The 5 best bites and sips we tried in May around metro Phoenix

As we were eating and drinking around the Valley this month, the Phoenix New Times food team happened upon some truly delicious bites and sips. We found a drink to start your day, and the perfect one to end it, plus a few late-night eats to satisfy our cravings on these hot summer nights. Here are the five best things we ate and drank in May.

Honey-Whipped Ricotta at The Starving Artist

2144 E. Indian School Road

It feels like whipped ricotta is on every menu in town right now. And it's understandable; what's not to like about a rich creamy canvas whose flavor can be amped up with an infinitely customizable list of sweet or savory additions? We've generally seen bread be the primary vehicle to mop up this new "it" appetizer. Yet, at The Starving Artist, the neighborhood tavern from the O.H.S.O. Brewery + Distillery team that opened in February, zucchini is the star of this small plate. Crisp, well-seasoned spears of the summer squash are presented in a stack atop a generous dollop of whipped ricotta, which is studded with rich pine nuts, sweet golden raisins and olive oil. There's a little kick from crushed red pepper and a cooling brightness from ribbons of chopped mint. The dish eats more like a salad and feels like the perfect bite for these hot summer days.

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The Mango Espresso Tonic from Harlem Coffee Co. adds a sweet, tropical note to the refreshing drink.

Sara Crocker

Mango Espresso Tonic by Harlem Coffee Co.

Various locations

If "Espresso" is the song of the summer, we nominate Harlem Coffee Co.'s Mango Espresso Tonic to be the drink. During the warmer months, espresso tonics offer a refreshing, bitter and botanical counterpoint to other iced caffeinated sips. These chilled bevies often are jazzed up with orange. Harlem Coffee Co. ups the ante with the tropical sweetness of mango for its summer menu. The coffee cart is also adding mango, along with basil, mint and lime, to its matcha lattes. You'll find Harlem Coffee Co. each Sunday morning at Sauvage Wine Bar and Shop, as well as at events happening around the Valley.

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True to its name, the Pride cocktail at Pecado grabs the attention of everyone in the room.

Sara Crocker

Pride at Pecado

4418 E. Osborn Road

The sleek speakeasy behind Santo Arcadia has a tight list of cocktails based on the seven deadly sins. It's a cheeky nod to the bar's name, Pecado, which means sin in Spanish. The two spots were opened by Roberto Centeno, Nadia Holguin and Armando Hernandez, and the drinks program is led by beverage director Adrian Galindo. Much like his cocktail program at the vibey Mesa bar and restaurant Espiritu, the menu is full of tongue-in-cheek jokes and pop culture references. The description of Pride is next to a picture of and quote from Regina George, the queen bee from "Mean Girls." Pride is a flashy, tiki-style tipple that is tropical, rich and a tad smoky thanks to mezcal, rum, falernum and Triple Sec, along with hibiscus-pecan orgeat, coconut puree, lime and pineapple juices. It's doing the most when it comes to presentation, too. The drink arrives on a slate black platter in a black skull cup adorned with pineapple leaves and a flower. The bartender sets a dried orange wheel ablaze and stokes the flames with a dusting of cinnamon, serving a drink and a show.

Quesa-Birria at Baja Roots

Multiple locations

Tijuana-style food truck Baja Roots pops up frequently at Cobra Arcade Bar downtown, and occasionally at other spots around town. Run by chef Emilene Carillo, the truck is known for its menu of tacos, slow-roasted elote and spicy birria ramen along with a few secret menu items. But we're partial to that tender birria folded into cheesy quesadillas and dunked in a rich, savory consume. Red and green salsas add a pop of brightness to the hearty meat and cheese. It's messy, spicy and greasy in the best way. What more could you want from a late-night snack?

Pork Skewers at Mr. Baan's

218 E. Portland Street

Located behind Lom Wong sits new Thai drinking and dining destination, Mr. Baan's Bar and Mookata. The food menu focuses on the boiling soup and cook-it-yourself meat set up of mookata. But if you're stopping by for a cocktail and wind up craving something to nibble on, look to Mr. Baan's grill. Flames char a small selection of skewers perfect for snacking. Choose between chicken, tofu or mushroom, but make sure not to miss the pork. Tender chunks of sliced meat are supple on the inside with a kiss of crunchy char on the outside. Dunk them into the accompanying nam jim seafood sauce, a mix of fish sauce and lime juice that provides the perfect acidic contrast for a delicious sweet and spicy snack. The skewers come three to an order, so just know that if you're sharing, they might leave you fighting over the last bite.