TEMPE, AZ — Of all the great places to have a great dinner and a glass of wine across Arizona, one restaurant in Tempe has been recognized internationally.
Although it’s near University and Mill Avenue, this spot is far from the college cuisine you’d expect at this intersection.
At the bottom floor of a high-rise is a public restaurant that just won a prestigious Wine Spectator award.
And that building is a senior living facility.
For those spending their golden years at Mirabella, a luxury senior living facility on the ASU Campus, there’s plenty to smile about.
Part of that may be because residents here led a life that allows them to have a glass of wine around 10:30 a.m., then do whatever they darn well please with the rest of their retirement.
”And I can go up and take a nap,” said former ASU Engineering professor Bob Rankin.
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Another reason for all the smiles at an early lunch before the weekend is because residents know when they get to share a meal with one another. That meal may be one of the best parts of their day.
"The food here, is better than on cruises,” former medical executive Linda Brisbane says.
Jody Kosterlitz is the dining room manager for Dolce Vita Bistro at the bottom floor of Mirabella.
She started her career in hospital nutrition then pivoted into dining management, where she never stopped learning on how to improve the dining experience.
Who better to learn from, she says, than the many residents who’ve had a lifetime of food and wine from all over the world.
With a wine list of nearly 200 selections, some of which were suggested by residents, she entered her restaurant at the senior living facility and was internationally recognized as a 2024 winner of a Wine Spectator award.
One of the top authorities in wine pairings, the magazine gave out about 3,700 awards worldwide this year, 58 here in Arizona, and Dolce Vita’s recognition is believed to be among the first senior living facilities to receive the prestigious award.
”When I got the email, I read it about six times, I was like, ‘Congratulations? What?’" said Kosterlitz.
Although Kosterlitz is not a certified sommelier, she is a student of great service who knows those around her know a thing or two about what makes a good meal.
”When they actually enjoy the food, and they’re constantly wowed by it, changes their perspective on where they moved,” she said.
Dolce Vida is open to the public, a key qualifier to be considered for the award.
The Tempe restaurant is in the July issue of Wine Spectator which is read by more than 3 million people worldwide.
