Pretty Penny

Downtown Phoenix’s Roosevelt Row is replete with places to eat and drink. Pretty Penny adds a dose of luxury, serving seafood towers, well-crafted pastas and steaks from a sleek, warm space. The restaurant recently moved across the street into the former home of bar and restaurant Disco Dragon. Pretty Penny is the result of a notable culinary collaboration. Downtown barmen Sam Olguin and Brenon Stuart, who own Killer Whale Sex Club and F.Y.P.M., teamed up with two alumni of Scottsdale's Virtù family of restaurants, chef Marcelino Ramos and hospitality pro Ivan Herrera. The team sets the tone with a complimentary pour of celebratory bubbles. From there, try Ramos’ fan-favorite octopus tostada or the creamy, spicy lamb ragu with paccheri noodles. You’ll see the affable chef moving between the hidden kitchen and a guest-facing chef’s bar, finishing dishes there before dropping them off to diners. The bar menu is equally thoughtful, technique-driven and flavor-forward. The charred tomato martini, with its floral hint of basil, is the perfect pairing with pasta.