Go here when you are in downtown Phoenix and want a drink at a modernist bar. Hanny's is good if you want to get some food while you are having a drink.

Hanny's is owned by the same folks as AZ88 in Scottsdale. The downside is that the food at Hanny's is not as good as at AZ88. Their tends to be an over reliance on fried onions as garnish which is kind of Hanny's schtick.

Also consider AZ88, Postinos on Central or My Florist.

Experience Hanny's is set in an old department store and that theme carries over into the restaurant. Hanny's is in the modernist Phoenix style that you really only get in Phoenix. it is a subdued form of minimalist stylish.

There is an upstairs area with a few tables that over looks the main area. Between the upstairs and the downstairs is a glassed in elevator shaft. You can go and stand on the glass and peer down to the depths of the original elevator. The toilets are an interesting - if confusing design - with lots of mirrors, Alice in Wonderland style.

Patio Being a downtown location Hanny's does not have a patio.

Parking is similar for most downtown locations. You may have to mill around a bit to find a spot. There is a parking area directly behind Hanny's which is easy to miss. You have to turn down the entrance to it on the south side of Hanny's.

Website Hanny's

Menu Hanny's menu

Map Hanny's is on the corner of First and Adam's St.

Go here when you want to meet people after work for drinks or dinner. Chelsea's Kitchen has a fantastic patio. There are better places to eat in Phoenix and often the wait is not worth it but it is a great place to meet people.

Chelsea's Kitchen is part of the Le Grande Orange, Postino's and Radio Milano group of restaurants that cluster around 40th. Chelsea Kitchen is just north of Camelback Road.

Also consider Postinos on Campbell or Cheuvronts

Experience Chelsea's Kitchen's main draw is its large patio out the back of the restaurant. The bar is well laid out so if there is a wait it is easy to catch drinks. Part of the restaurant has very comfortable padded loungey chairs in booths. The food is Mexican American and a mix of burgers and tacos.

Patio Chelsea's Kitchen has a large patio at the rear of the restaurant that blends into the main part through the bar. There is also a small patio at the front of the restaurant, which is private, and sort of leaves you out of the feel and goings on inside. Ask for a seat out the back if you can, rather than on the front patio.

Parking There is a valet service, best to use it. Unless you get there early there is no parking available other than the valet.

Website Chelsea's Kitchen

Map Just north of Camelback Road on 40th. It is immediately after the canal.

Go here when you want to meet for lunch or after work for a drink, or a casual dinner. Lisa G's is a good downtown location to catch up over happy hour.

The food is based on the sliders model and comes in sets of four small servings. The restaurant has a nice outdoor patio, a comfortable bar area and modernist interior.

Note Unfortunately Lisa G's is no longer open.

Also consider Fez, Switch, Maize's Cafe or Postinos on Central

Experience Lisa G's is in the modern Phoenix style and looks very stylish for it. The food is broken into groups of four small portions. Which is a nice change from the over-eating and over-sized portions of most restaurants. It is a very pleasant, comfortable and relaxing environment.

Patio There is a small patio out the front of the restuarant which holds maybe twenty people. It is well laid out and has a large tree giving some shade

Parking There is a parking area at the front of Lisa G's though it is small. There is parking directly to the south of the restaurant in the parking area as well, but parking is in competition with the restaurant next door.

Website Lisa G Cafe and Winebar.

Map On the corner of 7th Street and Sheridan between McDowell and Thomas on the north south axis. Coming from the south, if you hit Thomas you have gone too far.

Go here when you feel like an intimate dinner with friends or family.

The Tuckshop is in a neighborhood rather than downtown or in a mall; which gives the restaurant a nice feel. The Tuckshop is in the modernist Phoenix style.

Also consider Lisa G's, Switch or My Florist.

Experience The Tuckshop has a large waiting area set aside at the front of the restaurant which is like a front parlor. You are constantly attended to by friendly staff with drinks and appetizers.

The restaurant area has a large bar, as well as a communal table and numerous smaller tables. The inside is well done with a strong minimalist streak in the Phoenix contemporary style. The setting is very relaxing, comfortable, dark and laidback.

The crowd that frequents the Tuckshop is more artsy than hipsterish. Some Phoenix restaurants can suffer from having the beautiful people going there to be seen. The artsy crowd at the Tuckshop is more laidback.

Patio The Tuckshop does not have a patio.

Parking There is some parking on the east side of the Tuckshop. Across the road from the restaurant is an overflow parking lot. There is no valet service, as parking is not an issue in the area.

Website Tuckshop

Map On Oak St not far east of 7th Street in a mostly residential neighborhood.

Go here when you want to meet up after work, for a Sunday brunch, or for a nice relaxing weekend dinner.

Bomberos is in a modern contemporary setting with a large patio out the back of the restaurant. The food is excellent and in a similar style to Postino. Seating is a mix of lounge chairs and small tables.

Update Bomberos has closed due to disputes between the restaurant and the landlord. We were there on their final weekend being open and it was packed. Hopefully Bomberos re-opens in a new space somewhere as it was a wonderful restaurant.

Also consider Postino's on Central, Lisa G's or Chelsea's Kitchen.

Experience The building Bomberos is in was originally a fire station and it has the garage style doors at the front of the building as part of that. The interior is in a contemporary Phoenix style which leans toward commercial modernism. There is a mix of lounge chairs and small tables as well as a large patio out the back of the restaurant. The food is similar to Postino's and has a mix of sandwiches, bruschetta and salads. The food is excellent.

Patio There is a nice patio area at the back of the restaurant.

Music Latin rhythm bands play on Saturday nights. The music is normally up tempo lively and a nice addition to the feel of the restaurant. There is a cover charge for the bands which is normally added to the drinks and food bill.

Parking Bomberos has a large parking area to the south of the restaurant. There is no valet. Parking doesn't appear to be an issue.

Website Bomberos Winebar

Map On Central Avenue just south of Dunlap. Bomberos is on the right heading north.

Go here when you want a casual brunch, lunch or dinner. Orange table is also excellent for breakfast.

Orange Table has a very informal style, almost hippyish. The outdoor patio normally has several bicycles leaning up against the central pole. Dogs are welcomed on the patio as well. This is one of our favorite places in Phoenix.

Also consider Daily Dose, Cafe Zuzu or Pita Jungle

Experience Orange Table has a wonderfully casual aspect to it. It has a hippy feel without any pretension which makes it relaxing, comfortable and friendly place to hang out.

Many of the Phoenix restaurants have a wide selection of wines at the expense of a tiny beer selection. Not so Orange Table, which has a wide selection of beers. For an Australian, this is a good thing. In my opinion beer goes better with the larger and heavier sandwiches anyway.

There is very little cellular connection, the parking structure next door makes it a dead spot for cell phones, but there is wireless internet which is good for laptops and iPhones. While it isn't really the style of the restaurant, I have used Orange table for getting an extra hour or so of software development in while eating dinner.

Patio There is a large patio infront of the restaurant with about seven tables. There is usually a cluster of bicycles around the pillar in the center of the patio.

Parking There is large parking structure off of 2nd Street and Wells Fargo St which is next door to the Old Town Scottsdale Mall, however it isn't obvious how to get to Orange Table from the parking structure. You have to travel east through some buildings to enter the mall side where Orange Table, AZ88 and Pure are. Another issue is when there is an event occurring at the Civic Center or one of the other public buildings as the parking structure can fill up quickly.

Website Orange Table does not have its own URL or Website that is functioning, it it has a MySpace page.

Map In Old Town Scottsdale Mall.

Go here when you are meeting up for Friday night dinner and drinks. The Vig is also good for taking an out of towner to lunch as it is casual with upscale pub food but in a modern Phoenix setting.

The Vig has one of the best patios in Phoenix. The outdoor area of the restaurant includes a mix of seating and cover from the sun; such as roofing, trees and umbrellas. Despite it tavernish aspirations The Vig is a direct competitor to the likes of Postinos, Chelsea's Kitchen etc as a trendy place to hang out. There is now a second Vig, the Vig Uptown on 16th and Bethany.

Also consider The Vig Uptown, RnR or Chelsea's Kitchen

Experience The Vig is more of a modernist pub than a contemporary restaurant. If Phoenix was to do over an English pub this is how it would turn out. The Vig has the contemporary Phoenix feel but the food is more pub or tavern, though upscale from the food that normally comes from a pub. The interior has a long bar and booths with big soft seating that parallels it. The outdoor patio is one of the best in Phoenix.

Patio The Vig has an excellent patio. It is exceptionally large and has areas that are under cover, under tree shade and open to the sun. There is a mix of seating on the patio from lounge chairs to soft back chairs and harder more upright chairs. There is also a bocci lane running alongside the patio.

Parking The Vig has a valet service. There is a large car park on the western side of 40th St, people park on the northern end of that lot - above the pay and go place - when going to The Vig. More recently there have been signs saying no Vig parking on the southern end of the parking lot. It is probably easier to entrust your car to the valet service.

Website The Vig

Menu Summer Menu [pdf warning]

Map On 40th and Indian School just south of Indian School. It is the same area as La Grande Orange, Postinos and Radio Milano.

Go here when you want breakfast, brunch or a casual dinner.

The Daily Dose leans toward the tavern or pub side of feel and presentation. The food is more pubbish than restaurant and there is a strong selection of drinks of all kinds.

Also consider The Vig

Experience When you enter the Daily Dose it is like entering a long cave. It is dimly lit. There is a long bar, high tables and booths as well as a small patio out the front. The food is like a pub menu but upscale. The Daily Dose has a very good breakfast and brunch menu.

Patio There is a small patio out the front with about eight tables or so. The patio fronts onto Scottsdale Rd.

Parking There is no parking unique to the Daily Dose but there is plenty of parking down Main St heading east.

Website The Daily Dose does not appear to have its own website.

Map In Old Town Scottsdale just south of Indian School. North of the garishly pink Sugar Bowl and just to the south of the Starbucks on the east side. The Daily Dose is kind of tucked away so keep an eye for it when you are going there for the first time. The patio is probably the easiest way to spot it.

Go here when you want to have a casual dinner with friends or when you are downtown.

Maizies Cafe is a good place to catch a quick bite. It has a nice atmosphere and pleasant staff. There is a mix of seating; high chairs, bar area, lounges and cafe tables and chairs. The food is good and there is a strong selection of drinks.

Also consider Postinos on Central or Lisa G's

Experience Maizies has a nice atmosphere and pleasant staff. There is a mix of seating; high chairs, bar area, lounges and cafe tables and chairs. The food is good and there is a strong selection of drinks.

Patio Maizies has a large patio area with cafe like tables and seating.

Parking There is not much parking around Maizies and it can be difficult to find a spot. There are about fifteen spaces in front of Maizies and the next strip mall to the south has about the same number. Behind there is apartments with tow-away signs. It tends to be luck that offers up a parking space.

Website Maizie's Cafe & Bistro

Menu No link.

Map Maizie's Cafe just south of Camelback on Central.

Go here when you want to have a casual dinner with friends or when you are downtown.

Maizies Cafe is a good place to catch a quick bite. It has a nice atmosphere and pleasant staff. There is a mix of seating; high chairs, bar area, lounges and cafe tables and chairs. The food is good and there is a strong selection of drinks.

Also consider Postinos on Central or Lisa G's

Experience Maizies has a nice atmosphere and pleasant staff. There is a mix of seating; high chairs, bar area, lounges and cafe tables and chairs. The food is good and there is a strong selection of drinks.

Patio Maizies has a large patio area with cafe like tables and seating.

Parking There is not much parking around Maizies and it can be difficult to find a spot. There are about fifteen spaces in front of Maizies and the next strip mall to the south has about the same number. Behind there is apartments with tow-away signs. It tends to be luck that offers up a parking space.

Website Maizie's Cafe & Bistro

Menu No link.

Map Maizie's Cafe just south of Camelback on Central.