Vegan and vegetarian versions of Pan-Asian staples take center stage at Veggie Village, a quaint counter-service spot that serves up veggie iterations of Kung Pao chicken and sweet and sour shrimp. The vast vegan bill of fare includes a Beyond Burger, soy chicken sandwich and other realistic meat replicas. You can also totally trick your carnivore friends into trying the freakishly convincing calamari.

In a perfect world, every neighborhood would have its own Vecina (“neighbor” in Spanish), a small, welcoming haven that exudes a modern Latin groove through its music selection, terrific cocktail program and appealing menu, featuring fabulous ceviche and one of the city’s best steaks – a mesquite-grilled, carne asada-style ribeye. Three visits in, you’ll be greeted by name at the bar.

If you’re like us, your grooming game probably suffered a bit during the quarantine. Untended nose hairs, Unabomber beards, etc. Well, what better way to tell the world “I don’t look like a hobo anymore!” than an old-timey cut and straight-edge shave at the Valley barbershop chain that launched the current throwback male grooming craze? They might even beat back those nostril ferns for you.

Angling is the sport for those of us who need a little “me time.” Or, in our new world order, for socializing with friends at a 6-foot distance. Surprise Community Park’s 5-acre lake lets you fish for rainbow trout, largemouth bass and sunfish, and you can find channel catfish and carp in the waters of the 40-mile Arizona Canal.

Tour guide Ace Bailey is as knowledgeable as they come, and her lineup of tours through Scottsdale and Phoenix highlights art, architecture and history. Our favorite? The Magical History Tour, a deep dive into all things Hotel Valley Ho, from its minimalist midcentury design to the legends of its Hollywood past. ace@ultimatearttours.com

Opened by developer Chuckie Duff, Relentless Beats’ Thomas Turner and Damon Scott of Rattle and Rum, the Downtown dance club – housed in the former DeSoto Central Market – promised to revolutionize Phoenix nightlife. Three weeks later, the beat stopped due to concerns over Duff’s health, leaving us wondering what could’ve happened if owners let the music play.

Hidden in a condo complex across from Scottsdale Fashion Square, this shoebox of a museum displays hundreds of pens and pencils from the 19th and 20th centuries. Visitors can explore the museum to learn about the development and history of writing instruments. Remember when people used to write letters with pen and paper? Yeah, it’s been a while. Open by appointment only.

What’s red and blue and violet all over? The latest installation-in-progress by Valley artist and teacher Ann Morton. Morton has put out the call for a creative project, asking makers from across the country to create mini works of art. The final product can be sewn, embroidered, knit, crocheted or glue-gunned. Morton wants to send 50 squares each to every member of Congress as a reminder of the importance of unity, and a show is...

At this North Scottsdale gas station, the aroma of barbecue, smoked on-premises, fills the air. There are tons of gas pumps, and they have fields of paved space between them. (These pumps were decked out with hand sanitizer even before the pandemic.) Classic rock pours from speakers. You listen and relax, pump handle clenched, ogling the nearby McDowell Mountains.

Built in the 1950s by cattle baron Edward A. Tovrea, The Stockyards Steakhouse sat adjacent to a 200-acre feedlot (and the heart of Arizona’s cattle industry) for more than a decade. The smelly beeves are gone now, but the state’s rich history, evident in the branding iron chandeliers, Western art and opulent 1899 saloon, is ever-present. The burly steakhouse vibe is backed up by great steaks and calf fries, which you should try if you’ve got the cojones.

Within the last year, The Shop has crept into the short list of top Valley breweries, largely for some next-level work with IPAs and blended beers. But this Tempe standout’s biggest crowd-pleaser might be its Neonic series: regular drops of limited-edition fruited sours, electric with infusions that often aim to replicate flavors like raspberry limeade and blueberry pie.

Listed on Billboard’s Next Big Sound chart, the unsigned Phoenix-based band has a capacious electro-folk sound that captures Arizona’s vastness.

Screaming taxidermy is just the start. There are also several giant cocks (fitting the bar’s rooster theme), full-size motorcycles mounted between booths, a giant swordfish painted with hot rod couture flames, and an array of vintage signs. It’s like drinking in a small-town antiques store.

Sometimes you want something a little more challenging than bottomless mimosas. For a complex yet quaffable brunch tipple, head to the larder + the delta, where you can pair rotating Sunday brunch specials with a Coffee Negroni (Fords gin, Campari, Cynar, Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur) or a Just Peachy (Bulleit bourbon, peach preserves, lemon, mint, Bauchant orange liqueur, Carpano Antica).

The “larder” refers to a kitchen or kitchen-adjacent space where preserved foods, historically, were stashed away. At his Downtown bistro, Stephen Jones dries, pickles and otherwise preserves the bounty of local farms. The apotheosis of his efforts is the classic bread-and-butter pickle. With size, a pleasant gummy chew and strong but even spicing, the rounds elevate plates like fried chicken sandwiches and bo ssam.