ARIZONA FINDS: ESSO COFFEEHOUSE & ROASTERY
By Linda Kissam “Food, Wine & Shopping Diva”
ON BIG BLEND RADIO: It’s Coffee Talk Time with travel writer Linda Kissam and Sharon Koger, owner of Esso Coffeehouse & Roastery. Watch here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Spreaker, Podbean, or SoundCloud.
Everyone has their favorite coffee shop, right? That one special destination café they can’t wait to get to so they can enjoy an extraordinary dark rich espresso or a cool whipped and blended Frappuccino. If you think about it, the picture that comes to mind is a comforting place with indoor and patio seating. It’s the perfect place to pump up for the day ahead or to unwind after a busy day. Remarkable coffee shops are special too because they are true meeting places. The truly best ones reflect the passion of the owner.
You’ll find many coffeehouses in and around the Phoenix, AZ area. Most serve the expected menu of hot and cold drinks – from fancy to pure black and hot. But…Esso Coffeehouse and Roastery is unique among the many coffee houses dotting the Phoenix, AZ caffeine scene. It is a great place for taking a break, located off the 12th street Grand Canal access. Esso makes an outing along the Phoenix Grand Canal a fun and tasty midway destination to recharge. Or, if you’re caught up in the VA Hospital nearby or a half-day car repair nearby, think about plunking down here.
Order hot or cold premium coffee drinks along with exceptional pastries and unexpected tamales – yes, fresh tamales steamed and piping hot. The tamales are sourced from a nearby Mexican bakery La Purisima Bakery. Try the green or red ones. The coffee is an in-house prep delight. Cold-brew aficionados come in by the droves carrying gallon jugs to be refilled. It’s an enthusiastic bunch that frequents this unique coffee shop.
1972 Espresso Machine used daily
In-house roasting each day provides the freshest beans for making custom blends. Esso Coffee is a blend of 3 different beans from around the world. Carefully selected to make the smoothest, most balanced coffee blend you can get anywhere.
Established in 2016, owner Sharon Koger began mixing her unique blend in early 2016 with the goal of creating one where quality shines through in the daily preparation. She fell in love with coffee as a kid when she first tasted coffee ice cream. Daily in-house roasting begins when the store closes. It goes on from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. The roaster is stationed by the front door, waiting quietly for its nightly duties. Approximately 250 lbs. are roasted per week.
A welcoming interior and shady outdoor patio seating along with solid Wi-Fi, friendly service, a full array of delicious pastries, creative drink items, and reasonable prices make this a destination for coffee aficionados. Sharon has been thoughtful with her choices and the result is a real treasure for the coffee culture crowd. As she shares, “Creating coffee combinations is my passion.”
Think about attending one of the educational coffee tastings offered at Esso. I attended one. Quite an experience. I tasted a unique house blend of Brazilian and Guatemalan beans. Separately, the Brazilian beans had notes of unsweetened dark chocolate and a hint of walnuts giving it an interesting finish. The Guatemalan beans were just slightly sweeter with toffee notes and a cashew finish. Combined as a blend, it makes a superior- tasting coffee. This is the signature blend of the house and for good reason. Who wouldn’t want a fresh cup of coffee where the beans were just roasted? And the cherry on top is that all coffee drinks are made on a 1972 refurbished espresso machine.
Classes are 1-hour 30min. $25/per person 4 person classes. Call Esso for information. It’s a great date night or friends’ night out activity.
Try these exquisite pairings when you visit:
Novia pastry $3.25 and a Tiramisu Latte $5
Concha pastry $3.25 and a Lavender Matcha $4.75
Elote pastry $3.35 and an Apple Cider Chai $4.25
Oreja pastry $3.25 and a Turmeric Golden Latte $5
Tamales $4 and an Esso Soda $4.50 (My favorite)
ESSO Coffeehouse & Roastery is located at 4700 N 12th St Phoenix, AZ 85014. Call: 480-560-3067 or visit https://essocoffeeshop.com/
SHARON’S TIRAMISU LATTE RECIPE:
2 Shots of Esso Coffeehouse Blend Espresso
6-12 oz. Milk of your choice
1-2 oz. Dark Chocolate
Splash of Almond Syrup
Dust with Cocoa Powder
Heat milk to 185 degrees, mix in all ingredients aside from Cocoa Powder
Dust with Cocoa Powder and enjoy.
Linda Kissam ‘Food, Wine & Shopping Diva’ is a professional travel, food, and wine writer who specializes in easy, breezy destination stories sharing her favorite things about the places she visits. Visit www.AllInGoodTaste.info
