King Coffee Is Moving to Mesa — But Tempe May Not Have Seen the Last of It
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When news broke that King Coffee was preparing to leave its longtime Tempe home for a larger space in Mesa, it sounded a little like the end of an era.
Turns out, it may be more of an expansion of one.
The family-owned coffee shop near ASU has built the kind of loyal following independent coffee shops hope for. But as King Coffee prepares for its Mesa move, owner Sallie Figueroa tells PhoenixBites the family learned several years ago that the Tempe building would eventually be torn down as part of a redevelopment.
“It was a total shock and not something we anticipated at all,” Figueroa said.
What happened next wasn’t a frantic scramble to find another storefront. Because the redevelopment was still years away, the family had something increasingly rare in situations like this:
Time.
They considered nearby Tempe spaces. They researched using a mobile coffee truck as a temporary home. Eventually, they found a new location at 1620 W. University Drive in Mesa.
But here’s the part of the story I wasn’t expecting.
King Coffee may not be finished with Tempe after all.
King Coffee Could Eventually Return to Tempe
Figueroa says the family has been invited to return once the new development is completed.
“We never contemplated that it was the end of King Coffee, but it was definitely a time to look at what we might do,” she said. “We also were invited to return once the new building is in place, so we are hopeful that we will be able to reopen our Tempe location at that time.”
So, potentially, this isn’t King Coffee moving from Tempe to Mesa forever.
It’s King Coffee establishing itself in Mesa—with the possibility of eventually having a Tempe location again, too.
That’s a pretty different story.
In the meantime, the Mesa shop gives the family an opportunity to build a version of King Coffee they simply haven’t had room for before.
Why Mesa?
The new location isn’t random.
Josh Weems and his family live within walking distance of the Mesa shop, and Sallie says they’ve already been surprised by the response from their future neighbors.
“They love the strong sense of community that Mesa is known for,” she said. “In the short time since we announced our move, we’ve had an outpouring of support and excitement from our new neighbors.”
The space itself is something she calls a “diamond in the rough.”
And apparently the family has plans for that diamond.
The new King Coffee will have more seating, more parking and, importantly, a full kitchen.
That last part opens up an entirely different menu.
King Coffee Is Getting a Real Kitchen
Coffee isn’t going anywhere.
But the Mesa version of King Coffee is going to give you considerably more to eat with it.
The family plans to bake pastries in-house and expand breakfast and lunch, with brunch planned for weekends.
Some old friends are coming along, too.
Figueroa says King Coffee plans to keep rotating favorites including its house-made pumpkin spice, salted maple cold brew, Mad Mummy latte and horchata lattes.
They’re also hoping to resurrect a couple of former food favorites.
“We also would like to bring back our killer grilled cheese and our bruschetta options,” she said.
Killer grilled cheese?
Okay. You have my attention.
But it’s what King Coffee plans to add that may make the new location especially interesting.
Filipino and Mexican Heritage Will Shape the New King Coffee
Sallie’s family is Filipino-American, while her daughter-in-law, Gen, is of Mexican descent.
For the family, those influences go deeper than simply adding Filipino and Mexican flavors to the menu. They’re interested in the connections between those backgrounds.
“The Philippines was a colony of Spain for hundreds of years, which left an enduring Spanish influence,” Figueroa said. “There is a connected heritage between our families that we wanted to celebrate and explore in our new location.”
That exploration will extend beyond food.
King Coffee plans to highlight coffees from both Mexico and the Philippines and introduce new flavors throughout its drinks, pastries and food menu. Music and art will also be used to celebrate the family’s shared heritage.
Exactly what those new menu items will be is still under development.
Which is unfortunate for the person who would very much like to know what those pastries are going to be.
Hi. It’s me.
Still, the idea of Mexican and Filipino coffees alongside house-baked pastries and a horchata latte seems like a perfectly reasonable place to start.
More Than a Coffee Shop
The larger space also gives King Coffee room to lean into something the family has been experimenting with for years.
Being a place where people actually hang out.
At the Tempe shop, they’ve tried evening events, brunch and The Lounge at King Coffee. Not everything worked exactly as planned.
That appears to be part of the point.
“We have learned to be open to new ideas, not to be afraid to try things and to pivot when it doesn’t hit the mark,” Figueroa said. “We are always looking for ways to connect with our community and serve as its third space.”
It’s something we’ve been seeing elsewhere in Tempe, too, as newer concepts like Buffables Café try to become part of customers’ everyday routines rather than simply an occasional stop.
The new location is expected to have live music and DJ nights along with weekend brunch and other community events.
And Figueroa sees an opportunity in the immediate neighborhood.
“There are few true independent coffee shops in the immediate community and we picture King Coffee becoming that social hub that offers a sense of belonging,” she said.
That’s a considerably bigger ambition than opening a coffee shop with more tables.
And Apparently There’s a Patio
I asked Figueroa if there was anything about the new location that hadn’t been reported yet.
There is.
Sort of.
“It’s still under wraps but we have plans for a wonderful outdoor patio space that we are very excited about!”
And that is all I’m getting for now.
Fair enough, Sallie.
I’ll be watching.
A Bittersweet Goodbye — For Now
For all the excitement surrounding Mesa, there’s still the matter of leaving Tempe.
More than a decade is a long time to occupy a corner of someone’s routine.
Coffee before class. Meetings. First dates. Study sessions. The drink somebody orders so often that eventually nobody has to ask what they’re having.
King Coffee has had years to prepare for this move, but that doesn’t make leaving its longtime community insignificant.
“We are so grateful to be part of Tempe for so long and it’s bittersweet to make this move,” Figueroa said.
And she has a request for the regulars who’ve supported King Coffee there:
“To our OG Tempe customers, we hope you will venture out to Mesa to say hello, to check out our new location and to keep King Coffee in your rotation!”
For Mesa, the message is simpler.
“We are looking forward to becoming part of the community and getting to know you.”
The new King Coffee is expected to open by the end of 2026.
I’ll be watching for the opening date, the first look at that patio and—obviously—whatever starts coming out of the new kitchen.
And if King Coffee eventually makes its way back to Tempe too?
Even better.
King Coffee Mesa: What We Know
Where: 1620 W. University Drive, Suite 3, Mesa
Opening: Targeting the end of 2026
Expect: Coffee, house-baked pastries, expanded breakfast and lunch, weekend brunch, live music and community events
Returning favorites: House-made pumpkin spice, salted maple cold brew, Mad Mummy latte, horchata lattes, plus potentially the grilled cheese and bruschetta
New: Mexican and Filipino coffees and flavors, full kitchen and a planned outdoor patio
Tempe: The family has been invited to return following redevelopment and hopes to eventually reopen a Tempe location
About the Author - Taryn Jeffries
Editor and Chief Eating Officer of PhoenixBites, 2017 Food Writer of the Year (Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame) Taryn grew up in a small town in Illinois with a doting Grandmother who taught her the way around a kitchen and that food is representative of love. Her current quest is to find the love in local dishes and the chefs behind them. In addition to running all things PhoenixBites, Taryn is also a freelance writer, sharing her insight on the best dishes and where to get them each and every month.
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