Tesota: New central Phoenix restaurant with a killer happy hour menu

Tesota, a new uptown Phoenix restaurant serving "global comfort food," opened earlier this summer with a killer happy hour deal that makes its menu taste even better.

The big picture: Tesota , from the group behind Gallo Blanco and Otro Cafe, took over the space previously occupied by Southern Rail, at Camelback Road and Third Avenue.

• It's a scratch kitchen that aims to provide global cuisine with local ingredients.

The intrigue: The focal point of the restaurant's happy hour menu , available daily from 2pm to 6pm, is its $36 pizza, wine and salad combo, which includes a bottle of house red or white wine, and your choice of pizza and salad.

• They also offer $5 off their signature starter (the Bread & Spread), $7 small plates, $5 for five wings, $6 margaritas and $3 off beer, cocktails and glasses of wine.

Zoom in: I shared the pizza combo and Bread & Spread appetizer with two friends, and it was plenty enough food for everyone.

• The "pizzetas," or "little pizzas," are actually medium-size. The Salumi pie was loaded with multiple meats and packed with spice.
• The Greek grains salad was a crunchy and zesty combo of farro, couscous, veggies and goat cheese.

Yes, but: It was the Bread & Spread that delighted my palate most.

• The appetizer featured hearty portions of three dips — edamame guacamole, hummus with olives and white bean relish with pistachio pesto — and each was more flavorful than the next.

1 boozy thing to go: I couldn't resist trying The Newton's Fig cocktail, which combines fig vodka, rhubarb liqueur and citrus tonic.

• It was the perfect amount of sour, and I can't wait to return for more cocktail tastings.