Best Coffee Beans 2009 | Cartel Coffee Lab | Shopping & Services | Phoenix
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Best Coffee Beans

Cartel Coffee Lab

Not only does this indie serve some of the best-brewed pick-me-ups in the Valley, but it also offers its bomb-diggity coffee beans for sale. Some of our faves include the fancy-pants Black Market Espresso, with its hint of grapefruit (sounds yucky, but it's fantastic), and roasts from Brazil and Guatemala. The shop, housed in a warehouse-like space, also sells goodies for the home brewer, such as straightforward French press coffee makers to more elaborate espresso machines.

Best New Coffee House

Lola Coffee

Evie Carpenter

If Lola Coffee seems familiar, that's no surprise. It may remind you a bit of Lux, a coffeehouse down the street that originally was owned by Daniel Wayne, the same guy bringing you this latest offering. Lola's got big tables, comfortable chairs, lots of light and delicious, fresh-roasted coffee. The cherry on this coffee-flavored sundae? Fresh baked pastries from Danielle Librera, formerly of Sweet Pea Bakery. Her peanut butter and jelly cookies are the best, and we bet you can talk the friendly baristas into forgoing the coffee and selling you an ice-cold glass of milk.

Best Coffee House, Central Phoenix

Hob Nobs

We go there every Sunday morning, for a bunch of different reasons: We love the massive remodel of the place, which turned the former hippie-dippy Willo House into a sleek-but-still-cozy coffee shop that feels like someone's well-appointed home. We're crazy about the quiche and the tasty baked goods and the private rooms where we can drag a group of friends for a quick, caffeine-fueled wake-up party. Did we mention how good the coffee is? Strong and dark and always available in tasty blends and two strengths. You'll find us draped over one of the big leather sofas in front of the fireplace on any Sunday, and occasionally we sneak back during the week for one of Hob Nobs' yummy salad-and-sandwich combos.

Best Coffee House, West Valley

Cabin Coffee

Appearances, as they say, can be deceiving. For proof, look no further than Cabin Coffee. Before walking into this north Glendale java place, we expected the usual coffeehouse decor pastiche of leather easy chairs and faux cherrywood furniture, with maybe even a few Ansel Adams framed photos hanging on the wall for good measure. Boy, were we mistaken. As its rugged-sounding moniker portends, the interior resembles a rustic mountain lodge, complete with a fireplace, actual logs, and mounted deer heads. (It's quite a difference from the taupe-drenched, desert-landscaped Fry's strip mall that houses this demitasse den.) Mercifully, you won't have to choke down a tin cup of muddy, foul-tasting cowboy coffee, like you'd get at your family's cabin. Instead, the myriad espressos and cappuccinos are presented in artful — even elegant — fashion (their baristas actually won awards for their joe-making skills). More than a dozen varieties of beans are ground hourly, with just as many brands of teas also served. The standard selection of iced and blended beverages is also available for purchase.

Best Coffee House, Northeast Valley

Cave Creek Coffee Company and Wine Bar

A bustling yet intimate gathering place that attracts an eclectic crowd of old cowboys (or city slickers pretending to be old cowboys), businesspeople, tourists, hipsters, and other riff-raff to the main drag in this small-town oasis. Open every morning at 6:30, the popular java joint offers a front porch with a great view of things, as well as leather couches and chairs on which to kick back and work on your laptop, courtesy of the miracle of wireless. The coffee, which is roasted right in Cave Creek, is delicious, as is a breakfast menu that features oatmeal and their aptly named "Big Ass Burrito" — eggs, green onion, potatoes, cheese, salsa, and a meat of your choice in a tortilla. As for the "wine" part of this shop's name, well, you'll have to wait 'til 5 p.m. before we get to that.

Best Coffee House, Southeast Valley

Bergie's Coffee Roast House

Oh, brother! There are a few reasons we fell in love with this place from the moment we saw it. First, it's run by easygoing 40-something siblings Bruce and Brian Bergeson, whose personable nature is kinda infectious. Then there's the fact they chose a deliciously enchanting cottage located smack dab in the middle of Gilbert's historic downtown (practically inches away from Joe's Real BBQ) in which to house their caffeinated cooperative. Oh, yeah, and the coffee's pretty damn good, too. And it should be, considering that they roast and grind their own freshly imported beans — which are organic, to boot — on the premises daily. The result: the richest cup of joe or café Americano we've tasted in a long time. After a few cups of the Bergesons' brand, we're ready to re-organize our CD collection, repaint the house, and take a brisk round-trip walk to Prescott.

Best Coffee House, Mesa

Inside the Bungalow

The marriage of caffeine and yoga may seem strange. However, such a bold combination can make a traditionally comatose area worth visiting more often. This downtown Mesa spot formerly known as Coffee Talk pretty much looks the same — the wedding-day-like front patio still beckons visitors to come inside the historic two-story house — but the philosophy is much different. Upgrades include a more artisan-focused menu that includes a hummus plate, organic teas, and a smattering of espresso drinks, as well as a seven-day-a-week schedule of yoga classes for both the hardcore practitioner and the downward-facing-dog newbie. Overall, the entire feel of the joint is much lighter. Must be all that finding-your-center stuff.

Best Coffee House, Tempe

SOLO Café

Sure, there are a few indie coffee house options in downtown Tempe. But if you're willing to drive a bit south just past U.S. 60, you'll find the totally-worth-the-trek SOLO Café. Open for almost two years now, this seven-day-a-week space serves up some mean and tasty espresso drinks as well as a bunch of loose leaf teas. In case the beverages and free Wi-Fi aren't reason enough to procrastinate, there's a pretty cool library and a little television that plays DVDs. There's also a community night for musicians on Wednesdays.

Best Coffee House, Scottsdale

Village Coffee Roastery

The best part of waking up is kicking that can of stale-ass "coffee" to the curb and getting a cup of the good stuff. Where do we go? In Scottsdale, you'd best believe it's Village Coffee Roastery, where the coffee isn't just delicious; it's scientific. The fine roasters at VCR have "combined art with modern science to produce coffee that enhances the natural flavor of the bean." We're not sure what scientific techniques they apply to their coffee-brewing process, but we are positive that we feel a little less awkward wearing our lab coats when we stop by.

Best Japanese Convenience Store

Fujiya Market

Irashaimase! The best things in life arent free. In fact, theyre a little expensive. Still, a life without C.C. Lemon soda, miniature Gundam figurines or pre-packaged bento boxes is no life at all, or so says a true Japanophile. Thats why we frequent Fujiya Market when we need goods from Nippon. Feel like learning Japanese? Check out Fujiyas collection of Japanese TV shows, for rent on VHS. We prefer inebriation to academics, however, so well be busy scoping out the sake section. Remember, the sake thats meant to be served cold is usually of higher quality.

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