Hero opens at Rainbow Road in Phoenix. Take a look inside

A block north of Roosevelt Row, sits a jet-black building surrounded by a rainbow painted on the sidewalk. Peek through the windows and the glow of red and blue neon hints at what lies inside.

This is Rainbow Road, a Mario Kart-themed boutique apartment building that opened on First Street last year. On Friday, its new ground-floor restaurant, Hero, will welcome its first customers.

Hero continues the building’s theme, with pops of neon and rainbow lampshades. But the theme is subtle — more mid-mod than Mario. Plush pink velvet banquettes curve down one side of the dining room, while orange stools line the wooden bar. The ceiling seems to open, with a cascade of orange light pouring out.

Hero is the first Phoenix restaurant from Vivili Hospitality Group, a company founded by Skyler Reeves that operates restaurants in Prescott.

“We wanted to create a place that is completely focused on hospitality and connection, not just with each of our guests, but with the neighborhood that we already love so much,” Reeves said in a news release. “The icing on the cake is the creative design, energetic atmosphere and unforgettable food. It will feel transportive, but still grounded in hospitality, somewhere people can come often and feel connected to.”

The menu at Hero focuses on Italian cuisine with a Japanese twist. Culinary director Yuji Iwasa crafts a menu of homemade pastas, seafood and entrees that blend Japanese ingredients and techniques into classic Italian dishes. Spaghetti infused with cuttlefish ink creates black swirls. Tuna crudo swims in yuzu kosho and tiramisu trades espresso for matcha.

The cocktail menu was crafted by Los Angeles cocktail pro Vincenzo Marianello and includes classics with an Arizona spin, such as the addition of prickly pear, and Japanese spirits. A small wine list offers a few selections by the glass, and a beer list focuses on local brews.

The restaurant has experienced a few delays, Reeves explained. But eager to get his first guests inside, the restaurateur is rolling ahead with a soft opening starting on Friday. A grand opening celebration will follow, anticipated for mid-November. A 2,500-square-foot patio and outdoor bar will be added to the space later on.

This is the first of three Vivili concepts coming to town. Fast-casual pizza shop, PIZZANISTA! is in the works, along with Bar Saint Bruno, a cocktail lounge opening after that.

Here’s a look inside Hero:

Hero

Opens Friday
1030 N. First St.