FEATURE FRIDAY: Lauren Bailey on Why She’s Wearing a Bruschetta Costume, Opening Postino, and More

Lauren Bailey was just 19 when she began working in restaurants.
She worked her way up, and then headed to Nantucket to bartend to save seed money. Her plan was to open a restaurant.
In 2007, Bailey made that happen, opening her first restaurant, Postino Central, with her partner, Craig DeMarco.
“We later co-founded Upward Projects in 2009, and through a lot of great times, tons of effort, and amazing people, we now have over 35 restaurants with five brands in six states—soon to be seven,” she says. “I lead the team as the CEO of the company, and I focus on leadership, strategy, conceptualization, and development.”
The original Postino is located in Arcadia’s former post office, and that uniqueness and special tie to a community continues to set the tone for all other Postino locations created since.
“[It’s] being a place that always prioritizes the community while serving great wine, food, and cocktails in architecturally relevant spaces—selecting vintage buildings whenever possible,” Bailey explains.
Her design background and art degree heavily influence the vibe of the restaurants, and though each features vintage items and one-of-a-kind art walls, they are all different.
“No two Postino locations are alike,” she says. “And we are really dedicated to continuing that as well as honoring our place in the community.

Tell us a little about Upward Projects … 

Upward Projects is a team of people who care about making other people feel good. That simple. We know that bringing joy to others is our purpose and our passion, and we are honored to do the work of creating the tables where our communities come together to have their best moments—first dates, deciding to have a baby, see friends, buy a house, take a job, and so many more. We are committed to building our company with integrity, inclusivity, a people-first mentality, and a deep commitment to our craft. 

What inspired you to co-found it?

Craig and I were very aligned on how we wanted to do things … less so on what we were going to do exactly. I think we sort of had this inherent belief that things would work out if we just did right by people—all our stakeholders. We knew our team, guests, neighbors, landlords, vendors, and investors were the backbone of what we were trying to do and when we take care of them, it all has a way of working out.  

You have a number of restaurants now …

In addition to Postino, we have Windsor & Churn, a pub-style hangout with an adjoining nostalgic ice cream parlor; Federal Pizza, a wood-fired pizzeria and craft beer spot; and Joyride Taco House, a Mexican food destination with a well-worn, casual beach vibe.

What makes your locations special?

We like each of our spots to have their own vibe that reflects the area around it. We do that with art, and it plays a big role in telling the stories of our buildings. Despite our growth, we have never stopped sourcing special one-of-a-kind furniture, art, design features, and lighting. Hallmarks of our dining experience include pairing delicious food with local ingredients, bespoke beverage programs, and a warm, friendly culture that brings everyone together. We like to think of ourselves as “third places” that offer a place where our guests can design their experience for themselves—while hopefully enhancing the neighborhood they inhabit. 

Postino is currently launching its second Battle of the Bruschetta. Tell us about it!

We’re so excited to launch our second annual Battle of The Bruschetta! Our chefs across all Postino locations have submitted bruschetta recipes and we’ve narrowed it down to four of them that will battle it out against each other for a chance to win a spot on our permeant menu in the fall. Our team and guests are always throwing out ideas and some just are destined for topping the toast! 

Last year, in its inaugural year, the Mexican Street Corn was the winner and is now a menu favorite. We had over 28,600 votes come in throughout the campaign. This year, we’re again looking forward to connecting with our guests on a deeper level by involving them in the new menu item selection process once again. Let the battle commence! 

P.S.—You will see me in a bruschetta costume! 

Do you have a favorite dish at any of your locales?

After all these years, I still never leave the building without eating a bruschetta! My go-to order is Prosciutto & Fig, Smoked Salmon, Mushroom & Mascarpone, and the special. 

When you aren’t working, we’d find you …

I have a deep love of food so I am often testing new recipes, cooking with my son, traveling, contributing to other organizations like ASU or Brand USA, or making art. I also love to read leadership books as I work on leading my team as it grows. I’m on the road a lot, visiting our restaurants and looking for new locations, so I’ll stop at museums, restaurants, and shops on my brain breaks. 

Motto you live by?

Quantify the worst thing that can happen, and if you can live with that—go for it! 

Favorite places around Scottsdale … 

I love Wonderspaces at Scottsdale Fashion Square—it has interactive art installations that change regularly, as well as SMoCA, martinis at AZ/88, whiskey at Porter’s Western Saloon, Japanese [food] at Uchi, Amy Inc. and Vintage by Misty for shopping, and Berdeena’s for coffee and egg sammies after a walk on the canal. 

One thing we’d be surprised to learn about you …

I am a TOTAL bargain shopper and am addicted to Last Chance (only one in the country!) and My Sisters Closet. 

I am very superstitious and put crystals in all of our restaurants, smudge them before opening (and sometimes again later) and hide fortunes between the bar wall. 

I wouldn’t be too impressed to meet anyone famous, except for Kelly Wearstler and Rick Rubin.

Postino has locations in Scottsdale at 4821 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 and Kierland Commons, 7030 E. Greenway Pkwy., Scottsdale, AZ 85254.