Culture
Heard Museum
The definitive collection of American Indian art, and the one museum every visitor should see.
Midtown
$Indoors
Cool Indoors
Museums, matinees, food halls, and everywhere the AC is doing real work.
October · Peak Phoenix
October is the payoff. Trails, festivals, rooftop everything — go outside while it lasts.
Culture
Phoenix Art Museum
Infinity Mirror Room, a serious fashion-design collection, and pay-what-you-wish Wednesday evenings.
Midtown
$Indoors
Culture
Musical Instrument Museum
Every country on earth, with headphones that switch automatically. Kids lose their minds in the play gallery.
North Phoenix
$$Indoors
Culture
Mesa Arts Center season
Four theaters, a contemporary art museum, and the shade structure that makes the plaza usable.
Downtown MesaSep 12 – May 15
$$Indoors
Date to confirm
Culture
SMoCA
Small, sharp contemporary museum with James Turrell's Knight Rise in the courtyard. Free Thursdays.
Old Town Scottsdale
$Indoors
Eat
Valentine
Midcentury room, tight menu, cocktails that punch above the price.
Uptown Phoenix
$$Indoors
Eat
Tratto
Chris Bianco's pasta room. Small, loud in the right way, worth the wait.
Uptown Phoenix
$$Indoors
Eat
Lom Wong
Regional Thai cooking in a converted bungalow. Order the whole fish.
Garfield
$$Indoors
Eat
Cocina Madrigal
Chef Leo's modern Mexican — the mole is the reason, the margaritas are the excuse.
South Phoenix
$$Indoors
Eat
Lux Central
Phoenix's original third place. Laptops, cortados, and eavesdropping.
Midtown
$Indoors
Eat
Fair Trade Cafe
Morning caffeine downtown without the corporate soundtrack.
Downtown Phoenix
$Indoors
Eat
Cartel Roasting Co.
Where Tempe's caffeine habit started. Bright room, serious beans.
Downtown Tempe
$Indoors