Old Town Scottsdale restaurant Cowboy Ciao closes abruptly after 21 years Old Town Scottsdale's Cowboy Ciao shocked diners when it posted on Facebook that it would close after dinner service Oct. 15. The longstanding restaurant opened in 1997.

Lauren Saria | The Republic | azcentral.com

Cowboy Ciao, an Old Town Scottsdale fixture known for its kitschy cowboy decor, modern American menu and extensive wine list, has closed.

The 21-year-old restaurant's last dinner service was Monday, Oct. 15, according to a Facebook post.

The sudden closure is not the first drama in the restaurant's history. In 2012 and again in 2017, owner Peter Kasperski filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy under Cowboy Ciao LLC. In both cases, he said filing for bankruptcy would allow him to reorganize the business' debts.

Kasperski could not be reached for comment. Kazimierz World Wine Bar, which he also owns, also has closed. According to airport officials, there are no plans to close the Cowboy Ciao location at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Cowboy Ciao opened its doors on Feb. 12, 1997, according to the restaurant's website. Since then, it has become a mainstay of the Scottsdale dining scene.

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The restaurant's many alumni include some of the city's top chefs, including:

Bernie Kantak of Citizen Public House and The Gladly, who served as Cowboy Ciao's executive chef for 11 years.

Pastry chef Tracy Dempsey, who was Cowboy Ciao's pastry chef for five years before leaving to open her own business.

Kasperski and Cowboy Ciao also served as a launch pad for Cowboy Ciao's current pastry chef Country Velador to open her confection and sandwich shop, Super Chunk Sweets and Treats.

According to Velador's Facebook, Super Chunk Sweets and Treats will remain open.

Cowboy Ciao is perhaps most famous as the home of the Stetson Chop Salad, which Kantak created while working at the restaurant decades ago. It has become one of the most easily recognized dishes in Phoenix.

A version of the same salad, dubbed the Original Chop Salad, also appears on the menu at Kantak's restaurants Citizen Public House and The Gladly.

Details: Cowboy Ciao, 7133 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale. 480-946-3111, cowboyciao.com.

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