There is a certain relationship between coffee and furniture. After all, many living rooms are defined by what is commonly known as a “coffee table,” a surface to hold a pot, cups, milk, and sugar as hospitality for guests. Of course, today’s coffee tables hold television remotes, game controllers, magazines, and coffee table books of course. Still, a good cup of coffee seems to go well with interior design. In Uptown Phoenix, Satellite Coffee acknowledges that relationship by functioning as a coffee shop within a furniture store that also houses architectural offices.
Satellite is the third coffee house to occupy a corner of this retail spot. While Wendell Burnette Architects has been a long-term presence, Neighbor, an outdoor furniture company, is a newer arrival, and with it came Satellite as a new coffee provider. The building is located two blocks north of Central/Camelback station on the B Line. A bike rack is found next door outside of Practical Art, a boutique that complements the design focus of this retail cluster. The interior is shared space with Neighbor’s showroom acting as seating for customers of the coffee house.
A small menu is displayed at the counter listing regular coffee, espresso, and tea drinks, as well as seasonal specials. Pastry is displayed under glass to the right, and a refrigerated case to the left holds some bottled beverages. Two chief characteristics define Satellite’s approach: First, the coffee beverages, even the changing original creations, are more balanced and restrained than the sugar bombs found at many other places. Second, the pastry is outstanding, a worthy companion to the drinks, whether a sweet or savory baked item is chosen.
Tiramisu cold brew, served in a real glass rather than plastic, has a built-in foundation of coffee flavor with mascarpone foam providing the other notes associated with the Italian restaurant dessert favorite. A perfect accompaniment is a cinnamon bun with a slightly crisp outer layer that makes it suitable for dunking in a tiramisu bath that allows the spice and coffee flavors to blend. For a distinctive but slightly simpler drink, the shaken espresso adds a note of brown sugar and an upper layer of salted foam to the coffee base. This drink is also best enjoyed cold.
For something warm, a sweet potato latte is subtle with a muted vegetal flavor and an unassuming layer of marshmallow foam. A hazelnut latte with banana foam has both fruit nut and fruit flavors that are both restrained and authentic. For anyone who wants to literally go bananas, a thick piece of banana bread with intact slabs of the tropical fruit within, is an obvious companion. Croissants are also an essential pastry item here, whether sweet with sliced almonds on top and a marzipan filling, or savory with a mixture of ham and gruyere cheese.
Tile pastry uses the same flaky dough as the croissants but is shaped into a falter format and topped with ingredients like cheese and asparagus or broccolini. With the largest surface area of any of the baked goods, it can be a meal in itself, functioning almost as a small puff pastry pizza. For best results, accept the staff’s offer to heat the baked goods while the beverages are prepared. With its compact and focused menu and its presence in a store full of attractive furniture, Satellite has a stable orbit that never seems too far removed from terrestrial comforts.
PHX Rail Food 