240 prickly pear. A unique option is A Fight a Night, a cocktail based on the flavors of a shepherd’s pie that is served with a cup of potato chips. We recommend ending the evening with Platform 18’s Irish coffee, the best we’ve ever had. 22222 B EST N E W BA R Quartz 341 W. Van Buren St., Suite B 602-385-0299 quartzphx.com Quartz and its sibling bar-within-a-bar, The Cave, are pumping out well-made, whimsical cocktails. Residing in the historic Welnick Marketplace and Liefgreen Seed Co. building, the main bar is sleek and chic, tucked under a geologically inspired slab of craggy rock. Its cocktail menu pays homage to birthstones, delivering richly colorful, piquant drinks. If you’re not sure where to start, order up your birthstone’s tipple and one of Quartz’s delightfully higher-brow Jell-O shots. But don’t stop at the main bar. Snag a reservation for The Cave, a visually stunning mirrored cavern with a mood set by lighting and global music. The Cave’s menu takes inspiration from deserts around the world, with ingredients and presentation are far-reaching and occasionally over-the-top. Unlock a childhood memory, and try not to get a brain freeze, with the herbaceous frozen sipper Polar Puppy. B EST C O C KTA I L C R E ATO R Jesse Knox Huarachis 814 N. Central Ave. 602-773-1413 huarachis.com Huarachis is known for its tacos and its founder, Chef Rene Andrade. But at the downtown Phoenix restaurant, the cocktails stand out as well. And that’s all thanks to Jesse Knox. Tasked with creating drinks that would fit the vibe of this trendy-yet-nostalgic taqueria, Knox came up with a playful menu of libations that both celebrate classic flavors and dial them up a notch. Take the Horchata Punch, a clarified cocktail that evokes the creaminess of the classic milky rice drink through a boozy, crystal-clear format. Many of the cocktails pair Jarritos sodas with arti- sinal mezcal spirits such as bacanora or sotol. The menu continuously rotates, but one thing remains true: With Jesse Knox behind the bar, the drinks at Huarachis make this taco shop a cocktail destination. B E ST S P E A K E ASY Pigtails 1 E. Washington St., #128 602-675-4416 21001 N. Tatum Blvd., #46-1405 480-500-5358 pigtailscocktails.com Pigtails gives us everything we want in a speakeasy without the bluster and preten- sion that can bloat this genre of cocktail lounge. In both its downtown and Desert Ridge locations, Pigtails manages to hide itself from plain view without dissuading drinkers with passwords or the need to make a reservation. The vibe is dark and moody, but a living wall and copper accents add dimension to the space. The cocktail menus differ by location but both expertly riff on classic shaken and stirred tipples, along with shots, mocktails and a regularly-rotating mystery punch. Pigtails also has snacks to tide you over, from sophisticated raw bar bites to craveable cheesy nachos. 22222 B E ST N E W S P E A K E ASY Tell Your Friends 17797 N. Scottsdale Road 480-530-0045 tellyourfriendsaz.com New bars open all the time, and most don’t do much to make a lasting impression. But in Tell Your Friends, the speakeasy underneath North Scottsdale eatery The Americano, we’ve got a winner. The ultra-luxe space is anchored by a golden fixture that runs across the ceiling and down behind the bar. There are a small number of seats at the bar, or you may choose to sit in an elegant velvet chair. The cocktails are potent and inventive. Call the Paparazzi is Tell Your Friends’ version of an espresso martini, and the Flapper Fizz, made from vodka, apple, vanilla, amaro, lemon and Champagne, is a bubbly delight. Lest you get too tipsy, consider ordering something off the food side of the menu; options include fire-roasted oysters and a dip trio (smoked white fish, caramelized onion dip and pimento cheese) served with potato chips and fried saltines. 22222 B E ST N E I G H B O R H O O D BA R Casey Moore’s Oyster House 850 S. Ash Ave., Tempe 480-968-9935 caseymoores.com We honestly don’t know what Tempe night- life would be like without Casey Moore’s Oyster House. The bar, set in an early- 20th-century home, has been a mainstay of the area for decades, serving generations of ASU students and professors, neighborhood
