Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour is ringing in a decade of mystical drink-making with a new menu featuring new highlights and recognizable favorites.
The downtown Phoenix haunt planted its roots in 2014 as a bar based on adventure and passion. The cocktail lounge breathes new air into classic drinks to elevate the experience, including five different takes on a Negroni – what the owner calls “one of the greatest cocktails ever created.”
The lounge offers a choose-your-own-adventure-like experience, using The Cocktail Map with illustrations to steer customers toward a drink they will enjoy, from Divergent (adventurous) to Play It Safe (classics) to To The Point (spirit-forward) to Refreshing (approachable crowd-pleasers).
A popular feature of the menu, the Hall of Fame, highlights popular tried-and-true cocktails with a few recent additions, like the Split Decision (whisky, banana Madeira, cardamom bitters) and the MVP (clarified with house rum blend, strawberry tea, coconut milk, and exotic spices).
Owner Ross Simon debuted the bar after numerous career successes, including working up the ranks at “London’s most highly regarded and creative bars, the award-winning Lab Bar.” Simon created his “dream lounge” focused on consistency and quality.
“Since our beginning, we have been focused on the art and theatre of bartending, making everything from scratch, and ensuring we’re the best of the best,” Simon said.
From its inception, Bitter & Twisted has elevated its cocktails with its crystal-clear large-block ice because, as Simon said, “the quality of the ice used in our bar can make all the difference in our guest’s experience.”
The establishment is located in the historic Luhrs Building, also known as the former Arizona Prohibition Headquarters. It offers innovative bar bites alongside its award-winning and globally recognized cocktail program and menu.
The lounge continued to uphold its award for World’s Best Cocktail Menu by the Spirited Awards at Tales of the Cocktail, an annual trade conference, festival and gathering of cocktail and spirits industry professionals in New Orleans. They were nominated in 2024. The innovative anniversary menu includes the following:
The Dinapoli: A savory gin martini with flavors of pancetta and tomato, a nod to local culinary legend Chris Bianco.
Yuzu Negroni: A refreshing, citrusy twist on the classic with gin, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, and yuzu blanc vermouth.
Double the Pleasure: A mix of tequilas, house-made tepache soda, mineral water and pineapple oil topped with a rich, pink goat cheese sorbet.
Simon created the menu additions with the Bitter & Twisted bartending team. Mocktails with high-quality, zero-proof spirit substitutions are also available.
“We strive to provide a premium product at an approachable price point for our patrons, as great cocktails should be enjoyed anytime, not just on special occasions,” Simon said.
As Bitter & Twisted toasts 10 years of crafting artful beverages, the cocktail lounge is continuing its legacy with its new menu. For more information, visit bitterandtwistedaz.com.
