Steve's Espresso
1801 E Baseline Rd, Tempe, AZ
Crema's Take
“Steve's Espresso in Tempe has carved out a reputation as a genuinely comfortable third space, with customers raving about the cozy couches, thoughtfully designed private nooks, and perfectly calibrated background music that makes it equally suited for focused work or lingering conversation. Beyond the reliably excellent espresso drinks, their matcha has earned serious local recognition—one regular declared it the best in the valley after visiting 14+ competing shops—and their pastries and breakfast items like the broccoli cheddar quiche feel genuinely homemade rather than generic. It's the kind of place where people keep coming back not just for the coffee, but because they feel welcomed to settle in and stay a while.”
What to expect
Google Reviews
I loved everything about this place. Great vibe, comfortable seating with couches and nice private feeling spaces, outdoor seating as well. I had a broccoli cheddar quiche and it was so good like homemade, came with sourdough toast and a lovely jam. I had the iced rose vanilla latte and loved it. If I lived out here I would come here all the time - I’m going to miss the coffee! Staff was kind as well
Great coffee shop with a cozy vibe that had a lot of great places to sit. The background music was good with the volume low enough to read or carry on a conversation. The peppermint mocha latte that I had was delightful 😊 Refills on drip coffee were $.50.
Usually we like this place; however, this time the barista just completely ignored my order, my boyfriend said “they just ran with whatever they wanted.” I ordered an English Breakfast with 2% milk and 1 packet of regular sugar - they made an English Breakfast with steamed oat milk and stevia. Nice, unique place for the area since everything else is chains, I just wish they’d actually pay attention to your order and show a little bit of care in their work :/
I stopped by Steve’s Espresso to get some work done since my home internet was down. This was one of the first spots I tried, unfortunately, like a few other coffee shops and even the local library, their WiFi was also down. I should have checked before purchasing, but since you have to make a purchase to sit in, I went ahead and ordered a plain cold brew and settled in. The café itself is really cozy and has a welcoming, laid-back vibe. It’s a smaller space but surprisingly has a lot of seating, standard café tables, comfy couches, coffee tables, and even individual seats with footrests. There are also a couple of outdoor tables. The staff was kind and accommodating, and I can definitely see this being a great place to meet up with friends or read a book. Unfortunately, the coffee didn’t match the atmosphere. I love a good cold brew and was hoping for something smooth and balanced. Instead, what I got had an off-color (suggesting it hadn’t rested long enough), and the flavor was uncomfortably tangy with a lingering bitterness. It tasted like it may have been brewed too quickly or with the wrong grind size. It could also come down to water or bean quality, but I doubt that’s the issue given how fast beans turn over in most shops and the likelihood of filtered water being used. Maybe it was a bad batch, but based on this experience, I don’t think I’d return, even if I needed an emergency workspace again. That said, if you’re looking for a cozy spot to chat, it might still be worth a visit. I took the drink home, trashed about half of it, whipped up some caramel cold foam, and that made it drinkable.
I love the matcha! Yes I’m basic but as of now I have been to 14 other coffee shops in the valley and this one has the best Matcha by far!❤️ Review my photos and picture yourself in this environment and know that you are in for a good time! Tell them Darrell sent you!❤️
Crema Reviews
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