Phoenix/Scottsdale

Handlebar Diner, a 1950s-style throwback eatery, opened in Mesa in May. The menu features a playful mix of classic diner food with southern and southwestern flair, complemented by wine, beer, and cocktails. The 1,100-square-foot restaurant features seating for 100 guests, with most tables located on the patio. 

The dual-branded Residence Inn Phoenix Downtown/Courtyard by Marriott Phoenix Downtown opened in May. The properties share a 19-story tower, with Residence Inn rooms catering to long-term stay guests and Courtyard rooms designed for short-term travelers. In total, the 240,257-square-foot complex includes 5,733 square feet of meeting space, where the largest spot, the Encanto room, accommodates as many as 270 reception-style. That venue can be split into the 1,287-square-foot Encanto 1, which accommodates 125 guests reception-style or 80 for banquets; the 729-square-foot Willo 2, which holds 70 for receptions and 50 for banquets; and a 10-seat, 328-square-foot boardroom. Meeting-related amenities include an in-house audiovisual team, custom-designed menus, light-drenched event spaces, and high-speed Wi-Fi.

Tomaso’s When in Rome opened in North Scottsdale in June. Offering a welcoming atmosphere, locally sourced ingredients, homemade sauces, and fresh pastas, the restaurant is helmed by chef Tomaso Maggiore. The city of Rome serves as a running theme in every aspect of the restaurant, from the authentic dishes to the columnar design elements. The 5,000-square-foot venue seats 150 in the dining room, with space for 34 cocktail-style in the lounge and 60 on the 750-square-foot patio. 

Camp Social, which opened in June, brings an upscale camping vibe to Phoenix with a space that includes a dining room, a patio, two bars, and a game room. Spanning 6,000 square feet, the family-friendly venue accommodates as many as 250 cocktail-style. The menu offers elevated dishes such as house-made sausage salad, smoked beef brisket, and orecchiette pasta with duck leg confit, many of which are presented in tin foil or on wooden-tree serving platters. Other camp-oriented touches include signature cocktails served in thermoses, chandeliers made from overturned canoes, and Coleman ice chests that function as tables on the patio. 

The Boulders Resort & Spa in Carefree completed a renovation to the golf course’s clubhouse, event space, and restaurant in April. The clubhouse now includes 1,621 square feet of boardroom space and the 3,295-square-foot Boulderview Terrace, which accommodates as many as 200 standing. The newly opened Grill Kitchen at the Boulders Club serves American classic cuisine paired with an extensive wine list. An expanded terrace accommodates as many as 85 people, who can enjoy views of the 18th green and the surrounding desert landscape. The resort also includes two championship courses designed by golf architect Jay Morrish, plus 160 guest casitas, 61 villas, restaurants, tennis courts, and a full-service spa.

The fifth Phoenix-area location of the Vig opened in North Scottsdale in May. Exuding a friendly yet upscale neighborhood vibe, the Vig at McDowell Mountain offers an affordable food and drink menu with options like poke bowls, tacos, and charcuterie. On-site entertainment includes live music, DJs, and interactive fun like corn-hole and bocce ball. Measuring 13,500 square feet, the Vig McDowell Mountain accommodates as many as 300 for cocktail receptions. 

El Panzon y Frida opened in downtown Scottsdale in March, offering a chic, upbeat vibe and industrial-modern decor. The menu is a mix of international fusion, with dishes that includes bone marrow with house-made chimichurri, seared scallops and coconut lobster, and smoked lamb pastrami. In total, the 2,100-square-foot restaurant accommodates as many as 120 guests for cocktail-style events, with capacity for an additional 15 on the patio. A 720-square-foot private event space seats 30 or holds 50 cocktail-style.

The Phoenician in Scottsdale is in the process of undergoing a major renovation. The first phase is slated for completion in September, when the property will unveil changes to the main lobby, the Thirsty Camel Lounge bar, the retail area, and the pool complex. The revamped pool will include a 2,000-square-foot V.I.P area, which will accommodate 100 guests. Event spaces elsewhere on site can host events for as many as 2,500 guests. Looking ahead, the resort in October will debut Mowry & Cotton, a 5,100-square-foot restaurant and lounge that will include a 4,800-square-foot back porch. A three-story spa with a rooftop pool that will hold 100 is slated to open in January 2018.

Midtown welcomed Original Gravity in May. The craft beer and wine bar serves as a comfortable neighborhood gathering place where guests can enjoy gastropub dishes like Asian-style pork sliders and house-made focaccia, as well as a rotating selection of 20 beers on tap. Original Gravity has two patios and a 17-seat U-shaped bar. In total, the 1,800-square-foot space seats as many as 96.

After a brand conversion and renovation, the 284-room DoubleTree by Hilton Phoenix North will debut in October. Ten event spaces, one of which can be subdivided into smaller rooms, range in size from 264 square feet to 4,000 square feet and accommodate as few as 12 people around a boardroom table or as many as 440 reception-style. Complimentary Wi-Fi and equipment rentals are available for meetings, and on-site catering is provided by the hotel’s Brixton Pub & Restaurant.