Papago Brewing Co.: The bar actually opened in 2001 as a bottle shop, homebrew supply store, and tasting room but evolved into a full service restaurant and brewery. Besides having 30 beers on tap and more than 500 different bottled beers available to drink on site or take home, Papago Brewing Co. has its own line-up, including its celebrated Orange Blossom Ale. You don’t have to make a trek to the bar to purchase a six pack, though. Most grocery and liquor stores carry Papago beers.
China Mist: What’s better on a hot Arizona day than a glass of cold iced tea? Only a cold glass of iced tea that’s blended by a local company. Founded in 1982 by two self-proclaimed tea fanatics, China Mist supplies many of the area’s restaurants as well as sells its tea in local grocery stores, including AJ’s Fine Foods, and online. Try the Passion Fruit Black Tea or Blackberry Jasmine Green Tea, two of the company’s most popular offerings.
Super Chunk: Skip the Cracker Jacks and Oreos. If you’re looking for a sweet treat, Super Chunk in Old Town Scottsdale is the place to go. Husband and wife team Sergio and Country Velador (also the Executive Pastry Chef at two popular Scottsdale restaurants) churn out small-batch goodies like chocolate bacon caramel corn, duck fat toffee, housemade licorice, mesquite chocolate chip cookies, and hand pulled taffy. Tip: Try the peanut butter cake, if it’s available. You won’t regret it!
Goodytwos Toffee Company: Another option to satisfy that sweet tooth is Goodytwos Toffee Company. The Scottsdale company specializes in toffee, but sells other goodies such as peanut brittle, pretzel clusters, and peppermint bark. What makes it so great? Mother-daughter duo Donna Gabrilson and Stacey Barnes are dedicated to simple, pure ingredients. You can purchase Goodytwos toffee at these locations.
Altitude Coffee Lab: Need some coffee with all those sweets? Several of the Valley’s best coffee roasters have shops in Scottsdale, like Cartel Coffee Lab’s 5th Avenue coffeehouse, where you can purchase beans to bring home. Altitude Coffee Lab offers something truly unique, as they do their roasting in-house at their McCormick Ranch café in Scottsdale. Plus, it’s the Best Coffee House 2014 according to the Phoenix New Times.
Looking for more local hot spots to try? Give me a call or fill out the form below to contact a member of The Matheson Team. We’re true locals and we love calling Scottsdale home.