Indulge in coffee greatness and discover your new favorite brew with this guide to Tucson's very best coffee shop offerings.
When you move to a new city or even just a new neighborhood, you want to know everything you can about the community, the school systems, and the amenities. People also want to know the locations of key community features like the best dry cleaner, boutique, and household shopping options, and of course, restaurants you’ll undoubtedly dine in.
One community business that can often be hard to find until months or even years after settling into your new house is where to find the lifeblood of everyone’s workday and weekend relaxation: the best coffee in town.
Yes, you can keep your regular morning and midday visit to Starbucks to get your java fix, but if you are a true coffee connoisseur, chances are good that Starbucks isn’t cutting the mustard when it comes to revving your coffee engine.
Enter the local coffee shop with unique flavor combinations, roasting techniques, and baristas equipped with superior coffee bean expertise to set your heart afire with joy as you enjoy the daily grind. But of course, not all coffee shops are alike, and if you are new to a community you will want to discover which ones are worthy of your patronage.
Cartel Coffee
Not exactly a one-off coffee shop, but limited to Arizona (including Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport), Cartel Coffee Lab has two locations in
Tucson to indulge in coffee goodness. Whether you opt for the downtown or Campbell location, Cartel offers a small array of specially-selected coffees from Colombia, Guatemala, Rwanda, Mexico, and El Salvador. You can get their signature coffee blends at a variety of partner locations throughout Arizona as well as several other states in the U.S.
Better news for Cartel Coffee lovers – they offer a subscription service that delivers their ground coffee of your choice directly to your door so
you can experience the Cartel Coffee flavor in your own home or office.
Best for: No-nonsense, serious cuppa joe types
Exo Roast Co.
Perhaps a coffee snob’s best choice for a high-quality all-around coffee experience, Exo Roast Co. is a haven for coffee lovers who want to know everything about their coffee, from what type of soil the beans were grown into the pour-over methods used to create exquisite coffee.
Located on 6th Avenue, Exo Roast Co. is not only the coffee brewer, but they are also the roasters, making the small but unbelievably delicious-smelling coffee shop a true community gem.
Best for: Coffee perfectionists
Savaya Coffee
This coffee joint is a local favorite, not only because the entire staff is thoroughly versed in coffee roasting, brewing, and serving techniques.
Another in-house roaster, Savaya shops have a great vibe and you can bet on finding anywhere from 15 – 30 varieties of coffee to choose from, including rotating options at their sampling stations.
With two locations, one in midtown and one in the Foothills, Savaya Coffee Market is a local favorite (voted Tucson’s Best Coffee) with devotees lining up each morning to make their daily coffee experience a cut above the rest.
They not only roast and serve coffee, but they also offer home delivery as well as coffee classes to share their coffee knowledge.
Best for: Coffee addicts who have no intention of quitting and don’t suffer coffee fools
Presta Coffee
Formerly named Stella Java and currently riding a high wave of wonderful praise throughout Tucson, Presta is spreading their coffee goodness around town, opening up a second location at Mercado Market downtown.
And that’s for a good reason. Whether you consider yourself a hipster looking for the hottest coffee around or just looking for an intimate coffee shop where you can enjoy an espresso or selectively chosen coffee with superb note descriptions and unique flavor features, Presta is bound to impress you with their coffee selection and roasting skills.
You can also stock up your online cart with coffees and enjoy them at your leisure while you read intimately detailed notes about their origins.
Best for: Hip coffee enthusiasts, intimate coffee sipping, and great coffee conversation
