The Super Bowl hospitality folks may have made it easy to stick close to the University of Phoenix’s Glendale stadium – where the game is to be held – and its entertainment district, with food and beer concessions. But to get to know the greater Phoenix area, you’ve got to tear yourself away and explore its neighbourhoods. I know what you’re thinking: “Wait, it’s a desert out there!” But the Valley of the Sun’s cultural dry spell is over, and a boozy loop through these bars will convince you that the desert can be cool.
PHOENIX
Jade Bar
Can a bar be Zen? Ponder this as you take in mountain views through floor-to-ceiling windows or from the secluded patio. You’ll find this slice of serenity at Sanctuary on Camelback, one of the world-class spas for which the valley is justifiably famous. The spa’s Jade Bar has great desert views and a 4pm-6pm happy hour called The Pour, when late-afternoon sunshine bathes the desert in coppers, pinks, and purples. Drinks at Jade Bar are in keeping with the spa setting: fruity and herbaceous “muddles” (alcoholic or not) are a speciality, and the bartenders host mixology sessions on Sundays, or by appointment.
Cocktails $14, sanctuaryoncamelback.com. Open Sun-Thurs 11am-midnight, Fri-Sat 11am-2am
Last Drop
Though desert-modern style has helped the Phoenix area reset its architectural identity, you’ll still find herds of western-themed bars. For south-west ambience without the kitsch, seek out the Hermosa Inn and its Last Drop cocktail bar for drinks with a Sonoran desert twist. Mixologist Travis Nass creates award-winning recipes, sometimes adding ingredients fresh from the chef’s on-site garden. Try a Mango Mescal Madness, or a Haboob, a gin and cactus syrup concoction named after the epic sandstorms that roll across the valley each summer. An all-day menu of salads, burgers and pizzas will soak up the alcohol.
Mocktails $6, cocktails $12, +1 602 955 7878, hermosainn.com. Open daily 11.30am-10pm
Bitter & Twisted and Crescent Ballroom, Downtown
Downtown Phoenix is an epicentre for Super Bowl events. Those looking for a more sophisticated option than the official beer garden can venture a few blocks west to Bitter & Twisted, where the drinks menu runs to 24 pages, and the modern-Asian small plates are as thoughtfully prepared and presented as the cocktails. The delicious irony is that this stylish brick-walled speakeasy sits below the former headquarters of the Prohibition Department. If you can’t get a seat (reservations are accepted Tues-Thurs, but on Super Bowl weekend you’ll need to plop down $20 for an all-day pass), head a few blocks north to for the capacious Crescent Ballroom, which combines a lounge, music hall and Cocina 10 restaurant in a renovated century-old mechanic’s garage. The atmosphere is lively, the drinks are reasonably-priced, and the modern roadhouse menu was designed by two of the city’s culinary stars, Chris Bianco and Doug Robson.
Bitter & Twisted, cocktails from $9, bitterandtwistedaz.com, . Open Tues-Sat 4pm-2am. Crescent Ballroom, crescentphx.com. Open Mon-Fri 11am, Sat-Sun 5pm, closes Mon-Wed 1am, Thur-Sat 2am
Angel’s Trumpet Ale House and The Lost Leaf, Roosevelt Row
Downtown workers once used to flee for the ’burbs at the end of happy hour. But the 2008 real estate bust was something of a boon for downtown reinvestment, and now people linger to enjoy coffee bars, pubs and restaurants linked by the metro light rail. Ride it north to artsy Roosevelt Row (known as RoRo), where neighbourhood bars rub elbows with galleries and independent boutiques. Angel’s Trumpet Ale House, a couple of blocks from Roosevelt station, has a well-curated collection of on-tap brews from Arizona and elsewhere. Or head a few blocks east to the 1922 bungalow that houses The Lost Leaf. You’ll find live music nightly and a lengthy beer list, but the Leaf’s unique draw is, well, drawing. This bar-cum-gallery hosts life-drawing sessions, and artists who show their work here get to keep 100% of their sales.
Angel’s Trumpet, angelstrumpetalehouse.com. Open Tues-Sat 11am-midnight, Sun 11am-11pm. The Lost Leaf, beers from $4, thelostleaf.org. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-2am, Sun midday-2am
Windsor, Uptown
The Central Avenue/Camelback light rail station is the gateway to another neighbourhood of great eats and drinks. Windsor, a couple of blocks north, is a winner here, a gastropub where you can make yourself (and the kids) at home on the patio and enjoy the desert winter weather. Cocktails, wine, and pitchers are $5 till 5pm. Order a pitcher of Pimms or the current craft beer, or devise your own salad-in-a-glass from the Bloody Mary cart.
windsoraz.com. Open Mon-Thurs 11am-11pm, Fri 11am-midnight, Sat 9am-midnight, Sun 9am-10pm
The Gladly
Got wheels and a designated driver? Take Camelback Road toward Scottsdale (about 10 miles) and you’ll pass cathedrals of upscale consumerism, with countless options for shopping, dining and imbibing, from happy hours with killer small plates, to celebrity-spotting near the Biltmore district’s fancy hotels. If you’re a whiskey drinker, your happy place is The Gladly, which has a worldly collection of more than 200 varieties of scotch, bourbon and rye. Its haute comfort food is earning raves from Zagat and other reviewers. The Gladly closes for a private party on Super Bowl Sunday.
thegladly.com. Open Mon-Fri for lunch and dinner, closes Mon-Thurs 10pm, Fri-Sat 11pm
The Vig (Arcadia)
Further east, Camelback Road edges the Arcadia neighbourhood, where thirtysomethings have been busy rehabbing houses on 1950s and 1960s developments and transforming them into retro-cool mid-century digs. The neighbourhood’s adaptive reuse of architecture has inspired a number of stylish spots for eating and drinking. The Vig (now with four locations) started at the 40th Street site, tucked behind screen walls and shaded by mesquite trees. It’s a comfortable spot to hang out for an hour or three, a bit like getting invited to your neighbour’s backyard barbecue. Linger over brunch, join in a game of bocce (boules) or just laze by the fire pit.
thevig.us. Open Mon-Fri 11am-2am, Sat-Sun 10am-2am
SCOTTSDALE
Kazimierz World Wine Bar
Downtown Scottsdale’s hip hotel lounges and nightclubs go in and out of favour faster than a pair of Jimmy Choo’s. To keep up with the beautiful young crowds, follow the throbbing bass to find the latest “in” spot. But unless you’re under 30 or making an anthropological study of youthful drinking and mating rituals, opt for Kazimierz, a cosy candlelit wine bar tucked behind its sister restaurant, Cowboy Ciao. While the wine list runs to a staggering 2,000+, it’s perfectly acceptable to sip one of the well-crafted cocktails instead.
kazbar.net. Open nightly 6pm-2am
RnR
Not your dad’s sports bar, RnR in Old Town, Scottsdale, is stylish and airy, with a surprisingly good wine list. It’s brunch and bloodies, however, that keep customers coming back. At weekends RnR opens early, and bottomless bloody marys and mimosas accompany dishes such as chorizo-and-egg tacos or protein pancakes. TV screens abound, but if you want to take your eyes off the ball, grab a seat on the first-floor deck for some fresh air and bird’s-eye views of Scottsdale’s original neighbourhood.
rnrscottsdale.com. Open Mon-Thurs 11am-midnight, Fri 11am-2am, Sat 8am-2am, Sun 8am-midnight
Four Peaks Brewing Company
The handcrafted cocktail craze may be sweeping across the Valley, but beer is still king south of Scottsdale in Tempe, where the Four Peaks Brewing Company caters to students and staff at Arizona State University, and anyone who loves a good brew. Kilt Lifter, a Scottish-style ale (pale, low hop content, malty), goes down easily. If you like your brew with a bite, however, opt for Hop Knot IPA (6.7% alcohol). The list of brews includes seasonals, and the beer of the moment is ¡Odelay!, a Mexican-style ale with a hint of chocolate. This brewpub (a former creamery) proves that “great beer”, “kid-friendly” and “good food” needn’t be mutually exclusive.
fourpeaks.com. Open Mon-Sat 11am-1am, Sun 10am-1am
Kathleen Bryant is the author of The Moon Handbook to Phoenix, Scottsdale and Sedona
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