Hey Millennials, these 10 Valley restaurants are for you

See our NEW list of 20 metro Phoenix restaurants that are great for Millennials.

As a group, Millennials account for 23 percent of total restaurant spending, or $96 billion annually, according to the National Restaurant Association.

And, like the generations before them, Millennials have their own ideas about what dining out should be. First, food must be a good value, which doesn't necessarily mean cheap or deal. Eating out is a chance to socialize, so they prefer restaurants with an inviting atmosphere and interesting decor. Communal tables, open kitchens and indoor-outdoor patios are at the top of the list.

Millennials, ages roughly 19 to 34, are interested in sustainable ingredients and renewable materials. Depending on what end of the age spectrum they fall, they're looking for late-night eats and kids menus.

Here's a look at 10 metro-Phoenix restaurants that have hit the sweet spot for Millennial diners.

The Yard and Farmer Arts District

Fox Restaurant Concepts' two dining hubs have quickly become go-to destinations in their respective neighborhoods in Phoenix and Tempe. Both are housed in renovated buildings — one in an old motorcycle dealership, the other in a warehouse — and both have large patio areas with Adirondack chairs, couches, beanbag-toss boards, pingpong and foosball tables. Phoenix's complex houses Culinary Dropout, Little Cleo's Seafood Legend and Barrio Urbano (from Barrio Cafe chef/owner Silvana Salcido Esparza). Tempe's complex, which opened in December, also has a Culinary Dropout, plus fitness business Madison Improvement Club.

Details: The Yard, 5632 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-680-4040. Farmer Arts District, 149 W. Farmer Ave., Tempe. 480-240-1601, foxrc.com.

La Grande Orange Grocery and Pizzeria

Opened in 2002, this Arcadia restaurant-market was part of the city's first wave of adaptive-reuse projects. Stop by in the morning for the addicting housemade English muffins with preserves and at night for the roasted-corn pizza topped with Laura Chenel goat cheese. Or grab a gelato and a latte and then browse the kitchen gadgets, cookbooks and trinkets for sale. The curated wine selection in the grocery is available in the pizzeria at the same price, and daily happy hour — $5 cocktails, beer and wine — runs from 4 to 6 p.m. and from 9 to 10 p.m. weekdays and from noon to 6 p.m. and 9 to 10 p.m. weekends.

Details: 4410 N. 40th St., Phoenix. 602-840-7777, lagrandeorangegrocery.com.

Brat Haus

Bask in the beer garden, drinking German bier from a boot-shaped glass and feasting on housemade bratwursts, at this downtown Scottsdale hangout. Brat Haus hosts pig roasts and other community-driven and charitable events. Next up is a dog-adoption event with Foothills Animal Rescue from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 3. Bring your dog or adopt one and get free doggy brats for a year. One dollar from every pint of beer sold benefits the rescue.

Details: 3622 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-947-4006, brathausaz.com.

Liberty Market

Before downtown Gilbert started its current transition from Cowtown to restaurant cluster, Liberty Market was a beacon of coolness and culinary creativity. Ownership, which includes Gilbert entrepreneur Joe Johnston (Joe's BBQ, Joe's Farm Grill), kept the integrity of the historical 1930s-era building by leaving the original neon sign and ceiling rafters, but added modern touches such as an open kitchen. Liberty Market has extensive breakfast, lunch and dinner offerings, such as smothered breakfast burritos, pressed meatball sandwiches, apricot-glazed chicken and catch-of-the-day fish. Its pastries are sinfully good. It's one of the best places to go on your birthday, when you get $10 off any order.

Details: 230 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert. 480-892-1900, libertymarket.com.

DeSoto Central Market

This food hall offers group diners lots of options. Housed in the historical C.P. Stephens DeSoto Six Motorcars building in downtown Phoenix, it's home to DCM Burger Bar, Tea & Toast Co. (cafe), Yard Bird + the Larder (Southern food), Radish (salads, cold-pressed juices), Adobo Dragon (Asian-Latin), and Walrus & the Pearl (raw seafood bar). Diners eat in the communal dining room and on the dog-friendly patio. There's free Wi-Fi throughout the building and such games as pingpong on the patio. In the coming months, a grocery selling McClendon Select Farm produce will open. Eventually, a butcher shop and bakery will have spaces. "Everything about this place is a social experience," founder Shawn Connelly said.

Details: 915 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-680-7747, desotocentralmarket.com.

Paz Cantina

Paz's charm is threefold: value prices, approachable food and inviting atmosphere. The $3 house margarita — which is that price all day, every day — holds its own against more expensive cocktails. Nachos are on the starters menu, though they're large enough to satisfy as a main course. At $8, the heaping plate of salty tortilla chips, refried beans, pico de gallo, crumbly queso fresco and a creamy house blend of cheese called Queso De Paz is an incredible bite for your buck. Outside the kitchen, Paz owners have showcased local artists, who transformed the street corner into a reflection of the neighborhood. Vibrant murals now cover the once-gray exterior, there are sculptures of bicycles and birds in the yard, and Chicano paintings cover the interior walls.

Details: 1011 N. Third St., Phoenix. 602-368-2487, pazcantina.com.

O.H.S.O.

Whether you visit the brewpubs in Arcadia and Paradise Valley or the microdistillery in Scottsdale, you'll find some of the best patios in the Valley at O.H.S.O. The expansive outdoor spaces are brightly decorated and nicely shaded with orange umbrellas. They're dog-friendly too, stocked with water and free housemade dog treats. Taps at the brewery include O.H.S.O.'s proprietary beers, along with a rotating list of guest labels. The kitchen is open until at least midnight and serves cheeseburgers, sandwiches, flatbreads and other American standards.

Details: 10810 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix. 602-900-9003. Also 15681 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale. 480-948-3159. And 4900 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. 602-955-0358, ohsobrewery.com.

Modern Grove Neighborhood Eatery & Market

The welcoming atmosphere at this restaurant-market will make you feel like you're having drinks and dinner in your friend's backyard. During breakfast, look for burritos, parfaits, Belgian waffles and egg scrambles. For lunch and dinner, check out the pretzel-and-beer appetizer, classic chicken Caesar salad, turkey panini, Marsala-mushroom burger and white pizza. There are two branches — in Mesa and northeast Phoenix — and each has a special "local neighborhood recipes" section of the menu. Bring your pup to hangout on the patio.

Details: 1958 E. Brown Road, Mesa. 480-275-2584. And, 15530 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix. 602-992-1127, moderngrove.com.

The Vig

Bocce ball, big burgers and bourbon cocktails — the Vig has good-time dining down pat. Weekend brunch is especially fun, with drink promotions including $15 bottomless mimosas, $4 Tito's Bloody Mary bar, half-off draft beer on Saturdays, and half-priced wine on Sundays. The kitchen, which is open until at least midnight daily, serves elevated bar food such as three-cheese (American, white Cheddar and Gruyere) macaroni, blackened whitefish tacos, prime beef dip on pretzel bun sandwiches, and bacon-smoked gouda burgers.

Details: Uptown, 6015 N. 16th St., Phoenix. 602-633-1187. Arcadia, 4041 N. 40th St., Phoenix. 602-553-7227. Fillmore, 606 N. Fourth St., Phoenix. 602-254-2242. McCormick Ranch, 7345 N. Via Paseo Del Sur, Scottsdale. 480-758-5399, thevig.us.

Original ChopShop Co.

You'll find fresh flowers and fresh produce at this healthful restaurant that debuted in Old Town Scottsdale and has since spread to downtown Tempe and downtown Chandler. Protein bowls with forbidden rice bases, kale salads, low-carb sandwiches and a handful of made-to-order juices (served in compostable cups) make up the menu. The southeast Valley locations serve alcohol and host happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. daily, when wine, beer and glasses of sangria are $4 and sangria liters are $12. The Chandler location is stylish, with high ceilings and exposed brick and white-tile walls. The Tempe branch, housed in a converted bungalow, is cozier, with mismatched chairs, live music, a fireplace and patio games such as oversize chess. Each location has a well-stocked cooler and pantry section with healthy grab-and-go snacks and drinks.

Details: 35 W. Boston St., Chandler. 480-426-0216. Also 222 E. University Drive, Tempe. 480-307-9336. And 7158 E. Fifth Ave., Scottsdale. 480-794-1536, chopshopco.com.