Tequila bar in downtown Phoenix named one of the best in the US

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Barcoa Agaveria in downtown Phoenix specializes in agave spirits and is on USA TODAY’s 2024 Bars of the Year list.

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Barcoa Agaveria, a downtown Phoenix bar specializing in Mexican spirits, made national news this week when it was named one of the nation’s 27 best bars on the 2024 USA TODAY Bars of the Year list, compiled by USA TODAY Network food writers from across the country.

“What? Are you kidding? I’m speechless. What an honor,” said David Tyda of Barcoa. “We built this place without a business plan. We just opened our hearts and listened to where this place wanted to take us..”

Tyda went on to say that this honor is a recognition not only for him and Barcoa co-owner Ryan Oberholtzer, but also for the many Arizona-based visual artists — including La Morena, Tato Caraveo, IZE and Spawk — who painted the agaveria’s murals, and the small, family-owned producers whose bottles are celebrated and whose stories are told in the tasting room and at the bar.

What sets Barcoa apart

Arizona shares a desert and a border with Mexico, and the countries’ longstanding cultural exchanges are most evident in their food and drink. Beyond tequila, there’s a world of spirits to explore, from Sonoran bacanora to raicilla from Jalisco and Nayarit. There are wild and farmed mezcals. There’s sotol, an ancient, herbal spirit made in the Chihuahuan Desert not from agave but from the dasylirion wheeleri, or desert peace lily, that yields just one bottle in its lifetime.

The -coa of the bar’s name refers to the tool used to cut the leaves of an agave plant for fermentation. That level of detail sets the tone in the atmospheric cellar, a haven for agave nerds and a welcoming watering hole for the curious. With a collection of bottles from small producers, some of which are exclusive to Barcoa, there’s no better place to sample a unique taste of the Southwest.

The design is by Paulina Hassel-Martinez, an interior designer from Guadalajara. Everything in the space, from the bar tops to the tiles and artwork, was made by Mexican artisans, many of whom are personal friends of Tyda and Oberholtzer.

Expect tastings, flights and Spanish lessons

“We keep saying, this culture is not ours by birth, but it is our right to fall in love with it and want to share it,” Tyda said.

For that reason, the bar offers free Spanish lessons and flights as an accessible way to get to know a range of spirits for those who don’t fancy a full night of tasting. And cocktails are some of the best in the city, highlighting the unique characteristics of the base liquors they’re made with.

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Drinks to know on the Barcoa menu

“Espiritu de café is a tequila-based espresso martini inspired by carajillo, which is made with espresso and liquor 43,” Tyda said. “In our version, we infuse liquor 43 in coffee for 48 hours and we mix it with Azuñia reposado, which has a silky quality. Made with coconut milk and a white chocolate cream with cinnamon sprinkled on top, it has a smell and a texture and you can taste tequila, but you can also taste espresso martini.”

More booze-oriented, the elote moda combines smoky mezcal with ancestral corn whiskey and piloncillo for a distinctive take on an Old Fashioned. Un poco de mentha introduces Oaxaca rum and gin sweetened with a mint, lime, and jicama cordial.

After a cocktail or tasting, guests often fall in love with some obscure variant. Fortunately, the bar is also a liquor store.

Barcoa Agaveria in downtown Phoenix

Details: 829 N. First Ave., Phoenix; 602-980-0788, barcoaphx.com.

Felicia Campbell is the dining editor at The Arizona Republic, USA TODAY Network West. Reach her at [email protected].

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