A second den has appeared on Mill Avenue. Phantom Fox Tempe, the new taproom from Mesa’s Phantom Fox Beer Co., opened Thursday, Oct. 8, at 525 S. Mill Ave. with Goat & Ram’s wood-fired pizza inside. It fills the former Illegal Pete’s space just south of Fifth Street, Mouth by Southwest reports, and Bureau telemetry confirms the landing.
The opening was marked with an 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting. The Valley Now notes that the Downtown Tempe Authority lists the pair among its completed openings with an Oct. 8 date.
Who’s flying Phantom Fox Tempe
Owners Trent Smith and Eric Cady also run downtown Mesa’s Chupacabra Taproom, and this is Phantom Fox’s second location after the original at 150 W. Main St. in downtown Mesa. Smith said in a PHOENIX magazine Q&A that the team will build its event calendar across Phantom Fox Mesa, the new Tempe location and Chupacabra.
The build-out was a hands-on mission. “Owners Trent, Dan, Eric and wives were there day and night putting the place together,” director of operations John Acosta told the magazine.
Mill Avenue has such a unique energy, and we’re excited to be part of it.
Eric Cady, co-founder, to PHOENIX magazine
Cady says the early crowd has mixed Phantom Fox regulars making the trip from Mesa, ASU students, first-timers and local families.
Pizza from Goat & Ram
Dan and Morgan Medlen’s Goat & Ram handles the food, as it does at the Mesa taproom. Its Tempe page places it “Inside Phantom Fox Beer Co.” and says its specialty pizzas offer “a fresh dose of creativity every 2 weeks,” alongside classics like cheese and pepperoni-sausage. Hours aren’t listed here: The Valley Now found that the operator’s homepage and location page show different kitchen hours, so check before you beam down.
Opening weekend, in ink
Mouth by Southwest says the opening weekend runs three nights with three tattoo studios and more than nine artists:
- Thursday, Oct. 8 (5-11 p.m.): SPC Tattoos and Emotionally Tatted
- Friday, Oct. 9 (7 p.m.-midnight): PV Tattoos and Izzy Bryant
- Saturday, Oct. 10 (3 p.m.-midnight): Sad Boy Studio, Sad Boy Needles and friends, plus an ASU football pregame and watch party
A gold medal and a Halloween festival
The crew landed in Tempe with hardware. Head brewer Valerie Adee told PHOENIX magazine that Dangerous Night won gold in the stout/porter category at the Arizona Craft Beer Awards, and that the idea was to pair coffee and coconut: “we’d never really seen anyone combine the two.”
Phantom Fox is also on the brewery list for the Arizona Craft Beer Fest on Saturday, Oct. 31, at The Post in downtown Mesa (11 a.m.-4 p.m.). Smith says Phantom Fox Mesa, a block away, hosts the official after-party starting at 4:30 p.m., with live music from Case Shannon and Miles Above and a costume contest. Phantom Fox Mesa’s three-year anniversary follows Nov. 6-7.
Next landing site: The Gilmore
The partners aren’t done expanding. A third Phantom Fox and Goat & Ram combo is targeted for 2027 at The Gilmore in south Gilbert, according to Mouth by Southwest. Tempe Earthlings, meanwhile, now have a fox den within beaming range.
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