The Refuge Cafe

Delectable eats and good service are a must to stay in business in central Phoenix these days, as they should be. But foodies will find few locales that serve the body and soul as does the Refuge. An operation is only as good as the people running it, and you wont find kinder staff or more savory storytellers than in this genuinely unique neighborhood nook. The history of the Refuge is as appetizing as the menu, which ranges from panini to tapas. Stimulants? Beer, wine, and beans. Beware, the Pope might be visiting. Ask Jess or Daniele, they’ll tell you all about it.

Always good food and awesome coffee. I wish their hours were more steady. Many times we have walked there to find they closed early because they are slow.

I had no clue that this place spends all its profits on charity when I first came here. I assumed «Refuge» meant that it was a cool place to get away from the Phoenix heat (I moved here in summer). I thought I had just found a nice, comfy place to chill, drink a good cup of joe, and relax with a textbook. Refuge had ⁵⁄₅ stars from me previously, but now that I know, it’s earned the coveted 6^th star.
If you’re a mocha fan, get the Haboob. Refuge also has some spicy coffee that my husband loves and an orange-​flavored coffee that tastes incredible. I haven’t had any of the plain old black coffee yet since I’ve had so much fun experimenting with the other fancy options. If you’d rather have a drink, though, they have reasonably-​priced mixed drinks, beer and wine, and fun food platters (hummus!) for when you study up an appetite.
Go grab a drink at a coffee-​shop/​bar with a social mission!

This is one of my favorite spots in Phoenix. I hold monthly meetings here, and the staff always goes above and beyond to give us great service and make sure we’re well taken care of. The manager, John, and the supervisor, Jessica, have built a personal connection with me, and it really goes a long way when we keep coming back.
The food is great — tasty, fresh, well made. I’ve never had a poor meal there. (Get the lox & goat cheese bruschetta and the breakfast burrito — you’ll thank me later) The beverages are made to order and it seems they will do anything in their power to make you happy.
On top of that, your dollars spent support a very worthy non-​profit. If I lived closer, I’d probably be there all the time.

Friendly coffee shop. I guess they do some good charity work so that’s nice. I enjoy their cold brew.

Love the place, the food and especially the mission. Please support it!
It has been a great addition to the neighborhood and to the community.

Checked this place out for the first time a couple weeks ago. The coffee is good, but where they really shine is the breakfast burrito! It’s full of fluffy eggs, bacon, potatoes, and melted cheese wrapped in a tortilla, and then put in the panini press. Bam! It’s delicious! The salsa that’s served with it is just okay, but the whole thing is awesome! Service is as to be expected, but I’ll be coming back often for that addicting breakfast burrito!

Always great place for meeting… great food and service for value. has a nice conference room sized meeting room with all your a/​v and e-​communications needed.

I’ve noticed this place for a while since it’s across the street from my vet, but hadn’t stopped until yesterday. Nice décor inside, outside dining nice to see since it’s getting cooler. Had the breakfast special sweet crepes – delicious w/​Nutella and bananas and strawberries. Good selection of coffee choices.

I love this place so much, I practically live here!
Jessica is the ONLY person that serves my drinks just how I like them. She’s friendly and extremely helpful whenever I have questions about the menu options. Have food allergies? Let her know and she’ll take care of you.
The staff is always welcoming – it’s like Cheers, only with better hair. A true social venture and a gem to Melrose.
As for the food, depending on the night, Eric or Marisol will serve up magic with a fork and knife. The pork tacos are my go-​to, but you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Again, if you have food allergies, or dietary restrictions, let Jessica know (or whoever is taking your order) and you’ll be taken care of.
Again, I love this place!

A very quaint and cool café to eat lunch at. My husband works in Glendale and I work in Phoenix, so we frequently meet here in the middle. The menu is light fare and the food portions are just right. My favorite is the grilled cheese with goat cheese and cheddar. My husband frequently orders the tuna sandwich with a small side of soup. They are a part of the Catholic charities organization, so food profits go towards helping their cause — you can feel good about supporting this local business. Wi-​fi available!

This is a really cool spot!
It is advertised as a coffee shop, but that is not the entire story.
Non Profit:
The Refuge Café spends 100% of their profits on charity to give back to the community. What an awesome service!
New Happy Hour Menu coming out soon (See my picture).
Café Esperanza:
Brazilian Rainforest Alliance Coffee
Excellent flavor
Interesting menu of different types of coffees and espresso drinks.
Full Bar:
House made Bloody Mary mix — 5 $ on weekends
Jalapeño infused vodka — enough said
House made margarita mix — Margarita Monday’s
Local beers on tap — only 4 beers on tap, but they have a good variety (ipa, seasonals, etc.)
Non-​tap beer — good happy hour deals for watching the game.
Food:
Breakfast, Lunch, and early Dinner.
Great selection of food.
Everything seems to be made from scratch.
I only ate one thing here for breakfast so far and it tasted really fresh.
Atmosphere:
I feel really comfortable in this place. I would describe the atmosphere as «super calm» or «friendly.»
Service:
Excellent, friendly
Wild Cards:
Fresh squeezed lemonade
Smoothies
Mexican coke in a bottle
Etc.
Will I be back? Absolutely

I love this coffee shop! The people friendly and the food is good. They are welcoming to my young adult group that meets there a couple times a month.
Get the breakfast burrito for lunch and the veggie wrap for dinner. They have one free refill on the iced tea. I don’t actually drink coffee, so I can’t comment on it.

After patiently waiting online the cashier without any qualms, concerns or apology decided to take the order of the gentleman behind me. She even called him by his first name «Tom» as if by calling him by his first name made it ok to skip me. I just left the building after that.

Absolutely delightful staff. Unlike Starbucks. Have tried latte, iced latte and just a plain old drip coffee. All spot on. Plus, profits going to charity. This is definitely my «go to» place.
Went back for French toast Friday. Prices is right $ 5.50. The presentation is beautiful. Two slices of French toast dusted with powdered sugar. Three strawberries, half nectarine and two slices of bacon. What a deal. I felt like it was taking forever for my order to come. Unfortunately the toast was ice cold. Bummer.

I enjoy coming here wish I could come here everyday! Danielle is a wonderful barista the whole staff is so nice and knowledgeable!
They are so passionate about the quality that goes into everything here. The drinks, food and atmosphere is much better than Lux or Copper Star Coffee. Free WiFi by the way! They have live entertainment by local artists on occasion and art classes. I love supporting local places. Starbucks who?
I love everything about The Refuge I’m glad it’s a part of my community — it’s my sanctuary away from home and work. Keep up the great job guys!

Great atmosphere, not too trendy or hipster but very relaxed. Mimosas were reasonably priced and the breakfast burrito was very tasty and a great deal at $ 5.50. I’ll be back for sure!

My friend and I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon here! Their coffee is absolutely delicious, and they had a good selection of drinks and food to choose from. The atmosphere was great and comfortable, they also had some board games to play. It’s a great place to hang out for a little while. Not to mention, all their proceeds go to Catholic Charities. Definitely going again!

What a great place! Pulled pork delicious and green chili veggie soup was awesome.
Great find for us that are on the paleo diet.

I had lunch here and am stuffed! I had the pulled pork sandwich and a blueberry Italian cream soda — to die for! This place is a social charity and well worth a try! Their profits go toward refugees and the food is spectacular! They are a coffee and wine bar so go nuts! The ambiance is like a coffee lounge and bistro. I will be back!!!
A solid 5 stars!