Best of Tucson 1996: Best Café For Coffee

Best Café For Coffee

Coffee Etc.
2830 N. Campbell Ave.
6091 N. Oracle Road

READERS' PICK: Coffee, Etc. has long been a Mecca for trembling, red-eyed bean junkies. If, like us, you were moved to tears a few years back when Yoplait introduced its coffee-flavored yogurt, you will love Coffee, Etc. For one thing, it's open 24 hours a day! For another, the choices are almost infinite. The only problem is narrowing your focus. Should you order the amaretto Italiano or the Swiss hazelnut? The Ethiopian Harrar or the Celebes Kalossi? It is a logical and ethical quandary. As Sartre pointed out, every choice a person makes has profound resonance, even in a world that has lost sight of God. For every coffee you choose, you have NOT chosen hundreds of others. There is no refuge in claiming you didn't know; that particular innocence has been forever erased from the world's consciousness. You must simply beg forgiveness and come back again and again. And when you do come back, we recommend the "African Thunder" blend for real heart-galvanizing action.

READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: Hot, dark, and strong is how the coffee's poured at Cuppuccinos Coffee House, 3400 E. Speedway. Unless you want it iced light, which the youthful counter-culture is ever eager to serve up sweetly. The environment is as stimulating as the brave attempt to fashion a deconstructivist statement from a corner slot in a mini-mall. Lots of natural light, high ceilings with cool exposed (if structurally useless) trusses, unpolished cement floors and faux exposed brick just add to the quirky charm of this busy café. We especially like the nod to local artists, whose various contemporary works regularly grace the walls. There's an outdoor area for nicotine freaks and dog lovers, and an eclectic music mix provided by the gang at nearby Zia Records. Wednesday nights stir up the brew as local acoustic favorites such as Milkseed, Joe Rush, and the Courage Sisters play for coffee fans, who range from local politicos and car magnates to the TPD beat, and many members of the dyed, pierced-and-tattooed set.