Aristocrat Coffee Roasters

Aristocrat Coffee Roasters is a new specialty coffee shop in Downtown Chandler, AZ. The menu includes espresso drinks, Greek coffee, pour-over (coming soon) and desserts.

Paul Rouvas is Greek. He named his coffee shop after his favorite saxophone (which hangs proudly on the wall). He worked alongside his father in the restaurant industry for years and carries a long list of SCA certifications under his belt. And somewhere along the way he fell deeply in love with coffee. That combination of hospitality instinct and coffee nerd energy is exactly what Downtown Chandler needed.

When I walked into Aristocrat for the first time, the first thing I noticed was the machine. Sitting on the bar was a black Kees Van Der Westen Spirit espresso machine. I had seen one years ago at a coffee shop out on the west coast during my travels. I thought I would never see one again. Here it was, in Chandler. Paul knows what he is doing.

Currently, espresso is made using single origin Mexican Chiapas beans. I am not always a huge fan of Chiapas, but Paul pulled a latte that was phenomenal! The Kees does not hurt. And here is something I appreciate: hot lattes come in one size. One. If a coffee shop offers you three or four size options, that is usually not a good sign. Every size change throws off calibration and you lose the balance of the drink. At Aristocrat, you do not have to worry about that.

My wife ordered a Freddo Cappuccino (half sweet). For those unfamiliar, it is a popular Greek iced coffee made with a double shot of espresso shaken with ice and topped with thick cold frothed milk. I may have stolen a few sips when she was not looking. It was layered, creamy and perfectly sweet. I highly recommend it.

Paul is also obsessed with roasting quality. He measures the moisture content of green coffee to make sure it lands in the optimal range. He roasts on a Probat which is about as serious as it gets for heat retention and thermal consistency. This is some serious high tech equipment here.

Pour-over options are not ready as of my first visit (mid-March) but they are coming very soon. A Chemex setup is already in place and counter mounted heat lamps are already installed. That kind of detail tells you everything about what to expect.

Parking is easy. There is free street parking and a free city garage right across the street. There is also a nice patio for the cooler months.

Aristocrat Coffee Roasters is in soft opening right now. And honestly, as someone who lives in the East Valley, I find that exciting. This neighborhood does not always get first dibs on the best things. But here is a shop with a world-class espresso machine, a roaster who measures moisture content in green coffee, SCA certifications on the wall and Greek coffee on the menu. This is the kind of place that other cities brag about having. It is right here in Downtown Chandler. Go now, while it is still quiet. You will want to say you were there early.

See more local Arizona coffee roasters that prioritize meticulously sourced single-origin beans

• Mythical Coffee Roasters - Gilbert
• Sagebrush Coffee Shop & Roastery - Chandler
• See my list of the best roaster cafes in Arizona for more shops that roast their own beans in-house.