DJ Fernandes has made his mark on Phoenix with eateries (Tuck Shop, Astor House, Vovomeena) known for lovely interiors and delicious food. Lucky for us, he's equally obsessed with coffee. From locally roasted ROCC beans to a unique Japanese Cold Brew method, Fernandes' establishments know how to do java.
What sets Astor House and Vovomeena apart from other coffee destinations?: The Japanese cold brew. We were the first ones in town to do it. It takes 12 hours to brew and it takes all the bitterness out of coffee. We did it at Astor to try to do something new because we weren't doing espresso.
Over at Vovomeena we try to take it to the next level with five Japanese cold brews: three black-and-tan and then two other varieties with either different sources of beans or different roasts, so you get different profiles like wine — you can get a flight of coffee.
Favorite coffee pairings at Astor House and Vovomeena: Astor — Japanese cold brew in the summertime with chickpea stew. Vovomeena — Cafe latte and the Mexican Benedict. — Katie Johnson
Astor House: 2243 N. 12th St., 602-687-9775, astorinphx.com
Vovomeena: 1515 N. 7th Ave., 602-252-2541, vovomeena.com
Tuck Shop: 2245 N. 12th St., 602-354-2980, tuckinphx.com
