The Grove Artisan Cafe and Bakery

Most coffee shops pick a lane. Morning spot or night spot. Bakery or bar. The Grove, sitting on High Street in north Phoenix's Desert Ridge area decided to ignore that rule entirely.

High Street is a polished and walkable lifestyle district. It is the kind of place that feels curated without feeling corporate. The Grove fits that energy well. It reads less like a corner bakery and more like something that belongs in a destination. Right next door sits the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & SPA (home to one of the best golf courses in the Valley) and if you are staying there, The Grove is less than a mile walk away.

Walk in and the room does a lot of things right. The paint is light and bright. The barista bar has beautiful wood paneling. Round tables paired with elegant upholstered chairs are spread across smooth concrete floors. On one side you get booth style seating sharing tables. On the other you'll notice a long bar by the windows with stools for people who prefer to watch life go by outside. Beautiful wall lamps. Flower bouquets and roses on the tables. It is the kind of interior that makes you slow down a little before you even order.

The coffee comes from Passport Coffee and Tea which is a respected Valley roaster. For espresso drinks,  The Grove pulls from the Portofino blend which is a medium light roast built from Ethiopian, Costa Rican, Guatemalan and Brazilian beans with caramel front and center. It showed up clearly in my latte. It was balanced and full bodied without being heavy.

For drip, the Tuscany Blend takes over. It is a medium dark roast with Central American and Indonesian beans and the tasting notes lean toward dark chocolate and caramel. I had a small drip sample and it delivered exactly that. Shots are pulled on a La Marzocca Linea which is the kind of machine serious coffee shops own.

The bakery items looked genuinely great. Croissants, muffins and more. I had made the mistake of eating a big breakfast before arriving so I had to pass. Next visit I am coming hungry!

Now. About the other thing.

Thursday through Saturday, The Grove stays open until 1:00am (as of this writing) with a Midnight Menu starting at 6pm. The espresso machine runs all the way to close. That alone makes this place unusual. But the real surprise is in the back of the shop.

Look for the phone booth.

Punch star 78 on the keypad. Push the door. You are now inside Star Seventy-Eight, a speakeasy that feels like the prohibition era decided to set up shop behind a coffee shop in north Phoenix. The space is quaint and intimate. A true speakeasy should have no signage outside and a creative way in. Star Seventy-Eight  almost nails that down.

I visited in the morning (when I needed the caffeine the most) so I did not make it inside the the speakeasy. Plus I think it requires reservation for folks coming to it. I linked to there web site if you are interested. I will try to keep this conversation about coffee.

The Grove is doing something genuinely fun here. A bright elegant cafe by day with serious coffee and beautiful pastries. A hidden speakeasy by night with a phone booth entrance. High Street picked a good neighbor.