Mythical Coffee Roasters

Remember when I called Gilbert an underserved coffee town somewhere earlier on this list? Mythical is exactly why that is changing.

I first walked in when the shop was only a few weeks old and I have been back many times since. It is already a destination and it earned that fast.

The whole operation is built around in house roasting and an obsession with sourcing. Mythical is mostly not a blend shop. Blends barely get a mention here. This is an origins first operation and they live and breathe it. I wish more shops were like that. You will find washed coffees, naturally processed coffees and no shortage of anaerobics too! Every bag of coffee comes with full origin/processing details so ordering here feels like picking a destination rather than a drink. My only nitpick is that I wish they printed espresso and pour-over recipes right on the bags.

Here is the fun part. Mythical is one of the few shops in the East Valley offering single origin espresso and most days you get two options to choose from. It is not printed on the menu though. You have to ask which beans are going into your espresso. Do it. The staff will happily walk you through each one of the options for that day until you land on the right cup. That kind of service turns a simple order into an experience!

The pour over slow bar is sadly gone now but single origin drip and filter coffee are still available. The origin focused experience is very much alive.

The names on the menu are half the fun. Everything is pulled from world mythology. Demeter, Hera, Odysseus, Trojan Horse, Adonis, Phoebus, Perseus. It is a clever way to make specialty coffee feel approachable instead of intimidating.

The drink menu leans creative in the best way. You can go simple with a flawless Cortado or go bold with a Lavender and Blueberry Latte or a smoky Peach Bourbon Latte. The syrups are made in house and mostly gluten free and vegan so there is plenty of room to experiment without asking a bunch of questions first.

The room itself is classic Arizona minimalist. Bright cozy and welcoming. It also tends to run full because the East Valley just does not have enough shops like this yet. Come prepared to wait a bit for a seat especially on a busy morning.

Behind the bar sits a Synesso MVP Hydra running four stage pressure profiling on every shot. That is serious equipment doing serious work and you can taste the difference in the cup.

Mythical earned its name. This is a shop that turns coffee into a bit of a legend every single visit.