Instrumental Hospitality (IH), the team behind cult-favorite Belly Kitchen & Bar and the buzz-worthy Sin Muerte, is opening its first standalone bar, Quartz, in Downtown Phoenix. The immersive cocktail experience officially opens today, Thursday, April 20, and will stimulate the senses of Valley residents with world-class mixology and spectacular décor.
Located at 341 W. Van Buren, the new nightlife gem is carved into a historic downtown Phoenix storefront, resulting in a cozy and polished 2,000-square-foot space that houses two distinct cocktail concepts: Quartz and The Cave at Quartz.
Quartz, the first of the two cocktail experiences, is an elevated bar that’s perfect for a variety of occasions. The highly-polished cocktail lounge features a glowing main bar with a mirror-like brass bar top that floats beneath a giant rock-slab ceiling. The bar’s menu and theme are inspired by the twelve precious birthstones of the calendar year, with each stone’s unique characteristics driving the flavor profiles and visual experience of each cocktail.
IH Beverage Director Paul Waxman runs the bar’s operations and collaborated with Maxwell Berlin, who is known for his award-winning drinks at Glai Baan, to create the cocktail program. The cocktail menu features 12 specialty cocktails and three mocktails along with wine and beer selections. The Rohang Ruby is their take on a margarita featuring equal parts spicy, savory and fruity with hibiscus grenadine to bring out bright red hues. Other notable cocktails include Garnet Guru, Amethyst Kaleidoscope, Dripping Diamonds and Anahata Emerald.
The Cave at Quartz elevates cocktail craft to yet another level with a high-end, exclusive and immersive 90-minute experience carved within Quartz. The mirrored, rose-gold, arched crystal cave features private booths and a desert-themed cocktail menu exclusive to The Cave that incorporates worldclass ingredients with a focus on presentation and even interaction. Every cocktail will tell a story of what the desert means in each part of the world, capturing inspiration by the landscapes, customs, animals and people that inhabit them. The Cave is reservation only and can be booked at www.quartzphx.com.
“When we sat down and ideated on what we really wanted to do, it was clear that Quartz was going to be a story of diverging paths within the same ecosystem,” says Berlin in a statement. “Up front we have that super approachable, refined experience that fits any occasion. Then you have The Cave at Quartz, which is the pinnacle of what we’re trying to do here, an immersive experience that’ll envelop you and your friends for special occasions or a big night out. Both carry a similar throughline of exceptional hospitality within the beverage space that we hope to share with the world.”
The new Downtown Phoenix cocktail experience was developed in partnership with Chuckie Duff and IH partner, Robert Cissell, while interior designer Sophia Pappas brought the vision of the space to life with obsessive attention to detail, experiential décor and light fixtures.
“The design of Quartz was first and foremost to accentuate the colorful moments of life,” says Pappas in a statement. “It’s the place you never want to leave and can’t wait to return to.”
For more information, visit www.quartzphx.com.
Photos: Grace Stufkosky
