Coffee Coffee Coffee
In the last few months, I have had a ridiculous amount of my friends ask me for suggestions of good coffee places near Peoria. Needless to say- I must have some sort of expertise in the subject 😝(If we are friends, this shouldn’t be much of a surprise!)
Don’t judge my caffeine addiction.
If you live in Peoria, you know that Peoria doesn’t have the best coffee shop repertoire. We are severely behind Downtown Phoenix, Scottsdale, Flagstaff, or even Prescott. I think that TUCSON has more coffee places than we do. And, as we all know, there is ALWAYS a need for coffee. Where else would you take the pretty girl on a date, get your homework done, & meet your new best friends, all in one place??
Though the pickings are slim as far as coffee shops go in Peoria, I am pleased to share my favorite local roasters. Most are in Peoria, but I couldn’t resist throwing in a few favorites from Downtown Phoenix, too. (Talk about a perfect date/hang out location! Imagine, being an expert in coffee shops around Arizona on your first date. There is literally no better way to impress a girl, or any coffee addict! 😉
- Driftwood Coffee Co
- Dutch Bros (obviously)
- Union Coffee Co
- Cabin Café
- Songbird Coffee & Tea House
- Press Coffee
- Lux
- Jobot
- Be Coffee + Food + Stuff
Driftwood Coffee Co
This place is BEAUTIFUL. Known for its minimalistic art, Sloth mural, and artisan coffee, Driftwood will have you both redecorating your home by the time you leave and debating buying a flannel shirt.
It’s a hipster hang-out, don’t get me wrong! Driftwood is SUPER supportive of local businesses and sells lots of art work, from functional pieces to wall decor. They hold art shows with local entries and give back to the community with campfire worship nights.
What’s even crazier?? They are located in Axiom church. The place is such a ministry and I have absolutely no problem paying $5 to support the good that the place is doing.
Really, Driftwood is ideal for dates, homework, and business meetings. If you want to look like the coffee shop expert you’ve always dreamed of being (or the coffee addicted student that we know you are), this is the place to go.
Just look at all of this cute coffee!! It’s definitely not sticky, sweet Starbucks (no frappuccinos or mochas), but they have TONS of flavors with real ingredients. I got a pumpkin spice latte (with a real, gigantic stick of cinnamon in it!). Highest recommendations from this coffee loving gal!
Dutch Bros (duh)
You can’t just go to Arizona & forego Dutch Bros. It’s like a rite-of-passage for anyone under the age of 100. This is where you can find those sticky, sweet flavor combinations that might give you diabetes, but taste SO DANG GOOD.
Basically, Dutch Bros has about 3859 drink flavor combinations. From the 12 that I’ve tried, I would personally vouch for their coffee (specifically the Cold Brew)! Not to mention, they have every kind of tea & energy drink you can think of. This is my No.1 stop before every road trip.
Not only will they hype you up with their caffeine combos, but their energy is contagious. The employees are some of the most personable coffee shop workers in the world. They will ask you how your day was (& actually act like they WANT to know), encourage you if you need some kind words, and sing Happy Birthday to your dog (true story! it happened TWICE).
The workers are not afraid to make fun of themselves & will honestly revive your hope in humanity. Highly recommended from this girl <3
Also, they are SUPER dog friendly & will give multiple Pup-Cups to a dog who is greedy & continually returns to the window to ask for more (AKA MY DOG *rolls eyes*). Did I mention that they sang Happy Birthday to my dog by BARKING?? Literally, some of my favorite humans ever.
Union Coffee Co
This is one that not a whole lot of people know about. Union has only been in business for a couple of years (or less!). They are minimalistic, hipster-ish, & super business savvy. It’s another small business, for those of you who like to support your community, and a Christian-owned, Jesus-loving environment.
The beautiful, limited-distraction environment is honestly what motivated me to study throughout high school. If you need inspiration or have a business meeting to conduct, this is the place to go.
Their drink list is minimal, but creative. They have everything from a Cold Brew Latte (which is AMAZING) to a babicino (literally milk in a sippy cup). Their holiday flavors SLAP (tons of options, always something new), & they’ve got pastries from local shops.
As if that wasn’t enough, they also help local businesses by selling their products & roast their own coffee beans. Like, GET OUTTA HERE. I wish there was a Union Coffee Co in Tucson; I really do.
I tried the sparkling pomegranate tea, which was honestly one of my favorite teas I’ve ever had. It’s probably the closest thing to soda that I’ll ever drink & actually like! Seriously, I love Union & you should definitely check it out!
Cabin Café
If you live near CCV, you’ve DEFINITELY been to Cabin. They decorate for every holiday year-round. They’ve got more food & drink options than you’ll every be able to try (& they are CONSTANTLY making more). They are the perfect balance of study & play. Let me show you 👀
The whole place feels cosy as HECK. Entering is like going into a cabin up North. They’ve got walls of board games & hilarious signs, like the one above. Tons of tables and couches for studying or chatting. The only problem is that it’s almost ALWAYS crowded! Go early in the morning if you want to snag a table!
My friend Ally & I have gone here multiple times to watercolor. It’s one of our favorite things to do! I’ve done product shoots here (Scooch cases are the BOMB) & they are SO CHILL about the camera. It’s a fantastic place for Bible studying, too.
So much love for this little hidden gem. Highly recommend!!
Downtown Shops:
Songbird Coffee & Tea house is a place I’ve done MULTIPLE photo shoots before. They are so sweet about allowing cameras in the building & they are always willing to strike up a conversation. It’s an inviting work space & creative space. Plus, they have nights for singers/bands to come & perform in the summer. It’s pretty amazing! Not a place for sugar-sweet drinks, but quality, home-roasted coffee.
Lux – huge store with MANY drink combinations (tea & lemonade FOREVER). They are open SUPER late & are a fantastic post-photoshoot stop to refuel. There is a separate study spot above the café (perfect for students who are easily distracted, like myself) & a beautiful outdoor area.
Jobot – easily the best breakfast burritos around. Perfect for the mid-photoshoot coffee pick-me-up! Friends of mine say it’s a fantastic date location, as well 😉Cute atmosphere, fantastic coffee… Basically, the total package deal.
Be Coffee + Food + Stuff – quite possibly the weirdest coffee shop I’ve ever been to, in the coolest way possible. They have AN ART MUSEUM inside the shop. It’s constantly rotating art exhibits, so it’s definitely worth returning at least twice.
Scottsdale Shops
Press – this is a new favorite, but I am SO glad that I know about Press Coffee. These guys have the best avocado chicken burritos you’ve ever tried & an amazing Cold Brew (can you tell that I’m obsessed?). It’s another small business, similar to Union.
Can you tell that coffee is one of my favorite things that this world has to offer? If you already knew about ALL of the shops listed above, you are officially one of my favorite PEOPLE in this world.
List some more & keep the caffeine community going in the comments below! I’d LOVE to try some new spots out.
Next blog post… fun P-town date ideas? I think so. 😝
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