The Edit

Some restaurants become more than a reservation. Pretty Penny has become one of my most trusted Phoenix recommendations, the kind of place I chose to close one year and open the next. With food from Chef Steven “Chops” Smith, cocktails with intention, a Page Springs wine collaboration, and a team led with grace and heart, this downtown Phoenix favorite reminds me why I love telling local food stories.

Durant’s vintage steakhouse vibe meets a Black Walnut Old Fashioned and Lattafa Khamrah Qahwa—boozy, spicy warmth for cooler Arizona nights. Includes a home Old Fashioned riff (coconut sugar syrup + black walnut bitters) and Ella on vinyl.