LOCATION(S): TEMPE & OLD TOWN SCOTTSDALE, AZ
PRICE: AVERAGE
HOMEPAGE
ESPRESSO: 7 – AWESOME!
POUR-OVER (BLEND-48): 8 – Hell Yeah, I’ll Drink It Again!
The third coffee roaster that I stopped at during my vacation in the Valley of the Sun was the Cartel Roasting Co. Cartel Roasting has several locations in Arizonia and California; I checked out two of them.
My first stop was the one in Tempe. Years ago, I used to work in downtown Tempe a short walk from the Cartel location on Maple and Ash Streets, so I knew the neighborhood and where the store is located. When I got there, I thought to myself: wasn’t there a bicycle shop at this location back in the day?
Upon entering the shop, I was immediately hit with a cool coffeeshop vibe. It’s a large place with many options for seating. It was moderately busy for a Monday morning. As I walked to the counter to order, I saw laptops open and people working and socializing—and then I noticed the bicycle wheels hanging from the ceiling, which confirmed my recollection.
As I reached the counter I was greeted with a friendly smile and, “Welcome to Cartel Coffee!” I explained this was my first visit to Cartel, so the barista eagerly did a quick overview of the coffees and products offered and asked my preferences. He suggested the Blend-48, which I ordered along with a shot of espresso on the side.
I took a seat and waited for my coffee to be prepared and just took in the vibe. If this place had been here when I worked at Chase Bank I would have probably spent a good bit of my offtime at Cartel.
In a few minutes, my order was ready. I started with the espresso shot. It had a nice layer of crema on top and had a pleasant, fragrant aroma. I took my first sip and discovered a smooth feel and taste along with a hint of bitterness which just enhanced the flavor. I would say it’s a decent espresso shot that I would recommend and drink again.
The pour over of the Blend-48 was very similar experience: light and airy mouthfeel, a smooth and velvety texture—not watery, not heavy, just smooth. The taste of the coffee was excellent, with notes of berries. I enjoyed the Blend-48 so much, in fact, that I took a bag of it home with me.
Later in the week, I was tourist shopping in the 5th Avenue Shops in Scottsdale when I came across another Cartel location. Since the coffee was so good on my visit to the Tempe location, I figured that I would try something different at this one. This shop was smaller, with not so much comfortable seating. There were a few people in the shop, but it was an early afternoon, which some may say is a bit late for coffee. This location was definitely designed for the casual person to stop in and get a cup of coffee while shopping, not so much a place to chill and work or soak in the atmosphere. A quick respite from shopping with a good cup of coffee.
I bought another cup of coffee, but unfortunately I do not remember the name of the blend. This coffee was so mediocre that I cannot even remember what it was I drank. The barista at this location offered a free refill, and this time the coffee was good enough for me to get a second cup, so I can’t say it was completely bad. Just nothing to write home about. Or, apparently, to remember.
I would recommend Cartel Roasting Co. I am looking forward to ordering a few different coffees to try at home in my French Press, and I am certain that on my next trip to Tempe, I will go spend some time at the shop at Maple and Ash. And of course we’ll post in-depth reviews of the individual Cartel coffees once me and Pegritz get to them.
—Joe, for pegritzandjoedrinkcoffee.com.
Pegritz and Joe Drink Coffee 
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