3 Roots Coffee House and Cafe

FYI — This place is closed. Has been for over a year.

CLOSED! :(
This place has been closed for about a year now. I’m still not over it. It was my favorite coffee shop to go study at. The atmosphere was calm and they were always playing good music.
If any one finds a coffee shop with a similar atmosphere that is near ASU, let me know!

Three roots is a very cool little place tucked away in a strip mall along mill avenue, circa the chipotle across from campus. Its the perfect spot to grab a snack and some coffee or tea and get lost in your reading or schoolwork.
Every time i have been in here its so low key and mumblecore, which appeals to me. The décor inside is so reminiscent of old friends apartements and houses that it floods me with nostalgia when i walk in!
the menu is pretty tasty as well, all decently priced. there are many vegan options which is a def. plus.

Great coffee, great character, fantastic location (for ASU folks — don’t even THINK about trying to park a car here). The food is good, though limited, and I’m not a huge fan of them now outsourcing their baked goods. Service can tend toward a little slow, but I think it’s mostly due to a shortage of staff — there’s only usually one person working at any given time.
My biggest complaint about 3 Roots (and it’s sort of a fake complaint), is that the art usually SUCKS. Amateurish, gaudy, underwhelming in general. I mean, you are right across from the Art Museum, the School of Art and the Schools of Design: get some decent wall fodder.
Doesn’t keep me from going there 5 times a week though.

Aw man, this place is all under new management and stuff. The actual space looks way better since they remodeled, but the menu has jumped in price, but fallen in quality and quantity, and for some reason, the dirty chai was not as good as I remember it being.
Also, they stopped making their own muffins. Now they have those huge, come-​in-​a-​pack-​of-​25 ones from Costco, and overcharge for them.

Clean, comfy, and convenient!
Great place to veg with a friend, do the crossword or sudoku, nestled into a sofa or overstuffed chair, while sipping a steamy dirty chai and nibbling on a a chocolate brownie… they have a small light fare menu including veggieburgers, salads, crudite plates… decadent cakes and sweets… did i mention they have free wifi… if trying to get work done, you may be a bit distracted by the passionate rants of politically-​bent patrons, or study groups airing their interpretations of their current readings or art summations… a local independent coffee spot, with an artistic flair, is just what the Mill Avenue needs! Nice to know we have a pair of bookend cafes (this and Mills’ End)!

Coffee: meh. Food: eh.
I come here for the eye-​candy, Zac Efron lookalike barista. Yeeeeoooowww! (hey, are you 18?)

As far as chill coffee shops go, three roots is at the top of my list. It has a very laid back atmosphere. There is always pretty good music playing and cool local artwork featured. I like the mix of different tables, couches and chairs that gives the place a cozy vibe.
It can get a little crowded there and is not always the best place for quiet studying but is a nice place to hang out with friends. They even have a few board games.
I am not a big coffee drinker but they do have a good assortment of teas, and I especially like their chai. I have also tried the veggie burger which was pretty good.
Overall if you are looking for a cute coffee shop to hang out at I definitely recommend three roots.

fuck 3 roots. I’ve been going there for about three years, and I really want to like it, but every time I go back I am reminded of why I hate it.
3 roots wouldn’t be so terrible if A) the employees had the first clue about what constitutes «good service» and B) if everything wasn’t so wildly inconsistent.
I remember a time, a couple years ago, when the food at 3 Roots was really, really good. they must have changed their recipes over time (or have perhaps hired unqualified kitchen staff), because things that I used to love ordering now suck. I got a grilled cheese a few months ago that was not actually grilled. it was toasted bread with cheese. and it cost me $ 6. what the fuck?
moreover, it’s rare to get a good drink at 3 Roots. of course, it all depends on who’s making it. there doesn’t seem to be a standard modus operandi among the baristas, so you never know if your drink is going to suck or not (more often than not, it will.) I do not like Starbucks, but they make better coffee for about the same price.
worst of all, though, is the service. 3 Roots baristas wouldn’t know good customer service if it was fucking them in the ass. there have been many, many employees at 3 Roots over the years, and almost every one of them has made it really clear that they couldn’t care less about their patrons — this is especially true if you aren’t friends with someone who works there. (personal anecdote: a few years ago, I dated a guy who was friends with many of the baristas there, and when we broke up, one of them was an overtly catty bitch to me. awesome!) you will consistently be made to wait far longer for your food than necessary, even if you’ve just ordered soup that needs only to be ladled into a bowl. an hour’s wait for a sandwich or veggie burger is not uncommon. you’ll probably also have to ask for whatever side (chips or whathaveyou) was supposed to come with your food, because they’ll probably forget to put it on your plate.
oh, and good luck finding somewhere to sit around lunchtime.
and on top of all this, they don’t seem to be able to run a business and actually keep it open. they close for months at a time to do god knows what; I never know when they’re going to be open, and it’s really not even worth bothering anymore.

Three Roots just plain rules.
The atmosphere is great and the café itself is cute and non-​corporate. The food is surprisingly good and they make a ridiculously good soy dirty chai.

Oh, Three Roots. I have a very mixed relationship with you. I’d give you two stars if you were elsewhere, but location does matter… the fact is, this IS Tempe, and more importantly you’re the only coffee shop (non-​chain) within spitting distance of the Fine Arts building where I spend all my time.
But you can be so slow! One time it took them almost an hour to make me a grilled cheese. Now, they make a very yummy grilled cheese, but I can’t imagine why it could take that long… And it wasn’t even that crowded there that day. I asked when we could expect our food a couple times, and they just kept saying «it’ll just be a few more minutes…”– that lasted for nearly the whole hour, even though I told them we had to leave soon to get back to a meeting on campus. (If they had just been honest about whatever was going on back there in the kitchen, then we could have canceled our orders and still had time to go get sandwiches somewhere else.)
Meanwhile, whilst they slowwwwly grilled my cheese, they held onto my friend’s cup of soup for 50 minutes instead of giving it to him, so by the time they finally handed over both meals, his was cold. Ugh. They should have comped both of our orders, in my opinion, because that’s just what you do in a customer service situation when you mess up like that. I know – I’ve been there.
Ok, that’s definitely the worst example, but in general, I’ve learned not to go there if I’m in much of a hurry.
On the other hand, they do have decent coffee and for the most part, the folks who work there are nice, if occasionally a little inept.
Some things seem like a rip-​off– like charging $ 1 for a small packet of (not very good) Philly cream cheese to go with your bagel. (And they don’t even spread it for you.)
They do cater to vegetarians and vegans, though, which is useful for many, I’m sure.
So all in all, Three Roots could be better, but it could be worse. And if it was better, I suppose it’d be even more crowded during finals, so maybe I should be careful what I wish for… Nah, I still wish it was just a little better. But I’m sure I’ll be back there again anyway, if only for lack of options nearby. Alas…

Coffee is delicious and the ambiance is nice. The service is SLOW, but they are nice kids working there. For being such a homey place, they do keep it very clean.
I haven’t tried too much of the food. They have a cool PBJ with pecans and honey. The hummus is a good treat for veggies. The muffins are $ 3 and not very large…
Deserves 4* for effort and being a safe haven from the chains.

The barista at three roots might have saved my life. The short story is that I live right by this pace and one saturday morning I found myself without my phone, car, and very, I mean very hungover. I was trying to find a pay phone to avoid walking 2 miles to where my car was. Yes I know two miles isn’t that far did I mention how hungover I was? Well they don’t have a pay phone at three roots but the barista was so nice and let me use her phone. Now this doesn’t mean any cheapskate out there who wants to keep their minutes down should instead patron three roots it just goes to show the staff I experienced was great.
Now to combat my hangover I said I needed the biggest, most caffeinated, iced beverage they offered. She said she had something but she warned me something like «its really bitter» I said «whatever». I think next time I will heed her warning because it was very bitter but I only have myself to blame. I will be back to tryout some other options and this time I will be sober.

I have been here in the past for studying and it is okay for that purpose. It is not one of my favorites, but completely adequate.
More recently, I went here with a friend because we realized they had breakfast options for vegans apart from oatmeal. She chose to get the tofu scramble, her husband got PB&J with bananas, and because I am not vegan, I chose to get the omelet with cheese and veggies.
Our food took forever. I wouldn’t go here if you’re really hungry and not vegan. I realize the limitations of the space and staff, but it seemed to take an eternity for our names to be called.
The staff was friendly, no snobbishness experienced on my visit.
The coffee was a bit bitter. I’m no coffee connoisseur and I desperately needed the caffeine, so I finished mine with only a mild bellyache, but my friend couldn’t even finish hers. Perhaps because they had no soy milk to put in her beverage like she is used to doing. Her husband had a vanilla mint iced tea that was incredibly tasty.
The food:
— I don’t like my eggs dried out, but I know of people who can’t stand the slightest bit of moisture in their eggs. The inside of my omelet was slightly too wet, not enough for me to send back, but another person probably would have.
— The tofu scramble had turmeric for color and nothing for taste. My friend had to load it up with salt and pepper to make it palatable.
— PBJ & bananas — no complaints.
I applaud Three Roots for trying. There were no other breakfast options in the valley for a vegan. But I really wish they improved the quality of their options.

It’s not Starbucks is the best thing I can say about the place. I used to live nearby and would make this a regular stop on Sunday mornings. Pick up a bagel at Chompies and a latte at 3 Roots sitting on the lovely patio furniture enjoying the unusual quiet that can only be found at that time of day on a Sunday in downtown Tempe. Enjoy those fleeting fragile moments.
The coffee is good enough, I always liked it. My previous issue was only ever that at the time I live in the neighborhood, there was only one size for an iced drink and it was served in stryo cup. Hopefully, that’s changed in the last couple of years.
The furniture is cheap and strangely «made over» to look eclectic and hip. Whatever. I’ve enjoyed a first date or two on a couch or bench in that room, but it seems like its always hot. From reading other reviews, seems many would agree.
If you go, learn the way to the back parking lot through the alley. It’s way easier to get in and out of that way. You can’t make a left (north) turn from the front lot, so the alley provides you a north bound option. Plus, you can feel like you’re at least 20% cool as the staff by knowing how to navigate the alleys of old Tempe.
Personally, though the hipster vibe was alive and well, I never had anyone be a dick to me so it was fine. I doubt seriously they recognized me as one of their own, but who knows, maybe I looked enough like a resident to pass. Well, I was, so who knows.
Overall, I like 3 Roots but I don’t make a point of it when I’m in the old hood.

I like the coffee here much better than anywhere on Mill or on Campus (though not as much as Cartel, which is a bit further of a walk when you’re at ASU). The food is alright, it can be a bit pricey, but it seems like they’ve also tweaked their prices a bit recently. Plus, local musicians like to play here, which is great.
I haven’t ever experienced any snobbiness from the staff here actually, and I’ve been here quite a few times, and I am not really a regular. Overall, Three Roots is pretty rad. The only gripe I have… and it may seem petty, is the outdoor seating. The patio furniture is just kind of an eyesore. Some nicer stuff that doesn’t look like it’s going to blow away during the next breeze would be awesome. Also, it’s unfortunate that the patio is so close to Mill, sometimes it can get too loud to really even hold a conversation. I’m a smoker so I sit outside a lot, but this is one place where I’d rather hang out in the café. It’s a lot purtier in there, anyway.
Highlight: Walk or ride your bike here for breakfast.

After hearing a friend talk about this place like it’s coffee was gold, I decided to check it out. I’ve been to 3 Roots at least four times and this is what I’ve confirmed (+ positive, — negative, -/​+ neutral):
-/​+ Service is a ⁵⁰⁄₅₀. Some baristas are awesome, some I’d like to slap back into reality.
— Prices suck. At 3 Roots I tried the pita/​veggie plate and it was definitely not worth the nine bucks. A few slices of carrots, broccoli and celery, a dab of hummus and a stale pita. Gross.
+ Vanilla latte. At least they know how to make the most generic latte in the world.
— I once tried their Irish cream. I will never again ask for anything that sounds fancy.

Three Roots is another nice study spot in Tempe. As noted in other reviews, it has a bit of a cliquish vibe, but that’s easily overlooked. I love the option of having a «study room» and a lounge room.
There’s a nice vegan menu. It’s a bit small, but with a wide array of options.
This is another spot that reminds me of Flagstaff, down to the chalkboard menus. Making the comparison is unfair in a manner, but I can’t help myself. If Macy’s were a bit cleaner and Tim Macy allowed things other than his own artwork to be placed on the walls, you would have something extremely similar to Three Roots Café, including the patrons.
The music selection is diverse yet appropriate, and the volume is kept at a decent level for both studying and conversation. The reading lamps at every seating area is perfect and this is overall a nice little spot.
My biggest complaint: The wifi is always deathly slow. Sometimes it’s faster to use the ASU connection. They also need more electrical outlets. The wonderful reading lamps take half of every outlet, limiting the availability for those with laptops. Despite that, if I lived nearby, I could see dropping in on a regular basis.

Thanks to everywhere on campus being closed, my teammates and I decided to hold our monthly meeting here today. I am so glad that we did. This is officially now my new study spot and I never would have found it without being taken here despite the fact I park in the parking lot across the street everyday.
Its cozy and warm (actually, it was downright hot inside) and laid back. There are table and chairs, which would work great when writing a paper, or couches and comfy chairs which would be perfect when one has to read for class. The service we received was friendly and the iced tea that they were brewing today (I forgot to see what it was) was really good. Light, but good. All the food they were bringing out looked really good and I’m sure that next semester I’ll be ordering quite a lot of it. They also offer an assortment of hot teas, plenty of coffee and mocha drinks, Italian soda and lots of baked goods (although I’m fairly certain they are not baked there) for you to grab and go. There is artwork for sale on the walls (some of it good, some of it bad), games to play (Jenga anyone?), books and magazines to read.
I would much rather give my money to a local business with a relaxed atmosphere than that awful Starbucks with its bitter African beans (my coffee snob husband swears that good coffee should not be bitter, it should be flavorful), bad tea, even worse hot chocolate and limited food selection.

Three Roots has all the makings of a 5 star coffeehouse. I mean, it has all the right elements:
A) It’s a non-​Starbucks
B) There’s a study room to the left, and living room full of mismatched furniture to the right
C) Really friendly service
D) A group of five sitting near me, and I shit you not, talking about auras, tarot reading, hanging upside down from doorways and chakra realignment.
E) Feeling like I’m in a coffeehouse back in Berkeley or Santa Cruz… except I’m nowhere near Berkeley or Santa Cruz
F) They have Scrabble!
G) They have Trivial Pursuit!
H) At the coffee table next to my couch was The Big Book of Lists, which beats mindlessly thumbing through the latest New Times any day.
I) The whole vibe of this place is crunchy. Not full-​on granola crunchy, mind you. Just crunchy.
So…where’d the 2 missing stars go? Here:
«Hi!»
“Hi.”
“How can I help you?”
«I’d like a decaf soy latte for here please.»
«Sorry.»
“Sorry, what?”
«We don’t have decaf.»
«You don’t have decaf what.»
«We don’t have any decaf.»
«You mean, you ran out of decaf tonight or you just don’t have any decaf period?»
«We have decaf occasionally.»
«Occasionally?»
“Yeah, I never know when it’s coming in. Some days we have decaf, some days we don’t.”
«And this goes for decaf espresso AND decaf coffee?»
«Yep. But we have a nice assortment of decaf herbal teas!»
[internal whine]…but I don’t want decaf herbal tea. First off, I’m going to sit there staring at my cup for 5 minutes because I don’t want to singe my tongue off. Second, I really wanted coffee.[/internal whine]
«OK, no worries. I’ll take a ginger twist. Thanks.»
— — — — — — — –
So ok, when I was a college student, I could drink 2 cups of coffee at 8 pm and still be able to sleep through the night no problem. But now this isn’t the case. Decaf after noon is the name of the game for me. And I was foiled in enjoying a nice latte in a cool coffeehouse and got stuck with a scorching cup of tea instead.
Now I know, many worse things in life can happen to oneself than being stuck with a premium tea bag. But for a coffeehouse to have decaf in stock «sometimes» is kind of odd.
The second docked star is that I haven’t had any of the food, so I can’t really rate it on that merit yet.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a great little coffeehouse which reminds me of home (with no overpowering patchouli smell, which is a bonus). Really friendly service and apparently a community center for those who engage in metaphysical speak.
But a decaf anything wasn’t asking for too much, was it?
3 stars for now. Maybe more later.