Lola coffee, located in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, was recommended to me by a local friend. He said that Lola “is where you go if you want a great cup of coffee.” That prospect was good enough for me, and I set out with a few family members in tow. Located on the corner of Roosevelt and 3rd Ave, Lola isn’t especially large. It does, however, have a patio area for sitting outside when the Phoenix heat is tolerable.
The Snapshot
A few things immediately struck me when I walked inside: the people who run Lola clearly have an eye for design. The small-ish area for sitting is maximized with bars along the back wall and front window. A few leather chairs and a couch decorate the interior, and three large, wooden tables great for using a laptop or (as one couple was doing) completing a crossword puzzle. The back wall is decorated with a massive, somewhat abstract, oil painting on four large canvases. A large glass case stands in front of the espresso machine, filled with baked goods and topped by jars of homemade cookies and croissants. On the front wall hangs an old wooden door with a glass panel – black marker spells out the relatively simple, no-frills coffee menu. Beside the door a metal sheet with “Lola” cut out hangs.
The Coffee
Lola’s menu is comprised of espresso drinks and automatic drip coffee. No manual drip methods are available, but what Lola does do, they do well. I chose a normal latte, which they served in a ceramic mug with simple coffee art on top. My dad ordered a hot chocolate (I didn’t inherit my love of coffee from him) and they asked if he wanted whip cream. My dad said yes, and instead of pulling out a pressurized can of store-bought whip cream, the baristas used their own, homemade, brown sugar whip. I tried some of my dad’s, and it far exceeded my expectations.
The espresso was great, and it’s no wonder considering Lola roasts all their own coffee. I enjoyed my latte immensely – it was creamy and smooth from the well frothed milk, and left a bright finish from the lightly acidic espresso. Along with coffee, my family purchased a “Sal De mar” chocolate chip cookie, sprinkled with Maldon sea salt. The cookie was delicious and went perfectly with our respective cups of coffee.
The baristas at Lola were cheery and helpful, speedily pulling our shots and smiling the whole way through. I could tell they enjoy working there, and their happiness was well represented in our mugs.
Final Thoughts
Phoenix isn’t exactly known for its coffee scene, but places like Lola make me re-think my preconceived notions about where a great cup can come from. Lola and smaller coffee shops like it are living reminders that you don’t need to be from Seattle, New York, or San Francisco to make great coffee. Dedicated employees, a passion for design, attention to detail about the small things, and a cheerful attitude go a long way in pushing forward quality coffee all around the world.
Next time you’re in Phoenix, don’t hesitate to stop by Lola Coffee. You won’t regret it.
My favorite part about reviewing coffee is coming into contact with family roasting companies that have been around for generations. When I’m able to review or buy coffee from a shop that has been around for decades, passing recipes and roasting techniques down as they go, I know I’m in for a treat. Mills Coffee is one such company, having been founded by Thomas Mills in 1860. The roasting company is currently being run by fourth and fifth generation Mills who recently launched TheQueenBean.com, their online retailer that sells their signature roasts and blends.
The Snapshot
After Thomas Mills emigrated to the United States in 1860 from Scotland he opened Mills Teas and Butter. Eventually he decided to expand to include his new favorite beverage: coffee. In the late 1800s Thomas began roasting his own beans, beginning a tradition that would continue for over a century. Today, Mills Coffee is run by Susan and her brother David. David took on the role of master roaster while Susan handles financial and creative dimensions of the company. Susan’s son Dave now works in the family business, being an all around go-to man and stepping in to roast when David is away. Her daughter Nicole handles online retail through their new website. Mills Coffee is a family company through-and-throug and they carefully select their coffees from high quality, sustainable, eco-friendly, socially-conscious environments. One of the places they get their beans is La Cotorra farm, located in a remote portion of the Dominican Republic. They helped La Cotorra get out of a tight financial spot, simultaneously contributing to the local DR community.
David Mills visiting a farm in Costa Rica
Their online store is easy to navigate, with coffees in the $20/lb range (upwards with shipping). The “coffee 101” and “about” sections of their website are fine, though they don’t give nearly as much information as the handout they included with my coffee. Their story is fascinating to read, and I think it would benefit them greatly to include it on their website. Additionally, the art on their shopping portion of the website is a bit much and doesn’t tell me a lot about the coffee, besides the name. The rest of the website has a lighthearted yet still professional feel, while the art seemed to stick out as being not entirely cohesive with the rest of the site. Perhaps determining a consistent theme and then departing from that according to the specifics of each coffee would help. Ordering coffee is a breeze, though the descriptions of their roasts and blends are hit and miss. Some are great – offering flavor profiles and specifics about where the coffee was grown. Others are more general and could use some more details about what makes that coffee unique. I’m probably a bit oversensitive here: I really like to know what coffee I’m getting and where it came from. It could be that this simply isn’t as big of a deal to the average consumer. Overall, I’m excited that they decided to open up an online store this year, and I think Mills Coffee is taking steps in the right direction.
The Coffee
Mills Coffee sent me two coffees: their Dominican and El Salvador roasts. I ended up enjoying the Dominican more, but both brought interesting flavor profiles to the table.
The Dominican is a lighter roast with strong, earthy notes and mild acidity. Brewing it in my v60 created an expected clean cup of coffee, and I found the aftertaste to be almost sweet. The flavor is strong and present throughout each sip, never wavering. It reminded me of a macadamia nut – smooth, yet bold all at once. It kept me coming back for more, and the steadiness of each cup increased my trust in this coffee.
The El Salvador, conversely, is more citrusy/chocolatey in flavor. It reminded me almost of a chocolate covered peanut, which is welcome to be sure. My only qualm with this coffee was that each sip finished extremely dry. While it wasn’t inherently bad, I found myself desiring no more than one cup in a sitting, followed by a glass of water.
Final Thoughts
I absolutely recommend buying Mills Coffee. Their family origins and their passion to make a great product is evident. Their coffee is delicious, and their website is a very capable medium to purchase from. My experience with them has only been positive, and it is evident that they really do care about the quality of their roasts.
My travels have taken me to New Orleans for this 4th of July weekend. Good coffee was on my mind, so I asked Reddit where the good shops in the NOLA area. After receiving several responses, I decided it was time to take a coffee crawl.
A coffee crawl is similar to a bar crawl – multiple locations are hit up for the benefit of sight-seeing and experiencing things that you might not just sitting in one location all evening. I wanted to get a feel for where New Orleans was at in their coffee scene, especially since my time in the south has largely left me with a bad taste in my mouth when it comes to their coffee – literally.
It was a great time! I got the chance to walk all around New Orleans, and my coffee experience ran the gambit from truly great to extremely distasteful. NOLA is well on its way to a great coffee scene. Check out the video I made during my experience, below. I’ve listed out individual observations for the various coffee shops below as well.
Velvet Espresso Bar
Located on Magazine street, Velvet Espresso Bar didn’t look like much from the outside. The inside doesn’t have a ton to offer either: two bars with stools to sit and have a quick lunch is all the seating available. They use square and an iPad to process orders, and their menu is written on the wall in chalk. But a majority of the one room building is dedicated to what actually matters: coffee. A large espresso machine, siphons, and a pour station give way for plenty of ordering options. On the wall opposite the espresso machine the available coffees were lined up. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Velvet serves Stumptown coffee. After spotting the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, I ordered a V60 pourover with a shot of espresso on the side.
There were two other gentlemen in the shop with me, and both were eating sandwiches when I entered. After ordering, I took a seat and admired the local art that amply decorates the walls. One of the gentlemen asked if I wanted half of his sandwich since he wasn’t going to eat it, and I happily obliged. Velvet knows how to make an egg-and-jam sandwich! After sucking up the last bite, my coffee was ready. The presentation was phenomenal, and the barista was sweet.
I found my espresso to be a little flat, and while I’m not sure the exact type of coffee they were using for it, I was surprised. It was smooth on the palette, but had a rocky finish that wasn’t quite to my taste. The pour-over was extremely well made, however. I love a good Yirgacheffe in the first place, and this one exceeded expectations. The sweet, fruity-carmel notes were present throughout each taste. The cup was clean and well balanced – every sip left me wanting another. As it cooled the cup took on richer flavors of chocolate that only got more delicious.
I can’t recommend Velvet enough as a place to pass through or grab a quick sandwich and pour-over. It’s not an ideal place to try and get work done, but the coffee is worth making it a destination spot.
Peaches Records
On my way to find the New Orleans classic Cafe Du Monde, I ran into this record store. They had a sign that proudly proclaimed “cafe” on the outside, and I figured any record store that felt it was worth advertising their coffee was worth me checking out. I’m glad I did! Peaches is filled with character. A store that felt similar to Boise’s Record Exchange, it is as quirky as it is homey. I found myself engaged in a conversation with one employee about the merits of records becoming popular once again – a subject I couldn’t have cared less about mere minutes ago.The staff was engaging, helpful, and in the end they made a killer espresso.
The espresso was much better than Velvet’s – a welcome surprise. It was full bodied and rich, nutty notes throughout. In one employee’s words, “people from other countries come here and say it’s the best espresso they’ve ever had.” I was happy to indulge while listening to great music (Preacher Man played on the speakers overhead).
Peaches is located on N. Peters Street right in the hubub of downtown. If you need a quick reprieve from the hustle and bustle of tourists I would highly recommend grabbing an espresso or latte and taking a seat at one of their several tables. Or, if it’s your thing, talk up one of the employees about records. They sell plenty of those as well!
Cafe Du Monde
If you’re in New Orleans for any stint of time, someone will tell you that you have to visit Cafe Du Monde. While they are probably most famous for their beniegets (a French type of donut), they also boast about their chicory coffee. Chicory is plant which has been used as a coffee substitute/additive off and on for centuries. I had never tried it myself, and Cafe Du Monde seemed like the place to do it.
There are several locations inside and outside of New Orleans, the most famous being the one in the French Market. This location was established in 1862. Open 24 hrs a day, it only closes on Christmas and when the occasional hurricane messes up the daily routine.
I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect at Cafe Du Monde even after hearing so much about it. As I took my seat at one of the many outside tables, I was struck by just how many people were there. There was something about the smell of fried dough, mixed with the 40-something fathers with cameras draped around their necks and young children running around that made me instinctively look around for where my Mickey Mouse ears went.
A small order of beniegets and a small coffee cost me only $5 (cash only). The coffee is really not that good. Unfortunately, it seems as though the chicory is present to mask the burnt coffee taste. An initial sip revealed the presence of a foreign substance immediately – undoubtedly the chicory. It isn’t unpleasant, but it’s definitely not delicious or desired. Akin to eating a skittle and expecting an M&M, perhaps. The beniegets are another matter altogether, however. As someone with a bit of a sweet tooth, I admit that I loved the ample amount of powdered sugar present on each one. They were really delicious.
Cafe Du Monde is worth visiting simply to say you did. If you’re looking for a great place to have a seat and enjoy a conversation over a cup of coffee, look elsewhere. The loud crowds and unsatisfactory brew make this tourist destination worth the pictures, and that’s about it.
The Orange Couch
Desiring to end my day on a high note, I walked through the French Market over to Royal street in the hopes that a cafe named The Orange Couch would give me some relaxation and a good cup of coffee. Situated in a much quieter part of the city, no tourists were fighting to get inside the small doors. The Orange Couch uses white as its primary decorative color, giving the room a fresh, clean feel. Situated in the middle of the coffee shop towards the front is a bright orange couch.
After inquiring and being told that they, unfortunately, do not serve pour-overs, the knowledgeable barista recommended I try their cold brew. Iced coffee did sound good after the hot walk from Cafe Du Monde, so I consented and found a table to sit at. The Orange Couch has plenty of tables, couches, and chairs. Free wifi and plenty of power outlets make this a great location to get school or work done.
The cold brew was quite good. Nothing strikingly original made it stand out, but by the end I felt refreshed and highly caffeinated. The body was tart, and the end was smooth, if a bit watered down from the ice.
While I wouldn’t go to The Orange Couch expecting to be blown away by their coffee, the environment was the best I experienced all day. The staff was friendly, and the peaceful atmosphere made me glad I had made the trip.
Summary
In all, my New Orleans coffee crawl was a success. While it’s clear that NOLA has a ways to go in its coffee scene, there were plenty of options that I wouldn’t mind coming back to. Velvet and The Orange Couch rank up there with some of the best I’ve had, while Peaches felt like a welcome little taste of home.
If you’re ever in the New Orleans area, I’d love to hear about your coffee experiences. Feel free to leave a comment or hit me up on Twitter.
Lola’s menu is comprised of espresso drinks and automatic drip coffee. No manual drip methods are available, but what Lola does do, they do well. I chose a normal latte, which they served in a ceramic mug with simple coffee art on top. My dad ordered a hot chocolate (I didn’t inherit my love of coffee from him) and they asked if he wanted whip cream. My dad said yes, and instead of pulling out a pressurized can of store-bought whip cream, the baristas used their own, homemade, brown sugar whip. I tried some of my dad’s, and it far exceeded my expectations.
Phoenix isn’t exactly known for its coffee scene, but places like Lola make me re-think my preconceived notions about where a great cup can come from. Lola and smaller coffee shops like it are living reminders that you don’t need to be from Seattle, New York, or San Francisco to make great coffee. Dedicated employees, a passion for design, attention to detail about the small things, and a cheerful attitude go a long way in pushing forward quality coffee all around the world.
