Best Coffee Shops in Tempe That You'll Love (Tempe, AZ) (2024)

I’m always on the lookout for the best cafes and coffee shops when I travel, and my trip to Tempe was no exception. These are the very best coffee shops in Tempe, Arizona that you need to check out while you’re there. While you experience all the fun things to do in Tempe, make sure you add a coffee break in between the activities.

Many of these Tempe coffee shops also happen to be coffee roasters. Bring a bag of freshly roasted coffee beans home with you. If you’re local to Tempe or Phoenix and seeking the best cafes, I suggest going through this list until you find your favorite spot.

This article contains affiliate links, which help run this site at no extra cost to you.

There are also places like Dutch Bros Coffee and The Human Bean, but I’m staying away from the larger chains here to recommend some smaller independently owned cafes in Tempe. Feel free to check out Dutch Bros Coffee and The Human Bean if you’re in the area and seeking even more coffee shops in Tempe as they also have great reviews.

Coffee Shops in Tempe: Cartel Roasting Co

Okay, so you might associate the word “cartel” with drug cartels, but Cartel Roasting Co (formerly known as Cartel Coffee Lab) is referring to the word’s other meaning, a community of people working towards a common goal. They aim to grow a loyal community through a mutual love for coffee every step of the way, from growing the beans to roasting them.

Cartel Roasting Co started back in 2008 in Tempe, and their coffee shops have spread across Arizona and even into California. The business now includes a range of coffee-related products available online, in their cafes, and in other retail shops. Look for their ready-to-drink canned products in some grocery stores, like Whole Foods.

Not sure what kind of coffee you’d like to drink, or looking for something new? Try their coffee quiz on their website to discover your new favorite roast. Please note that Cartel Roasting Co has rebranded so my photos won’t reflect their new look and name.

This is one of the best coffee shops in Tempe as I really loved the overall atmosphere and vibes. There’s ample seating and unique decorations, like reclaimed bicycle spokes. Coffee roasting equipment is also on display.

Overall, this is a great place to meet with your friends over a cup of coffee. There’s also plenty of space to use Cartel Roasting Co as a temporary office to get some work done on your laptop.

Coffee Shops in Tempe: Infusion Coffee & Tea

Infusion Coffee & Tea is another Tempe coffee shop staple that’s expanded to three locations in Arizona. Its owner, Patrick O’Malley, has over 30 years of experience in the coffee business. He travels around the world to source the best beans and even judges coffee competitions worldwide.

Infusion Coffee & Tea expertly roasts the coffee for the perfect cup each time. In addition to your caffeinated favorites, Infusion has a rotating menu of new drinks so you can try new ones every time you visit.

For example, try the Island Honey Latte with coconut and homemade elderflower syrup. The Elderbloom is a sparkling iced Americano with elderflower syrup and lemon. If you can’t decide what to order, try a coffee flight with a selection of cold brews.

For food, I love how Infusion is a vegan-friendly cafe with their Vegan Sunrise Sandwich (vegan breakfast sandwich) and vegan cream cheese for the bagels. Finally, the decor is really cute and whimsical with a wall covered in coffee mugs. The baristas are friendly and helpful, and there are a few tables where you can work on your laptop using their complimentary Wi-Fi.

Coffee Shops in Tempe: Press Coffee

Press Coffee is a chic and minimalist coffee shop in Tempe; in fact, there are two locations in Tempe. I visited the Skywater location near Tempe Beach Park. Stop by for a cup of coffee after a lovely walk in the park or perhaps after you participate in some activities out on the water.

Press Coffee roasts their own beans and offers coffee subscriptions through their website. For the coffee fanatics out there, sign up for their interactive coffee experience, Coffee 101 (at their flagship roastery in Phoenix). It’s similar to a wine tasting, but for coffee. You’ll also learn how to brew the perfect cup at home.

Try the quiz on their website to evaluate which coffee bean is right for you. While the menus may vary from cafe to cafe, the Tempe Skywater coffee shop serves hot and iced espresso beverages. I’d love to return to try one of their Shakers: cold brew beverages with peanut butter or chocolate protein, as well as oat milk or almond milk creamer.

Snakes & Lattes

Snakes & Lattes Tempe is a board game cafe and restaurant. Enjoy a cup of coffee while you play fun games with your friends. They are the largest board game cafe in Arizona with thousands of playable board games for every taste and mood. There’s one flat rate admission to visit (or monthly/annual memberships) and a menu of food and drink so you don’t get hangry.

Keeping with the theme of coffee shops in Tempe, I’ll detail their cafe offerings. Sample one of their specialty lattes, cappuccino or cold brew. Can’t decide on a flavor? Try a cold brew flight (dirty chai, classic, s’mores and vanilla caramel). There’s also tea, hot chocolate and the option to make your coffee boozy (there’s a full bar, too).

The food menu is delicious and quite vegan-friendly. There are sharable food options to try a few snacks with your friends, or you can order a full meal. For more plant-based eats in the city, check out our guide to the best vegan restaurants in Tempe.

Coffee48

Coffee48 is a Vietnamese coffee and tea shop in Tempe that’s mainly a takeout spot. There isn’t much seating inside, so it’s likely that you’ll want to grab your coffee and go.

However, this is a really unique coffee shop in Tempe, known for its colorful and quirky beverages. The Vietnamese coffee is a popular menu item, as well as the salted caramel coffee and lavender honey espresso.

For something a little different, try the Pandan espresso, a combination of floral and grassy pandanleaves and bold Vietnamese coffee. Tea lovers will adore Coffee48 with drinks like the hand smashed lime tea and lychee rose tea. Add some boba while you’re at it!

Gold Bar Espresso

Gold Bar Espresso is a longstanding coffee shop in Tempe, AZ. If you picture a stereotypical homey cafe of the 90s and early 2000s (before coffee shops started going for minimalist or modern vibes), this is the atmosphere and mood of Gold Bar Espresso.

They’ve got excellent coffee sourced from an Oregon roaster, as well as space for you to meet with friends or get some work done (with complimentary Wi-Fi). On weekends, there’s live jazz music and on some occasions, game nights. Local art by a new featured artist each month adorns the walls.

Gold Bar Espresso has all the typical coffee beverages, as well as seasonal favorites. In the fall, savor the flavors of pumpkin and apple, while the holiday season brings the candy cane and gingerbread drinks.

Xtreme Bean Coffee

Xtreme Bean Coffee is a family owned and operated coffee shop in Tempe since 2002. They source and roast the best coffee beans from around the world as they strive to create the ultimate coffee experience. Xtreme Bean Coffee has a wide array of coffee blends for every taste.

I love their Benefit Brew program. Every Tuesday night, a portion of sales go towards a local non-profit organization in the region. In addition, there are other events at Xtreme Bean Coffee, like weekly music nights on Friday evenings.

Their coffee menu includes the standard espresso beverages, cold brew, and specialty lattes like the Rolo latte. There are also tea beverages, frappes and smoothies.

Brick Road Coffee

Brick Road Coffee is Tempe’s favorite LGBTQ+ owned coffee shop where “there’s no place like foam”. They proudly state on their website, if you’ve ever asked Google “find the best coffee shop near me”, you’ll likely come across their spot when in Tempe.

Establishing a community is really important to Brick Road Coffee. While they have one of the best coffee shops in Tempe with excellent coffee, they also aim to have an accepting and friendly environment for everyone to enjoy. They’ve won numerous awards, like the Tempe Friendly Neighborhood Business Award, Tempe MLK Diversity Award and Phoenix Pride Community Spirit Award.

Some of their featured drinks include the cinnamon roll latte, caramel mocha, iced spiced brown sugar shaked espresso, and there’s cold brew on tap. I also love that they regularly offer a vegan blueberry croissant.

King Coffee

King Coffee is a family owned coffee shop in Tempe featuring freshly roasted beans and unique specialty drinks. They continually offer innovative specialty drinks that change with the seasons. For instance, the spring menu features a sunshine latte (honey, lemon and vanilla) and a PB&J latte (peanut butter and raspberry syrup).

There’s also a special barista’s menu where each barista has their own unique drink on offer. For example, Josh makes a cold brew with toasted marshmallow, and Mary can create a lavender white mocha cortado. I’d love to visit in the fall to try their butterbeer cold brew!

The Fix Drive Thru Coffee

The Fix Drive Thru Coffee is a 100% drive-thru coffee shop in Tempe (with a second location in Mesa). Don’t have a car? There’s also a walkup window, too!

This Tempe coffee shop is designed so walkup customers don’t need to cross traffic either, so it’s the best of both worlds. There’s a small outdoor seating area if you aren’t ordering through the drive-thru window.

Try their classic coffees or something a little different, like the horchata mocha, white chocolate macadamia nut breve, or German chocolate mocha. The Fix Drive Thru Coffee uses Press Coffee beans for their beverages created on high end espresso machines.

For a refreshing cold drink, “The Fix Freeze” blends coffee with your favorite flavor. As for the flavors, there are over 30 to choose from to create coffee drinks or energizing fruit drinks. There’s really something for every taste here, making The Fix Drive Thru Coffee one of the best coffee shops in Tempe.