Commons Coffeehouse & Cafe

Some of the best coffee spots in Phoenix are the ones you almost never find. The Commons Coffeehouse in Gilbert is one of them. It sits on the Redemption Church campus off W Elliot Rd and that single fact probably keeps a lot of people away. It should not. You do not need to be religious to enjoy this place. Nobody is going to hand you a pamphlet. Just come for the coffee.

When you enter the campus from W Elliot Rd, the coffee shop is on your left in the west side building. Look for the "Coffeehouse Open" sign visible through the glass.

The space is one of the most breathtaking I have encountered in any coffee shop in the Valley. Spacious is an understatement. The ceilings are high. The floors are terrazzo. Floor to ceiling glass walls allow the natural light to pour in generously. A cluster of black leather armchairs arranged around a deep red Persian style rug anchors one corner of the room. The rest of the seating is a mix of cafe tables and high tops.

The real showstopper is the back wall. Large glass garage style doors open fully to a wide covered patio that stretches out toward a green field. Sit on that patio. You will hear birds. Maybe a distant train. That is about it.

Behind a glass partition inside the building is a Commons Prayer Space. It is accessible from outside the shop, not from within it. There is a sign asking visitors to leave food and drink behind before entering. I did not go in but I could see it from where I sat. It was calm and quiet and honestly a bit appealing even for someone that is not religious. Think of it as a private room for contemplation. A nice extra for those who want it and completely ignorable for those who do not.

The WiFi is excellent by the way. This is a genuinely great place to sit and work.

Now the coffee. The shop sources exclusively from Saint Frank Coffee which is an acclaimed San Francisco roaster. The name comes from Saint Francis of Assisi, a figure known for finding meaning in the simple and the ordinary. That philosophy carries directly into how Saint Frank approaches coffee. They describe themselves not as technical masters but as translators, the final step in a story that begins with small scale farmers in places like Honduras and Burundi. It is a humble and sincere way to run a roastery and it shows in the cup.

The espresso is pulled from Saint Frank's Little Brother blend. It is a medium roast sourced entirely from small family farms in the Santa Barbara Mountain region of Honduras. The roaster intentionally combines specific lots from that region to maintain a consistent profile. Think of it as a regional blend where the individual farm lots each contribute something distinct to the final cup. The tasting notes are milk chocolate, caramel and honey and those come through clearly. My latte (hot, whole milk) was smooth and well balanced. I picked up the honey note in particular. Nothing aggressive. Nothing out of place. Just a clean and satisfying cup.

A quick note on sizing. Both the small and large hot lattes come with a double shot. If you are tempted by the large, consider asking for an extra shot (available for an additional charge). More milk without more espresso tends to dilute the balance and this blend deserves better than that.

The drip is pulled from Sister Moon, a medium roast Latin American blend currently featuring a 50/50 split between producers in Bolivia and Honduras. Where Little Brother leans slightly brighter, Sister Moon goes deeper with cocoa, toffee and toasted hazelnut. I tried a sample and it was smooth and approachable. A great option if you prefer a more classic coffee profile.

The Commons Coffeehouse is a rare thing. A spacious, serene and genuinely well run coffee shop with serious beans and an atmosphere that is hard to replicate. The church campus connection is a non issue once you are inside. What you will find instead is one of the most peaceful places in the East Valley to sit, sip and breathe.