Phoenix, like so many cities, suffers from a proliferation of drive-thrus, a format that offers convenience to motorists while marginalizing other modes of transport. The problem has gotten worse in recent years as the fast food industry has sought to supersize drive-thrus to match supersized portions. In light of that trend and the city's insufficient action to curtail drive-thrus, it's especially refreshing when a walk-up window becomes a dominant method of casual food service. That's the business model at Bang Bang Coffee, a coffee house in Midtown Phoenix.
Laura's Latte
In contrast to chains which back up traffic while blocking bike lanes and bus stops, Bang Bang functions as a walk-up window surrounded by outdoor seating. That format makes sense for a small structure on a quiet residential street where Midtown meets the Willo historic district. Most customers appear to arrive on foot from nearby neighborhoods, but the Encanto/Central light rail station is just half a block way. Bike racks directly in front make the place especially welcoming to customers riding along the bike lanes on Third Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and Third Street.
blueberry bagel with cream cheese
Bang Bang is the new name for the establishment formerly known as Birdhaus Coffee. The shift in brand corresponds to new owners who are fans of the television cult favorite Twin Peaks.
The Bang Bang Bar was a tavern in the show, and the theme carries over to the names of the drinks and a quote from one of the show's creators, David Lynch, on the exterior of the small building: "Even bad coffee is better than no coffee at all." Fortunately, Bang Bang does not serve bad coffee. The brew here is actually quite good and acts as the foundation of its drink menu.
Black Lodge
The menu maintains the Twin Peaks theme with numerous references to characters, places, and events of the show. The signature Laura's latte,flavored with honey and cinnamon and available hot or iced, is named for the Laura Palmer character whose death catalyzes the plot of the show. Like all the drinks here, it does not go overboard with sweetness. Likewise, the drink named simply "Laura Palmer" is a play on the familiar Arnold Palmer combination of iced tea and lemonade, but Bang Bang adds a bit of vanilla and honey for additional notes of flavor.
waffle with raspberry compote
Tea is given equal attention, whether by itself or as the base of drinks such as chai and a London fog. The latter shows particular care in its preparation. The Earl Grey involved is steeped for nearly ten minutes, resulting in a potent beverage that retains its distinctive flavors of tea and bergamot even as they combine with steamed milk and sweetness. Back to coffee, the Black Lodge, named for another Twin Peaks setting, combines dark chocolate and hazelnut in a way that retains both flavors without making the concoction seem like a big swig of Nutella.
Laura Palmer
For food, there are two main choices. The first is waffles with a choice of syrup, butter, or raspberry compote. The second is Bagelfeld's bagels, offered Thursday through Sunday with the option to add cream cheese. The daily bagel delivery, usually between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m., is anticipated by regulars. A waffle or a bagel can be a breakfast when combined with a coffee or tea drink. Even better, none of the options involve long lines of idling vehicles, excessive driveways interrupting the sidewalk, or any of the other downsides of drive-thru coffee chains.
10 W. Vernon Ave., Phoenix AZ 85003
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