Royal At The Market

Super cute! Good standard coffee drinks. They make fresh brewed ice tea which on a hot day was very refreshing!

Sadly, the place closed a few months ago.

Just wanted to let everybody know that Royal at the Market is closed for the summer! In the meantime, be sure to check out the other location at the Biltmore Fashion Park — Royal at the Biltmore!
(Also, since it’s summer — I thought I should mention that the iced coffee is so smooth and amazing that you don’t even have to add anything to it! Don’t believe me? Ask for a sample next time you are here and I guarantee you will be astounded!)

CLOSED!!! Maaaaaan. I pretty much moved downtown JUST to get coffee here… well…maybe that’s not true… but seriously? I am sooo sad this place closed because it is some fine coffee and pastries. I have dreams about their chocolate cupcakes. I went the other day with a friend and they were unusually closed, but no sign… then returned a few days later to see their door covered in paper. Their sign says they are looking to relocate somewhere else in downtown sometime this winter, which I hope is true. Hey Royal! You can open in the open space under the Alta lofts or in the Arizona center if you wanna… just sayin…

Smooth, perfectly made coffee. They have good milk alternatives such as soy and almond milk, and a decent selection of sugar free syrups. Minus a star because I was hoping to catch up on some reading when I went in the afternoon (around noon on Saturday), but the chairs were already put up on top of the tables. I thought they were open until 4 PM?

Great little coffee bar!
It was packed when I was there, and they were still able to make my drink fast. They make one delicious caramel macchiato.

Great place for coffee and a quiet place to get some work done.
Lots of chairs and recycled tabletops. Not too many outlets though.
The Italian sodas are pretty good as well.

A coffee shop is good when…
1. they serve delicious caffeinated beverages
2. they offer tasty treats to soothe your hunger pains
3. they provide sufficient room to get work done.
Royal at the Market offers all three. The coffee is creamy, and full of a caffeinated kick which is the perfect boost to the day. I like iced coffee and enjoy their iced latte here. They have plenty of pastries to munch on and more important, the Downtown Public Market is just a step through a pair of doors. Finally, they have plenty of seating where it’s easy to get work done. They have community tables as well as individual high tops. They also have a back room with seating as well.
Between the Market and Royal at the Market, this is an ideal spot to visit for a beverage and to do some work and I like to visit as often as I can.

w00t! A coffee spot that carries almond milk! Now I know what you must be thinking… «big deal, almond milk?» … but yes, it is a big deal, a VERY big deal.
You see, 99% of coffee shops choose to solely carry soy milk alone as their non-​dairy creamer alternative. Unfortunately, you are currently reading the writings of a vegan who is allergic to soy milk, makes my throat all itchy and sore feeling, but I digress…
Royal made me happy by offering almond milk and I happily slurped down my iced vanilla almond milk latte while traversing the many wonders of the Phoenix open air public market on Saturday morning.
–1 star since I had to mix up my drink myself.
Take note other coffee shops: please carry another non-​dairy creamer besides soy milk.

This is one of my favorite coffee spots in the Phoenix area. A quaint, little coffee bar in the back of Phoenix Public Market, this place offers coffee, pastries (while they last), and WiFi in a laid-​back atmosphere in a single room filled with various works from local artists.
Free, covered parking is available in the lot to the west of the building. However, this lot is reserved after 2 pm on Wednesdays for the Open-​Air Market.

I wanted to try different place for coffee the other morning and found Royal at The Market. I went in through the Market to get my cup of joe, but Royal has their own entrance on the side of the building facing the parking lot with a big sign the says «Coffee» with an arrow.
The baristas were ok but more interested in flirting with each other rather than serving their late morning caffeine junkies. I was ok with it but my colleague was irritated and needed her caffeine pronto! My cup of joe was very good ~ good temp, robust flavor, vibrant aroma with a smooth finish when it hits the back of your mouth. It was roasted at another location but it tasted very fresh with no bitterness. The chai tea latte was also very good but was not at the best temp and needed to be hotter.
The décor is very «earthy» with a lot of wood and they have maximized their space to accommodate a lot of people with smaller table surface areas. Neat to look at but not very comfy at all. Maybe it’s a better place to conduct an interview rather socialize with friends…

I discovered Royal at the Market in October of 2009 on a visit to the Saturday morning farmer’s market. Though I do enjoy coffee drinks, I am a chai lover… and this place has the best chai in town! Since then I have made Royal my Saturday morning treat, stopping for my tea and then perusing the market for tasty treats! A wonderful place to stop and a great location to hang out!

This place has my heart multiple times over. My birthday was two days ago and Cameron and I were talking yesterday and I mentioned something about bubble gum cupcakes. Well… the wonderful woman that Cameron is took the idea, went with it and emailed me in the morning to tell me she had a suprise at the shop for me. I went in after work and came across 4 bubble gum cupcakes and a latte waiting for me as a gift from the entire wonderful, kind and generous crew at Royal.
The cupcakes were wonderful with a sweet undertone of bubble gum which was not overpowering the deliciousness.
I could not ask for more in a coffee house. They consistently know my drink even if I have not been able to make it in awhile, always have a smile on their face, always engage in wonderful conversation and always assure me that my business is appreciated.
I truly, with every ounce of my heart, wish Royal was open earlier so I could make the detour on the way to work (via bus) for an ounce of happiness and 16 ounces of latte lovin’…
The kind souls at Royal could never be found elsewhere. Without fail Royal at the Market has been a constant in an ever changing world full of patience and a vibe which cannot be duplicated.

My favorite coffee in town. While other places may have the speciality beans that wow you every now and then, Royal’s self-​roasted blend is consistently great – whether it is their hot pour overs or iced toddy.
Hayes and his staff go the extra mile to serve you without the indifference or even worse, coffee talk gobbledygook or condescension of some other places.
I love the urban, adaptive-​use nature of the place with modern yet organic, custom made furniture.
Best yet, it has become a hub for downtown denizens and urbanites. I never fail to see a familiar face when I stop by. It’s a great way to remain connected with the who what when and where of downtown Phoenix.

Just about everything that makes a coffee shop good is lacking here.
1) uncomfortable chairs (what the HELL?! Sure they look «cool» but they are really really are uncomfortable)
2) roasting beans inside which just REEKS
3) lack of a decent number of outlets for laptops
And for the coffee … just middle of the road …

My most favorite coffee in Phoenix. And I’m a coffee snob. Because I loooooove coffee. Hayes also makes a tasty bowl of oatmeal too. Served with raisins + walnuts + brown sugar. Mmmmmm…
My son used to go to school nearby so I was there almost every morning. I miss it. Especially the smell…
Most things (quoting Tom Robbins) are either YUCK or YUM.
Royal at the Market is 100% YUM!

1÷30÷10
2.5 stars.
Stopped in while waiting for food to cook at the market next door. Cute little space. The cookies looked delicious, but as soon as I asked my standard questions, the baristas went on the defensive, and I lost the cozy, warm feeling I had upon entering. The latte I chose tasted great.

Yippee! My favorite little shop near home! I really should stop here on my way to work, as the places near work are not nearly up to par. The coffee here is much better and occasionally I even catch them while the beans are still roasting out front.
The quality of the products and the service are hard to beat. The baristas will even take the time and effort to work a nice design into the foam. I usually get my drinks to go, but the ambiance is great.
They have become part of my Saturday morning routine, walk to the market, get my coffee/​chai/​cocoa and a stroll through the farmers/​public market. What a way to enjoy a Saturday.
[A note for first timers here, the entrance is on the West side of The Phoenix Public Market, NW of the main Market entrance, It can be a little inconspicuous and since the market opens later than Royal, the locked Market door may deter some.]

You know something, I give big props to Hayes for taking a risk of opening an indie coffeehouse in downtown Phoenix, the original Royal Coffee Bar, years ago when the rest of the area was a coffee wasteland. I’d gone to that Royal a number of times but could tell it was somewhat hampered by its location on the southwest corner of downtown, as it wasn’t adjacent to any businesses (unless you call prison a business). They had a great product and a bright and well-​designed space, and had that joint been located in a more central location, it would have been far more successful. But at least Hayes took a shot to add something to downtown when no one else was close to dipping their toe in the water.
Fast forward to today. The original Royal may be no more, but Royal at the Market is a great replacement. Attached to Phoenix Public Market’s Urban Grocery, this location is as central as it gets.
WHAT YOU SEE
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One of the first things you’ll notice as you’re walking in from outside is the coffee roaster, many times with Hayes standing right next to it, pouring in beans and checking to see that the roast is just right. The guy obviously takes his product seriously.
Inside, the actual area where you order your drink is small, but well-​designed in a contemporary way. Inter-​connecting square shelves behind the espresso bar containing coffee-​related knick-​knacks, some art on the wall, etc.
Behind this area lies the seating lounge. Some wooden high-​tops with bar stools, some couches and laptop workstations, a chalkboard for kids to scribble on. This back room has been constantly going through metamorphosis, and I think will continue to do so until its configured just right. I regularly spot folks here both socializing and working on their computers — and with the music not blasted to 11, it’s easy to get either done.
WHAT YOU GET
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Great product. I’m limited to soy drinks (or non-​milk drinks like drip coffee, espressos, and Americanos) and I’ve never once had anything bad here. With soy lattes, you either know what you’re doing or you don’t. Soy milk is a beast to work with, especially if you treat it like regular milk when steaming it. However, Hayes and company know what they’re doing and the milk has never curdled or tasted remotely off. Add to that the great taste of the espresso beans — rich flavor without any bitterness. I’ve had their drip coffee, which they make one single cup at a time, and is worth the minute or so’s wait if plain coffee is your thing.
Munchies at Royal may be limited to a few well-​done pastries/​cookies — but hey, you have an entire market next door. You’re not going to be lacking for anything.
What you also get here is no attitude. Just an owner who believes in downtown and continues to contribute. The rest of his staff, some in school, have been great to banter with as well while waiting for your drink to be conjured up. There is a good sense of a symbiotic relationship with both the Urban Grocery inside as well as the outdoor public market on Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings.
ANYTHING ELSE?
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While Royal at the Market’s hours aren’t consistent across the week, and it closes on the earlier side of things, it is still definitely worth checking out. There may be a million coffeehouses somewhat spontaneously appearing all over downtown Phoenix nowadays, rapidly crowding into each other’s territory, but newer Phoenicians and visitors alike should know the folks at Royal were around first. They may not be the most flashy, the most gimmicky, or the biggest, but they know what they’re doing.
Best to these guys.
4.5 stars.

Yay — another indie coffee joint that’s somewhat near work! Bonus, I can shop at the market at the same time. Well, sometimes. I usually go for coffee between 8:00 am and 9:00 am, and the market doesn’t open until 11:00 am. But it happens once in a while.
Anyway, you can tell that Royal takes their coffee very seriously. Often, they have the roaster going out front. If you order drip coffee, be prepared to wait. They brew it right then, one cup at a time. But it’s worth it.
The espresso is also rich and delicious. I made the mistake of going to back to Starbucks once, and the americano now tastes like ash in comparison. Royal has spoiled me!