FreeForm Coffee Roasters in Sedona, AZ is one of the best specialty coffee shops in Arizona. Fresh roasts, single-origin espresso options, and a slow bar that means business.
Some coffee shops make you feel welcome. FreeForm Coffee Roasters in Sedona makes you feel proud. I walked out of there thinking: yes, Arizona can absolutely hold its own against any coffee city in the world! And I mean that.
Let me start with the machine. A Victoria Arduino Eagle espresso machine sits behind the bar and if you know, you know. If you do not know, just trust that it is the kind of equipment that signals a place is serious without needing to announce it.
Owners Daniel and Monica Garland have built something genuinely special here. They have since moved their roasting operations from Sedona to a larger facility in Cottonwood, AZ which tells you the operation is growing. But the soul of it is still very much present in this shop by the Open Gate Sculpture roundabout.
Now here is where it gets fun. You get to choose your espresso base from their single-origin options. That alone puts FreeForm in a different category from most coffee shops. I went with the Ethiopian Suke Quto for my latte. It is a microlot from the Guji highlands, processed using a limited-oxygen fermentation that pulls out floral aromatics, sparkling fruit character and dark chocolate depth. Light roasted. Phenomenal. Perfectly balanced. One of the better lattes I have had in a long time.
I had my eye on the Mon Cheri seasonal blend for a second latte (notes of amaretto, cherry, almond and milk chocolate). Turns out it was not available as an espresso base option that day. These things happen with seasonal and specialty offerings. No hard feelings. It is actually available as a pour over, which is probably the right format for beans that expressive anyway. And it gives me a perfectly good reason to go back.
Speaking of pour overs, the slow bar here is impressive. Multiple single-origin options. This is a proper destination for coffee aficionados. The kind of place where you can go deep if you want to, or simply order a Vanilla Rose Latte and a muffin without anyone giving you a look. FreeForm famously upholds a no coffee snobbery policy and I love them for it.
All the coffee bags for sale are beautifully packed and smell incredible. They are days fresh from the roast. I already had plenty of single origins at home but I still bought a 12oz bag of their Breakfast Blend Aurora (Brazil, Peru and Ethiopia). Named for the Roman goddess of dawn. Nutty, chocolatey and low in acidity. It was calling my name and I answered.
The space itself is small but well done. Comfortable seating inside. And then there is the upstairs outdoor area that overlooks the Tlaquepaque shopping center and Oak Creek. We ended up walking to Tlaquepaque after (about a 5 minute walk) and crossed a beautiful pedestrian bridge over Oak Creek where the water was moving fast. A perfect pairing with a great cup of coffee.
Now let me tell you about the part that actually made me respect this place beyond the coffee. Accourding to their website, FreeForm donates 1% of coffee sales revenue to vetted regional nonprofits working in environmental stewardship and human rights. They offset the carbon footprint of every package they ship. They have planted 15,300 trees in partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects. They pay all employees a minimum of $25 per hour (well above Arizona's minimum wage) and offer employer sponsored healthcare. They source at a minimum of twice Fair Trade standards.
This is a business that actually walks the walk.
If you are visiting Sedona and you love coffee, FreeForm is not optional. And if you live in Arizona and have not made the trip yet, what are you waiting for?
Visit my Sedona Coffee Guide for more.
| Sunday | 7AM-2PM |
| Monday | 7AM-2PM |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 7AM-2PM |
| Thursday | 7AM-2PM |
| Friday | 7AM-2PM |
| Saturday | 7AM-2PM |
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