Photos by Nicole Roegner

Tired of packaged coffee that’s not worth a hill of beans? Try these local roasters, whose worldly products are all the rage.

Matador Coffee Roasting Co.
3230 E. Union Hills Drive, Ste. 135, Phoenix
602-971-3600
matadorcoffeeroastingco.com

Owner Mario Martusciello, a Phoenix native by way of the Seattle rock scene, imports international beans and roasts them to order for ultimate freshness. To give his organic Bolivian coffee beans a woody medium roast with a splash of citrus, he roasts 30 pounds at a time for 15 minutes. Craving a darker roast? Try Martusciello’s favorite, the Costa Rican. It’s roasted for a maximum of 17 minutes to deliver an earthy, dark chocolate flavor. Beans cost $10 per pound and include a drink from the Matador café, where you can watch the roasting process.

Cartel Coffee Lab
225 W. University drive, Tempe
480-225-3899
cartelcoffeelab.com

If your focus is fresh coffee, Cartel Coffee Lab has the roast to boast. Favorites like sweet Guatemala Huehuetenango coffee and creamy El Salvador coffee aren’t on shelves year-round. That’s because owner Jason Silberschlag boots beans that are nine to 12 months older than their picking dates to prevent diminished flavor. And just like the shelf life, roasting time is closely monitored. Beans roast in small 20-pound batches to ensure precision. Cartel’s beans are never roasted past the second crack (the popping sound indicating a bean has reached a medium-dark roast). Coffee beans cost $12-20 per 12 ounces.


Xtreme Bean
1707 E. Southern Ave., Tempe
480-820-0333
xtremebean.com

This Tempe caffeine hotspot is known not only for roasting some tasty java but also for its young, lively atmosphere and variety of drinks. Each week, the staff roasts a different coffee, spending 20 minutes on each batch. The dark roast Italian coffee is a favorite for its hearty flavor; the Costa Rican attracts coffee lovers with a sweet tooth; and the Kenya AA has wine-like undertones. ($10.95 per pound)