Grazing Arizona: Phoenix, AZ

There are five crucial questions a journalist must ask (and, ideally, answer) when researching and developing a story: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. These Five W's, along with a bonus "How" for further clarity, will preclude each blog post to provide proper insight into this weird, wild nomadic journey. ​

The Five W's + H:
Who: The Page Fam: Christina (life saver), Sophia (travel despiser) and DJ (word spewer)
What: Top 5 places to drink up 
Where: Phoenix, Arizona
When: November 2021 - March 2022
Why: Our expedient expeditions were just too easy, I suppose, so we prepared ourselves for the distant journey from Bean Town to The Grand Canyon State. Oh, and we stopped off in Houston so that we could jet off to Cancun and get hitched with fam and friends. No big deal.
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How: There are roughly 3000 miles that separate Boston, Massachusetts from Phoenix, Arizona. While the total mileage appears daunting, as touched-on above, we did have a three week break between treks. Houston to our new Peoria palace was roughly 1200 miles and 19 hours of drive time. This leg of our journey was a familiar sight, as we've puttered through El Paso and passed through Phoenix a handful of times already over the course of our travel nursing journey.

Five Places to Drink Up: Phoenix, AZ

Osteria Mia (2530 W Happy Valley Road Ste 1271 Phoenix, AZ, US 85085)

Quotable: "Casual Italian eatery with elegant eats." 

The surrounding Phoenix area features an abundance of quality Italian dining options. A favorite would have to be Osteria Mia, nestled at The  Shops at  Norterra located in far north Phoenix.  

Foodies would be wise to start your meal with the Fritto Misto (pictured above). Tempura battered zucchini, summer squash and artichoke hearts are crisped to perfection and, since they're veggies, are virtually guilt-free since you're basically just eating a deep-fried salad.

What is an Italian restaurant without quality pasta? Well, probably not on this list, for starters. Luckily, Osteria Mia features handmade pasta that's expertly assembled just inside the entrance of the restaurant for your viewing pleasure—that is, if the process of mixing and kneading dough is your idea of a good show. Try one of the many specialty pasta plates, or even create-your-own dish with an array of different house-made noodles on the robust menu patiently waiting for your selection. 

Who doesn't love pizza? With a wood-fired oven at their disposal, Osteria's got a wide selection of high quality pies. The Funghi, loaded with cremini mushrooms, garlic oil, three gooey cheeses (mozzarella, gorgonzola, and chunks of delicious ricotta), and truffle oil for good measure is my personal pizza favorite. ​

Cantina Gueros (25315 North Lake Pleasant Parkway Peoria, AZ, US 85383)

Quotable: "Delicious elote queso and unique tacos are the stars of the show at Gueros." 

Considering Arizona's proximity to the border, it's no surprise that authentic Mexican cuisine is a Phoenix-area staple, and Cantina Gueros fits the mold with a Mexico City-inspired menu teeming with a touch of Tex-Mex taste. The North Peoria location features a sizable outdoor area for those crisp, 95-degree Arizona afternoons. When it really gets nice out (90 degrees), the four cornered bar opens up to patio bar front seating.

Starting your Gueros grub sesh with the Queso Elote Dip is essential. House-made Elote (spiced mayo, chili powder, cilantro and—of course—flame roasted corn) combines with melted and cotija cheeses to create a savory queso thick with head-turning taste. 

Next up, your face-stuffing forecast includes the Papas street tacos. Stacked with spiced mashed potatoes, pico de gallo, and adobe aioli inside a deep-fried corn tortilla, this delightful guilty pleasure is an extremely elevated version of those greasy Jack in the Box tacos—minus meat or fast-food malarkey to muck up the meal.

My personal favorite at Cantina Gueros is the Breakfast Burrito, a concoction very similar to another west-coast favorite: the almighty California burrito. This bad boy is served all day and stuffed with carne asada, crispy french fries, eggs, peppers, and onions nestled in a toasty flour tortilla. 

Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant (7361 E Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260)

Quotable: "Upscale American with huge selection of house-made wines." ​

Originating in Chicago, Illinois, Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant now features eats and fermented fruits in 35 restaurants located across 11 states in the US. We experienced the Scottsdale, Arizona location: fully equipped with a Napa, California-style tasting room and indoor/outdoor dining areas. 

The official wine of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards (that's how you know caring about this restaurant is important), Cooper's Hawk's winemaking crew scours the globe in search of only the most stomp-worthy grapes to craft their wine. As a bonus, each menu food item comes with a corresponding number that links its ideal wine pairing. This is especially useful for those of us who don't generally pair their meal with wine (for instance, my go-to pairing is any wine that consists of alcohol and—predominately—an air sandwich). 

Featuring fresh food created by culinary teams in a scratch kitchen at each location, Cooper's Hawk's eclectic, contemporary-American cuisine is not to be missed. With influences from around the world, the menu includes everything from Roasted Chicken Risotto, Over the Border Egg Rolls, or even good old fashion Surf & Turf.

We kept it simple on our visit, sharing the Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad, topped with extra virgin olive oil, shaved parmesan, lemon, Marcona almonds and a zesty balsamic glaze. I followed that up with The Prime sandwich (pictured above, let mouth-watering commence), loaded with melt-in-your-mouth slow-roasted shaved prime rib and topped with seasoned mayo.

Knowing that it was our first time, our server even comped us with a free slice of delicious cheesecake. She apologized for the slow service, but we were so busy savoring our drinks and enjoying the ambiance we hardly noticed the wait.

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill (16067 N Arrowhead Fountains Center Dr, Peoria, AZ 85382)

Quotable: "The trifecta of tasty: service, steak, and taters." 

While I don't get them very often, I love a good steak. Firebirds Wood Fired Grill has one of the most well-cut and tasty filets I've had, hands down. 

The aforementioned center-cut Filet Mignon comes fully loaded with perfectly spiced smokey and savory flavors. Each delectable morsel melts in your mouth, with zero fatty or muscly pieces (meat really is kinda gross when you think about it) to be found. 

The Loaded Baked Potato (hold the bacon) is an ideal accompaniment. As the name suggests, it comes stuffed with melty butter and gooey cheese. On top of that, the skin of the potato is salted, peppered, and fire grilled to perfection. This sensational amount of seasoning (zero exaggeration) was a first for me and I had no issue devouring the entire potato—delicious crunchy skin and all. 

Rainbow Donuts (2855 W Cactus Rd Ste 4 Phoenix, AZ 85029)

Quotable: "Cronuts. That's it, that's the quote." 

This donut shop is a bit off the grid, as it has no known website or social media page. I was even forced to borrow pictures from a Yelp user, as I failed to get any of my own photos since I pretty much inhaled these cronuts with expert efficiency. 

That being said, Rainbow Donuts is a hidden gem in the North Phoenix area and features the best cronuts around. The cronut holes here are little balls of sweet, crunchy delicious heaven. The normal sized cronuts, served alone in all their delicious glory or topped with a sumptuous flavor (cream, caramel, blueberry, etc.) of your choice, are just larger versions of those heavenly holes. 

When I'm president, I will boost and expand American manufacturing jobs by establishing an Executive Order mandating cronut plants all across this great country. #Page2024

Bonus: Sedona, Arizona (Sedona, AZ 86336)

Quotable: "Red rocks litter the vistas of one of the most beautiful places in the country."

Generally I blab about bars, eateries and such on this blog, but occasionally I stumble upon something bigger. Sedona, Arizona is ripe with excellent places to eat, drink, hike, and bike to your heart's content. Clearly, this little town encased in red rocks is a destination not to be missed.

Red Rock Country is just a few hours north of Phoenix and consists of some of the most gorgeous desert mountain views in the country. It's so jaw-droppingly beautiful that the city website has a live, 24-7 mountaintop cam of various views from around the city. 

Sedona is surrounded by 1.8 million acres of national forest land and includes 400 miles worth of hiking and biking trails to satisfy any craving for the great outdoors. Tack on the litany of wineries, top-notch restaurants and bars and there's a little something for everyone.