The Perfect Phoenix Bar Crawl: Downtown to Midtown

The stretch from downtown Phoenix north through Midtown along Central Avenue has assembled one of the best walkable drinking corridors in the city. Four stops, planned in sequence, make for an evening that covers real ground without a car. Start at Bitter & Twisted on Adams Street — the most awarded cocktail bar in the state. Order whatever sounds unfamiliar on the seasonal menu. Arrive by 6pm on a weekday. Walk north to The Linger Longer Lounge on Fillmore, an unpretentious dive that serves as a useful reset. The beer selection is better than the exterior suggests. Continue to Grind on Roosevelt, in the transitional zone between downtown and the arts district. The staff tends to know everyone by name after two visits. Finish at Crescent Ballroom, where the outdoor patio and rotating live music make the bar program secondary in the best possible way. The cocktails are competent. The atmosphere is why you're there.