Photos by Nicole Roegner Baker Wee & Coffee

Tired of drinking standard java at coffee chains? Five West Valley coffee shops provide a relaxing alternative to the grab-and-go.

Bad Ass Coffee
Bad Ass Coffee exudes the friendly, laid-back atmosphere of a Hawaiian vacation. The sunny orange interior – adorned with surfboards and faux palm trees – provides a relaxing beach environment. Just like a souvenir shop, it offers merchandise such as T-shirts, customized mugs, key chains and chocolates. Best of all, you can indulge in a steaming cup of Kona coffee, one of Hawaii’s most famous exports, thanks to the island’s rich volcanic soils and humid climate that give this blend its robust flavor. Located in Surprise, it’s the only Bad Ass shop in Arizona.

Baker Wee & Coffee
Experience a blast from the past at Baker Wee & Coffee, a mom-and-pop bakery and coffee shop in west Phoenix. Sip a cup of fresh coffee from atop one of the ’50s-style barstools. Or dive into a deli-style sandwich or homemade dessert. This nostalgic shop also creates wedding cakes and desserts for special occasions.

Cabin Coffee Espresso
When you walk into Cabin Coffee Espresso in Glendale, you won’t find artfully framed photos of fruit baskets and cityscapes like at many run-of-the-mill coffee shops. Instead, the interior resembles a cozy mountain lodge, with a working fireplace and deer heads mounted on the walls. Dozens of varieties of coffee, tea and fruit smoothies are available.

Bad Ass Coffee

Ground Control
For the ultimate Italian coffee experience, stop by Ground Control in Goodyear. Try the premium roasts and blends, perhaps with a scoop of creamy gelato in flavors such as tiramisu, mango, jasmine and caffe bianco. Bottles of Champagne and sparkling wine line the mini-bar in the back corner. By day, natural light floods the plush, European-style interior. At night, dim lights glow next to an aquarium inspired by the Disney movie Finding Nemo. Live bands liven up the place on weekends.

Mighty Cup N Spoon
Located in historic downtown Glendale, the Mighty Cup N Spoon coffee shop looks and feels like your grandma’s house. The fair-trade coffee is organic, the sandwiches and pastries are homemade, and the quaint shop brims with antiques, knickknacks and local arts and crafts.

Resources

Bad Ass Coffee
15643 Reems Road, Surprise
623-544-8716, surpriseazbadasscoffee.com

Baker Wee & Coffee
4253 W. Thunderbird Road, Phoenix
602-843-0112  

Cabin Coffee Espresso
6525 W. Happy Valley Road, Glendale 623-939-8343

Ground Control
14140 W. Indian School Road, Goodyear
623-935-2604, groundxcontrol.com

Mighty Cup N Spoon
7021 N. 57th Ave., Glendale
623-915-5595, mightycupandspoon.com