Photos by Sam Nalven District

Post-holiday bills cramping your budget? No need to give up gourmet dining, thanks to these thrifty happy hours with high-end dishes.













Cork
4991 S. Alma School Rd., Chandler
480-883-3773
corkrestaurant.net

One of the East Valley’s finest dining venues offers a happy hour lineup of food and drink fit for royalty but priced for peasants. Champagne cocktails such as Kir Royales and Bellinis are $3; house wines (good selections, at that) and cocktails such as cantaloupe or basil-grapefruit martinis are $4. Noshes cost $5 and include a bottomless bowl of olives or duck fat fries; small plates such as zingy bay scallop and crab ceviche, a fried oyster BLT or Italian sausage risotto are $8. To make diners even happier, patrons are not segregated in the bar area – you can sit in the cozy booths and still score the deals. 5-6:30 p.m. Tu-F.


District American
Kitchen & Wine Bar
320 N. Third St. (Sheraton Phoenix Downtown), Phoenix
602-817-5400
districtrestaurant.com

Imagine being transported to a big-city hotel with glittering tiles, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a phenomenal array of upscale, locally-sourced food and drinks ranging from $3-$5. It’s not a dream – it’s District. Drafts from Arizona brewers including Four Peaks, Oak Creek, SanTan and Nimbus are $3, while house-made sangria costs $5 (the white peach is dee-lish). Nosh on plates like buffalo sloppy joe sliders, housemade salt-and-vinegar chips with blue cheese and caramelized onion dips, and
Schreiner’s bacon-wrapped dates.
3-7 p.m. and 10 p.m. to close M-Sa.


Posh
7167 E. Rancho Vista Dr., Scottsdale
480-663-7674
poshscottsdale.com

The black-and-gray décor is minimalist, but the food is over-the-top. As a foil to the restaurant’s improvisational cuisine, Chef Joshua Hebert rolls out a set happy hour menu featuring $10 “blue-plate” dinner specials such as fishermen’s stew, sous vide fried chicken and soft shell crab, plus a wide range of everyday deals ($4-$15, with most around $6-$10). Some highlights: ever-changing, exquisite pâté; shrimp bruschetta; a DLT (seasoned ground duck, lettuce and tomato) on focaccia; and braised short rib gnocchi with haricot verts and carrots. Specialty cocktails cost $8; select wines are $5 and beer is $2-$3. 5-6 p.m. daily in the lounge and at the counter.