Think pink: 8 rose-hued restaurants and bars perfect for Valentine’s Day

Between Stanley cups and the “Barbie” movie, pink is the color of the moment. It’s everywhere, including restaurants. Local bars and restaurants have embraced the cotton candy color, infusing it into lighting designs, décor and drinks. Whether you want fine dining in a chic pink setting or an all-out onslaught of '80s pink, these rose-colored places are the perfect backdrop for Valentine’s Day.

Ghost Donkey

903 N. Second Street
V-Day pick: Best for mezcal enthusiasts, canoodlers, sky gazers

You don’t have to go looking for the pink at Ghost Donkey. As soon as you step into the Roosevelt Row mezcal and tequila bar you’re bathed in it, immersed in a warm glow as if you’re seeing everything through rose-colored glasses. The reason: Hundreds of dazzling fuchsia twinkle lights hanging from the ceiling, a bejeweled sky that turns everything pink. Sit at the bar, a long and lively gathering spot framed by pink neon lights, or canoodle in one of the cushy semi-circular booths. A setting this festive calls for sparkling cocktails and romance.

The Cave at Quartz

341 W. Van Buren St.
V-Day pick: Best for travel-loving couples, double dates

The Cave is a transformative experience. Hidden behind cocktail lounge Quartz, this exclusive crystal cave features an infinity-mirrored hallway with a multiverse vibe that’s both intimate and sci-fi. It radiates pink in every reflection. Take a seat in one of the 10 booths, secluded alcoves with quartz tables and pink lighting that lets you get lost in each other’s eyes, not to mention the changing crystal display projected on the tableside TV. Drinks here tell a story. Thought-provoking cocktails take their cue from deserts around the world and come in inventive vessels with exotic ingredients. Your best rose-hued bet is Life in Pink, a playful version of a pisco sour with pink peach huesillos and pink grapefruit that comes with a keepsake Peruvian friendship bracelet. Service is also a standout, matching the VIP vibe. Reservations recommended.

Huarachis Taqueria

814 N. Central Ave.
V-Day pick: Best for taco lover lovers, Bacanora fans

Good news for those who’ve been trying and failing to score reservations to Bacanora: The hotspot's chef and owner, Rene Andrade, recently opened his newest concept, Huarachis Taqueria on Central Avenue. The no-reservations buzzy spot serves the same big bold Sonoran flavors as Bacanora and also shares a common color scheme: pink.The storefront is painted flamingo-pink and the restaurant’s name is ablaze in pink neon like an electric calling card. Inside is no different; the neon lights wrapping the windows bath everything in a magenta haze. The menu is a short and sweet lineup of tacos and sides served family style – think tripe, tongue and crispy potato – as well as curated cocktails and beers that serve as the perfect complement.

50 Shades of Rosé

7419 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale
V-Day pick: Best for bachelorette parties, Barbiecore fans, anyone with a “Kenergy” hoodie

If Don Johnson circa “Miami Vice” and Malibu Barbie had a baby, you’d get 50 Shades of Rosé, a shape-shifting bar in Old Town Scottsdale that’s going all out on its current Miami Nights theme. There are pink flamingos hanging from the ceiling, a DJ booth decked out in pink shag, pink disco balls, pink fringe, pink neon lights and a wall of 500 Barbie and Ken dolls in compromising positions. Campy cocktails also play the part, with designer drinks like a strawberries and cream Hailey Bieber martini and a bubblegum mojito served in a mini bubblegum machine. In other words, this place is more than 50 shades of pink.

Kembara at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa

5350 E. Marriott Drive
V-Day pick: Best for fine-dining vegetarians, sweethearts looking to splurge

Kembara doesn’t hit you over the head with pink, but this isn’t really a hit-you-over-the-head kind of place. More subtle and sophisticated in both food and decor, the menu is an ode to Chef Angelo Sosa’s adventures across Asia and spans nuanced noodle dishes dotted with hearts of palm and peppery marigold flowers (the noodles are made in-house daily) to chicken satay skewers tinged with turmeric and steamy pork dumplings. But pink is inescapable, from the glow emanating from the pink neon lights snaking the ceiling to specialty cocktails like The Apology and Pachinko that turn tequila and sake pink. Ask for the vegetarian menu and by all means finish off with the Vietnamese coffee donuts.

English Rose Tea Room

201 Easy St., Carefree
V-Day pick: Best for Mother-daughter duos, ladies who lunch, “The Crown” devotees

There are too many pink items to count at English Rose Tea Room in Carefree: Pink walls, pink linens, pink fine china, plush pink seating and a tree of pink roses cascading through the space. Oh, and the Queen is also there dressed head to toe in pink – a cardboard cutout, at least. Formal afternoon tea consists of a three-tiered cake stand with sandwiches, scones and petits fours accompanied by over 50 varieties of loose-leaf tea to choose from. Pinky fingers in the air are optional. 

Sugar Bowl

4005 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
V-Day pick: Best for young love, sweethearts with a sweet tooth

You can’t miss Sugar Bowl. The old-school spot in Old Town Scottsdale is a pink icon that’s been serving dessert in the desert since 1958. One of the most Instagrammable spots in Scottsdale, its pink backdrop is a big part of the appeal. Not only is the exterior bubble gum-colored, inside is a sweet blast from the past, with cotton candy walls, pink soda fountain stools, tufted pink booths, pink lighting fixtures and a pink checkered floor. Bring your sweetie and share a sundae or banana split built for two.

Agave del Scottsdale

8390 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale
V-Day pick: Best for Galentine’s Day groups, selfie lovers

The pink photo ops at Agave del Scottsdale start before you even enter. Framing the double doors is a painted wall of sprawling pale pink and magenta roses. Definitely snap a selfie there. Pass through the entryway and past the illuminated display cases of Mexican spirits and you’re greeted with a dazzling array of shimmering chandeliers, sophisticated stunners bejeweled and blazing in blush. There’s plenty of plush pink seating both inside and on the expansive patio, but for the best photo op, strike a pose in front of the blazing Día de Muertos mural, a colorful face that glows at night. The Mexican menu is also a draw, with shared appetizers like queso fundido and street corn served alongside pink-hued lavender guava margaritas.