Premier Tucson mixologist Aaron DeFeo to leave Casino Del Sol, open “Little Rituals” in Phoenix


December 29, 2017
a man wearing a hat
By Jackie Tran
By Jackie Tran

One of Tucson’s premier mixologists, Aaron DeFeo, will soon move to Phoenix to open cocktail bar Little Rituals with fellow talent Ross Simon of Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour.

“I’ll be leaving the casino after [December 30],” DeFeo said, “though I’ll still have my duties as president of USBG until a transition can be established by our council, so probably through February at least.”

As both the president of the United States Bartender’s Guild and property mixologist of Casino Del Sol Resort, DeFeo has also won countless mixology and bartending awards.

“It’s been my lifelong dream to open my own space, and I was so excited by this opportunity that I’m leaving Tucson to relocate to downtown Phoenix,” DeFeo said in a press release.

Little Rituals will be located on the fourth floor of the new Residence Inn/Courtyard Phoenix at 132 S. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85004, scheduled for a mid-2018 opening. Guests can expect a refined lounge setting with intimate lighting and sweeping city vistas. DeFeo and team will serve up a globe-spanning menu of both classically-inspired cocktail alongside cutting-edge progressive cocktails. Chef-driven bar bites designed to complement the drinks will also be offered.

While we’ll miss DeFeo in Tucson, we’re confident his new venture will easily be one of the best places to drink in Arizona.

The Casino Del Sol Resort is located at 5655 W. Valencia Rd. For more information, call (855) 765-7829 or visit casinodelsol.com.

Keep up with Little Rituals on Facebook.

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Article By

Jackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon...

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