Friday is National Tequila Day, an opportunity to celebrate the agave-based spirit first distilled by Spanish conquistadors nearly 500 years ago near the site of present-day Tequila, Mexico. Today, there are more than 900 registered brands of tequila.
If you don’t know the difference between tequila categories such as blanco, reposado and extra anejo, here are five East Valley restaurants that carry a great selection to, ahem, study:
Juan Jaime’s Tacos and Tequila: This friendly eatery (pictured below) near Chandler Fashion Center offers approximately 80 tequilas to wash down its street-style tacos and tequila. A daily happy hour (4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) features $2.50 margaritas. 2510 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler, (480) 821-5826.
Maria Maria: The back-wall bar at musician Carlos Santana’s stylish Tempe Marketplace restaurant offers 28 premium tequilas (all 100 percent weber blue agave), including a 2-ounce snifter of Gran Patron Burdeos for $65. 2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, (480) 449-3663.
The Mission: This Old Town Scottsdale destination pairs modern Latin cuisine with more than 50 premium tequilas. For $100, you can enjoy a two-person margarita made with Don Julio 1942 anejo tequila and centennial-edition Grand Marnier. 3815 N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale, (480) 636-5005.
Blanco Tacos + Tequila: Restaurateur Sam Fox’s Borgata newcomer (it opened in December) lists more than 60 tequilas on its menu, including a snifter of Herradura Suprema for $82. Margaritas range from pomegranate/grapefruit to peach/hibiscus. 6166 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, (480) 305-6692.
Cien Agaves Tacos & Tequila: As its name suggests, this Old Town Scottsdale two-story venue (pictured at top) boasts more than 100 tequilas, and hawks a $70 extra anejo flight (one-ounce pours) of Herradura Suprema, Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia and Partida Elegante. 7228 E. First Ave., Scottsdale, (480) 970-9002.
Twitter
Facebook
You forgot “The Barrio” has over 150 brands and great food. Maria Maria is OK, but the food is not very good. Blanco tacos and Tequila is WAY overpriced for small drinks and again the food is average at best. This place is dumed. The “Mission” is pretty good. Great margeritas are made at Cantina Larado in Scottsdale and very high quality food, the very spicy steaks and the Mexico City cili Rellano are to die for, of course guaq made at the table. Then there is always the great Carlsbad Tavern, and great food, the margaritas are NOT that nasty sweet syrupy style, it all fresh fruit and you can actually taste the tequila.