It’s been a long, dry spell, but downtown Phoenix is once again the Valley’s go-to destination for craft cocktails and chef-crafted bar bites as two of Arizona’s most awarded lounges reopen in the heart of historic downtown Phoenix. Starting on Wednesday, Oct. 14, Little Rituals will reopen its stylish fourth-floor space inside the Residence Inn/Courtyard Phoenix Downtown for dine-in service, Wednesday through Sunday from 5 – 10 pm. Then on Thursday, Oct. 15, Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour will reopen its soaring ground floor space inside the Luhrs City Center for dine-in service Tuesday through Thursday from 4 – 10 pm and Friday and Saturday from 4 – 11 pm. Plus, both locations will continue to offer an extensive menu of to-go food and drinks, including house-canned cocktails, for both curbside carryout or delivery.
Led by Ross Simon of Drink Better Cocktails and his partner at Little Rituals, Aaron DeFeo, both of these nationally-noted destination lounges in downtown Phoenix have been temporarily closed to guests since early March. But behind the scenes, the team has been hard at work devising a “COVID Comeback,” including completely redesigning the cocktail & food menus to ensure the health and safety of the staff and guests. Not to mention, implementing strict new safety protocols, including limited, socially-distanced seating, requiring reservations (and facemasks) for all guests, and offering digital menus that guests can access on their own phone or tablet via tableside QR codes.
Most important, Simon says, “we have increased the output of our HVAC systems to provide a full exchange of the interior air multiple times per hour, and also equipped our air system with ionizers to reduce pathogens, allergens, particles, smoke and odors; creating sexier air. Furthermore, we have strategically placed medical-grade air scrubbers around the room to directly mitigate air quality in each seating area.” Guests will also be able to make contactless payment methods via credit cards, debit cards and Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, or pay your bill right on your own mobile device by scanning a QR code from the check.
“One thing that will never change at Bitter & Twisted and Little Rituals is our commitment to serving world-class cocktails and bar fare,” Simon says. “We appreciate all our guests for supporting us through this and in the coming months, and we can’t wait to host you again here in downtown Phoenix.”
Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour is located at 1 W. Jefferson St. (Jefferson & Central) in Phoenix. For more information call 602-340-1924, visit www.bitterandtwistedaz.com or follow on Instagram @bitterandtwisted_az, Facebook @BitterandTwistedAZ or Twitter @BandT_AZ
Little Rituals is located at 132 S. Central Avenue, inside the Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott Phoenix Downtown. For more information call 602-603-2050, visit www.littleritualsbar.com, or follow Little Rituals on Instagram @little_rituals_bar, Facebook @LittleRitualsBar or Twitter @LRituals.
