Just in time to fend off the heat, favorite Valley restaurants and bars are concocting some refreshing specialty cocktails equipped with fresh fruits and juices. Take a sip and dive into summer with these refreshing summer cocktails in Phoenix:
1. Passion Mango Martini at Sapporo
Soak in the Arizona sunset while you sip on this fruit-filled drink. Sapporo bar manager Michael Hanley created the Passion Mango Martini by blending Skyy Citrus vodka, Bacardi O rum and mango- and passion-fruit purees in a blender. Raspberry liqueur is poured first into a martini glass, followed by the blended mixture to create a marbling effect.
“This icy blended drink is atypical in that it offers the coldness of a frozen drink with the drinkability of a non-frozen drink,” he said.
Details: Sapporo, 14344 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-607-1114, sapporoscottsdale.com.
2. Solerno Sunset at Z’Tejas
Cool off at the end of a long day with the Z’Tejas Solerno Sunset, comprised of Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Milagro Silver Tequila, pineapple and lime juices with muddled raspberries.
Details: Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill, locations in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe and Chandler. ztejas.com.
3. Pineapple Daly at Blanco
Cool and refreshing, this twist on the classic John Daly is made with Skyy vodka, sweet tea and pineapple juice. Fox Restaurant Concepts beverage manager Mat Snapp says “the inspiration came from a night at the house last summer where we were looking for a new cocktail to sit on the hammock and sip.”
Details: Blanco, 6166 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-305-6692, foxrc.com/blanco.html.
4. Smoked Tea Shandy at Lon’s
Find a perfect balance with the refreshing, complex blend of flavors in the smoked tea shandy. Expert bartender Travis Nass’ shandy features tequila infused with lapsang souchong tea and chipotle, mixed with apricot liqueur, house-made velvet falernum and lemon juice, topped with Maui Brewing Co.’s Mona Wheat beer.
Details: Lon’s at the Hermosa, 5532 N. Palo Cristi Road, Paradise Valley. 602-955-7878, hermosainn.com/lons.
5. Tangerine Mojito at Sassi
Angela Badolato, director of service at Sassi, was inspired by her travel experiences in Italy for the Tangerine Mojito. The cocktail is a simple mix of house made tangerine cello and club soda poured over muddled mint and lime.
“I had some of the best tangerine granita when I was in Sicily,” Badolato said. “The Tangerine Mojito is a nice light, refreshing summer cocktail with a little kick to it from the cello.”
Details: Sassi, 10455 E. Pinnacle Peak Parkway, Scottsdale. 480-563-1518, sassi.biz.
Check out more specialty summer cocktails from Valley restaurants over at azcentral.com.
