Giant Coffee

Sometimes, it's really hard to find a giant. Jack had to plant magic beans and ascend an enormous stalk to find his. Gulliver had to travel to the faraway land of Brobdingnag to live among people twelve times his size. In Phoenix, Giant Coffee has been the elusive object of a quest by lovers of coffee house culture. There were preview nights in the fall of 2009 and rumors of an imminent opening in early 2010, but took until the beginning of summer for Giant to start regular business hours. Even now, Giant Coffee can still be a little hard to find. The location is just a block east of the McDowell / Central light rail station. Nevertheless, Giant is tucked away on First Street, hidden by Thai Hut, the Cancer Survivors Park, the CVS store, and the much larger Phoenix Art Museum and Burton Barr Library.

Despite -- or maybe because of -- the long wait, Giant delivers equally well in terms of beverages, food, service, and an attractive environment for either leisure or work. The coffee house shares a building with Merz Project, Bunky Boutique, and the Human Tribe Project -- all fascinating entities by themselves. Giant's share of the building is spartan with concrete floors and block walls, but somehow it manages to seem warm and inviting. There are a few lounge-style chairs with tree stump tables facing the street, but most of the seating takes the form of long tables. The most striking furniture, though, is a series of high desks with a long bench behind them. It's an ideal setup for laptop users, and it's made even better by power outlets at each station.

Free, robust wifi mean there's no reason to be disconnected -- unless of course you'd rather just enjoy some good conversation and people watching. In a small but welcoming gesture, tables are adorned with fresh cut flowers in small vases -- a nice touch of morning cheer familiar from Matt's Big Breakfast, which happens to be owned by the same person, Matt Pool, who is behind Giant Coffee. The condiment station has milk from Straus Family Creamery in old-fashioned glass bottles like those that used to be left on doorsteps back when milk was obtained from the milkman rather than the convenience store. Speaking of convenience, Giant now accepts credit and debit cards after several months of operating on a cash-only basis. The fees associated with credit and debit purchases can frustrate independent businesses, but Giant has cleverly adapted by using the Square iPhone app for transaction processing.
The shop approaches its most fundamental product with single origin, direct trade coffees that are as nuanced as the craft beers served at the Roosevelt, Pool’s third business. The “daily drip” varies. One day it might be from Panama Duncan Estate with its mild notes of lemon; the next days it might be something else entirely. Espresso drinks are also to be found at Giant, and one of the signature beverages is a honey vanilla latte, a sweet, but not too sweet, concoction for anyone wanting a gentle drink. At the other end of the spectrum, the “Smoke Jumper,” features espresso shots dappled with cocoa powder and cinnamon. Before you think of this as a mocha, remember that no sugar or milk is present. In other words, it’s an intense, slightly bitter drink best suited to the hard-core espresso aficionado.

Beyond coffee, Giant offers a “hot tea service” that may be the best coffee house tea experience in Phoenix. Tea drinkers receive a metal tray containing a pot of freshly-brewed loose tea, a cup, and a small container of McClendon Select honey. The teas come from Rishi, an organic, fair trade supplier, and their flavors and aromas are distinctive. Earl Grey is fragrant with intense bergamot scent steaming out of the pot. Rishi’s jasmine tea comes in tiny pearls that unfurl during the brewing process. The “Hot Xococatl” is hot chocolate full of Mexican spice. Sure, it’s sweet, but it’s also unexpectedly fiery. Fresh-squeezed orange juice and honey lemonade are probably the mildest, least threatening drinks here, and both are thoroughly refreshing.

A small lunch menu is still on the way, but breakfast has arrived at Giant. The granola here is full of nuts and raisins and has an appealing crunchy texture without oiliness. Breakfast burritos are featured at the counter, and of course there are bagels waiting to be toasted and accessorized with cream cheese or peanut butter. Most of the baked goods originate with local favorite Tammie Coe / MJ. The best part: in the late afternoon, all pastry is half off in a sort of coffee house happy hour. Giant took its time in arriving, but thankfully the magic beans here are more about excellent coffee than stratospheric stalks. Likewise, the convenient location means that long voyages are unnecessary. The wordplay may be obvious, but it’s also appropriate: Giant Coffee now stands tall in Phoenix coffee house culture.

1437 N. 1st St., Phoenix AZ 85004Map(602) 252-1323