I’ve lived in Tucson for over 8 years and have been to a whole bunch of coffee shops. If you’re just moving to Tucson or visiting for a weekend, here’s my personal list of the best coffee shops in Tucson!
How do I rank these coffee shops
No official ranking. No points. As Drew Carey said from Whose Line Is It Anyways: “The points don’t matter”. This is just mostly by the coffee and vibes.
I do promise that the coffee at each of these shops are fantastic!
Here’s my list of Tucson Coffee Shops you should check out
There are plenty of Tucson cafes to check out, but these are the ones I personally rotate between on a weekly or monthly basis. With the exception of HeeMee, every coffee shop on this list roasts their own beans and makes their own syrups!
List:
- Presta Coffee Roasters
- Exo Roast Co
- Cartel Coffee Co
- Decibel Coffee Works
- Savaya Coffee Market
- HeeMee Coffee + Bakery
- Talega Coffee Co.
1. Presta Coffee Roasters
Presta Coffee Roasters is hands down my favorite Tucson coffee shop. Of all the coffee shops I’ve been to, they are the only one that uses a light roast espresso instead of the usual medium. Their coffee is bright and super smooth!
They also offer very unique seasonal drinks. They can get a little wild in my opinion, but if you’re into trying unique coffee or tea creations, this is the spot.
They have multiple locations. I highly recommend the one at San Mercado if you’re just hanging out or the 1st Ave shop if you’re looking to study (I write about that here).
Presta is also one of two Tucson coffee shops that made it to top 100 coffee shops in the world!
Their coffee is the most expensive on this list, but that’s because you can use any milk and/or syrup you want without additional charge.
Cost: $8.75 for a 16oz vanilla latte
2. Exo Roast Co
This is my second favorite coffee shop to go to. Their coffee is right up there with Presta’s. Their medium roast lattes are super smooth with those classic caramel and chocolate notes. I highly recommend their lavender latte – their house made lavender syrup really elevates their coffee!
They have two locations, and both locations are awesome for studying. I usually hit up the one on 6th avenue.
If you’re looking to just hang out, the Bar Cristol/Exo spot (pic above) is the better choice. It’s got a more laid-back vibe, and they have a bar that opens in the evening.
Cost: $6.25 for 12oz lavender latte
3. Cartel Coffee Co
Cartel was my first love in Tucson. I used to come here almost every weekend because I really liked their sweetened latte. Back then, I was into sweeter drinks, and their sweetened latte really hit the spot. I’ve toned down the sweet drinks since, but I still get their ‘less sweetened’ lattes from time to time.
If you’re not feeling coffee, I highly recommend their matcha latte!
They’ve got two locations. Both of them are bigger than Presta or Exo, which makes them great study spots. I’d say go to the downtown location – it’s a bit more inviting and casual than the Campbell location. The Campbell location is really dedicated to studying!
Cost: $7.34 for a 12oz vanilla latte
4. Decibel Coffee Works
Decibel has great coffee, but the reason I put it on this list is because of where they’re located – the MSA Annex. The MSA Annex is this shipping crate themed plaza that’s got restaurants and small niche shops. So you can buy a coffee and walk around and explore the plaza!
Don’t sleep on their matcha latte. It’s pretty good. If I’m out at the Annex at night, then I’ll get a matcha latte here.
They don’t have indoor seating, which isn’t great in the Tucson summer, so it’s not really a study spot.
Cost: $6 for 16oz caramel latte
5. Savaya Coffee Market
Savaya is the other Tucson coffee shop that made it to the top 100 coffee shops around the world!
Their latte has a very bold body that really hits you on that first sip. They use a medium roast for their lattes.
What caught me by surprise was that they use single origin Brazil beans for their espresso. Almost every coffee shop I’ve been to use multi-origin or blends. I guess they want to highlight the Brazil coffee bean :).
Savaya has a bunch of locations around Tucson, but I like the one tucked inside the Flin apartment complex. It’s a cozy little spot that’s perfect for relaxing or getting some studying done. Parking might be a little tough though since it’s in downtown.
Cost: $6.25 for a 16oz lavender latte
6. HeeMee Coffee + Bakery
HeeMee is a fun little spot if you’re into Asian-style coffee, pastries, and food. I would recommend their dalgona latte (they make the dalgona in-house). They also serve some good matcha lattes and ade (Korea’s version of sparkling water but with fruit syrup). Their pastries are also decent. They go fast, so come early!
They use beans from Yellow Brick Coffee (another great local roaster I recommend below), and since changing owners, their hours are way better – they now stay open until 5PM instead of closing super early.
It’s a very popular spot for students. Since it’s right in the heart of downtown, parking can be hard to find.
Cost: $5.25 for a 12oz Dalgona Latte
7. Talega Coffee Co.
Talega’s coffee is good, but their Shaken Hojicha…damn! It was incredibly earthy, nutty, and honestly one of the best tea drinks I’ve had. I even liked it more than their Rosa Latte (a peanut honey latte that’s one of their signatures).
They use a full-city (medium to dark) roast blend for their espresso. It’s got a nice smooth and balanced profile.
Super nice coffee staff. A little fun fact is that the shop is inside a repurposed funeral home.
The only gripes I have with this shop are that they have really early hours (6:30AM – 11:30AM) and limited indoor seating. They do have a big patio though – just not the best place to sit when it’s baking outside!
Cost: $8 for Shaken Hojicha, $6.40 for 12 oz Rosa Latte
Additional Tucson Coffee Shop Recommendations
Here are some other Tucson coffee shops I recommend trying out. I still go to these shops but just not as often as the ones in my list above!
List:
Yellow Brick Coffee
I remember drinking their coffee for the first time and thinking…wow, this sort of reminds me of Presta with the super smooth and light profile. They use a Guatemala and Columbian medium roast for their lattes.
They’ve also got food and mostly vegan pastries, so if you want a place where you can sip, snack, and study, this is a great spot. It’s a popular study spot too. Parking is easy, though the signs say 90 minutes. I’ve stayed longer and never had an issue.
Cost: $7 for a 16oz vanilla latte.
Caffe Luce
Luce is a solid pick if you want good coffee without spending a ton. They’re easily the most affordable coffee shop on this list – a 12oz latte is around $4.50 (compared to the usual $6+ at most other shops).
They’ve got three locations. Two of them are right in downtown. I do like the one on Congress since it’s got two floors and plenty of space to study.
Cost: $4.50 for 12oz vanilla latte
Black Crown Coffee Company
Black Crown Coffee is one of the few two-story coffee shops in Tucson. They open until midnight, which is perfect for late-night studying or hanging out.
The vibe is cozy and a little old-school. Even the owner said he wanted a dive bar feel.
They’ve got a wide variety of drinks (especially if you like flavored lattes), fast Wi-Fi, and plenty of outlets at nearly every table.
The upstairs has couches and a big window wall that brings in tons of natural light, making it a great spot to camp out for a few hours. If you want a chill space to focus, Black Crown is worth checking out!
Cost: $5.50 for a medium vanilla latte
Tucson Coffee Roasters
Solid coffee spot. I think because it’s tucked away in an office plaza, not many people know about it. I don’t make it out here often because it’s pretty far from me. Every time I’ve been, I’ve seen people studying, so it definitely has that low-key, productive vibe. Plus, there’s plenty of parking.
Cost: $5.50 for a medium lavender latte (I think their medium is ~16 oz)
Scented Leaf Tea House
Okay, so Scented Leaf Tea House isn’t technically a coffee shop, but they do serve coffee, and so I had to include it. This place is awesome for studying and has a pretty solid tea collection. The prices are a steal too!
$5.25 for a 32oz large tea drink! Then if you want a refill, the first one only costs $1. Then the second refill is FREE!
They have several locations, but I recommend the one on East University Blvd. It’s located right next to the U of A. There is plenty of parking. If street parking is full, then there’s a parking garage nearby.
Cost: $5.25 for 32oz large tea drink
There are over 100 cafes in Tucson. I couldn’t fit them all here. The ones I’ve listed are just my personal favorites!
Hopefully this list gives you a solid starting point for exploring the best coffee shops and cafes in Tucson!
