Enroute Coffee & Tea

The West Valley does not get a lot of love in the media. I have said it before. Good coffee options in Goodyear are not exactly abundant. So when someone builds something worth talking about right off the I-10 at Estrella Parkway (literally one exit and you are there), it matters.

Enroute is bright and spacious. Polished concrete floors. High ceilings. Soft pastels and botanical accents everywhere. The service counter has this beautiful light blue bar with classic wainscoting detail. A white stone countertop running its full length and leafy green wallpaper on the back wall that ties it all together. It is calm without being cold. The whole area outside feels new too. Medjool palms lining the Estrella Parkway. Shopping centers that still look like they just came out of the box.

But here is the thing. Enroute is not trying to be a minimalist third wave coffee bar. It is trying to be the best neighborhood cafe in Goodyear. The menu is one of the broadest I have seen at an independent shop. Specialty lattes, loose leaf teas, matcha, chai, lotus energy drinks, protein smoothies, Italian sodas, a full food menu and a kids menu too. This is the place you bring a group with wildly different tastes and everyone finds something.

And the coffee? Espresso shots are pulled on a gorgeous Nuova Simonelli machine using a naturally processed Brazilian single origin roasted by Union Coffee Co. For drip and other coffee options, they switch to a light roasted Brazil and Colombia blend that skews brighter and more delicate. I had a straight latte with double shot of espresso and it was great. Smooth, well extracted and no bitterness hiding behind milk. A lot of shops can build fun signature drinks but completely fall apart at the espresso. Not here. I also tried the seasonal Ube Caramel latte cold and it was fantastic. Not too sweet and refreshing in a way that made me wish it had a permanent spot on the menu year round.

Comfy chairs, strong wifi, outlets everywhere and everything sparkly clean. People come here to stay a while. Enroute is exactly what you want to find one exit off the freeway in Goodyear.