It's not difficult to stay occupied in a city like Phoenix. With its abundance of views, activities and attractions and its rich history and culture, the city makes it easy to fill up a day out on the town or an entire weekend. The most populous state capital in the United States with a population of over 1.6 million, the city bustles with movement and excitement around the clock.
If you're a resident at Bethesda Gardens in Phoenix and are trying to find the best places to take a load off and enjoy a delicious meal, refreshing drink or a sweetly satisfying dessert — or are just looking for some good take-out — there are plenty of options to choose from. Here's a look at just a few of the most popular eateries around Phoenix.
A collective of four breweries throughout the city, each of the four State 48 locations has its own singular style and offerings as well as onsite brewhouses and scratch kitchens. The original location in Surprise, AZ, features a wood-fired pizza oven, a large dog-friendly patio and a 10-barrel system for brewing specialty seasonal beers.
However, the downtown Phoenix location is where it's really at. Smack dab in the middle of Phoenix's arts and entertainment district, this location's 20-barrel brewing system (with 40-barrel fermenters and brite tanks) is where State 48's most popular brews are made and served year-round. The appetizers and entrees are as satisfying as the brews, and the eatery's reputation for a warm, welcoming and fun atmosphere spans the entire state of Arizona.
Rockstars and foodies alike — unite. This is the rallying cry of Phoenix's Copper Blues Rock Pub and Kitchen. Its atmosphere captures the iconoclastic spirit of classic rock n' roll; from the moment you walk in the door, Jim Morrison's dark eyes stare you down from the mural on the opposite wall. In another area of the painting, Mick Jagger's head rears back mid-wail with his eyes clenched shut and jaw wide open.
The Copper Blues mission is a simple one: good grub and good tunes. From its crispy wings and parmesan truffle fries to its signature copper burger and steak sandwich, you're sure to leave with more than just a satisfied stomach. Popular local music acts often play on the stage, but if you're in search of a quieter, more relaxed experience, don't worry — Copper Blues has got you covered there, too. Its vegetative Beer Garden is a great place to kick your feet up and enjoy the fresh air.
On The Duce's brick exterior in a fading, blocky font, you can make out the words, "Est. 1928. WHERE PRETTY MEETS GRITTY AND PRODUCE MEETS PROHIBITION." This summarizes The Duce's story and mission fairly concisely. Once a Prohibition-era warehouse that was a thriving produce market by day and a notorious neighborhood speakeasy by night, The Duce has grown to become one of Arizona's most unique entertainment and event venues.
Nowadays, live entertainment has become the soul of The Duce; from soul and blues to weekly swing night (Wednesday) and Latin night (Thursday), there's always something going on at the Duce. However, the venue hasn't lost a drop of its original spirit over the years (hopefully many older adults can say the same!). Sliding open the vintage steel doors and stepping inside is still a one-way ticket straight into the past.
Bootleggers has created a simultaneously relaxed and upscale environment dedicated to keeping its smoker running 7 days a week. This modern American smokehouse is a comfortable place to enjoy good, old-fashioned comfort food: seared-to-perfection steaks, mouthwatering burgers and sandwiches and scrumptious tacos. It also offers a wide selection of craft cocktails and brews — not to mention, its famous apple pie moonshine. To top it all off, it's all served in a down-home barn atmosphere with modern steel finishes.
Mary Coyle Ol' Fashion Ice Cream has been a part of the fabric of Phoenix since 1951. Its made-from-scratch 16% butterfat ice cream is made in-house and includes all the favorite flavors in addition to specialty sundaes, shakes, malts, floats, showboats, banana splits and cookie delights.
This retro-inspired confectionary restaurant and milkshake bar guarantees delicious homemade pies, handcrafted milkshakes and ice cream floats — plus perfectly cooked custards, gourmet hot chocolates and — of course — craft sodas for only $2.50 each. Menu options are vast and varied, from seasonal shakes to killer specialties like the Sweet Tooth (cotton candy milkshake with hints of lollipop, sour ribbon candy, vanilla whipped cream and sprinkles). This fun dessert stop also offers signature gourmet sundaes and ice cream flavors like Dreamy Orange Cream (a mix of orange crush soda and vanilla ice cream).
