Explore Phoenix's Willo District

Gabriela Hasbun

Order a real drink

Stop by Durant’s, a 1950s steakhouse, for a classic gin martini (it goes best with oysters Rockefeller). Dead-on details like red flocked wallpaper, vintage booths, and bow-tied servers take you back in time as you dig into filet mignon or double-cut lamb chops.

Insider tip: Regulars enter from the back, through the kitchen ― not from the street.

$$$$; 2611 N. Central Ave.; 602/264-5967.

Gabriela Hasbun

Hang out with the locals

Kick back with a coffee and a turkey-and-brie sandwich at My Florist Café, an airy restaurant that housed Phoenix’s largest florist for 50 years. There’s live music almost every night; on weekends hear Nicole Pesce on piano.

$; 534 W. McDowell Rd.; 602/254-0333.

Take it home

Pick up Navajo textiles, a Hopi katsina, or handcrafted silver and turquoise jewelry at the Heard Museum Shop, which has sold Native American art for 50 years.

On weekdays, you’ll often find artists bringing in new works for the shop’s buyer to consider.

2301 N. Central Ave.

Gabriela Hasbun

Get the Willo look

Snap up homewares at Willo Antiques, a cottage crammed with furniture, art, tableware, and accessories, gathered mostly from Phoenix sources. Step out to the courtyard for garden decor.

Call for hours; 133 W. McDowell Rd.; 602/266-0939.

Gabriela Hasbun

Visit the old neighborhood

The stretch of Monte Vista Road between Third and Fifth Avenues is lined with Spanish Revival, English Tudor, bungalow, and modern ranch homes from the 1920s to the 1950s. Peek into tidy gardens and explore pocket parks.

Bonus: A home tour (Feb 8; $15; willohistoricdistrict.com) lets you see inside historic houses.

Explore Phoenix's Willo district

Order a real drink

Hang out with the locals

Take it home

Get the Willo look

Visit the old neighborhood