It’s April… which means everyone and their brother comes to the Phoenix Valley to visit! Bachelor & bachelorette party attendees hit up the bars & pools, Spring Training fanatics linger, and retirees & more flock to the Scottsdale & Phoenix area this time of the year for some sun.

If I’ve learned anything from living in the Phoenix Valley (Tempe, Old Town Scottsdale, and Arcadia/Phoenix to be exact) for the past 8 years, it’s that we have some GREAT food and drink options. I think the low cost of living allows locals to eat & drink out quite a bit and I take FULL advantage of it lol.

This list not only includes some of my favorite restaurants & bars, but some crowd-sourced favorites, too. I even included some stops to stay & shop if  you’re into that 😉

I left notes next to ones I have comments on or tips for, so keep an eye out for that! Other than that, this list is pretty straight-forward and includes more than just the “grammable” spots. Enjoy!

Phoenix

Eat

• Chelsea’s Kitchen – amazing Easter brunch
• LGO – get the honey latte!! avocado pizza. cute gift shop.
• Lux – every hipster’s fave coffee shop
• Pizzeria Bianco – voted some of the best pizza in Phoenix!
• The Macintosh
• Hanny’s
• Base Pizza
• Cibo Pizza – LOVE this place. they also have nutella crepes for dessert 🙂
• Clever Koi – amazing ramen & sushi. best ramen I’ve had in PHX.
• Postino – bottle of wine & board special for $25 on Monday & Tuesdays after 8pm
• Taco Chelo – cute taco shop in downtown PHX
• Welcome Chicken & Donuts
• True Food
• The Parlor
• Durant’s
• The Henry – cutest coffee & meeting spot in Arcadia. everything on the menu & in the cafe is amazing.
• La Santisima
• Tratto
• Flower Child – easy healthy food for lunch & dinner
• Garcia’s Mexican
• Carlos O’Briens
• Dough Bird – I DIE for their arugula & prosciutto pizza. the “local” drink is also so good and is made with local grapefruit.
• North – to-die-for Italian food. get the bolognese.
• Buck & Rider – great happy hour specials with a mix of everything. fresh seafood flown in daily.
• Glai Baan
• Wren House
• Restaurant Progress
• Chula Seafood

Drink

• Undertow – the best (only?) speakeasy in Arcadia.
• Little Woody – fun “hidden” bar with fun games and music
• Gracie’s Tax Bar
• Bitter & Twisted – great cocktails downtown
• The Larder + The Delta
• Little Rituals – cocktail bar downtown, claimed the “Ferrari of bars”

Shop

• Local Nomad
• Vida Moulin – my personal fave
• Frances
• Last Chance – only two in the whole country. it’s where all of Nordstrom’s returns go to be sold at fractions of the cost!! Get there early and beat the rush.
• Urbana – great for finding gifts or party decor
• Camelback Flower Shop – the most beautiful flower shop

Stay

• The Camby – great location and all the visiting NBA teams stay there
• Montelucia – the pool & spa alone are amazing. great pina coladas and fish tacos too hehe

Do

• PHX Art Museum

Scottsdale

Eat

• Pomo Pizza
• Postino – bottle of wine & board special for $25 on Monday & Tuesdays after 8pm
• Farm & Craft – one of my favorite brunch spots (I love the quiche). also their arugula pizza & salmon bowl are so good.
• Oreganos – one of those well-run pizza/Italian joints that’s a staple and easy go-to for big parties. get the pizookie 🙂
• Diego Pops – cute. instagrammable. affordable. $5 house margs. enough said.
• Luci’s At The Orchard – spendy & fancier, but worth it
• Taco Guild
• Blanco Tacos
• Arriba Mexican Grill
• Cornish Pasty
• Sumo Maya – go on the weekends for their Bottomless Brunch OR go for dinner for a cocktail & sushi/mex fusion
• Akita Sushi – all you can eat sushi
• Hash Kitchen – brunch & the most amazing bloody mary bar you’ll ever see
• Barrio Queen – mexican food in the heart of old town Scottsdale.
• The Breakfast Club – this is probably the best and most sought-after brunch spot in town, but you will 100% have to wait for a table! plan accordingly
• Olive & Ivy – a more upscale, but still affordable
• The Pig & Pickle
• Ruze Cake House – v v instagrammable. they make cute desserts like cupcakes and macarons and sell pink boba tea!
• The Mission – somehow I usually end up here on my bday. upscale but still affordable and they make a mean avocado marg
• Fast & Casual:
  • Modern Market – quick, easy, very affordable. salads, sandwiches, bowls, & pizzas.
  •  Sauce – great pizza & wine, but I also like their turkey & feta salad (sub turkey w/ chicken)
  • Pita Jungle – i get the chicken pasta salad and add spinach
  • Chop Shop – easy & quick healthy meals
  • Tocaya Organica – BOMB margs and their lemonade tea stuff is good too. great tacos and plantains w/ guac

Drink

• Montauk – my first love in old town. favorite spot to pregame lol
• AZ 88 – best martinis in the game
• Mill Ave (Tempe) – ASU’s bar scene
• Old Town Tortilla Factory – for a good marg
• Second Story Bar – great cocktails with a cool balcony
• Speakeasy: Honor Amongst Thieves
• Evo
• RnR (Brunch) – $16 bottomless mimosas or bloody marys. you’re welcome.
• Maya – in the summer it’s a Vegas-like pool party during the day, but during the rest of the year they put turf over the pool with games and it’s the cool place to be. dogs are welcome too!

Stay

• The Andaz
• The Scott – probably the cutest & best location out of the list
• Hotel Adeline – most affordable option
• JW Marriott – drinks at the bar are great
• Valley Ho
• The W – if you’re in town to party, you’ll want to stay here
• Kierland

Shop

• Scottsdale Fashion Square – it has the best shopping in all of AZ! has a brand new luxury wing too

Do

• Desert Botanical Gardens

What’d I miss??! Let me know in the comments below!