Enroute Coffee and Tea House

When USA Today recently compiled a list of the best coffee shops in America, the stalwart news organization chose only one stand out location from each state in the country. The number one in Arizona: Enroute Coffee & Tea House in Goodyear. Located on the far west stretch of I-10 off Pebble Creek Parkway, Enroute Coffee is the enterprising creation of owners Brittany Salazar and Deni Banach. The hardworking friends joined forces in 2019 and brought their 25 years of combined restaurant industry experience together, taking a leap of faith and purchasing an existing coffee house in a shopping center south of the I-10, and making it their own.

When I arrived at the coffee house on a Friday morning, I found a bustling cafe with a steady stream of customers grabbing coffees to go or sitting for a spell inside of its charmingly Instagrammable interior. A staff of three, including co owner Brittany Salazar, readied the delicious looking drinks and chatted up regulars who were eager for their dose of Enroute's award winning brew. Between surges of patrons, I was able to briefly chat with Salazar who shared with me that she came to appreciate the craft of coffee through her collaboration with Deni Banach whose past work in coffee brought an essential component of knowledge to the duo. Salazar, a graduate of Northern Arizona University's Hotel and Restaurant Management program spent several years in the restaurant industry, most recently working at Luci's at the Orchard. She knew the long hours, hard work, and time on her feet it would take to make their venture successful.

At the core of their success is their wonderfully flavorful coffee. Enroute's coffee beans are locally roasted by Union Coffee Company of Peoria, and their espresso bar specializes in hand selected premium ingredients and unique offerings such as signature lattes with names like Sugar Plum, Lucky Charms, and Dealer's Choice. There are also 24 loose leaf teas available, all displayed in labeled mason jars. The cafe sells baked goods from Boyer Bakery and Hope's Artisan Bread. Nora's Macarons also provides a rotating selection of hand crafted macarons.

The coffee shop is thoughtfully designed and has several matching square wood tables and accompanying white chairs. There is a dedicated space for group meetings, and two conversation areas with throw rugs and comfortable looking velvet wingback chairs in relaxed hues. The decor has a decidedly feminine touch with pops of pink, gray, and rose gold. Upbeat music plays at a moderate level in the background, rotating between decades and genres. Artists such as Ariana Grande, Stevie Nicks, and Maroon 5, provided the soundtrack to my morning visit. The shop also sells various local products such as Goodyear, AZ t shirts, hats, and local honey.

I sampled a medium sized hot latte while I was there and found out what all the hype was about: it was smooth, mildly sweet, and a bit toasty, hitting all the right notes throughout the cup. I also tried a captivating sky blue coconut macaron and was delighted by its freshness and flavor. I encourage you to set your GPS to 15605 W. Roosevelt St and try this award winning Goodyear destination for yourself. Whether you are en route to the City of Angels on the west I-10 or simply looking for a great place to taste fabulous coffee in the greater Phoenix valley, do yourself a favor and head to Enroute Coffee & Tea House. You will certainly see for yourself why USA Today calls them the "number one coffee house in Arizona".