![\"Pretty](\"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/restaurants\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ddc09d8e-c70d-4e9c-8bfa-173c0452b24b.jpeg\" "\\"Pretty")
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Pretty Penny’s Yuzu Clover Club cocktail, made with raspberry, mint, dry vermouth, lemon cream gin and egg whites is a must try.<\/p>\n
Bahar Anooshahr<\/p>\n
USA TODAY Network, Reuters<\/p>\n
Michelin-recommended restaurant and bar Pretty Penny doesn’t peacock itself from the outside, so when I finally found the right door and pulled it open, I was pleasantly surprised. The dimly lit, intimate space features a bar on one side and banquettes and chairs on the other. The color palette of mixed greens and browns, accented with orange pops, gives a contemporary, midcentury feel. I later learned that the owners did most of the renovation themselves, with Sam Olguin finishing the woodwork and Brenon Stuart leading the design.<\/p>\n
Olguin and Stuart, the duo behind Pour Bastards Hospitality Group, also own Killer Whale Sex Club and Legends Never Die. They opened Pretty Penny in early 2024 and moved it across the street by the end of the same year (when Disco Dragon’s chef left), so they could take advantage of the previous bar’s spacious kitchen.<\/p>\n
The restaurant was listed in the Michelin Guide in August. I had yet to check it out, so the accolade gave me the nudge I needed to go see if it lived up to both the Michelin hype and the local buzz it has enjoyed since opening.<\/p>\n
What’s on the menu at Pretty Penny<\/p>\n
On my visit, revival soul music added mood without drowning out conversations. Couples and a group of four were deep in conversation. A few solo patrons sipped drinks at the bar.<\/p>\n
After he delivered the menus, our server asked if my companion and I cared for welcome glasses of prosecco. Always, sir. I find that one makes much better decisions while sipping on bubbly.<\/p>\n
The menu is described as internationally inspired, two words that make my antennae rise. “Internationally-inspired” can easily get chaotic and is often a cover for a hodgepodge collection of dishes with no real throughline.<\/p>\n
The tight food menu offers plates, snacks and desserts that rotate seasonally. On the night of my visit, it featured seven shareable plates (those have changed to nine for the fall), five snacks and three desserts. <\/p>\n
The beverage menu is another story. In addition to NA drinks, beer and close to 60 wines by the glass and bottle, the cocktail menu divides into fizzy (made with carbonation); delicate (served in 1, 2 and 3 pours, including martinis and negronis); stiff or spirit-forward like old fashioned; and their twists on classics, like an apple margarita.<\/p>\n
As restrained as the food menu is, the drinks menu feels like a place they throw caution to the wind. They are cocktail guys after all.<\/p>\n
The award-winning cocktails are indeed award-worthy<\/p>\n
My companion and I ordered a yuzu Clover Club and a Thai 50\/50; sourdough boule, oysters (East Coast this time), yellowfin tataki, smoked squash risotto and shrimp toast.<\/p>\n
The yuzu Clover Club, a coupe of magenta, was topped with a white layer of foam and garnished with a diminutive violet floret. Made with raspberry, mint, dry vermouth, lemon cream gin and egg white, from the first sip, the creamy, bright and fruity cocktail elicited excited sounds and led me to confiscate it. The Thai basil 50\/50, made with Thai basil vodka and dry vermouth blend, was also lovely, a light drink that teeters on savory with rounded vegetal notes. <\/p>\n
For the cocktails, Stuart said they juice and clarify the components themselves. Pretty Penny was among the Top 10 Regional Honorees for Best New Cocktail Bar U.S. West for Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards in 2025 and among the Top 10 Regional Honorees for Best U.S. Restaurant Bar U.S. West in 2026. Our drinks made it clear why.<\/p>\n
At Pretty Penny, the fun is in the sharing<\/p>\n
Our server checked on our table without being intrusive and coursed out the food well with oysters and bread, followed by yellowfin tataki, squash risotto and shrimp toast.<\/p>\n
I’m partial to East Coast oysters and was excited to see half a dozen in lacy calciferous shells laid out on an oval platter of shallow ice, accompanied by a pink peppercorn mignonette. I picked one up, took the shell to my mouth and tossed my head back. The tear-dropped treasure glided down my throat, cool, delicate, clean. I immediately reached for a second and added drops of mignonette. It brightened up with a vinegary floral sparkle that left me wanting more. That’s the thing about oysters. You almost always want more.<\/p>\n
The boule’s crust crackled as my companion tore a piece and placed it on my plate. It exhaled a tangy, earthy aroma when I pulled off a smaller bite and spread the house-cultured butter over its crumb. The creamy butter added a nutty, salty layer that the house-made sweet and tart cranberry mostarda cut through nicely. This bread was good enough to inspire my companion to talk about taking up sourdough baking.<\/p>\n
Yellowfin tataki, served with a black garlic yuzu, ponzu foam, serrano, shiso and pickled ginger, offered balanced textures with tender fish, foam as airy as a spring breeze and crunchy peppers. The perfect bite spread a rainbow of flavors over my tongue – the fish’s umami lifted by yuzu’s acidity and ginger’s sweetness, all pepped up with the serrano’s tingle. It was almost like deconstructed sushi. <\/p>\n
The shrimp toast is no longer on the menu and that’s a wise choice. The fried brioche’s density overwhelmed the shrimp, skewing the flavor toward something reminiscent of a chicken nugget.<\/p>\n
The perfectly cooked risotto, on the other hand, hit me with a punch of smoke and glints of sweet and sour from the dried and pickled squash. I’ll order this dish the next time I visit (if it’s still on the menu). And I’m buying a round for the kitchen.<\/p>\n
Pretty Penny makes it easy to extend your night out<\/p>\n
If you want to extend the night, Pretty Penny’s speakeasy, Legends Never Die, is next door. You’ll enter through a door near Taco Chelo. The vibe is upbeat and darker. The drinks are exceptionally good.<\/p>\n
I’m excited to have Pretty Penny and Legends as options in downtown Phoenix. <\/p>\n
Stuart said the partners built Pretty Penny to satisfy their desire for a neighborhood bar with great food. “You see those places in Europe and that’s just what they do without taking themselves seriously,” Stuart said.<\/p>\n
They have succeeded in their goal. Pretty Penny is a great little spot that people who live downtown can walk to and make their own. It’s equally suited for a solo happy hour or a date night, perhaps a bite or a drink before a play or concert. Though I don’t live downtown, I have a feeling I might just become a regular at Pretty Penny, too.<\/p>\n
Visit Pretty Penny<\/p>\n
The owners will launch their house red and white wines in early October. The labels feature Stuart’s cats.<\/p>\n
Don’t miss: Yuzu Clover Club cocktail, oysters, sourdough boule, squash risotto. <\/p>\n
Ambiance: Intimate and moody.<\/p>\n
Noise level: Easy to hear conversations.<\/p>\n
Dress code: Smart casual. <\/p>\n
Prices: $19-$56 for plates, $6-$60 for snacks (including caviar); $9-$15 for desserts, $16-$18 for cocktails.<\/p>\n
Restaurant hours: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Dinner: 5 – 9 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday; 5 – 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Happy Hour: 5 – 6 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 4 – 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday.<\/p>\n
Reservations: Available on OpenTable. If you are a type A personality, make a reservation.<\/p>\n
Parking: Street\/metered parking available. <\/p>\n
Details: 509 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix. 602-960-0406, intastewetrust.com.<\/p>\n
Reach the restaurant critic at BAnooshahr@azcentral.com. Follow @baharcreative on Instagram.<\/p>\n
Looking for the best restaurants? Sign up for Dining with azcentral.<\/p>\n
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: I tried this Michelin-nod Phoenix restaurant. Now it’s a new favorite<\/p>\n
Reporting by Bahar Anooshahr, Arizona Republic \/ Arizona Republic<\/p>\n
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n
![\"Brenon](\"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/restaurants\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/939f5109-a421-4fcb-ad78-820981424a3c.jpeg\" "\\"939f5109-a421-4fcb-ad78-820981424a3c\\"")
Brenon Stuart stands for a portrait at Pretty Penny in Phoenix on Sept. 23, 2026. Diannie Chavez\/The Republic USA TODAY Network, Reuters <\/p>\n
Copyright Reuters or USA Today via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n
This story was originally published October 8, 2026 at 3:59 PM.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pretty Penny’s Yuzu Clover Club cocktail, made with raspberry, mint, dry vermouth, lemon cream gin and egg whites is a must try. Bahar Anooshahr USA TODAY Network, Reuters Michelin-recommended restaurant and bar Pretty Penny doesn’t peacock itself from the outside, so when I finally found the right door and pulled it open, I was pleasantly<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":38007,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[7,8],"class_list":["post-38006","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-restaurants","tag-restaurant","tag-restaurants"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/vive.im\/@dnc\/117409929274437440","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/restaurants\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38006","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/restaurants\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/restaurants\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/restaurants\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/restaurants\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38006"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/restaurants\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38006\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/restaurants\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38007"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/restaurants\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38006"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/restaurants\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38006"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/restaurants\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38006"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}