Copper Star Coffee's Café Au Lait

Copper Star Coffee is one of those Phoenix coffee shops where people to gather to hang out, work on their laptops, and peruse local art (paintings by Pablo Luna currently hang on the walls). It's an old gas station remodeled into a cafe, and the old gas pumps out front add...

By Niki D'Andrea

April 11, 2011

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Copper Star Coffee is one of those Phoenix coffee shops where people to gather to hang out, work on their laptops, and peruse local art (paintings by Pablo Luna currently hang on the walls). It's an old gas station remodeled into a cafe, and the old gas pumps out front add to the quaint décor.

The coffee's usually pretty good, too (we enjoyed their coconut mocha a couple years ago), but we have to admit, we were disappointed with the Café au lait we tried this weekend.

Café au lait, as served in America, is strong drip-brewed coffee (or French press coffee), with steamed milk added. It's generally potent and slightly frothy. The Café au lait we had at Copper Star Coffee was neither. It was a light beige color, and we could barely taste the coffee except for the bitterness, and the milk didn't do much to curb that bitterness.

Although the price was right (two dollars for a 16 ounce cup), the Café au lait was bland overall. We could liken it to bitter water; Coffee Nips candy taste more like coffee than this. On the upside, the energy boost from the caffeine in the Café au lait was pretty significant; it put a pep in our step and kept our minds sharp for a solid two hours. Too bad it also left a bitter taste in the mouth.

Copper Star Coffee is located at 4220 N. Seventh Avenue. Call 602-266-2136 or visit www.copperstarcoffee.com for more information.

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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