Lux Coffee Bar is easily a contender for the coolest coffee joint in the Phoenix area. Love the vibe, love the people, love the coffee. Located directly accross the street from Central High School on Central Ave, north of Alma School. Look for the olive green facade.
I tried a small light roast, Ethiopian blend; cost: $1.50. Well worth it. Clean flavor that hangs onto the back of the tongue for a just long enough so that you wouldn’t mind if it stayed a bit longer.
Lux gets their beans (still green) from Arizona Coffee Roasters and then roasts it in-house. They also have a luxurious baked goods selection.
Artist for this month: Ian Christiansen (one of his paintings below). I don’t think he has a website or I’d list it here. His is a memorable style that makes a straightforward expression (as far as I, a layman, can tell). He’ll have a get-together at Lux this May 11th, 7-10pm.
Funny thing, there seemed to be an extremely high concentration of upstanding citizens streaming in and out of Lux during the short time I was there (a Monday morning). Everyone was well groomed, tastefully dressed and polite… just the right balance of business and leisure. Lux has no drive-thru, so these folks (all of whom seem to be regulars) had to stop, park, walk in, wait in line, then go to work. Well worth it.
This definitely looks like a great local coffee house. It reminds me of Satellite Coffee in Albuquerque.