Fortunately, the chorus to Rupert Holmes’ earworm is a reminder of the quintessential escapist cocktail, the piña colada, which traces its roots back to 1950s San Juan, and has seen countless variations, modifications and re-imaginings in its time.
So if you like piña coladas and getting caught in the lack of monsoon rain, here’s a rundown of some of our favorite spots to get a refreshing sip of the beloved beverage.
Puerto Rico Latin Bar and Grill
2714 W. Thomas Road The oldest Puerto Rican restaurant in the city, Puerto Rican Latin Bar and Grill serves a classic, no-frills piña colada. This one tracks sweeter than others on the list, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It sticks closely to the original Caribe Hilton recipe of 1954. Here, the bartenders substitute Malibu for Puerto Rican rum. It’s a classic for a reason, and pairs well with house specials like the mofongo and pernil. Phoenix Cocqui
4041 N. 15th St.Phoenix Cocqui owners Alexis Carbajal and Juan Ayala bring a meticulous approach to Puerto Rican favorites. Their piña colada is batched on the weekends by Ayala, and includes Coco Lopez coconut cream, fresh pineapple and white rum.“The drink was made on the island, and staying true to its roots lets us honor that history and share a real taste of Puerto Rico in every sip,” Carbajal explains. The refreshing sip pairs perfectly with the small restaurant's hearty menu of Puerto Rican fare.
CC’s on Central
2800 N. Central Ave., Suite A100 This spring, CC’s on Central updated its menu and revamped the cocktail program. A standout from that overhaul is the Henny Colada, the brainchild of Jay Copeland, CC’s beverage director. As the name implies, the rum in this piña colada is swapped for cognac and paired with coconut cream and fresh pineapple. “When coming up with the new menu, I just really wanted to tap into fun, vibrant, fresh flavors that matched the chefs’ creativity and flavor profiles. I wanted to have that fun take on a classic that everyone enjoys when it’s 100-plus degrees out and a new way for people to enjoy cognac,” Copeland explains.
The result is the smoothest variation on the cocktail you could imagine, and a perfect late-summer sipper.
Lom Wong
218 E. Portland St. Phoenix’s beloved Thai restaurant Lom Wong has been a much-revered spot long before chef Yotaka "Sunny" Martin won the James Beard Awards for Best Chef - Southwest in June. In addition to the phenomenal food that Martin and her husband Alex create, the cocktails are equally creative and lovingly crafted. Their piña colada, previously named “Thunder” after the head of their cocktail program, now goes by the title of “Sahai Su-Ra” which means “drinking buddy” in Thai. It has the traditional flavor profiles of lime, rum, and coconut, but with the punchy umami of fish sauce as well. Savory, decadent and balanced, the salty, sweet, rich and tart sip is a perfect pairing with the Kaeng Phet Charinda (beef shank curry), where the sweetness of the cocktail cuts through the spice of the dish.
At the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, customers can enjoy a piña colada straight from a coconut.
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
The Pools at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
7575 E. Princess Drive, Scottsdale If you truly need to escape, and can’t make it to the requisite tropical paradise in the titular Rupert Holmes '70s yacht rock classic, then consider a staycation at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. There you can have your piña colada at one of six pools throughout the resort, with extra escapism points for sipping at the zero entrance pool at Sunset Beach. With white sands imported from Miami, you can suspend your disbelief while enjoying the frozen concoction, which blends white and spiced rum. A slight upcharge gets you sipping straight out of a hollowed coconut. Captain’s Cabin
5114 N. Seventh St., #2 A rum-less tiki drink seems blasphemous, but this alternative to the classic piña colada was invented out of necessity. Donn Beach, aka Don the Beachcomber, grandfather of the midcentury Tiki movement, wanted to offer something to his patrons who preferred other base spirits. To keep butts at the bar, he concocted the Macadamia Nut Chi Chi, where vodka takes the place of rum, and the Trader Vic’s macadamia nut liqueur cuts the sweetness of a typical piña colada. Dave Muhlstein of Captain’s Cabin sticks close to the revered Beachcomber classic, serving his with Pau Maui vodka and a dash of nutmeg over crushed ice for a refreshing alternative. 
Coabana
1 E. Washington St., #124 At Coabana, the Cuban-inspired atmosphere makes an excellent backdrop for this take on a Miami vice, a popular '80s cocktail that married the piña colada and the strawberry daiquiri. It’s easy math: rum plus rum equals frozen deliciousness, as the richness of the coconut cream is balanced by the bright citrus of the strawberries. Like Crockett and Tubbs, it’s a perfect pairing, and an over-the-top drink that embraces the kitschy cool of its namesake.Clever Koi
4236 N. Central Ave. #100 60 W. Vaugn Ave. #101, Gilbert While Clever Koi has no shortage of amazing original cocktails (which are now featured in their own manga comic menu), their spin on the piña colada under their “classics” line-up shows the kind of care that goes into their beverage program. The cocktail combines Royal Standard and Kalani Coconut rum with a house-made coconut cream made with coconut milk, vanilla syrup and orange flower water. The requisite fresh pineapple and lime juice join the party, and the whole thing is served shaken over ice instead of blended. The finished product makes you think that the original comic menu might have room for such a heroic beverage, in spite of its “classic” status.
Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour
1 Jefferson St. London's Bar Coupette first introduced the world to its Coupette Colada in 2017, and the drink has since become a modern classic. Also known as a Champagne Colada, the cocktail blends rum, bubbly, pineapple liqueur and coconut sorbet for a delightfully effervescent and refreshing frozen treat. At Bitter & Twisted in downtown Phoenix, the original London recipe is mostly adhered to, with one key change.“Instead of sourcing coconut sorbet from France, like they do, we make ours in-house," owner Ross Simon says. "It’s super fresh and airy, and the coconut really shines."
Simon also notes that their pineapple syrup is made in-house, which brightens the drink. The addition of Prosecco (as opposed to Champagne) provides an even lighter and fluffier texture than the original recipe. It’s decadent, cold, light and transcendent, perfect for the hottest days of the year.
UnderTow
3626 E. Indian School Road, #100 3150 E. Ray Road, #184, Gilbert At UnderTow, stepping below deck for a drink comes with high expectations, and their macadamia nut piña colada exemplifies what there is to love about their ongoing adventures on the high seas of tiki-inspired cocktails. The drink begins with roasted macadamia nuts from Mount Hope Foods in Cottonwood. These are infused into Planteray Fiji Rum via sous vide for several hours. Once the nuts are good and drunk, they are removed and roasted again and added to the Tiki Trail Mix on hand at both locations. The remaining rum is a perfect base for the piña colada, which is served over crushed ice. It’s earthy, a bit spicy and altogether worthy of a summer escape.
