Where to sip in Pheonix and Scottsdale.
ARIZONA WILDERNESS BREWING CO. – This local brewery, one of the most awarded in the state, focuses on handcrafted, artisanal beers that celebrate the diverse natural beauty of Arizona. Founded by two locals with a passion for the outdoors, each beer is brewed using local agricultural products and sustainable—and at times non-traditional—methods, including throwing six pecan pies into a mix to make their notorious Picacho Pecan Pie Brown Ale. Their newly opened, dog friendly beer garden in downtown Phoenix is the perfect place to while away a spring afternoon with the fam.
THE ATTIC ALE HOUSE – Serving 21 unique craft beers on tap alongside elevated takes on traditional bar food (their tasty pulled pork burger was recently featured on an episode of the Cooking Channel’s “Burgers, Brew & ‘Que”), this stylish gastropub and tavern in Arcadia is the perfect place to enjoy a cold one while basking in sunset views of nearby Camelback Mountain.
CRAFT64 – The only thing better than a cold craft beer? A hot pizza to enjoy alongside it. Founded by locals with a finger on the pulse of the AZ craft beer scene, this much-loved Scottsdale bar and restaurant just outside Old Town is all about the local spirit; from the three dozen Arizona craft beers served on tap, including several house brews and more than 50 varieties in the bottle, to delicious, wood-fired pizzas and appetizer platters in the shape of the Grand Canyon State.
POSTINO WINE CAFE – Named for its original location in a 1940s brick post office (hence the name Postina, or Postman in Italian), this Arizona mainstay specializes in two simple yet fundamental staples: good wine and tasty bruschetta. Since opening their doors in Phoenix’s Arcadia neighborhood in 2001, the hotspot has grown to include locations in Scottsdale, Tempe, Gilbert and beyond. Their Monday and Tuesday night special, which features a bottle of wine and bruschetta board for $20, draws throngs of locals and a lively post-work crowd.
O.H.S.O. – Billed as a local nano-brewery, distillery, restaurant and dog-friendly social hotspot with locations in Scottsdale, Arcadia, Gilbert and Paradise Valley, O.H.S.O. (Outrageous Homebrewer’s Social Outpost) offers a little something for everyone. Enjoy a cold, housemade pint (including their poplar Morning Brew and Orange Pedal varietals) on one of their expansive, outdoor patios (complete with dog-friendly “Barking Bars”), or book a behind-the-scenes tour of their unique distillery, which includes a spirits tasting and bottle to take home.