Funny thing is that I actually wasn’t the biggest fan of Presta when I first moved to Tucson. Their lattes weren’t sweet enough for me. But now that I’ve started enjoying more of the coffee bean flavors or just coffee with less sugar, I really like their coffee. These days, it’s one of my go-to spots for lattes and studying.
Brief Background
Presta Coffee Roasters is a Tucson-based coffee shop. They have three locations:
This post is about their 1st avenue location, which is the one further up north. The other two are closer to downtown.
If you’re in the downtown area, I would recommend going to the Presta Mercado location, which is the one located in Mercado San Agustin. It’s a little market plaza with eateries and shops. I often go there for breakfast and hang out with friends. If I’m studying, I go to the one on 1st ave.
Décor: 7/10
The inside of the coffee shop looks and feels relaxing. There’s not much going on, which is what I really like about this location. Simple and sweet, just like their coffee.
Coffee: 8.5/10
Their lattes are excellent. I usually get the Vanilla Latte, but the Honey Lavender Latte is also super good. You also don’t have to pay extra for oat milk. It’s factored into the price of the coffee.
Presta is the only shop I’ve been to in Tucson that uses a light roast for their espresso. They use their own custom Brazil Ethiopian blend and 120 psi to make the espresso, which is lower than the standard 9 bar. Since lighter roasts are denser and harder to extract, a lower pressure avoids excessive force, which can create harsh or sour flavors!
I believe they make all their syrups in-house as well! The flavors complement the coffee rather than overpowering it.
Presta’s coffee menu is simple and straightforward. I don’t have to think too much about what other drinks to get.
They also offer some unique seasonal drinks year-round. I’ve gotten a few of them before, but I find them to be a bit too adventurous for my taste.
Pastries: 6/10
I like that they offer a variety of flavors and styles of pastries. They’re good, but I don’t think they’re worth the price. If you’re looking for some snacks to drink with their coffee, I write about that here!
One cool thing: Presta features pastries from local bakers, so if you have a pastry you want to sell, reach out to them.
Productivity: 8/10
All of Presta’s locations are on the smaller side; however, every time I’ve gone, especially on the weekends, I have been able to find a spot to sit down and study.
That said, there aren’t many tables suited for studying, and the WiFi is pretty spotty. I’ve had to hotspot from my phone a couple of times.
Still, the atmosphere is calm and relaxing that I end up being really productive. I often see other people studying there too, despite the limited space and slow internet.
If they had better internet and some more tables, I would’ve given this a 10/10.
Parking: 10/10
There’s a parking lot right outside the shop. The shop is located in a small plaza, so the parking lot is small; however, every time I’ve gone, I’ve always found parking!
Presta is easily within my top 5 coffee shops in Tucson. I love going to their Mercado and 1st avenue locations. If you’re in Tucson, I hope you have a chance to try them out!
