by Heather Hunter
thanks to nearly 30 years in business, Savoy Bar & Grill has a loyal clientele
Albuquerque culinary scene in 2007. Filling this gap was the impetus behind establishing Savoy Bar & Grill. Twin brothers Kevin and Keith Roessler had already been in the restaurant business for more than a decade, having been bitten by the “hospitality bug” after working with their uncle at Seasons Restaurant in Durango, Colorado.
In 1995, the twin brothers and their uncle opened Seasons Restaurant in Old Town. They embarked on an illustrious career path in the restaurant industry that fuels and feeds the community nearly three decades later. Today, Kevin and Keith Roessler are the managing partners of five restaurants in neighborhoods across northern New Mexico—Seasons Rotisserie & Grill in Old Town, Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro in Nob Hill, Savoy in Northeast Heights, as well as The Gorge Bar & Grill and Parcht Bottleshop + Bites in downtown Taos.
But it’s Savoy that holds the key to fine dining in Albuquerque. “We have a loyal clientele and a strong neighborhood base who have supported us throughout the years, and that’s the reason we exist,” Kevin Roessler says of this California-inspired bistro and wine bar. He also attributes the support and involvement of their wives as part of their continued success. “The four of us and our chefs all get along in and outside the buildings, and that helps tremendously,” he says.
The Roesslers created Savoy in homage to their family. At the time, their father and uncle were in the wine business and bought pinot noir from a single California producer, Savoy. The brothers also deeply respected the fresh ingredients California is known for and decided to tie this together and name their restaurant Savoy.
Benjamin Wilken has been the company’s corporate executive chef, and while he oversees all the restaurants in the portfolio, he is in the Savoy kitchen every day, where he creates delicious specials inspired by the seasons and has fun developing new dishes for customers to try.
Savoy is one of the few restaurants in Albuquerque where customers can enjoy fresh oysters on the half shell daily—such as the beloved Blue Points and Buckley Bay oysters. The classically inspired menu favorites include Angus filet mignon with a Madeira demi-glace, USDA wood-fired roasted prime rib, wasabi sesame seared ahi tuna and togarashi seared tuna appetizer. “Hands down, every day, these are our heavy hits,” Wilken says. “But the rest of the menu is equally adored, and the wood-fired pizzas are also a big attraction.”
The open kitchen makes guests feel at home, while the aromas tempt the senses, and the views of the Sandia Mountains create a calm ambience. This powerful combination is enhanced with a vibrant wine and drink program driven by local sommelier Ben Williams. “The culture of our wine program has always been to have a good mix between old and new world wines,” Kevin Roessler says, “to have some brands people are familiar with and other wines where we need to educate them and hope they appreciate it.”
And enjoy it they do. “We have one couple that just celebrated their sixtieth anniversary with us,” Kevin Roessler says. They celebrated their 50th and 55th anniversaries at Savoy, as well.
A restaurant on the cusp of celebrating 30 years in business is a restaurant doing it right. Here’s to the next 30 years, Savoy.
