This is Spilling the Beans , where plugged-in baristas give us the lowdown on where to go, what to do, and what to eat (and drink) in their hometown.

Paul Haworth , director of coffee production at Cartel Coffee Lab in Arizona, has been working in the coffee industry “since last century,” starting in high school when he got a job at a coffee cart in Tuscon. His boss had flown over a roaster from Italy to teach them how to handle beans, and Haworth hasn’t turned back since. He met Cartel’s co-founder, Jason Silberschlag , in high school too. Now, many years later, Haworth knows everything about carne asada fries, tiki bars, and art farms—and it’s all in Phoenix and Tempe. When you get tired of the Grand Canyon, here are his picks.

Where should I stay?

I’d recommend the Clarendon . It’s a great little boutique hotel that’s very modern and affordable. I’d also say stay in an Airbnb in the Maple Ash Farmer Wilson area of Tempe that’s right next to ASU and our roastery. There’s a lot of culture there because the community is a mix of students and professors.

Courtesy of Matt's Big Breakfast

Where should I grab breakfast?

If you’re in Tempe, Essence Bakery . It’s a traditional French bakery with the most ridiculous scrambled eggs I’ve ever had in my life. There are two locations, but the original is in Tempe. In South Tempe, there’s also a place called Crêpe Bar , with an amazingly talented chef, savory and sweet crepes, and great coffee. If you’re in central Phoenix, I’d recommend Matt's Big Breakfast . It’s a lot of food, but it’s just delicious. You’ll never be hungry afterward. Get the breakfast potatoes.

Courtesy of FourTillFour

Where should I go for a great cup of coffee?

I’d definitely say Cartel , because I buy the coffee and obviously believe in it. Crêpe Bar also has a great coffee program; they use beans from Heart in Portland. I’d also recommend a place called Four Till Four in Scottsdale; it’s a Four Barrel account so you can get a little bit of San Francisco in this valley. Most people are multiroasters here but the other local roaster, besides us, is Press Coffee .

Where to go to see great art?

Check out Roosevelt Row . It was a bunch of houses that were turned into art galleries. There are a couple of coffee shops and restaurants there too. It has a crunchy feel to it, and it’s not really polished yet, but that’s where you can really get a feel for the local art scene.

Best food market to eat your way around?

This technically isn’t in Phoenix, but if you can drive 40 minutes, go to Barnone . There’s a guy named Joe Johnston and the farm he grew up on doesn’t exist as a farm anymore, but he’s converted it into an urbanized version of a farm. People call it Agritopia . They sell what grows there in their own marketplace, and they’ve turned the old barn into a makers’ space. He provides equipment and people make stuff there. One end has a wood-fired pizza oven. There’s a letterpress shop. And a brewery has a presence there. I think it’s one of the coolest things in the valley.

Courtesy of Pizzicletta

Hottest new restaurants?

Definitely check out Chris Bianco’s restaurants. He’s a local celebrity here. Pizzeria Bianco is still my personal favorite, but people really love Tratto , which is his newest one that serves house-made pasta. Another one I’d recommend is FnB in Scottsdale. The level of hospitality and the things they do with vegetables—really creative. I also love Virtù , for its cocktail program and its food. If you want to go to a destination restaurant, and you’re going to the Grand Canyon anyway, we go to Pizzicletta , a small place that’s honestly maybe even better than Pizzeria Bianco. We’ll drive all the way up there just for the pizza and make a day out of it.

Old-school Phoenix restaurant institution?

It’s pretty random, but there is a New York hot dog company called Ted's Hot Dogs that serves amazing charcoal-fired hot dogs. One of the family members moved from New York to here and they use the same charcoal and stuff they use in New York. It’s been here since the mid-1900s and it’s a gem. Another one that’s great for lunch is Cornish Pasty , which is what it sounds like. It makes British pot pies called pasties—folded pastries filled with savory ingredients. If anybody is just in Tempe for the day, go here.

Best breweries in town?

There are so many now. The one that has the best breadth and the most interesting offerings is Arizona Wilderness , which is technically in Gilbert and a little bit of a drive. Otherwise, I would’ve recommended Four Peaks , which has always been a Tempe point of pride but was recently purchased by a much larger company. I also really like Wren House , which is in a home that was built in the 1920s.

Courtesy of UnderTow

Where to get a great cocktail?

The hottest place in Phoenix is this tiki bar that’s underground below a café-restaurant called Sip Coffee & Beer House that’s actually a in a refurbished garage. It’s called UnderTow , and it’s blown up. Their cocktail program is honestly the best in town, but you have to make a reservation through an app, and it’s a little busy, and you don’t want to go on the weekends. I end up drinking at Crudo a lot. It’s an awesome restaurant that does a lot of raw Italian food, but their drinks menu has the classics plus a cocktail menu that’s rewritten seasonally. I trust the bartenders there. Rum Bar , which is attached to a restaurant called Breadfruit, has any rum you can imagine.

Courtesy of Valley Bar

Where to see live music?

There is a new-ish place in central Phoenix called Valley Bar that’s a hip venue with a decent cocktail program. There’s also the Crescent Ballroom , which is owned by the same person, and hosts the best acts that come through here.

Best places to get into trouble for the night?

Go to Mill Avenue, the main thoroughfare of Tempe, which is right on the border of the university. It has a reputation for being really crazy. Pretty much the whole street is bars and shenanigans—but also lots of college kids. So, if you want something more low-key, a good place to meet people (and not dance) is Casey Moore’s Oyster House , which is actually a bar. It has this weird cult following, and it’s THE place where people go.

Alex Lau

Where to eat when the party is over?

The breakfast burrito at Los Favoritos , or their carne asada fries. Otherwise, people would probably go to In-N-Out for burgers.

Daytrip?

It depends on the time of year, because in the summer you’d have to drive pretty far to be able to deal with the temperature. This time of year, it’s beautiful hiking weather. You could drive to the Superstition Mountains and be at the trailhead in about 45 minutes. There’s also cool local folklore about the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine. This guy supposedly had a goldmine and no one knew where it was but supposedly the mine is still out there somewhere. There are people who still spend a lot of time looking for it. Then there’s South Mountain, which is actually the largest municipal park in the country, and Camelback mountain in the Scottsdale area.

In case you got hungry reading about pizza: