Best Cocktails in Phoenix: ICONIC Guide

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SECOND STORY LIQUOR BAR
(pictured above)
Scottsdale’s hidden gem, Second Story Liquor Bar, is driven by storytelling, blending regional and house-made ingredients, rustic cooking, and unique historical elements throughout for an unforgettable drinking and dining experience.

Founder Tommy Plato and bar manager Alli Greenhalgh bring passion and creativity to every drink poured at this hideaway, focusing on the historical significance of the Prohibition era to create a speakeasy-esque cocktail lounge. It’s equal parts informative, interactive, and downright delicious as the staff shares the little-known stories behind each beverage. There are also historical stories streaming on repeat in the bathrooms.

The menu features more than 300 different whiskeys, and tried-and-true classic cocktails as well as rotating seasonal drinks dreamed up by Greenhalgh herself—including this spring’s floral inspired cocktail menu. Second Story’s team also helps patrons pair fresh pastas, Asian-inspired dishes, and signature homemade biscuits with honey and fermented jam with the perfect beverage. Tradition has never tasted so good.

WHAT TO DRINK:

• Old Fashioned: 100-Proof Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond, Angostura bitters, lemon peel and sugar.
• Violette Reviver: Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, Lillet Blanc, Cointreau, lemon juice, and Creme de Violette.
• 76’ Brambler: Vodka, Sipsmith Sloe Gin, Giffard Crème de Mûre, hibiscus liqueur, lemon juice, mint. Topped with prosecco.

The Beverly, photo by Cassandra Tomei

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THE BEVERLY
Thanks to a stylish renovation featuring an updated patio, expanded menu, and a secret room, The Beverly (formerly known as Scottsdale’s iconic Mabel’s on Main) pays homage to the Prohibition era while taking a trendy twist on the original vintage speakeasy.

In addition to offering some of the best drinks in Phoenix and Scottsdale, The Beverly serves humorous riffs on classic craft cocktails, high-end liquor and wine selections, and bottle-service with the oh-so rare option of saving unfinished bottles for another time. The Beverly also features live DJs and entertainment throughout the week. Although this lively cocktail lounge keeps things playful, it never strays from The Beverly’s motto: “Stay classy.”

WHAT TO DRINK:

• Trending So Hard: Absolut Elyx Vodka, elderflower, grapefruit juice, and lemon juice. Served poured over a frozen thyme ice sphere.
• Rush Hour: Nikka Coffey Grain Whiskey, cold brew coffee, agave nectar, and mint.
• Thai Me Up: Lemongrass-infused Pisco, Thai chili simple syrup, aquafaba, angostura bitters, and lime juice.

Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour

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BITTER & TWISTED COCKTAIL PARLOUR
With a cocktail menu straight out of a fairytale, this cocktail parlor brings a magically delicious and eccentric approach to the art of craft cocktails. Bitter & Twisted’s 32-page Book o’Cocktails is a menu like no other. Updated annually, the 4th edition is essentially an adults-only children’s book, featuring pages of whimsical drink descriptions, colorful illustrations by artist Matt Andrews, and cheeky Easter egg illustrations hidden throughout. Even Bitter & Twisted’s location has a story—it’s inside the former Prohibition Headquarters at the historic Luhrs building in Downtown Phoenix, bringing innovative bar bites and cocktails to the area.

WHAT TO DRINK:

• Taste the Rainbow: House-infused kaffir lime gin, sloe gin, fresh lime, pineapple, and strawberry.
• Lemongrass Collins: Lemongrass vodka, lemon, vanilla sugar, ginger beer.
• Love Fruit Medley: House-made strawberry and pineapple vodka, watermelon, lemon, and hibiscus.

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Honor Amongst Thieves

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HONOR AMONGST THIEVES
Tucked above Stock & Stable in downtown Phoenix, this speakeasy beckons its patrons to drink unique. Thanks to the team of burgeoning mixologists behind Honor Amongst Thieves, the cocktail lounge has quickly become a staple in the Valley’s craft cocktail scene with some of the best drinks in Phoenix since opening in 2016. Visit for an extensive list of handcrafted drinks, tasty bar bites, and charcuterie boards by Chef Joe Absolor of Stock & Stable, then repeat.

WHAT TO DRINK:

• Say No More, Mon Amour: Gin, lavender-infused honey, and fresh lemon juice. Served over a lavender-infused King Cube.
• Still Smokin’: Vida Mezcal, Green Chartreuse, honey and ginger syrup, and fresh lime juice. Topped with smoked rosemary.
• Thieves Manhattan: Rye, sweet vermouth, and bitters.