Cozy up with a fall drink
As Valley temperatures drop into the tolerable range, Phoenix restaurants roll out their lineups of fall cocktails. We list 10 of them worth tasting.
As temperatures begin to dip, Phoenix restaurants and bars are rolling out their fall cocktail menus.
Valley bartenders are getting creative with seasonal fruits like apple, pomegranate and pear; warm spices like ginger and cinnamon; and wintry spirits like rum and bourbon.
Cue the fireplace and cozy up with a drink: Here are 10 autumn-inspired cocktails you can drink right now in Phoenix.
Caffe Negroni
Bitter & Twisted puts a fun, caffeinated spin on this seasonal rendition of the classic negroni. Gin, campari and sweet vermouth are infused with freshly roasted coffee beans for a buzzy, rich finish that's guaranteed to help you shake off the holiday doldrums.
Details: $12. Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour, Luhrs Building, 1 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix. 602-340-1924, bitterandtwistedaz.com.
Holidazed
Bartender Michael Mailloux developed this holiday-inspired cocktail under the guidance of award-winning bartender Phil Clark. The Holidazed pays tribute to the flavors and scents of Thanksgiving. It features single-barrel Four Roses bourbon, cranberry, lemon, cinnamon and allspice blended into a warm, fragrant, well-balanced drink. A sprig of fresh rosemary evokes winter greenery.
Details: $15. Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails, 2 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. 602-258-0231, bluehoundkitchen.com.
The Frankie
When a mug of hot chocolate just doesn't cut it, stop by The Coronado PHX for The Frankie, a creamy cocktail made for coffee and chocolate lovers.
Created by bar manager Amy Cox, the drink is a blend of espresso made from locally roasted Xanadu coffee, barrelaged Sun rum and Frangelico hazelnut liqueur. It's topped with a frothy layer of aquafaba (a vegan egg replacement) and shavings of Jcoco dark chocolate.
Details: $13. The Coronoado PHX, 2201 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-2521322, thecoronadophx.com.
Apple Jack
Warm, fragrant flavors come together in this seasonal cocktail, which aims to capture the aromas of autumn in a glass. The Apple Jack at True Food Kitchen features bourbon, apple juice, cinnamon, vanilla and lemon for a cozy, smooth cocktail that's made for cooler weather.
Details: $12. True Food Kitchen, Biltmore Fashion Park, 2502 E. Camelback Road,
Phoenix. 602-774-3488. Scottsdale Quarter, 15191 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 101. 480-265-4500. truefoodkitchen.com.
Spiced Pear Bellini
Traditionally a summer cocktail (and now a Sunday brunch staple), the fruity and glamorous bellini gets a sophisticated fall twist at J&G Steakhouse. This drink features a blend of pear, spiced ginger syrup and a Gruet luxury cuvée sparkling wine that's produced exclusively for The Phoenician resort.
Details: $12. J&G Steakhouse at The Phoenician, 6000 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix. 480-214-8000, thephoenician.com/jg-steakhouse.
The Hot Potato
Keep warm with this complex, spicy cocktail from the bar team at Bri, which recently made our critic's list of Phoenix's top 100 restaurants. The drink evokes fall with a blend of vodka, Ancho Reyes chile liqueur (made from a blend of ancho and poblano chiles), lemon and a special autumnal twist: a housemade sweet potato syrup.
Details: $10. Bri, 2221 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-595-8635, brion7th.com.
Devil's Pear
Celebrate the flavors of early fall with this lightly sweet cocktail from the bar team at Scottsdale's stylish Fat Ox. The drink is made with a blend of bourbon, St. George spiced pear liqueur and two dashes of Bittermens Buckspice ginger bitters. A crystallized ginger garnish adds a warm spicy bite.
Details: $14. Fat Ox, 6316 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-307-6900, ilovefatox.com.
Adam's Apple
Not all fall cocktails have to be heavy on the rum and spice. For proof, stop by Bar Pesce, previously Crudo, chef Cullen Campbell's newest concept. Mixologist Kyle Landry's current bar menu showcases seasonal drinks like the Adam's Apple, a light sipper made with reposado tequila, lemon, apple syrup, muddled jalapeño, apple bitters and soda water.
Details: $10. Bar Pesce, 3603 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. 602-3588666, barpesce.com.
Peso Suerte
Downtown Phoenix's new Latin-inspired cocktail bar, at shipping-container marketplace The Churchill, offers several rum-based cocktails, including the fruity, warming Peso Suerte. The cocktail is made using a house blend of rums from around the world, bolstered by mango, pomegranate shrub, allspice and lime.
Details: $10. Pobrecito at The Churchill, 901 N. First St., Phoenix. pobrecitophx.com.
Almost Always Bad News
Who said tiki drinks are only for warm weather? The Almost Always Bad News is a fall-inspired tiki cocktail made with a blend of demerara rums, allspice dram, grenadine, vanilla syrup, velvet falernum and lime. The drink is available at both Clever Koi and its new sister concept, Across the Pond, which recently opened on Central Avenue.
Details: $11. Clever Koi, 4236 N. Central Ave., Suite 100, Phoenix. 602-2223474. Also, 384 N. Gilbert Road, Suite 101, Gilbert. 480-306-4237, thecleverkoi.com. Across the Pond, 4236 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-2965629, acrossthepondphx.com.