Zulu Caffe serving at airport

SCOTTSDALE — Scottsdale Airport’s restaurant space, which has been vacant for two years, has finally come to life again with this week’s opening of Zulu Caffe.

The restaurant is a concept developed by Deedee Maza and Vicki Beaudoin, who own Ciao Baby Catering next door. The two secured a lease for the city-owned restaurant space because of their extensive food-service experience and established relationships with area businesses developed through Ciao Baby, according to a City Council report.

The city had been eager to fill the space since last year but was unable to accept a previous bid due to the applicant's request for rental incentives.

“For us, we were looking to expand to a commercial kitchen, so it was the right time,” Maza said of the bid that was accepted in October. The interior of the restaurant has been redesigned to a “modern and contemporary” vibe, she said, but enough was left to maintain the connection to the airport.

Maza and Beaudoin combined their years of catering experience with some of the original recipes of Executive Chef Brian Ford to create an affordable menu that includes salads, wood-fired pizzas and paninis. Inflight catering also will be offered.

The partners hope to attract customers from nearby businesses, aviation employees and people who are in town for a quick layover.

Zulu Caffe is inside the terminal at 15000 N. Airport Drive. Hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays; 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends.