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I grew up in Arizona near Phoenix. For decades, the idea of Phoenix having a “downtown” was mostly a joke, as it was mostly just an area with some office buildings & vacant lots. But little by little, downtown Phoenix filled in & became a proper downtown. The blocks near Phoenix Suns Arena (now Footprint Center) & Chase Field slowly came to life, as did the arts district known as Roosevelt Row. When I lived in Phoenix, Roosevelt Row was home to a couple of bars, art galleries, and the popular “First Friday” art walk. Now it’s also home to several craft beer bars & breweries, with more scattered throughout the rest of downtown Phoenix. No longer is downtown only busy when there is an event going on. It’s a destination itself. Here are my favorite spots for craft beer in downtown Phoenix, including the best breweries, taprooms, beer bars, and bottle shops.
The best breweries & taprooms in downtown Phoenix
Arizona Wilderness DTPHX
Arizona Wilderness is one of the best breweries in Arizona. Their beers often incorporate local Arizona ingredients. The first AZ Wilderness location & brewery is located in Gilbert, however, they have also opened a downtown Phoenix beer garden with about 20 taps.
The beer garden is huge, and it’s nearly always crowded. But even when it’s busy, there’s ample space & good service.
The food is also excellent. They have a standard list of burgers, sandwiches, & tacos, or opt for the bar snack menu. The massively portioned “When Pigs Fly Fries” – duck fat fries with pulled pork & beer cheese – are everything you’d hope for them to be.
There’s live music on the patio, though the live music may include multiple Sublime covers. For some that might be a selling point, for others, less so.
Address: 201 E Roosevelt St, Phoenix, AZ 85004 (map)
Greenwood Brewery
Greenwood Brewing is just down Roosevelt from Arizona Wilderness. The woman-owned brewery first started operations in 2017, with the current full facility opening in 2020. Founder Megan Greenwood focuses on three core values of Confidence, Empowerment, & Inclusivity, making the brewery a welcoming place to anyone who wants good beer.
There are two small patios on each side of the taproom, with the brewery located in a separate building. You can bring your own food or purchase from a nearby food truck.
Address: 922 N 5th St, Phoenix, AZ 85004 (map)
State 48 Brewery
State 48 Brewery has a few locations around the Valley. Their downtown Phoenix taproom is a massive spot, with high ceilings, bright windows, and cool wall art, as well as an onsite brewery.
The brewery features a ridiculous number of taps. 48? Maybe? Counting that high while drinking is not an activity anyone should want to partake in. Whatever the case, it’s a huge list, and it’s constantly rotating. Thankfully, you can get flights so you can try whatever you want.
The barstools look like something you’d find in a conference room – if you got to attend cool meetings where you just sat around and drank beer.
State 48 has a solid food menu. I opted to be healthy & get a salad with my beer flight, but everything that passed me on the way out of the kitchen looked great.
The music selection was also fantastic, featuring The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, CHVRCHES, The Cure, & The White Stripes, as well as classic rock.
Address: 345 W Van Buren St, Phoenix, AZ 85003 (map)
Grand Avenue Brewing Company
Grand Avenue Brewing Company is located in an old warehouse just off of historic Grand Avenue in downtown Phoenix. The space is part garage, part patio, with a no-frills, welcoming feel, plus local sports on TV. If watching a game isn’t your thing, they also have chess & other board games.
The taproom has up to 24 taps, covering almost every style you can think of, from hazy IPAs to sours to Belgians to barleywine.
If you’re looking for a hearty meal with your beer, Grand Avenue has you covered, offering smoked & baked potatoes, smoked meats, chili, and more.
Address: 1205 W Pierce St, Phoenix, AZ 85007 (map)
Pedal Haus Brewery
Tempe’s Pedal Haus Brewery has opened a 2nd taproom in downtown Phoenix, right on Roosevelt.
Address: 214 E Roosevelt St Suite 4, Phoenix, AZ 85004 (map)
The best beer bars in downtown Phoenix
The Theodore Beer + Wine Bar & Bottle Shop
The Theodore is a Teddy Roosevelt-themed beer & wine bar and bottle shop located on Roosevelt, as you might expect from the name.
The bar has 24 beer taps, plus an awesome Arizona bottle & can selection.
There’s also a nice outside patio that stretches along Roosevelt. It’s good for people watching, especially on First Fridays.
Address: 110 E Roosevelt St ste c, Phoenix, AZ 85004 (map)
Angel’s Trumpet Ale House
Angel’s Trumpet Ale House is one of the older craft beer bars in downtown Phoenix, having opened in 2012. Their 31 taps are constantly rotating, with the stated goal of never having the same beer on twice.
The highlight of Angel’s Trumpet (in addition to the beer selection, of course), is their expansive backyard patio. There’s plenty of shade, and it’s also dog friendly.
The food menu features their Angel’s Wings, which are served crispy with dipping sauces, as well as their homemade pop tarts, with a new featured flavor each month. There are also sandwiches, flatbreads, & salads.
Address: 810 N 2nd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004 (map)
The Lost Leaf
The Lost Leaf is one of the oldest bars near Roosevelt Row. It’s a combination of a beer & wine bar, art gallery, & live music venue, all housed in a small historic house. I remember going there on First Fridays and before shows at Modified Arts, which used to be an amazing tiny concert venue. Back in those days, there was almost nothing going on in the neighborhood, so it was exciting that there was a new place to grab a beer, especially one with a huge craft selection.
Even though there are now many more places where you can find craft beer in downtown Phoenix, The Lost Leaf still keeps rolling along as a connection from the past to the present in an ever-changing area.
Address: 914 N 5th St, Phoenix, AZ 85004 (map)
Tap That Downtown
Speaking of change, Tap That Downtown is a newer addition.
It’s a self-pour taproom with 35 taps. I always have slightly hesitant thoughts about those. On one hand, it’s great to be able to try just a few ounces of each of the beers. On the other, sometimes it’s best to leave pouring to the professionals, otherwise you get distracted by the Suns game on TV & end up with a glass half full of foam. Not that I have done this. Multiple times.
My own lousy pouring skills aside, it’s a nice place for sampling beer. There are a ton of TVs showing sports, as well as front & back patios.
Address: 909 N 5th St, Phoenix, AZ 85004 (map)
The Wayward Taphouse
Located just down Grand Avenue from Grand Avenue Brewing Company, The Wayward Taphouse has 16 craft beer taps.
Whether you’re enjoying their nice inside space or their patio, I also recommend getting a snack from nearby Novel Ice Cream.
Address: 1028 NW Grand Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85007 (map)
The Whining Pig
The Whining Pig is part of a small local Phoenix area chain of craft beer & wine bars. In addition to a huge beer selection, they also serve grilled cheese sandwiches, as well as meat & cheese plates.
Address: 201 E Washington St #104, Phoenix, AZ 85004 (map)
What are your favorite places for craft beer in downtown Phoenix? Let me know in the comments! For more beer options in the Valley of the Sun, check out my posts for Tempe, Mesa, Goodyear, & Avondale.
Do you love craft beer? Check out more of my recommendations for the best craft beer around the world!
Here are some great Phoenix tours & other things to see & do in Phoenix.
If you’re looking for a place to crash after drinking beer in downtown Phoenix, check out these nearby hotels.
