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    Cartel Roasting

    4.0 (251 reviews)
    ModerateCoffee & Tea
    Closed 6:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Cartel Roasting Photos

    Business Info

    CARTEL ROASTING ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for working

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    Recommended Reviews - Cartel Roasting

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    Christopher B.

    Day two of my quest to find the best espresso in Tucson took me to two spots, yes, it was two espresso day. Cartel Roasting has several store fronts throughout AZ and is opening up in LA soon. While that sounds corporate, the space and the vibe in downtown Tucson is 100% local and community. In fact, they are becoming a community-owned coffee shop. The space has all the features of a cool downtown spot. Exposed brick, lots of local art, plenty of seating, and two of my favs: the bike wheel sculpture and the coffee tables. The staff greeted me as soon as I stepped in the door even though they were busy making orders. They promptly took my order and after a few minutes my name was called. The presentation was perfect. A glass of espresso with a nice head and a taller glass of sparkling. The espresso had a nice acidity and bitterness, a bit more than the other two local spots I tried, but I liked it. Also, perfect temperature. I didn't try a pastry, but they had several on offer from local bakeries. Nothing frozen.

    Allison R.

    Great ambiance, great service. Everyone is always so friendly and patient. Their coffee will get ya! If you're looking to jump start your heart palpitations for the day, this is the place.

    Honduras coffee beans
    Alex M.

    Friendly staff, cool environment, and great coffee. What more do you need? The staff was welcoming and made great recommendations. I ended up ordering a hot latte sweetened with agave syrup and it was lovely. It had just the right amount of sweetness. I also purchased some whole beans, which they offered to grind for me. I didn't realize that each bag comes with a complimentary drip or cold brew so I ended up with two coffees that day! What a happy surprise!

    Grace N.

    Such a cool coffee shop and what's even better for us is that we could see Cartel coffee from our room at the AC hotel. When you search for best coffee in Tucson, Cartel Roasting keeps coming up, so I know I had to check them out. I love coffee and matcha so when I go to a new place, I always seek out the most loved coffee shops. Cartel is one of them and it's easy to see why. The people here are absolutely wonderful and so friendly! The space is incredibly spacious, which a very cool retro style. For example, they have bike spokes, tons of them, as decor and they actually work with their theme! Lots of arts on the wall and they also have merch for sale. Coffee and matcha were delicious and so was their pastries. They are becoming a community-owned coffee shop and there are QR codes on every table with info on how you can be a part of their community too! This is such a cool concept!

    Muffin
    Emily B.

    Such a nice little coffee shop! The service was very fast and it's a great spot to read or work. I'll definitely be back next time I want to come downtown.

    Agave latte
    Alexiz A.

    Such a cool spot downtown. My go to is either a dirty Chai or a agave latte. My lattes come out both beautiful and tasty everytime. They open early which is nice to stop by after a early morning gym session. Service was quick and friendly.

    Chai Latte
    Ed H.

    Great place, Stopped by early morning before work. My Chia Latte was delicious. loved the vibe inside. The dude at the counter was great.

    Madelynn F.

    Popped in here on a Sunday afternoon. This was my first time in this location. Good music. Chill vibes. I ordered an iced vanilla latte with oat milk that was yummy. They have cookies and muffins/treats for purchase as well. You can also buy bags of their coffee to take home. They have a cute succulent bin/section at the front entrance that caught my eye

    Shay M.

    I stopped by this cafe for a quick bite and ordered a potato burrito. The service was fine and the location was clean and well decorated. I enjoyed my food and would return to try the drinks.

    Merch
    Fern G.

    I had a cappuccino and my aunt tried a cashew milk cortado. Both were excellent. Would definitely frequent this spot if I lived in the area. There were nice areas for sitting and relaxing for a while if you have the time. Decent merch selection too. No complaints, hope to be back sometime.

    Vegan burrito
    Amy C.

    My friend and I stopped in for coffee and a bite. Cute place! Quiet and free wifi. The vegan breakfast burrito was tasty and the muffin good too! I liked the iced latte with vanilla. The girl at the counter was very nice and helpful. Would definitely recommend this coffee shop!

    Cold Breve Latte
    Erica M.

    I just love coming here for the service and the ambience and especially for the good tasting coffee!!

    Ashley C.

    Nice open space for meeting someone, remote work, or just relaxing with a yummy drink and snack. This was my first time here, and I was pleasantly surprised by all of the seating options, from couches to long tables, high tops, and round tables...there's room for everyone. As someone who doesn't drink coffee and is not into tea, the options are limited. I ended up getting a prickly pear herbal tea + lemonade. It was extremely sugarless. The cashier happily provided me some kind of liquid sugar syrup, which I added, but still could not detect so I asked for a second (it was a really small serving). She was very kind and helpful, and provided me another, which helped make it taste more like a typical lemonade flavor (more on the tart side). I also got a chocolate chip cookie which was 10/10! There's light music that's plays in the background. It's a very laid-back and relaxing work environment.

    Cappuccino

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    2 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    7 months ago

    Top notch coffee! The vibes are really good as well, and they have a small selection of merch available for purchase.

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    7 months ago

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    4 months ago

    In town for a week and had this coffee everyday. It was so smooth and delicious. I had to buy some to take home. And I live in Hawaii.

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    3 years ago

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    7 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Great cappuccino. There was no line. Great service. The pumpkin muffin with cream cheese was moist and filling. Would go again.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Cartel Roasting

    Do they sell gift cards?

    They used to. As far as I know they still do.

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    Talega Coffee

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    If Tucson has a heartbeat, part of it lives inside Talega Coffee Roasters…read more I used to live next door, and honestly, they were the only thing keeping me in Armory Park as long as I stayed. When I finally moved, I thought the hardest part would be adding 30 minutes to my commute. It wasn't. It was losing that daily routine of walking into a place that feels so real and personal. Talega isn't just a coffee shop. It feels intimate in a way that's hard to find now. You can tell Tyler & Rene actually care. Not just about the coffee, but about the people who come in and the community around them. Nothing about it feels transactional. You're remembered, conversations matter, and it feels grounded in something genuine. Their seasonal drinks are what really set them apart. They are not cheap grabs for attention or copies of whatever is trending online. The ideas feel inspired and intentional. (Their maize latte and miso latte were perfect) You can tell there is real thought behind what they put on the menu. It reflects a level of care for the craft that is especially rare. It's been incredible to watch how far they've come since they started. They've grown without losing what makes them special, which is not easy to do. I don't live next door anymore, but I will never stop being a regular and I will never stop drinking the Maize latte (I literally dream about it).

    Very cool little coffee shop with local art on the walls and good music playing. Good people…read morerunning this place. Coffee was excellent! I had one of the Spring 2026 specialty iced lattes, the Sumac Floral Bloom. It had lemongrass, lavender florals, with a sumac finish. It was unique, interesting, and delicious without being too sweet or overpowering the espresso. Milk options were whole or oat. They have WiFi but I didn't use it.

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    Jalapeño & Cheddar Scone
    Jalapeño & Cheddar Scone
    Interior seating. A bit eclectic.
    Interior seating. A bit eclectic.
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    Cafe A La C'art is a slightly hidden, off the main track restaurant attached to the Tucson Museum…read moreof Art. It is an amazing pastry location and a great lunch location. We have been coming here for over ten years, either as a couple or when my work has events. They can be a little pricy, but it is an amazing location with charm. There is interior and outside seating. You order at the counter with menus provided to review. You WILL be tempted by the pastries. It is mostly sandwiches and salads...and pastry. The drinks are soft drinks, teas and limited alcohol. Food is always well presented, and they do accommodate changes. Staff are friendly but also busy. Did I mention the charm, the adobe rooms have tables and the decor bring the experience together. It can be loud at times, but not overwhelming. Definitely visit, especially if doing the courthouse tour, the Presidio or Old Town shops, other hidden downtown gems.

    I love the art on the walls so much and glad I came around 9am ish in the summer when it's less…read morecrowded so I can easily walk around and look at all the art pieces. Lots of nature themed paintings and photographs. I also really like their patio. I had the smoked beet sandwich and replaced the goat cheese with extra pumpkin seed-pistachio- sesame spread to make it vegan. It comes with seasoned fries/ green salad with herb vinaigrette/ or today's side a vegan potato salad. I chose the green salad with herb vinaigrette and really appreciated it had some pumpkin seeds too. They also gave me a sample of the potato salad but I liked the other food I had better. My understanding is that they use frozen potatoes for the fries vs fresh ones but season them with a seasoning mix. The pumpkin seed-pistachio- sesame spread in the sandwich was called "tahini" on the menu but it seems like it was sesame seeds in it not ground tahini paste. The sandwich was really yummy and great for summer. Ordering the first round is at the bar counter but once you are seated after your first order you can order more from the staff. I hear that there is a line to order at the more popular times but there was not a line when I was there. They had lots of great looking baked good. One was vegan and gluten free. Great place to have food at while visiting the Tucson Museum of Art. They share a small free parking lot. My general rating system: 1 star: I would stay away 2 stars: Has some good things about it but I generally don't recommend. 3 stars: Pretty good. I wouldn't go out of my way to go back but a decent place 4 stars: Great place. I would go back. 5 stars: I highly recommend stopping whatever you are doing and making plans to try it out! An Evie favorite!

    Photos
    Sweet main dining area, baked goods case and ordering counter. Has beautiful light and all the charm.
    Sweet main dining area, baked goods case and ordering counter. Has beautiful light and all the charm.
    Breakfast skillet
    Breakfast skillet
    Marshmallow matcha

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    Marshmallow matcha

    Cartel Roasting - coffee - Updated August 2026

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