El Paso is one of the busiest cities in Texas, with a total metro population close to 3 million people. Naturally, a working day in El Paso can be a grueling experience as you navigate crowds and traffic to and from work. Grabbing a quick caffeine fix at one of these downtown cafes might be just what you need.
Coffee Box
Recognized by The City Magazine and What’s Up as El Paso’s Best Coffee Shop in 2017, this popular cafe is chiefly known for its unique coffee-based beverages. You can opt for the increasingly-popular pumpkin spice latte or the cafe’s signature Mocha Shino. These inventive drinks layer mocha, ice cream, and a shot of espresso atop one another to create a drink with a rich taste complexity.
If coffee’s not your favorite, you can opt for a Matcha Green Tea Latte or Matcha Frappe; these drinks use nutritious, ground matcha tea as the basis for this delicious treat.
BLDG 6 Coffee Roasters
This El Paso cafe turns the simple act of drinking coffee into an art. Peruse their list of blends to discover positively mouthwatering tasting notes. For example, the #6 Blend sports a smoky flavor with a nutty sweetness, while the Tikal is dominated by elements of toffee and chocolate. With an on-site roastery, there’s a coffee variety here for everyone.
One of BLDG 6’s other standout offerings is its catering service. This is perfect for businesses hosting corporate meetings or conferences, as the cafe provides a portable espresso machine, espresso, milk, compostable cups, and the services of a professional barista.
Coffee Emporium
What makes this cafe unique is its gift shop, where you can find a surprising variety of coffee-themed gifts, as well as gift baskets featuring the cafe’s most popular blends. You can even take home a bag of handcrafted chocolates to accompany your favorite beans. But the cafe is equally suited to quickly dropping in and grabbing a drink on your way to work. Try their newly-launched butterscotch toffee blend, or go for classic flavors like caramel pecan or lavender white mocha. Tea lovers are also sure to appreciate their selection of herbal, green, and black teas.
Cafe Central
This unique cafe has nearly 100 years of history in the El Paso area, when it was first established just south of the border in Mexico. Today’s version of the cafe is an upmarket affair located in the heart of downtown. The cafe serves much more than just coffee, with an extensive menu of creative entrees that reflect the culture of the region.
Consider a dish of lobster served with avocado and mango or savor a tenderloin steak accompanied by a black bean puree, radish, jalapeno pepper, and lime. In fact, Travel + Leisure magazine considers it one of the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in the United States.
Coffee shops might be dominated by global chains, but El Paso has a great selection of local cafes that give you personalized service and unique flavors. Any of these four options represents a great way to enjoy what our city has to offer.
Coffee Image by johanilsemari is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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