Things to Do in North Central Phoenix

Photo courtesy of Postino Central Facebook Page

After several years of taste-testing experience, we can safely say that North Central Phoenix is home to some of the Valley of the Sun’s best restaurants. Along with that comes a collection of killer happy hour deals. Your choices are seemingly endless, but we recommend you start at one of these places:

The Phoenix Ale Brewery Central Kitchen: This neighborhood hangout at Crown on 7th offers up drink specials and bar bites from 2 to 6 p.m. every Monday through Friday. Come for the $3 Phoenix Ale beers and $5 Southern Fried Chicken Sliders – topped with a smoky remoulade, Biltmore Blonde beer and butter pickles.

Windsor: Happy Hour happens every day at Windsor. Yes, 7 days a week, you can enjoy $5 cocktails, wine and pitchers of beer until 5 p.m. And the selection is vast. Share some tasty starters – like cheddar fondue or ahi tuna poke over napa slaw – or stay for a full dinner. In which case, you’ll definitely want to try the Crab Cake BLT. Trust us.

Joe’s Midnight Run: In addition to regular happy hour, Joe’s hosts MOFO Monday where you can get their Notorious B.I.G. Burger and a beer for just $10, all day. Meanwhile, Two-Wheel Tuesdays brings 20 percent off of your overall bill if you ride in on your bike. Eco-friendly and a good place for a great deal? We’re in!

Postino Central: Why do we love Postino Central? Let us count the ways – starting with $5 wine by the glass and pitchers of beer, from open to 5 p.m., Monday through Sunday. Mondays and Tuesdays are our favorites, though, because that’s when Postino has its famous $20 deal on any house bottle of wine and bruschetta board. That fun starts after 8 p.m.

Stock & Stable: From 3 to 6 p.m., you can enjoy $3 off craft cocktails, $5 off premium well drinks, and $5 select wine and beer at this rockin’ American gastropub. Got an appetite for some delicious grub? Check out the generous $20 salumi board spread – complete with gourmet meat and cheese and local Noble bread – or $6 cheeseburger and fries.

Photo courtesy of Okra

Summer doesn’t officially start until June 20, but we all know that the season turned in Phoenix weeks ago. We’re already planning our happy hours around the best cool-down cocktails in the North Central Corridor and thought we’d share some of our favorites with you. Take note. And watch for us at the bar.

Mint Julep at Okra ($8): Seriously, how refreshing does that Mint Julep (pictured above) look? You can’t deny it! Okra actually has a collection of five Juleps on their menu, each taking a unique spin on this traditional Southern beverage. But even their most basic mint version, a simple mash-up of bourbon, mint and sugar, is downright delicious.

Gin Rickey at The Womack ($10): When it comes to cocktails, this North Central lounge is all about the classics – Old Fashioned, Tequila Sunrise, Irish Coffee and the likes. During the summer months, we always reach for the citrus-infused Gin Rickey. The combo of lime, lemongrass and mint with a splash of soda is pretty unbeatable.

Sunny Slope Iced Tea at Joe’s Midnight Run ($9): This cocktail is serious business. It’s a local take on the traditional Long Island, blending four different types of liquor – vodka, gin, rum and tequila – with orange liqueur, lemon and pineapple juice, blue curacao and allspice dram. Not for the lightweights of the bunch!

Coco Verde at Casa Añejo ($13): How can a drink with crushed ice in it not be perfect for a Phoenix summer? Casa Añejo is one of the North Central Corridor’s newest hotspots and its cocktail lineup is pure gold. Besides crushed ice, the Coco Verde is made from green chartreuse, blanco tequila, coconut, lime and pineapple. Need we say more?