The lay of the land at Boss Coffee
Chris Malloy
(23015 North Scottsdale Road, #107, Scottsdale)
Boss Coffee is the kind of place where people linger reading papers, milking Wi-Fi, sitting out on a porch that overlooks North Scottsdale's sweep back toward Phoenix. The shop uses three roasters, including the nationally renowned Stumptown (Portland, Oregon). All beans used for nitro have been roasted by Espressions Coffee Roastery (Tempe). The nitro at Boss is a mellow version, with pools of a light, creamy froth sluicing between ice cubes. The cream doesn't vanish as you drink. A menu of savory goods is small, consisting of just an egg bowl, a few croissant sandwiches, and two wraps. Croissants are grilled, giving the buttery pastries a shattering texture that matches the hot eggs, cheese, and ham inside. Danishes, muffins, scones, and similar baked goods fill out the food menu. You can load up growlers with cold brew to-go.
Dark Hall is a house of vegan delights
Meagan Mastriani
(3343 North Seventh Avenue, #3, Phoenix)
The team behind veg-friendly staple The Coronado just opened Dark Hall Coffee, which specializes in plant-based drinks and pastries. The shop's atmosphere and artwork alone are worth the visit. You'll see gorgeous floral wallpaper behind the bar and a triptych of mystical-looking skeleton posters. Stay for the fully vegan menu, with coffee and tea drinks featuring housemade nut milks and oat milk. The cortados, cappuccinos, lattes, and more are all dairy-free. Dark Hall has some killer cold beverages like a brown sugar lemonade, espresso and tonic, and a current special called the Arizona Sunset, featuring fresh-squeezed blood orange juice and espresso. The pastry case boasts rows of salted dark chocolate chip cookies, sticky cinnamon rolls, iced shortbread topped with cornflower and marigold petals, lavender cake with periwinkle icing and rainbow sprinkles, and plenty more.
Teaspressa uses coffee methods to brew tea.
Meagan Mastriani
(4628 East Indian School Road, Phoenix)
Teaspressa founder and barista Allison DeVane uses coffee-brewing methods like the French press to make caffeine-infused tea drinks. Her new cafe in Arcadia is a bright and airy 500-square-foot space attached to an art gallery. Teaspressa’s menu highlights four signature beverages that are built around combinations of tea shots or espresso, steamed whole milk (alternatives including almond milk are available), and house-made elixirs to add flavors. Perhaps the most popular item, the London Fog, is sweet and floral with its Charles Grey black tea and all-natural vanilla and lavender elixir. The cafe also offers traditional drinks like mochas, lattes, and americanos with the choice of a tea shot or espresso base.
