by guest author Allan D. Kissam
Esso Coffee Bar
Esso Coffee House is a standout among the many coffee houses dotting the Phoenix, AZ caffeine scene. It is a great place for taking a break, located off the 12th street Grand Canal access. Esso makes an outing along the Phoenix Grand Canal a fun and tasty midway destination to recharge. Or, if you’re caught up in the VA Hospital nearby or a half-day car repair nearby, think about plunking down here.
Fresh daily pastries
Order hot or cold premium coffee drinks along with exceptional pastries and tamales – yes, fresh tamales. In-house roasting each day provides the freshest beans for making custom blends. A welcoming interior and shady outdoor patio seating along with solid Wi-Fi, friendly service, a full array of delicious unique menu items and reasonable prices make this a destination for coffee aficionados. Owner Sharon Koger has been thoughtful with her choices and the end result is a real treasure for the coffee culture crowd.
1972 Refurbished Espresso Machine
I attended an educational coffee this week at Esso. I tasted a unique house blend of Brazilian and Guatemalan beans. Separately, the Brazilian beans had notes of unsweetened dark chocolate and a hint of walnuts giving it an interesting finish. The Guatemalan beans were just slightly sweeter with toffee notes and a cashew finish. Combined as a blend, the coffee makes a superior tasting coffee. This is the signature blend of the house and for good reason. Who wouldn’t want a fresh cup of coffee where the beans were just roasted? And the cherry on top is that all coffee drinks are made on a 1972 refurbished espresso machine.
And speaking of “fresh,” pastries served at this coffee house are sourced daily (except Monday) from the nearby Mexican bakery La Purisima and, for lunch, try the green or red tamales from the bakery. Yes, Esso serves tamales and IMO they are the best in the Valley.
Delicious steamed tamales
Enjoy learning more about coffee; owner Sharon Koger offers educational tastings. Call Esso for information. It’s a great date night or friends night out activity.
Experience new tastes with owner Sharon Koger’s tasting classes
ESSO Coffeehouse & Roastery
480-560-3067
4700 N 12th St
Phoenix, AZ 85014
# # #
Allan Kissam retired from computer system consulting. He also contracted as an adjunct professor for teaching information systems at leading universities. Earlier, he did remote ocean surveys and research. Later, he worked with the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command. Supporting work was with Marines on their communications, tactical situation systems, and other networked equipment used in operatons.
He is a masters-level graduate at the University of Washington and at the University of Puget Sound. Certificatons have included network systems security. He has published original research and is awarded two U.S. patents. In Washington, Allan is a licensed professional engineer (retired).
Writing began with articles for professional journals, trade magazines, and technical journals. Today, Allan writes about travel destinations with interesting historical stories, and enjoys his passion for science fiction.
author note – the business did provide free food and coffee to the author
