Fall in Cleveland has arrived—and with it comes vibrant foliage, pumpkin-flavored everything and crisp weather. One way to stay warm and cozy is to treat yourself to a cup of joe—and here in Cleveland, there are plenty of places to satisfy your caffeine cravings. On Mondays in October, we’ll take you on a tour of some local coffee favorites.
Our first stop on the tour is Phoenix Coffee, the only employee-owned cooperative coffee company in Ohio. Founded in 1990, Phoenix Coffee now operates five shops around the Cleveland area—two in Cleveland Heights, two downtown, and one in Ohio City—as well as a roastery and wholesale bakery downtown.
One of Cleveland’s earliest specialty roasters, Phoenix places an emphasis on the coffee’s flavor itself, rather than syrups—and any syrups the shops offer are made in-house, as are many of the pastries and the oat milk (which is available at no upcharge on any drink).
If you’re a fan of keeping it simple, you’ll feel right at home at Phoenix—the drink menu includes many tried and true options such as drip coffee, espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, cortados, mochas, cold brew, iced coffee, chai lattes, loose leaf tea, iced tea and hot chocolate.
But, you’re not limited to the classics—Phoenix also serves seasonal drinks such as fall spice lattes in the autumn, peppermint mochas and gingersnap lattes in the winter, lavender bergamot tea lattes and maple breves in the spring, and coconut water lattes, agua de jamaica, and lavender lemonade in the summer. And, if you’re hungry, why not pair your coffee with a bagel, scone, muffin, brownie bite or a cookie?
Phoenix is also known to feature local artists, and sometimes has pop-up mini shops in-store, featuring plants, ceramics, spices and other goods—and plants are stocked and available for purchase at any time in all five cafes.Ready to give Phoenix Coffee a try? Its location on Coventry Road in Cleveland Heights is closest to CWRU—simply take the RTA’s Red Line from campus to the Mayfield Road and Coventry Road stop. From there, it’s just a .10 mile walk to Phoenix. This route takes about 17 minutes.
Alternatively, take a look at its other locations and plan your own adventure to Phoenix. To keep up to date on drink options and more, make sure to follow Phoenix on Instagram.