Saddle Mountain Brewing Co. Above: Stuffed mushrooms at Saddle Mountain Brewing Co. Left: Smoked short rib hash at Pedal Haus Brewery. Pedal Haus Brewery Bar from p 25 brisket, whether it’s in a sandwich made with barbecue sauce, green chile cheese sauce, and crispy onion strings ($17), or in the brisket mac ($17) with roasted red pepper, barbecue sauce, crispy onion strings, scallion, panko, and Boursin sauce. Pedal Haus Brewery Multiple Locations Pedal Haus Brewery is a stalwart in the brewpub scene thanks to its extensive menus, great happy hours, and weekend breakfasts. It does everything well, but it just got even better thanks to a new culinary director, Zach Hunter, who brings 25 years of experience, including at Michelin-starred restaurants. His first initiative was to boost brunch at the downtown Phoenix location, with entice- ments such as the Insanity PB&J Sticky Bun ($9) with peanut butter caramel and strawberry jam, fried chicken and Belgian waffles ($17) with warm berries, maple butter and truffle hot honey, and smoked short rib hash with sunny-side-up eggs, crispy potatoes, smoked corn, peppers, green chile beer cheese and chimichurri ($17). 26 Saddle Mountain Brewing Co. 15651 West Roosevelt Street, Goodyear 623-249-5520 Not only is Saddle Mountain Brewing Co. a recent bronze medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival, but they boast some of the best wings (five for $10; 10 for $18) in town as well. The wings stand out for their expertly crisped skin, juicy meat, and house-made sauces like the Thai Chili with sesame seeds and scallions or House Hot made with a cayenne-based sauce laced with Sriracha and honey. Other must-try dishes are the stuffed mushrooms ($14), a trio of plump caps filled with roasted garlic- infused cream cheese dolled up with sausage, lemon butter, and lemon pesto aioli, dusted with Parmesan, and served with a side of crostini, and the brewer’s nachos ($16 full; $10 half) with pork chile verde and house-made beer cheese. SanTan Brewing Co. 8 South San Marcos Place, Chandler 480-917-8700 Anthony Canecchia, the founder of SanTan Brewing Co., says the beer-battered crispy chicken fingers ($12.75) with ale-battered fries and Mr. Pineapple habanero barbecue sauce has been a best-seller for 15 years running at his Chandler brewpub. But the house-smoked meats are also outstanding. Some are smoked over hickory, with others on oak for a stronger flavor. The pork enchiladas ($15.25) made with smoked carnitas and green chile cream sauce and topped with a fried egg is a standout dish. Other nods go to the kicky jalapeño Caesar and the anything-but-basic burgers, including the mushroom Gouda. Wicked Brews, Bites & Spirits 4921 East Ray Road, #103 480-990-0096 Savvy Ahwatukee Foothills folks know to hit up Wicked Brews, Bites & Spirits for its fab happy hour, which offers specials on all drinks and 20 mouthwatering food items from $4.50. It runs 2-6 p.m. weekdays, 9 p.m.-close Sunday through Thursday, and all day on “Wicked Wednesdays.” Top faves are the hearty house-made hummus platter ($6.75; regu- larly $10.50) with a bounty of veggies and pita, crispy Brussels sprouts ($5.75; regu- larly $9.50) with garlic, bacon, and Parmesan, and the Meatheads, a dish of homemade bison meatballs in marinara with mozzarella, served with sourdough ($8.75; regularly $12.50). This brewpub also makes a bomb Brewja Brat ($12.50) infused with WCKD ale served on a hoagie roll with Dijon and sauerkraut. NOV 10TH–NOV 16TH, 2022 PHOENIX NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | NEWS | OPINION | FEEDBACK | CONTENTS | phoenixnewtimes.com
