A local coffee shop that is dedicated to bringing Nordic coffee culture to Tucson, and once held the honors of “Best Coffee in Arizona” by Food & Wine magazine, is expanding.
Presta Coffee Roasters, which is currently located at 2502 N. First Ave. and at 100 S. Avenida del Convento Ste. 180, is opening its newest location at 501 E. Ninth St. on Friday, April 16.
The new spot, which is a 100-year-old building, used to be a gas station named Jerry’s back in the 1920s, and converting it into an additional Presta location has been a three-year project for owner Curtis Zimmerman.
“Inside, the building has history on the walls and kind of still has the same structure,” said Zimmerman. “I’ve always wanted to have like a ‘gas station coffee shop’ but still keep it in the theme of vintage.”
When it comes to the new spot — and the other locations in Tucson, too — an easy route for cyclists to stop by is a must.
“Everything I do is kind of related somehow with bikes,” said Zimmerman. “Like at Mercado San Agustin, the bike trail allowed people to pull up. Cyclists always look for destinations to ride to, and that’s one of them.”
The interior of the building, which is decked out in exposed brick walls and wood panels, has space to enjoy your coffee, but there’s also room to take advantage of the cooler mornings out on the patio.
Plus, they’ve got pastries from local vegan baker Houlden’s Rise Above to accommodate your drink in hand.
Zimmerman also got approval from the city to invest in the former upholstery shop on the opposite end of the building, which is where he’s planning to relocate his roasting operation.
At the moment, the hours of operation are 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. daily.
Presta Coffee Roasters is located at 501 E. Ninth St. For more information, visit prestacoffee.com.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
