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Did you know one of Arizona’s famous five C’s is citrus? The citrus season runs through May and during this time, the freshest citrus fruits are harvested around the world, especially here in Arizona. Below, we have included an array of the Valley’s most popular restaurants that offer citrus cocktails by mixing quality citrus ingredients into their craft cocktails.
Blue Clover Distillery
Old Town Scottsdale- 7042 E. Indian School Road, Scottsdale
Blue Clover Distillery is home to delicious and farm-to-glass cocktails that truly signify Arizona’s citrus culture, especially with their handmade grapefruit, lemon, and blood orange-infused vodkas. Popular cocktails include the Scottsdale Sunset ($13) made with Blue Clover Grapefruit Vodka, fresh lemon juice, Aperol, prosecco, lavender bitters and garnished with blood orange, and the Lucky Lady ($13) crafted with Blue Clover Gin, house-made wildflower honey liquor, Creme de Violette, fresh lemon, simple syrup and decorated with a blood orange wheel. Shake it up with Blue Clover’s Glad Eye ($13) made with Blue Clover Lemon Vodka, Blue Clover Spicy Vodka, freshly-squeezed lemon juice, pineapple juice, agave liquor, Angostura bitters, an Amarena cherry in the bottom of the snifter and garnished with a speared lemon and grapefruit. Get even more citrusy with Marshall’s Way ($13) made with Blue Clover Grapefruit Vodka, Blue Clover Strawberry Vodka, pomegranate juice, a dash of lemon, and lime, simple syrup, and garnished with a speared lemon and lime.
Photo courtesy of Blue Clover Distillery
ComicX
North Phoenix- 21001 N. Tatum Blvd #95, Phoenix
The juice is worth the squeeze over at ComicX, a comic book-inspired restaurant and bar with superhero and supervillain-inspired cocktails like The Stark ($12) made with Deep Eddy lemon vodka, strawberry, lemonade, and club soda.
CRUjiente Tacos
Arcadia- 3961 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix
Raise your spirits high this citrus season with CRUjiente Tacos refreshing citrus margarita options such as the Arcadia Margarita ($10) made from scratch with 100% blue agave tequila, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeño, house agave syrup, and fresh-squeezed lime, and the Grand CRU Margarita ($11) crafted with Arette Blanco Tequila, Leopold’s American Orange Liqueur, house agave, freshly squeezed lime and expressed orange peel.
Hash Kitchen
Scottsdale- 8777 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85253
Peoria- 9780 W. Northern Avenue, #1110, Peoria, AZ 85345
Chandler- 2855 West Ray Road #4, Chandler, AZ 85224
Arcadia- 4315 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018
Home of its very own build-your-own Bloody Mary bar, Hash Kitchen is also home to fresh and citrusy cocktails such as the Big Hash Tequila Sunrise ($28) blended with 100% blue agave tequila, muddled orange, pomegranate grenadine served in a toy shark, and the shareable cocktail is presented in a giant 50-ounce fishbowl glass.
The Italian Daughter
North Scottsdale- 23655 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite #120; Scottsdale
Sip and celebrate the winter season (Arizona edition) with The Italian Daughter’s unique citrus spins on classic cocktails. The Sicilian Gimlet ($15), a signature drink at The Italian Daughter, mixes Malfy blood orange gin with Amaro Rosso, fresh lime, and sweet hibiscus. Try another unique cocktail, The Daughter ($16) infused with Belvedere, strawberry, prickly pear, lemon, and prosecco.
The Mexicano
North Phoenix/Paradise Valley- 4801 E. Cactus Road, Scottsdale
Phoenix’s latest Mexican cuisine concept arrived just in time for citrus season. The Mexicano features flavorsome citrus cocktails and margaritas with popular variations including The Baller ($16) made with Michael Jordan’s Cincoro Blanco, Aperol, grapefruit liqueur, cinnamon agave, lime, and grapefruit soda.
The Sicilian Butcher
Peoria- 9780 W. Northern Ave. Suite #1100, Peoria
Phoenix- 15530 N. Tatum Blvd Suite #160, Phoenix
Chandler- 3151 W. Frye Road, Chandler
The Sicilian Butcher is a go-to spot for Italian-inspired citrus cocktails. Celebrate in proper fashion with the Limone ($12) cocktail made with Tito’s Vodka, limoncello, carpano bitter, Cocchi rosa, and garnished with orange bitters. Other popular options include the Vespa ($12) cocktail mixed with Malfy Gin, Solerno blood orange liqueur, Cocchi Americano, and garnished with citrus bitters for the ultimate citrus cocktail experience.
Tomaso’s
Arcadia- 3225 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix
Spike up the citrus season with not only authentic and delicious Italian food at Tomaso’s, but with citrusy and flavorful cocktails such as the Italian 75 ($13) infused with Italicus, simple syrup, lemon, and prosecco.
Zinqué
Scottsdale- 4712 N. Goldwater Boulevard, Suite 110; Scottsdale
Located at Scottsdale Fashion Square, Zinqué’s cocktail program features delicious, curated options for the citrus season in Arizona. The Unicorn Tears ($15) is a vibrant purple cocktail infused with Butterfly Pea Gin, St. Germain, light and citrusy Italicus, and fresh lemon and the Lune du Rouge ($17) translating as the red moon in French, is a luxe dessert aperitif that starts with an icy granita sphere made with Solano blood orange liqueur and smooth shaved ice. Casamigos Reposado, a French almond syrup called Orgeat, and fresh lime are poured over the citrus-forward, vibrant crimson-colored sphere for a sophisticated sorbet-like cocktail. Meant to be enjoyed with a petite spoon or a straw, the sweet almond in Orgeat, tang in the blood orange liqueur, and refreshing granita is the perfect adult treat that is part cocktail, part dessert.
Photo by Trevor Turk
