As a long time Halloween lover, I’ve posted before about seasonal Halloween activities, and most of these are options again this year. However, I thought it’d be a good idea to update the blog with the latest info. Special Events The Pemberton, for Rocky Horror bingo and trivia, pumpkin carving, and a pop punk/emo sip and paint. Their calendar is linked here. Cyclebar is having … Continue reading Spooky Season 2026: Phoenix Halloween Activities
I am a longtime soft pretzel aficionado. When I see one, I almost always order it. Here are my thoughts and general rankings on local soft pretzels. But don’t just take my word for it, go check them out and let me know your thoughts (especially if I missed a good one)! I anticipate updating this list if and when I try new pretzels. The … Continue reading Pretzels Picks in Phoenix
This is self-explanatory. It’s not for just plain great food and/or service (although they’re all solid recommendations). Here’s my list of places I would recommend for more unusual reasons. Nino’s Greek Café: for their cherry coke from the fountain (it is the best ever, I swear) and their outdoor cat Kings Beer & Liquor: for letting people bring food into the bar area and the … Continue reading Places I love for the weirdest reasons
I’ve been seeing people forecast their trends for next year—protein will be supplanted by fiber, lab-grown meat, etc. Just for fun (and bragging rights if I get some of these right), here’s my predictions. Hojicha, matcha’s nutty, toasted sister, will grow in popularity. It’s already being offered more places in Phoenix, and that will increase in the next year. Cold foam on coffee and tea … Continue reading 2026 Food Trends Forecast
Sometimes, it’s hard to make it to happy hour. As someone who works til 5 most days, I never have a chance hit up deals that end at 5. Here are the best longer happy hours. Original Gravity Happy hour is 3-6 Tuesday to Saturday and all day on Sundays, with deals on drinks and select appetizers. My recommendation: the white sangria and the polenta … Continue reading Phoenix’s Longest Happy Hours
There are many spots to get a little spooky this October, but these are my favorites. Scottsdale offers a lot of additional options, but I think Phoenix businesses outshine anything there in terms of balanced drinks and reasonable prices. Bitter & Twisted Their menu doesn’t have too many seasonal changes, but it doesn’t need it. Their creative options and great presentation are consistent. This year, … Continue reading Where to Halloween in Phoenix
There are a bunch of places that do karaoke in Phoenix and the surrounding suburbs. With this list, you can fully go out every night of the week and hit up somewhere different. Everything on this list is an open environment, for karaoke in a bar setting. I’ve listed a couple private room rental karaoke places at the end, but that’s not the focus of this … Continue reading Where to sing karaoke in the valley
As a sort of companion piece to my post of the best new spots that opened in 2024, I have to acknowledge the best places that were new to me this past year. The Persian Room I like everything about this spot, from the great flavor to the ambiance to the family style ordering. Que Hoang It’s always best to be skeptical of a restaurant … Continue reading Best new (to me) spots in 2024
This year brought a ton of new restaurants to the valley. I primarily focused on Phoenix proper, though you’ll see a few outliers on the list from the East valley. Below are my favorites. Pretty Penny Globally inspired small plates? Sign me up. This addition to Roosevelt Row is a great night out for fun food. I loved their diverse options and cocktails. Bad Jimmy’s … Continue reading New restaurant roundup: 2024
Midtown/Uptown Phoenix gets less love than downtown, but it’s often cheaper and just as good. These are some of my favorite choices. All include multiple cocktail options and accompanying deals on food. Hula’s Uptown Not only does this tiki bar have amazing deals on food, they do happy hour all night on Wednesdays. If you’re looking for a mid-week girls night or date spot, this … Continue reading Best Midtown Phoenix Happy Hours
