Maleta Cafe

Maleta Cafe at 147 E Adams St. in downtown Phoenix has a menu of travel inspired creative specialty lattes, house made syrups and quality beans worth seeking out. It is tucked inside the Arizona Latino Arts & Cultural Center (ALAC).

Adams St. is one of my favorite street in downtown Phoenix. It has shade, a cozy feel and one of the most spectacular murals in the city running 190 feet along the block. And now it has a specialty coffee shop that actually belongs here. Maleta Cafe feels less like a shop that rented a spot and more like something that grew out of the building itself. That is because, in a way...it did.

Owner Ms. Maria Miranda spent roughly 10 years volunteering at ALAC before she ever pulled an espresso shot there. She came in as an ASU intern and eventually helped shape the center through social media, event planning and art curation. She also brought serious coffee experience with her including time behind the bar at Aruma Cafe in Tempe. Maleta Cafe is the result of all that history and of years of travel. Her signature drinks are named after the places she has been and the flavors follow.

Walking in through the double glass doors and you get the picture quickly. On your left, small wooden bistro tables sit against a white wall covered in colorful framed artwork. Directly ahead, a large ornate gold framed portrait commands the room and tells you exactly where you are. On the right is the service area where Maria works. There is a simple bench and a small white side table nearby if you want to wait for your drink while taking in the exhibits.

But do not stop there. Once you have your coffee, keep going. The gallery opens up into multiple large rooms with plenty of seating and art covering every wall. A hallway leads you deep into the back toward a quiet nook with two accent chairs. Loop further and you pass through a photography area and a music room before coming back around to the front. Leave the laptop in the bag. Put the phone away. Every time your eye lands somewhere, there is a painting, a sculpture or an installation waiting for you. Sip your coffee and just take it in. The building has a real campus feel to it. ALAC was built in 2009 specifically because Phoenix lacked a Latino cultural center, and walking through it, that origin story makes complete sense.

Now, the coffee. The beans are from Pair Cupworks (a name this website knows well) and the current offering is a Mexican Chiapas roast with notes of chocolate, brown sugar and raisins. Maria does a single size for her lattes, which is actually a smart call and I respect that. You get a proper double shot and the right balance every time. I had the latte and it was exactly what a well made espresso drink should be. My only gripe is a personal one. I kept wishing for a natural processed beans like an Ethiopean. Something with more floral and fruity character. But that is just me being spoiled. Most people prefer the cleaner, less fruity notes that a washed coffee brings and the Chiapas delivers that really well.

My wife ordered the Cairo. It arrived with a small Egyptian flag on top and a piece of actual date fruit sitting right there in the drink. Maria told us that is how they serve it in Egypt. Something she picked up from her travels there. The caramel and cold foam finish tied it together nicely. Balanced, not too sweet and genuinely fun to look at.

And then there are the cookies. The buttered toast strawberry jam cookie has been living rent free in my head since I visited. Maria's friend bakes the goodies and they are amazing 10 out of 10! Enough said.

One more thing worth mentioning. Maria told me she is considering adding pour over service in the next few months. I noticed the Chemex already on the shelf, so it sounds like this is closer to happening than not. This is super exciting for the slow bar fans.

ALAC sits right between the Phoenix Convention Center and Symphony Hall with the Hyatt Regency across the street. It is a well positioned spot for commuters and visitors alike. And if you are visiting from out of town and happen to love murals and art, this stretch of downtown is a goldmine. The 190 foot welcome mural runs right along Adams St. and just around the corner on Central Ave. is "Timeless," a 144 foot piece on the side of the Renaissance Hotel that actually changes appearance as the sun moves across the sky throughout the day. Come for the coffee. Stay for the walls.