Original Gravity owner Jasmine Barrett, holding one of the 20 beers on tap, along with beef on weck, sits in front of artwork that immortalizes the trio of sisters who were the original owners of the neighborhood restaurant (photo by Darryl Webb for North Central News).
Jasmine Barrett is in her tiny kitchen at Original Gravity, on 12th Street at Highland, frying sliced polenta, an appetizer topped with chipotle sauce, jalapeños, corn, pickled red onions and cotija cheese – a customer favorite on her amped-up bar menu.
In the entry lobby, customers relax on a squishy blue couch, sipping drinks and playing Sudoku, Trivial Pursuit or one of the other games stashed in a bookshelf along one wall. Outside, next to the entrance, is a rather battered old spinet piano, played by the occasional customer who can get past the non-working keys.
“It’s been through a lot, but a couple of my customers love to sit there and play it,” Barrett said.
There’s a large patio out front, and in back, a high-walled, dog-friendly patio.
It’s that casual, come-on-in-and-relax neighborhood vibe that Barrett, an Arizona native with a background in restaurants and mortgage lending, was looking for when she took over Original Gravity in 2021. The original owners, a trio of sisters from New York, wanted to retire, though they’re still at OG in spirit, immortalized at the entry with a wall hanging depicting them straddling a rocket in space.
“I was looking for something to start with my mother,” Barrett said. Sadly, she died before the plan could be completed, but Barrett decided to continue on her own. “I was a customer here, and fell in love with it, and when I saw it was for sale, I took advantage of the opportunity,” she said.
In what she calls an “elevated gastro pub,” many of the favorites on the original menu have remained, with some updates and new additions by Barrett, including barbecued pork sliders just added in August, that fried polenta and thick-cut pork belly glazed in a seasonal IPA.
“We make pretty much everything from scratch,” Barrett said. One old favorite that will always be on the menu is the beef on weck, a New York standard the sisters brought with them from their home state. It’s a massive sandwich, a thick pile of thinly sliced peppercorn-crusted prime rib, with crispy shallots and horseradish aioli, on a caraway-dusted bun from Noble Bakery, served au jus with super-crispy fries.
“I’ve talked to a lot of customers and people in the industry and nobody else in Phoenix serves it,” she said. “I can’t tell you how many people come in who are from the New York area and ask how we make it, and they have it and really enjoy it.”
Those fries also show up as steak frites, dusted with parmesan and topped with sliced seared flatiron steak and brown butter. “The steak frites are real comfort food,” Barrett said. “Once you get into the parmesan and butter, it sets you over the edge.”
On the menu at Original Gravity are “elevated gastropub” offerings, including (clockwise from bottom center) beef on weck, steak frites, barbecue pork sliders and fried polenta; drinks, from left, include Esso tini, blackberry lemonade rita coco rita and red wine on tap (photo by Darryl Webb for North Central News).
Barrett also put her own imprint on the cocktail menu.
Drinks are a major draw at OG, including wine on tap – yes, right there along with 20 beers on tap that rotate with the seasons – and an innovative take on margaritas.
An example: the blackberry “rita,” with tequila, Grand Marnier, lemonade, smashed berries and a lemon sugar rim. “It’s one of our top sellers,” Barrett said. “So is our tamarindo margarita, a definitely refreshing summer drink.” The cocktail combines margarita flavors with that of tamarindo candy, made from tamarind pulp, sugar and chili powder. Another combo, the coco rita, takes a tropical turn, blending tequila, lime juice and coconut puree.
“We added some new things, like our Esso tini (a blend of vodka, cold-brewed coffee, Kahlua and cream),” she said. The cold brew comes from Esso Coffeehouse and Roastery, in the same building as Original Gravity.
That brings to mind this tip for finding OG: the address is 12th Street, but the entrance is around the corner, on Highland Avenue. The building also houses a wine bar, bakery and tattoo shop. “You can get your lunch, coffee and dessert, all in one stop,” Barrett said.
“This is such a great neighborhood and community. I am a local and I love supporting local businesses. I eat here, I drink here, I shop at the farmer’s market. My focus is the community and our customers. I’m also part of the community so I love supporting Noble Bread and our local farmers.”
OG has long been a gathering place for folks in the neighborhood, Barrett said, and while they wanted their influence to continue, the sisters “really wanted me to bring some new things to the table. Just recently, we extended happy hour to include Tuesday through Saturday, 3 to 6 p.m., and all day Sunday.
“A few of the original team have stayed,” she said, “and we still have the same customers coming in. We are really big into community, and we’re open to everybody, in all walks of life. We especially want to be LGBTQ friendly – a safe space for anyone who wants to come in.”
Her connection to the community extends to helping raise money to battle cancer. Barrett’s parents died from cancer before age 50, and that inspired her to become active. “I support a bunch of individuals at ASU who started a foundation for a sorority sister that they lost due to cancer,” she said. “I do fundraising events with them.”
Original Gravity, 4700 N. 12th St., Suite 101, is open noon to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and noon to 9 p.m., Sunday. For information, call 602-583-7628 or visit www.ogphx.com.
