PHOENIX — It jumpstarts mornings, staves off afternoon naps and combines with desperation to finish out all-nighters. It finds itself in the hands of all kinds, from successful businessmen to sleep-deprived students and has carved a place in American culture through brands, baristas and Instagram. Coffee has become a constant in the lives of many and there is no clearer sign than the sheer number of cafes and coffee shops tucked into buildings or perched on street corners in Downtown Phoenix. Bicycle Nomad, The Grand, Fillmore Coffee Co. and Songbird Coffee & Tea House are four of the dozens of coffee shops that call Phoenix home. While coffee is on all of their menus, no two places are cookie cutter copies of the other. Fillmore Coffee Co. is framed by apartment housing and an architecture firm, and near invisible if not for a fold-up sign outside promising coffee, breakfast and lunch. Born out of a passion for coffee, Michael Atwell and Tristan Davies opened Fillmore a year and a half ago hoping to entice customers with a unique atmosphere and menu. As Davies described it, in an recent interview with Ayano Nagaishi, the atmosphere is “very light, very positive, very open.” The shop is designed around the center counter where drinks and meals are prepared for customers. A wall of windows and white walls ensure the whole space is well lit. Seating areas are scattered around the perimeter of the space, boasting leather couches, tables of various sizes and countertops set against large windows. While there are scattered knickknacks and succulents interspersed throughout the space, most of the surfaces are kept clear for customers. “We kinda set it up so there’s lots of different areas where people can get their own space and sit and study or have a conversation,” Davies said. “It seems to be a very popular sport to study and hang out.” Beyond its student-friendly study space, the coffee shop boasts more than its popular flat white. “Our food is very important to what we do,” Davies said. “Generally great coffee comes with great food so we like to serve great lunch and breakfast with your coffee as well.” The cafe boasts a full breakfast and lunch menu as well as a daily assortment of pastries all prepared in house; the most popular of their offerings are their bacon and egg sandwich, breakfast scramble and their muffins. With its light open space, Fillmore remains an inviting stop promising full meals to accompany drinks. Fillmore Coffee Co. isn’t the only fairly new cafe in downtown Phoenix. Bicycle Nomad Cafe shares a building with the Velo, a local Phoenix bike shop. While taking up barely a third of the space, the cafe has made a name and a place for itself on social media and in downtown. Erick Cedeno, the owner and founder of Bicycle Nomad brand works the front register with a smile, eager to meet new faces and share is unique take on the American coffee shop. “My idea was to create a community but for people to enjoy bicycle as much as I do,” he said in an interview with Alison Cutler. “Coffee brings a lot of people, especially people in the area.” With a great deal of the shops customers wandering over from the Velo, Cedeno seized the opportunity to combine their passion of cycling with his. Currently the cafe offers two different cycling outings a month. Every first Sunday, cyclers are led to selected spaces around the downtown area during the golden hour specifically to take photographs. Every second Saturday, Cedeno rolls out at 9 a.m. for a leisurely 15 mile cycle and encourages any and all cyclists to come join “to see phoenix in a different perspective.” Aside from its one of a kind bicycle-centric offerings, the cafe boasts a menu of unexpected items. The most popular drinks are: the Sweet and Salty, a three layered drink of caramel, espresso, and house-made whipping cream infused with sea salt; kombucha, a carbonated green tea fermented with honey; and the Cocoespresso, an instagram-famous drink made of coconut water and two espresso shots served right in the coconut. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy their drinks in the small lounge, decorated with bicycle memorabilia and Bicycle Nomad branded items for purchase. Whether a cycling adventure or espresso in a coconut, the coffee shop delivers its promise on an unorthodox experience. While The Bicycle Nomad Cafe may be the smallest in the area, The Grand Central Cafe lives up to its name with an expansive seating area inside and out. The Grand is a beacon for college students pulling late nights. The architecture mimics an old-fashion victorian train station, trying to replicate the idea of slowing down and interacting with people. The Grand has a wide and extensive menu of both food and drink, making it an ideal study spot or a meeting place to hang out with friends. One of the more unique drinks on the menu is the Lavender White Mocha. The cafe likes to mix things up and change out their specialty drinks frequently too, offering drinks featuring mint, cherry and other interesting flavors. The Grand also regularly hosts local musicians and live music in their expansive patio as well at Speakeasies ever Friday and Saturday night for people age 21 and over. The genre of music varies from acoustic singer-songwriters to jazz to more edgy rock gigs and everything in between. Another addition to this cafe is it’s outdoor area. On top of the dimly lit victorian-age interior and sturdy loft, there’s a fantastic patio that wraps around most of the building. The seating layout gives customers easy access to the bar and a great view of the stage when a performance is going on. The Grand Central strives to bring back the days of personal connection and give meaning to the name of the cafe and what it’s built to resemble. The coffee shop lives in the moment and entices others to do the same. The Songbird Coffee & Tea House makes its home quite literally. Located in a house on Third Street, the teahouse boasts several unique spaces, a yard and even its own tiny porch on which to enjoy drinks. Inside offers a variety of seating with vintage decorations, local artists’ pieces and a small collection of bird cages hanging overhead. With its neutral and green tones, wooden trim and worn floors , the cafe feels every bit the home it inhabits with its countertop, espresso machine and impressive collection of teas tucked in a corner of the back room. Erin Westgate, the owner of the teahouse, takes pride in the atmosphere and drinks her coffee shop provides. “We like to take things a little bit slower and focus on the product,” she said in an interview with Alison Cutler. Both the shops coffee and teas are locally sourced, with the wide assortment of teas one of Songbird’s signature calling. With so many cafes focusing on their coffee, Westgate found her niche in exploring teas. “We like to focus on having a wide variety of tea because it’s such an expansive area.” Westgate said. “I mean, there’s so many and there’s a lot of fun to be had with it too.” The Black Desert Passion, Jasmine Sunset and Pear Green teas are among the favorites served hot or cold at the teahouse. Of the pastries offered the coffee cake and fruit bars are always quick to disappear. Half of the snack items are made in house, the other half sourced from a local vegan baker. A main draw, aside from the selection of teas, remains the atmosphere of the teahouse. In contrast to other coffee houses, Erin highlights Songbird as one of the more quiet spaces. “We kind of get the study aspect and a lot of people come in to get work done,” she said. “But we also want it very community based.” The Songbird Coffee & Tea House feels every bit the home it resides in with cozy furnishings, fresh pastries and plethora of teas. Whether you’re looking for an afternoon pick me up, a morning ritual or a late night studying, the coffee shops of downtown Phoenix promise good drinks, good times and so much more. Each cafe stands out in it’s own unique way and has its own little perks, some that are often overlooked. So, for those in the area be it college students, tourists or locals, be sure to branch out and give some of these smaller businesses a little love.