Caffiend: Lola Coffee's Matador

The last time I visited Lola Coffee, it was the location on Central Avenue, and I gulped down a quadruple-shot espresso that kept me buzzing throughout the day. I always enjoyed the quaint, social atmosphere of the coffee shop, but since it was a bit of a drive for me,...

By Niki D'Andrea

January 25, 2010

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The last time I visited Lola Coffee, it was the location on Central Avenue, and I gulped down a quadruple-shot espresso that kept me buzzing throughout the day. I always enjoyed the quaint, social atmosphere of the coffee shop, but since it was a bit of a drive for me, I rarely went.

Well, now there's a Lola Coffee location off 3rd Avenue and Roosevelt (much closer to home), so I can get hopped up on their javas much easier. The newer location is smaller than its counterpart on Central, but it's just as busy. I stopped by on a Sunday morning, and the coffee shop was packed with people working on their laptops and chatting in casual groups.
Even the back patio was full, with smiling smokers recounting their weekend escapades.

Since I was having trouble waking up, I decided to try Lola Coffee's Matador. It sounded hearty, like a bull fight, and it tasted that way, too. There was a heady coffee bean flavor and a hint of mocha, and the Matador was made sweeter with whipped cream and raw sugar. It tasted pretty potent, and judging by the speed with which my fingers are flying across this keyboard right now, it was. The Matador got an A for taste, and an A for energy boost; my only complaint is that it costs $3.50 for an eight-ounce cup, which seems like a lot of money for a little coffee.

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Niki D'Andrea has covered subjects including drug culture, women's basketball, pirate radio stations, Scottsdale staycations, and fine wine. She has worked at both New Times and Phoenix Magazine, and is now a freelancer.

Contact: Niki D'Andrea