COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS GUIDE Jan 1st-Jan 7th, 2026 phoenixnewtimes.com 17 best new Phoenix bars of 2025 Standout places to pregame your bowl game. BY SARA CROCKER P hoenix’s bar scene is top shelf, and this past year has been a reminder of just that. The outstanding hotel cock- tail lounge Little Rituals finally got its flowers at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. Seven Arizona breweries took home medals at the Great American Beer Festival. Local cocktail events and competitions continue to encourage bartenders to push the envelope and flex their creativity. Bars don’t open at the blistering pace of restaurants in Phoenix, but there’s still plenty of new watering holes. New Times writers fanned out around the Valley, sauntering into neighborhood bars, luxe lounges and well-worn dives to narrow down our Top 100 Bars. We were well- hydrated, but thirsty to share the best places we uncovered. Among them, we were impressed by several newcomers (and like our best new restaurants, we consider spots that opened between December 2024 and this month.) Here are the seven best new bars that opened around Phoenix last year. Club Contact 747 W. Van Buren St. Since bursting onto the scene in April, Club Contact has become a nightclub that defies labels. The two-story club is the sibling to Grace Perry’s hip downtown haven, Gracie’s Tax Bar. Replacing the retro- themed Thundercat Lounge, Club Contact is a moodier, slinkier, more glam place. You’ll dance across the checkerboard floor to a diverse mix of DJs. The Club Contact calendar has also featured line dancing lessons, Dance Dance Revolution parties, lube wrestling, singles mixers and jazz nights. It won’t set you back much more than a $5 cover to enjoy this never-boring, ever-evolving lineup. Club Contact’s bar is well-stocked with a selection of cocktails, shots and bubbles. It’s also full of cheap cans of beer and an impressive roster of non-alcoholic sips. At the end of a night at Club Contact, you may feel lighter, but your wallet won’t. Formation Brewing 925 N. Fifth St. It’s become de rigueur for out-of-state restaurant groups to descend upon the Valley. Now, Phoenix has also caught the attention of beverage groups. In May, a conglomerate of Colorado-based brew- eries launched Formation Brewing in downtown Phoenix. Getting its doors open near Roosevelt Row came with delays and challenges. Still, when Formation opened in September, it delivered pitch-perfect sips, including the tropical-leaning Cloud Drifter Hazy IPA and the summery, tart Sun Crest Peach Sour. Those brews can be savored inside and out of Formation’s expansive, two-story, industrial-yet-rustic space. Grab a seat at one of the patio’s picnic tables and put in an order of smoked pork nachos. Paired with a few pints, Formation has everything you need to embrace patio season. Jamie’s Bottle Shop 7033 E. Main St., #102, Scottsdale Jamie’s Bottle Shop is more than a place to browse the well-appointed racks for a unique vintage. The shop, opened by Wrigley Mansion owner Jamie Hormel in March, is paired with a charming European-inspired bistro and bar. Grab a seat at the curved bar where the staff can help you choose a glass, a flight or a bottle to enjoy in the airy yet cozy space Formation Brewing’s opening taplist included a malty Oktoberfest-inspired Emberfall Marzen and the tart Sun Crest Peach Ale. (Sara Crocker) >> p 18
