Cartel Coffee Lab

Great coffee shop with unbelievable varieties for Phoenix. Latte was supreme. A little confusing with two shops in one space, pay for food at another register. Overall very happy I found this place on a brisk morning downtown.

while waiting to check into my hotel, hung out here for a couple of hours. very good cappucino and iced coffee, delicious cookie, with free no hassle wifi, and cool vibe with seating options, clean huge windows and shared space with a yummy food business. bookmarked!

First impression of this place is very urban. The location is absolutely amazing, right in downtown Phoenix with a view of Talking Stick Resort Arena and the light rail running right by us. I ordered a Hot Agave Latte that took forever to get to me. I must say though, my latte was worth the wait!!! So smooth and rich in texture. I would recommend this place again.

Good variety and rotation of coffee. Great options. Good location. You’re average hip coffee shop with a more industrial feel.

Nice location.
Expensive coffee.
I only drink black drip coffee and every blend that I’ve had at Cartel is so bitter and sour that it’s hard to swallow. Not worth the nearly $ 4.00 it costs for something I could brew better at home.

This is a chill and fun coffeehouse that has some great drinks and snacks. I tried the cowgirl cookie. It has cranberries, shaved coconut and white chocolate. I also tried the banana bread. I like it because it has a natural taste and is not real sweet. This is a great place to grab a coffee drink or a quick afternoon snack. Plus, there is a natural juice bar named Kaleidoscope in the same space for those who might not drink coffee.

This location is great for if you work downtown. It’s right in the middle of everything. The only downfall here is the hours. I love to do work in coffee shops, but I usually need to do this in the evenings. At night this place is already closed! I’m all its still the same great cartel coffee, but don’t expect to come here in the evening or at night, go to the Tempe location!

Definitely one of my favorite coffee shops. Great atmosphere, delicious coffee and aesthetically pleasing décor. The only thing I would say is that I wish their hours were longer. I get off of work at 5 and would like a nice coffee but they’re always closed when I can go.
:/​

I had a coffee meeting here on Friday and thought that it was great! A little bit smaller than I had anticipated so we sat up at their high bar but I love that it is in the heart of Downtown Phoenix. I had an Iced Nonfat Vanilla Latte and it was a little pricey, but delicious! I am a BIG fan of their cold brew as well (We have a keg of Cartel cold brew in our office and it is always a must)! I will definitely be back to one of the Cartel locations again soon!

This was my first time coming here and I stumbled upon it after riding the light rail. The staff is incredibly friendly and made recommendations for what exactly to order. I settled on getting a cappuccino and they certainly did not disappoint! They did fun coffee art on top and the coffee itself was very strong! The prices are very fair and the atmosphere is really relaxing! I will definitely be back to explore more!

This place is exactly what someone should expect a top tier third wave coffee shop to be. Hipster interior, multiple single origin offerings, as well as multiple «slow» brew methods.
I had their one and one which is a shot of espresso along with the same shot with steamed milk. It allows you to see the impact of milk on the taste of an espresso. It’s a great experience and my single origin espresso was great.
I also made sure to try a espresso excelente or their iced horchata latte. Horchata is already delicious and adding a shot of espresso might have made it better. Hard to know for sure, but it definitely didn’t make it worse. Strongly recommend this sweet treat.

Not much more to add that other Unilocalers haven’t already stated. The coffee here is lovely, the service is warm and unpretentious and the vibe is totally chill. What a great place to hang out, whether to catch up with friends, do a little work or just relax. I’ll be back…

Cool coffee shop in downtown Phoenix. I like Cartel Coffee but it’s not my favorite. A good spot to do meetings, but I feel the hot coffee is overpriced and can be as bitter as Starbucks. A lot of people like their hot coffee, but I don’t find it that great. They do have good Iced coffee and the snacks are good but also kind of overpriced.

I Love Cartel. I have been a fan for years now, and I sincerely believe in this homegrown business. Their coffee tastes great and their locations, whether the flagship in Tempe, the nook in the Sky Harbor, or this one downtown are always very hip and fashionably constructed in minimalist style. The entire aesthetic of their business is very well put together, even down to the littlest touches like the design of their plastic cups. I dare say I’ve never had a better cold brewed coffee than their toddy, it’s smoky and robust and complex and powerful. The only possible complaint I have is that this location closes rather early.

Tips:
Homemade strawberry poptart, recommend getting. ~$ 3-​$ 4
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The atmosphere here is pretty cool with different types of tables and chairs around the area. Parking is a little hard because the outside parking is limited to 1 or 2 hours only for about $ 1.50 an hour. This place also closes pretty early at 4pm. Considering these things I wouldn’t say it’s the best place to come and stay for too long.
The strawberry poptart is amazing and I would recommend getting it. The iced latte was delicious as well! Very strong of coffee for those who favor that kind of latte.

I really like this place — but more for the food rather than beverages — though if you want a jolt of caffeine that will leave you as wired as a cyborg plugged into a 220 outlet, I can vouch the cold brew coffee is just the thing.
I can’t yet vouch for the gluten-​free organicky bakery goods which I haven’t tried but the carne asada chicken protein wrap or bowl and the terriyaki chicken bowl are absolutely exceptional and both less than $ 10 with tax. Both these and other offerings from the «protein menu» are available as wrap or bowl. The wraps are absolutely enormous, of original Chipoodle proportions, and the bowl version is a vast, almost overwhelmingly generous serving of tender, moist meat, perfectly cooked (or steamed?) carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, and I don’t know what other vegetables, and brown rice or quinoa in a savory sauce that is neither overwhelming nor dull. It’s a limited food menu but that just makes the choices a little easier and given the taste and apparent quality (and quantity) of my first 3 meals here, I’m looking forward to trying everything on the menu, including some rather pricey but I’d guess maniacally healthy smoothies.
The place is a blend of modern minimalism and warmer, more welcoming reclaimed wood. The establishment, the staff, and the background music are all young and hip, neither of which am I, but staff is friendly and I’ve I’ve always been made to feel welcome, and the music is indeed sufficiently «background»
that you don’t have to yell to place your order and you can still think while you eat — or you can just eat.
I hear some people go to Cartel just for the coffee; they’re missing out.
Note limited hours at this downtown Phoenix location of 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Everything you want in a coffee shop
Once in a while I just have to give in to my «Cartel Coffee Lab» cravings and get my fix. Today, I visited Cartel Coffee with a co-​worker who is a «regular».
The atmosphere at Cartel Coffee Lab is warm, inviting, and relaxed. Cartel Coffee Lab is very popular with a varied cross section of the community. On any given day you can see young professionals, students, families, and retirees sitting around using lap tops, chatting, and enjoying their beverage of choice
The baristas at Cartel Coffee Lab clearly know their stuff. These folks are encyclopedias of everything coffee related. I can’t think of a better way to start my day then with the perfect Americano and a pop de tarte.

Cartel Coffee is a great shop with lots of local color but, don’t visit if you’re in a hurry, once you take a seat, you won’t want to leave.

Cartel coffee has some really legit quality coffee that a lot of people look for now these days. Cartel coffee is a very highly of modern hipstered coffee shop in the central of downtown. I visit this place once with my girlfriend and I must say the quality within the coffee is rich and strong. I highly recommend this coffeeshop over any coffee chains out there. You will not get this quality in any coffee from Starbucks or any other chains out there. This place is one-​of-​a-​kind and you are guaranteed top-​of-​the-​line customer service. I hope you enjoy this review and hope it helps you make a decision and what coffeeshop to visit in the downtown Phoenix area. As I continue my journey’s in finding the best coffee shops in downtown Phoenix I will be keeping everybody updated please add me to keep in touch. Thank you

As a long time Starbucks drinker I can say I have absolutely had the best coffee drink I’ve ever drank and it came from Cartel. I’m a fan of both coffee and tea drinks. On this cold desert day I went to order a chai tea. The cashier asked me if it was «dirty?» I had no idea what that was but he told me it is a chai with an espresso shot added. It turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made as I have now found my favorite coffee and tea drink of all time. Highly recommended.
Oh and they get 5 big stars for presentation.

I really like what my Unilocal buddy Chris L. had to say about Cartel back in October of 2014. And I quote, «Your mileage at Cartel will vary, based totally on your expectations and what you want in a cup of coffee.» Truer words about a coffee shop (although Cartel is more than that) have never been spoken. You need only to refer to Chris L.‘s review to realize that it’s not about who you are, it’s about what you need.
Some of us have artsy-​fartsy coffee days, but we also have frou-​frou coffee days. On those former days, then you best find yourself at Cartel, debating over whether a pour-​over or Chemex or French Press is right for you that day. Rest assured that passionate, articulate, and knowledgeable employees will help you; but don’t be so quick to write them off as snobbish.
The interior of the Downtown location is spartan, with intriguing taxidermy and hipster-​appealing bicycle art throughout. There’s plenty of seating, but it’s not the «stay and cuddle a while» couches and loungers, just more industrial with stools, benches, and metal chairs.
The coffee itself is fresh, lovingly-​roasted, strong, and never bitter. I walked over here 5 weekday mornings in a row while staying at the Hotel Palomar CItyScape, and was never disappointed, just super-​buzzed and more enlightened about my coffee!