These Phoenix shops and restaurants offer a taste of the Grand Canyon State

For the vast majority of the planet, Feb. 14 is the day of heart-shaped boxes filled with mystery chocolates, long-stem red roses and cute greeting cards professing love and smooches.

But around these parts, it is also Arizona Statehood Day, which celebrates the date in 1912 when President William Howard Taft signed the proclamation that took Arizona from territory to state status, making it the 48th and last of the contiguous states admitted to the union.

Unlike the other more marketable holiday, the deliciousness of Arizona can be embraced and celebrated year-round as local restaurants and gourmet shops specialize in putting local wares front and center.

From libations and snacks to elaborate cocktails and dishes, savor the flavor of Arizona at these 12 metro Phoenix establishments.

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Arizona-grown grains are used to make the majority of Adventurous Stills' small-batch spirits.

Georgann Yara

Adventurous Stills

2125 E. Fifth St., #102, Tempe

This small-batch distillery tucked into a mix of industrial plazas near the Tempe Marketplace flaunts grain-to-bottle spirits all made onsite. The majority of grains are Arizona-grown: Durum & Sonoran white wheat from Casa Grande, Verde Valley rye, blue and yellow corn from the Four Corners region and barley from Coolidge, for example. Also, Adventurous Stills' spent grains are given to local ranchers, who feed them to their livestock. No colors or flavors are added so the true Arizona flavor can shine in the spirits such as the Lost Dutchman Rye Whiskey, Peralta Bourbon and Picket Post Vodka.

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Find locally sourced lamb and pork chops at Arcadia Meat Market in Phoenix.

Chris Malloy

Arcadia Meat Market

3950 E. Indian School Road, #130

Known for its whole animal butchery where all of the meat and poultry is hand-cut and prepared onsite, Arcadia Meat Market prides itself on keeping an inventory of 100% grass-fed, free-range beef, pork and lamb. All of the options are humanely harvested and much of it is raised in Arizona. Tri-tip, hanger, filet mignon, skirt, and picanha steak along with chicken in whole, ground and cubed form fill the cases along with an array of sausages stuffed with jalapenos, cheese and other goodies. Non-meat eaters can shop for local wine and beer, plus produce from Arizona Microgreens and Steadfast Farms, carbs from Sonoran Pasta Co. and True Salt’s natural and unprocessed finishers.

D’Vine Gourmet

72 S. San Marcos Place #4, Chandler

This spot has everything needed for a Grand Canyon-themed custom gift basket or box. D'Vine Gourmet features three dozen local brands spanning food, home decor and accessories. For a flavorful feast, fill your cart with an amber or IPA from Ranch Hand Brewing, Urban Oven crackers, Arizona Loco Cocoa’s sugar or sugar-free wares, crunchy snacks from Nutsack Nuts, Cerreta Candy Company treats and Queen Creek Olive Mill oils and condiments.

The Farm Store

3000 E. Ray Road #8, Gilbert

If you’re seeking pantry staples, tortillas and local beef, this Agritopia one-stop-shop at Barnone has got you covered. Honey produced on the property, Benny Blanco Tortillas and Iconic Cocktail Co. mixers as well as macarons, salsas, salts and cute kitchen tools monopolize The Farm Store's shelves.

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Offerings from Charleen Badman at FnB lean heavily on Arizona ingredients.

Debby Wolvos

FnB

7125 E. Fifth Ave. #31, Scottsdale

James Beard Award-winning chef and FnB co-owner Charleen Badman earned her “veggie whisperer” title with meticulous hunting of the best and freshest Arizona-grown produce. She changes her menu monthly and sometimes weekly to showcase the ingredients at their best. McClendon’s Select, Blue Sky Organic Farms and Badman’s own garden are among the sources. Business partner and winemaker Pavle Milic has been an Arizona wine advocate since the day the restaurant opened and his list is loaded with vino born and raised in the state’s wine regions.

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Kai offers a fine-dining take on Arizona's local flavors.

Chris Malloy

Kai

5594 W. Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Chandler

The signature restaurant at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass, Kai not only pays tribute to Arizona’s local tribes, it embraces them with impeccable Native American and southwest cuisine. This is demonstrated in dishes such as Arizona wheat berry & black garlic risotto that incorporates Arizona wild mushrooms parsnip and apple puree, and grilled tenderloin of American bison that’s accompanied by 60 day-corn puree, oxtail and scarlet runner bean cassoulet, cholla bud and saguaro blossom syrup. Chef de cuisine Drew Anderson relies on a partnership with loyal purveyors and Native Seeds/SEARCH, a foundation dedicated to preserving ancient lines of Native American seeds that would otherwise be extinct, to bring Pima and Maricopa tribe heritages to delicious life on every plate.

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Merkin Vineyards in Old Town Scottsdale puts Arizona in the spotlight with local wine and ingredients.

Courtesy of Merkin Vineyards

Merkin Vineyards

7133 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale, #105

This Old Town tasting room and restaurant is the result of Tool lead singer, winemaker and Arizona resident Maynard James Keenan’s passion project and side gig. Merkin Vineyards' wine list boasts Arizona-grown offerings from his Merkin Vineyards and Caduceus Cellars labels. But the food menu also puts local purveyors front and center with charcuterie from the German Sausage Co. and Rovey Family Farms, Crow’s Dairy goat cheese and hummus made from Arizona tepary beans.

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ODV Wines carries an impressive Arizona wine selection that covers well-known houses Callaghan Vineyards and Dos Cabezas WineWorks as well as up-and-comers like Vino Stache Winery.

Georgann Yara

ODV Wines

1325 W. University Drive, Tempe

Pastry chef Tracy Dempsey opened her boutique shop ODV Wines adjacent to her kitchen, where she churns out sweet and savory treats for Valley restaurants the likes of FnB and The Market by Jennifer’s. At ODV, an extensive Arizona wine selection covers well-known houses Callaghan Vineyards and Dos Cabezas WineWorks as well as up-and-comers Queen of Cups and Los Milics. Snag a bag or two of her legendary bacon-pecan brittle, or peruse the shelves for an array of condiments ranging from Desert Provision salts and seasonings and honey from Caranza Family Farm. Creative renditions of the tried-and-true chocolate bar by Embers and Carolina’s Chocolate are a must for anyone with a sweet tooth, and grab a bag of beans from Exploradora or the Roastery of Cave Creek for your morning pick-me-up.

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House-made charcuterie is the way to go at Persepshen.

Jackie Mercandetti Photo

Persepshen

4700 N. Central Ave.

With an emphasis on using local and organic ingredients alongside sustainable practices like snout-to-tail animal butchery and environmentally-kind cleaning products and serving ware, Perspeshen hits the trinity of everything to love about an independent neighborhood restaurant. Arizona pasture-raised beef, Terra Heritage Iberico pork and Heartquest Hollow Farms regeneratively-raised lamb are among the staples on a menu packed with homegrown ingredients.

Quiessence at the Farm

6106 S. 32nd St.

This restaurant amid The Farm at South Mountain’s bucolic setting features literal farm-to-table dishes. Quiessence at the Farm chef Dustin Christofolo sources the majority of his ingredients from the onsite Soil & Seed Garden that churns out vegetables, fruit, herbs and edible flowers. He also gives shout-outs to local purveyors with poultry from Two Wash Ranch, pork from the Meat Shop and seafood from Chula Seafood. Breads, pastas and cheeses hail from nearby as well.

Sphinx Date Co.

3039 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale

If you’re a date fan, this is your Utopia. As the name indicates, Sphinx Date Co. is a go-to for sweet and juicy Arizona Medjool dates procured directly from local farmers, and it's been selling nature's candy for more than 70 years. But, its south Scottsdale shop offers much more and is a hub for other homegrown goods such as grains and beans from the Gila River Indian Reservation’s Ramona Farms, mesquite pancake mix from Native Seeds, Kettle Heroes artisan popcorn and Navajo Mike’s barbecue sauce. Put your selections in a gift basket along with a bottle of Arizona wine or a few cans of Arizona beer for a friend, client or yourself.

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The design vibe at Valentine is midcentury modern meet desert chic.

Allison Young

Valentine

4130 N. Seventh Ave.

Valentine’s menu is pretty much a culinary love letter to the Southwest’s gifts with a bevy of locally-sourced ingredients in nearly every dish. Hassayampa asiago cheese is key in the beloved elote pasta, smoked Two Wash Ranch chicken is partnered with local wheat berries and toasted greens and the dry-aged Arizona wagyu tomahawk is served with pork belly tepary beans and huitlacoche tortillas. Tohono O’odham squash is the star in the squash latte and cocktails feature blended Arizona gins in the AZ Gin & Tonic, bone marrow and mesquite smoke in the Cattle and elements such as housemade pine liqueur crafted from foraged Arizona pine cones make appearances in seasonal libations.