Phoenix’s burgeoning Downtown district – which will host Final Four Fan Fest – makes for convenient and rewarding pre-tip-off exploration. Neighborhoods like Roosevelt Row, Grand Avenue and Garfield are making a major comeback, racking up coffee shops, restaurants, music venues and other community spaces like points from the free-throw line.
Itinerary: A Locavore’s Dreamscape
Downtown Phoenix is expanding at a dizzying pace, with locally owned small businesses leading the charge. Add method to your March Madness with this handy guide to some of the area’s best local hangouts.
- 9 a.m.: Get Your Caffeine Fix at Futuro
Sleek and immersive, this Roosevelt coffee shop makes a grand cup of joe. It’s also one of the few places you’ll find the delectable cream cheese Danishes and cinnamon brioches of James Beard Award-nominated baker Mark Chacón. @futurocoffee - 11 a.m.: Pick Up Local Goodies at the Downtown Farmers Market
This year-round outdoor market slings fresh produce, art, coffee, flowers, kombucha, jewelry, clothing, gifts and more for and by the local community. Enjoy live music, free food and drink samples, and a taste of Downtown every Saturday morning on the corner of Fifth and McKinley streets. downtownphoenixfarmersmarket.org - 1 p.m.: Grab Some Grub and Good Vibes at Central Records
Credit DJ-owner Jake Stellarwell for bringing the “vinyl bar” concept to Downtown Phoenix, offering a casual, coffee-fueled hangout by day and vibey wine bar by night, with a mishmash of records and books to browse or buy. Chef Dana Arbel’s Mediterranean-inspired menu is creative, featuring breakfast items until 3 p.m. and a dozen sandwiches, salads and small plates all day. @central.records - 6 p.m.: Enjoy Libations and Live Music at Valley Bar
Dance the night away at this subterranean bar and music venue, with cocktails named after Arizona political legends, kitschy wall art, an intimate stage and the city’s best Skee-Ball. valleybarphx.com - 9 p.m.: Have a Nightcap at Greenwood Brewing
Megan Greenwood opened her namesake brewpub in 2020, joining the 3 percent of solely female-owned breweries in the country. Along with head brewer Kristin Luparello, Greenwood hopes to change the narrative with award-winning, Arizona-brewed beers like Essence Rosemary IPA. greenwood-brews.com
Downtown Cocktail Crawl
There’s no shortage of cool, new cocktail nooks in Downtown Phoenix, but this duo of nascent bars are a serious slam dunk.
- Quartz
A cocktail bar with a menu inspired by gemstones? Forget Sedona, we’re seeking healing energy here. Sip your birthstone drink in the main bar and then book a reservation in The Cave, Quartz’s inner sanctum, where mixologist Maxwell Berlin and beverage director Paul Waxman have crafted incredibly complex cocktails – and an otherworldly aesthetic experience – inspired by Earth’s great deserts. quartzphx.com - The Liar’s Club
We’ve always felt a certain warmth for Downtown’s “Monrovia” district south of Monroe Street, so it was heartening to see mixologist Colton Brock and company plant their moody little gin joint there. Also heartening: creative infusions and mezcal sips. liarsclubphx.com
Snag a Souvenir
Straw & Wool
This hip Roosevelt Row haberdashery specializes in hats, currently working with more than a dozen brands and designers to stock the shop with unique toppers, including the customer favorite red-bottom styles. strawandwool.com
