Yeah sure, the cotton candy-esque sunsets and the tight-knit community are nice, but my favorite thing about Tucson has nothing to do with either of those.
For me, the best parts about Tucson are the new coffee and tea spots that seem to pop up when you need them the most.
You’ll be driving to work or on your way to the grocery store and there it is: a new coffee truck you’ve never seen before.
You get instant butterflies: now you have the opportunity to try a new place and get a fun drink at the same time. Whatever mundane task you were doing before is now a million times better because you have an iced vanilla latte in hand.
These cafés and trailers can turn a frown upside down in a matter of seconds. To help bring more mood-changing drinks into your life, I’ve compiled a list of new cafes and coffee trucks that have popped up in the last few months so you know where to go the next time you need a pick-me-up.
Egg cream coffee (left) and salt cream coffee (right) are two of the specialty drinks Café Thắng offers.
Café Thắng
Most of us reach for coffee as a way to wake us up and keep us caffeinated for a long day at work. At Café Thắng, you can grab a drink that is not only delicious but will keep you alert all day.
This new café specializes in Vietnamese coffee and tea. Unlike your typical cup of joe, Vietnamese coffee has a stronger, more intense flavor and a higher caffeine content. The intense flavor of the coffee is balanced out with the mixture of condensed milk topped off with sweet creams like egg cream or salt cream. Owner Dat Pham was right when he described his iced coffees as addictive.
For more information visit their Facebook page or read our story.
Get hot and iced drinks from Cariño Coffee.
Cariño Coffee
You may have noticed a light-pink coffee cart parked at Hotel Congress recently. This super cute cart is Cariño Coffee, where its owners are crafting drinks with love.
According to their Instagram, the soon-to-be husband-and-wife team are both first-generation Mexican Americans who want to bring all the nostalgic flavors from their culture to our taste buds. You can get your vanilla latte fix here from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the weekends.
For more information, check out their Instagram page.
Celestia Collective is part coffee shop, thanks to co-owner Cassandra Barr, who runs Colibri and Renard Coffee.
Celestia Collective
Celestia Collective is a witchy coffee shop combined with a community space and a tattoo studio. You can grab a coffee, shop metaphysical crafts, get a tattoo, learn new crafts or tackle some homework.
The coffee comes from Colibri & Renard Coffee, which is owned by Cassandra Barr (who is also one of the owners behind Celestia Collective). Expect cold brew, hot coffee and espresso, in addition to house-made syrups. Celestia Collective is in its soft opening phase now, with a grand opening slated for Sept. 13.
For more information, check out their Instagram page or read our story.
Steve and Cheryll Benefield look over the menu at the Chocolate Iguana at its new location, 7250 N. La Cholla Blvd., on July 9.
Chocolate Iguana
For years, coffee and candy shop Chocolate Iguana was home to historic Fourth Avenue. The shop closed in 2022 but reopened over the summer in a new location on Tucson's north side.
Along with a full espresso bar, you can find sandwiches, salads, soups and pastries on the menu. The coffee and tea are from Gadsden Coffee and Tea Company in Arivaca.
For more information, check out their Instagram page or read our story.
Hebrews Coffee
Any place that has horchata AND churro lattes is instantly a favorite of mine.
Hebrews Coffee made its debut in Tucson in July, serving up lattes in a chic black trailer. They don’t just have the classic vanilla and caramel flavors — they have a whole list of unique lattes that all sound delicious. Irish hazelnut lattes, brown sugar shaken espressos and honey lavender lattes are just a few of the drinks on the menu. Hebrews Coffee also partners with Cal’s Bakeshop, which means you can get a cronut to go alongside your horchata latte.
For more information on their schedule, check out their Instagram page.
Red Captain Coffee
Back in May, Red Captain Coffee announced it would be closing, leaving a coffee-shaped hole in our hearts. Months later, the red trailer is now back up and running.
In August, Red Captain Coffee announced it’s open again under new management. You can now get their beloved cold brew, seasonal favorites like pumpkin spice lattes and vegan pastries from Houlden’s Rise Above at the trailer we have come to know and love. They can be found Mondays through Saturdays in front of Hem & Her Bridal Shop.
For more information, check out their Instagram page.
Rivers in the Desert is a new coffee trailer that serves up all the classic espresso drinks.
Rivers in the Desert
This coffee trailer may be small, but it packs a punch! Rivers in the Desert knows what it takes to create an excellent, high-quality drink. Their vanilla latte is everything you want from a cup of coffee: it’s creamy, rich and the perfect balance between sweet and smoky. It truly has a velvety taste to it.
For more information on their schedule, check out their Instagram page.
Not only does Rosebud Bakery make tasty pies and cookies, but they also specialize in all kinds of coffee and tea drinks.
Rosebud Bakery
Rosebud Bakery not only serves us tasty pies, cookies and sourdough bread, but they also know how to make a mean cup of coffee.
Sisters Harper and Haley Hall remember enjoying a treat and a cup of coffee at their grandmother’s house while growing up, so they wanted to create that same cozy feeling for the community. Their coffee bar includes all the classics, including cappuccinos, lattes and Americanos. They also have three homemade syrups, honey lavender, cardamom and cinnamon piloncillo, that you can add to sweeten up your drink.
For more information, visit their Instagram page or read our story.
Sonoran House
As owners of kids clothing shop Cactus Wren Kids, Arianna Wilson and Courtney Bedient know what it takes to create something cute and cozy. Now they have taken that knowledge to create a café that encapsulates those same feelings.
At Sonoran House, you can order specialty drinks like agave lattes, matcha lattes and dirty chai lattes. While you sip on your coffee, you can walk around the café to shop all kinds of art, jewelry and candles from local makers. It’s part coffee shop, part store!
For more information, visit their Instagram page or read our story.
Ume Tea is opening their first Tucson location on Saturday, where customers can get a variety of milk and fruit teas.
Ume Tea
Bunnies, pink décor and boba tea: it doesn’t get any better than that! This California chain recently opened their second Arizona location here in Tucson. At this pink wonderland, you can choose from a variety of milk teas, fruit teas and slushies.
Harry Yu, the owner of the shop, said they use fresh fruit to ensure their drinks have the best flavor. Ume Tea also has drinks with mystery plushies tucked inside, so you get a sweet drink AND a super cute prize.
For more information, check out their Instagram page or read our story.
Both Sydney Adams and her dad, Leon Adams, are the ones who bake at Sydney's Sweet Shoppe.
On the horizon
Keep an eye out for these cafes that are gearing up to open soon!
- Brucha, 3435 E. Speedway — Once Brucha opens, you’ll be able to get milk and fruit teas, boba and gelato! They make their boba themselves, rolling it by hand every two hours.
- Chez Peachy, 501 N. Sixth Ave. — The walls of the old Oralia building are now a shade of bubblegum pink. That means only one thing: Chez Peachy has moved in! On Oct. 5, Chez Peachy’s first brick-and-mortar shop will open, featuring all her beloved girly cakes, cookies and brownies. The new spot will also include a café where customers can order her mermaid refreshers and strawberry matchas.
- Sydney’s Sweet Shoppe, 8969 E. Tanque Verde Road — This beloved east-side pie shop is expanding! Sydney’s Sweet Shoppe is moving a few doors down to open a dine-in bakery complete with locally brewed coffee and an expanded dessert menu. Owner Sydney Adams and her father made the big announcement by lip-syncing to a "High School Musical 3" song so you know their new shop is going to be bigger and better than ever!
