal bar.
Bryson rebuilt Alma as a Southwest steakhouse drawing on flavors from Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Northern Mexico, according to Mouth by Southwest, which authored the reopening report. That marks a shift from the restaurant's earlier identity; before the move, Alma drew inspiration from Santa Fe, with a menu built around bold flavors, layered spices and a mix of traditional and modern New Mexico-style dishes, as Phoenix New Times had described it. The new location puts Alma closer to several of Bryson's other Soul Hospitality Group concepts, including Soul Café, Vic & Ola's, Pescada, and Little Snitch, per What Now Phoenix.
Mesquite-Grilled Steaks Headline the New Menu
The new menu leans hard into live-fire cooking, with Alma's steaks grilled over live mesquite, the station's report notes. The 22-ounce prime bone-in ribeye runs $98, while the Copper State Reserve tenderloin comes in at $58 for six ounces. For those sharing, the Ranch Table offers a 40-ounce porterhouse priced at $198, served with ranch beans, esquites, and warm tortillas, and the Cowboy Mixed Grill carries the same sides for $98.
Smaller plates round out the menu alongside tacos, and a gluten-free starter called Breads of the Southwest pairs a chorizo cheddar biscuit, a blue cornbread madeleine, and a pumpkin scone, per the same account. The cocktail list follows the regional theme: Outlaw Old Fashioneds run $19, including the Billy the Kid, made with jalapeño-bacon-infused Buffalo Trace, while margaritas are priced at $21 each and come with a sidekick snack. Bryson's own pick from the bar is the Barbwire Baddie, a cocktail built with Tanqueray 10, jalapeño white wine, peach liqueur, and blue-cheese olives.
A Rooftop Lounge and a Returning Western Boutique
Upstairs, Copper Club functions as a rooftop lounge with live music, giving the restaurant a second life after dinner. Alma also includes a tequila and mezcal tasting bar, a feature that was part of the project's plans well before opening, according to Patch, which reported the bar would pair tastings with chef-created tacos and small bites. Patch also reported that guests would be able to move between the restaurant's different spaces while ordering from Alma's full menu, per Bryson.
The reopening also brings back Barbwire Western Couture, a boutique Bryson previously operated, now stocked with boots, hats, and jewelry. Patch's earlier report described the shop offering clothing, jewelry, boots and hats as part of the same relaunch. The building itself has history tied to the space: Preston's Steakhouse, the prior tenant, closed after more than 10 years there, citing the condition of the building and required repairs, Patch reported.
Opening Timeline and Hours Still Getting Sorted Out
Exactly when Alma started serving customers remains a little fuzzy. OpenTable lists November 2 as the restaurant's opening day, though that listing does not specify a year. A July 2026 report had suggested construction could push the opening into early November, and a later update cited November 2, 2026, as the scheduled date, according to The Mitchell Group. What Now Phoenix had earlier reported that the restaurant was targeting an October 1 opening, though Bryson said the reopening could shift into early November depending on construction progress.
Regular hours are similarly unsettled across sources. Mouth by Southwest lists Alma as open 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 3 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, while OpenTable lists hours as 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and 3 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Alma's own website simply welcomes guests to its new space and invites them to book dinner, without listing specific hours.
