Cool cocktail bars to Italian restaurants, 13 new places to try now in downtown Phoenix

In the last decade or so, downtown Phoenix has grown from a place mostly thought of as office buildings to a hip destination full of unique character, drawing visitors to the arts districts of Roosevelt Row and Grand Avenue, historic Heritage Square, not to mention for sporting events at Footprint Center and Chase Field.

At the heart of downtown Phoenix’s appeal is the ever-evolving restaurant scene with options from upscale dining to mom-and-pop restaurants, cocktail bars to coffee shops and everything in between.

In 2023 alone, downtown’s restaurant roster has grown to include a Star Wars-inspired cocktail bar, a Baja style taco shop and the state’s first-ever record cafe.

Here’s a guide to some of the most exciting new restaurants and bars that opened in downtown Phoenix this year.

Bourbon & Bones Cocktail Lounge

Square One Concepts unveiled the latest location of its upscale cocktail lounge Bourbon & Bones, this time inside Chase Field in the space formerly occupied by Friday’s Front Row. Despite the location, you don’t need a game or event ticket to enter.

The restaurant opens two hours before every game, concert or event’s start time, offering small bites like steak crostini and sushi rolls.

Details: Chase Field, 401 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. 602-354- 8607, bourbonandbones.com. Central Records

Central Record

A unique new cafe, bar and record store is now open in downtown Phoenix. The menu includes breakfast pastries, salads and sandwiches for lunch and small “lounge” plates such as mushroom pate or tagine spiced olives and Marcona almonds. DJs spin records all day to provide an upbeat atmosphere.

“Music, food and coffee and entertainment are age old pairings,” owner Jake Stellarwell told The Arizona Republic.

Details: 824 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-638-0433, @central.records on Instagram.

More about Central Records: A downtown Phoenix cafe, bar and radio station aims to be more than the sum of its parts

The Coffee Builders

The Coffee Builders is downtown Phoenix’s newest coffee shop. Opened by Thomas Porter of Porter Barn Wood and serving coffee creations from lead barista Johnny Rios, the coffee shop provides a welcoming combo of artistic architecture and top-quality drinks. Menu highlights include a birthday cake latte made with white chocolate, vanilla, espresso and milk, and a specialty drink called The Slopes made with blueberry, white chocolate, butterfly pea flower, espresso and milk.

Details: 901 S. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-904- 7550, thecoffeebuilders.com.

Dos Pink

Dos Pink opened its first permanent location near Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix in the bungalow that previously housed Ay, Chabela and, before that, Chez Gregory wine bar.

Dos Pink began selling their vegan tacos at the Tempe Food Court in 2022. The restaurant is known for its signature pink crunchy taco shells.

Details: 719 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix. dospink.com.

Hamburguesas Y Cervezas

A new Mexican-inspired burger restaurant has opened on the ground floor of the Union @ Roosevelt apartment complex. Menu items include a chorizo burger, spicy barbecue chicken torta and aptly named Roosevelt Row nachos.

Details: 888 N. First Ave., Phoenix. hamburguesasycervezas.com.

Latha

Latha and The Diaspora Collective is now open in Heritage Square in downtown Phoenix. The restaurant’s decor is largely influenced by the African diaspora, as is the menu, which includes a range of dishes representing the flavors of Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean and the southern United States, with many vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.

“I do think that food, music, all of those things are ways for people to travel in a sense without buying a plane ticket,” said owner Evelia Davis.

Details: 628 E. Adams St., Phoenix. thediasporacollective.com.

Nick the Greek

California-based chain Nick the Greek has made its Arizona debut at CityScape in downtown Phoenix in the space formerly occupied by Pizza Studio. The menu features nine types of pita sandwiches: beef/lamb, chicken gyro, pork, pork souvlaki, chicken souvlaki, veggie, falafel, beefteki and Grecian beefteki burger. The restaurant also offers gyro bowls and plates.

Details: 11 W. Washington St., Phoenix. nickthegreek.com.

Quartz

Quartz, a new cocktail bar, is now open in downtown Phoenix near Gus’s Fried Chicken and State 48 Brewery. The owners wanted to have a bar influenced by Mos Eisley Cantina from Star Wars, a place in the middle of the desert where people get away from it all and meet on neutral ground for a bit of fun.

The bar is divided into two sections. The front bar is inspired by tangible components of the desert, like rocks, with the drinks inspired by gemstones. Back bar drinks served in by-reservation-only The Cave are based on the histories, cultures and animals of the desert.

Details: 341 W. Van Buren, Phoenix. quartzphx.com.

Que Sazón

Que Sazón South American cuisine and ceviche bar is now open at Heritage Square in downtown Phoenix. The restaurant began as a food truck run by husband and wife team Fabian and Julie Ocampo. Que Sazón’s menu includes Pernil spicy pork tacos, pollito asado, empanadas, yucca fries and Colombiana cream soda.

Details: 622 E. Adams St., Phoenix. Follow @quesazon_az on Instagram.

Pizzeria Bianco to Teeter House: Stories behind the historic bungalows of Heritage Square

Rōsso

Rōsso Italian, a new sister restaurant to Pomo Pizzeria, is now open at CityScape in downtown Phoenix.

The menu is elevated Italian with an American twist. For example, veal is swapped out for pork in one dish to appeal more to American tastes. Dining options include whole branzino topped with gremolata, baked cavatappi pasta and tagliatelle Bolognese made with short rib.

Details: 2 E. Jefferson St., Suite 113, Phoenix. rossoitalian.com.

Samsara

Samsara, a new restaurant and hookah lounge, is now open in downtown Phoenix in the space formerly occupied by Bliss ReBar. The food menu includes a grilled chicken sandwich, wings, chicken skewers with saffron rice, lamb skewers, a chicken Caesar wrap and seared ahi tuna. Samsara also offers cocktails like a blueberry lavender mojito, a spicy mezcal paloma and margaritas.

Details: 901 N. Fourth St., Phoenix. 480-742-7125 or 602-367- 3852, samsaraphx.com.

Sauvage

One of the most anticipated new wine bars of 2023 is now open inside the historic Helen Anderson House in downtown Phoenix. The original location at The Churchill was named one of the best wine shops in the U.S. in 2022 by Wine Enthusiast.

Sauvage carries a rotating menu of wines made from sustainably farmed grapes with little interference, natural yeast and little to no added sulfur, along with a selection of mezcals, amari, organic port and digestifs. Guests can pair their wines with popcorn, olives, labneh, a cheese plate and seasonal charcuterie from Underbelly or desserts from Dinersaur.

Details: 149 W. McDowell Road. sauvagephx.com.

Stemistry

Right next to Que Sazón at Heritage Square, Stemistry is now open in the historic Teeter Carriage House.

Stemistry opened its first location in Scottsdale in 2022, when owner Dylan Capshaw was just 16 years old. The business is part flower shop and part café serving breakfast, lunch, coffee and snacks. Some menu items specific to the Heritage Square location are the “Katherine Baird” dirty chai with maple cold foam and the “Leon Bouvier” with local strawberries, milk and blue matcha.

Details: 618 E. Adams St., Phoenix. stemistryaz.com.

Sauvage opens in downtown Phoenix: What to expect from the highly anticipated wine bar