8 Best Coffee Houses in Metro Phoenix

Coffee: Elixir of the gods -- or at least the sleep-deprived. Here in the Valley, there are plenty of places to get a fix of fresh-brewed coffee. But if you're looking for a particularly satisfying jolt of caffeine we've narrowed down the options in this year's Best of Phoenix® edition.

Here are the eight best coffee shops around metro Phoenix.

See Also: 7 Best Happy Hours in Metro Phoenix

Best Coffee House, Central Phoenix: Lux Coffee Bar

When Central Phoenix locals want to show off their neighborhood know-how to out-of-town guests, chances are they take them to Lux Central. Stationed in a nondescript building, this hipster hotspot houses a lively interior of mismatched mid-century furniture, typewriter centerpieces, grandma-chic dishware, and a seemingly endless maze of rooms in which to work, study, and socialize. Read more here.

Best Coffee House, Downtown Phoenix: Shine Coffee on Vernon

Shine started off as a retro trailer coffee shop that cropped up at different farmers markets and events in downtown Phoenix. Since then, it's expanded to include a permanent coffee stand just south of Thomas Road off of Central Avenue. Though the small outdoor shack still serves up some of the best pastries in town, like raspberry peach handpies and orange blossom shortbread, the best part is Shine's brand-new "Living Room" lounge in the neighboring building. Read more here.

Best Coffee House, North Valley: Luci's Healthy Market Place

Luci's Healthy Marketplace admittedly is much more than just a coffee shop, but it seems as though every cafe is nowadays. Part upscale grocer, part restaurant, part cafe, Luci's offers a lot of scrumptious options for the NoPho crowd. The coffee bar features freshly baked treats from one of our favorite local bakeries, Urban Cookies, giving everyone even more opportunity to try the award-winning sweets. Read more here.

Best Coffee House, Scottsdale: Press Coffee Roasters at Scottsdale Quarter

Press Coffee is giving our favorite Tempe coffee roaster a run for its money by roasting its own beans, elevating the standards for craft coffee in the Valley to a new high. The coffee house, which was opened by local newswoman Tram Mai in 2010 in Scottsdale, is a bright, clean, and simple shop, contrasting other local cafes' sometimes cave-like or ultra-kitschy vibes. Read more here.

Best Coffee House, South Phoenix: Pomegranate Cafe

Pomegranate Café is as much about fresh juices, teas, and gluten-free, organic, local and vegan cuisine as it is about the coffee -- maybe more so. But that suits us just fine when we're in South Phoenix, because it's nice to have a cafe to go to when we want a caffeine rush with a side of über-healthy. The kombucha and cleansing juices are definitely a more chakra-friendly option to your classic coffee drinks, but the espresso drinks are nothing to sneer at, either. Read more here.

Best Coffee House, Southeast Valley: The Coffee Shop

Holy tasty cupcakes, Batman! We love dropping into The Coffee Shop after chowing down on a juicy burger and crispy fries at the neighboring Joe's Farm Grill. The Cupcake Wars-winning bakery is not all cake and frosting, though. Grab a foamy, frothy, and nutty cappuccino, which pairs ideally with the homemade whoopie pies, and you'll see what the buzz is about. Read more here.

Best Coffee House, Tempe: Cartel Coffee Lab

In the world of locally roasted coffee, Cartel Coffee Lab is king, and there's pretty much no dethroning Cartel as it expands its flagship location. Forget about pastries and fancy flavorings, Cartel is all about the coffee, which is so good that other coffee shops in town have no choice but to brew with it as well. Celebrities, hipsters, and coffee snobs all agree, so stop pretending Cartel coffee isn't great, because it is. Read more here.

Best Coffee House, West Valley: Elevate Coffee House

Coffee is best served with a conscience, and at Elevate, you can feel as though you're doing your part every time you buy a cup of java. That's because 10 cents of every cup you buy at Elevate goes toward clean water in Africa. If warm fuzzies aren't your thing and you're just an espresso addict in a rush, you can text in orders, park in the 15-minute reserved parking and get in and out on the quick -- an offer you surely won't get waiting in line at Starbucks. Read more here.

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