Coffee & Treats in Tucson

Fresh couples house-made, local, and organic dishes with juicy fruit smoothies and single-origin coffee drinks between bright green walls and slick, mod-styled counter seating from the owners of Zona 78 and The Grill at Hacienda del Sol. Chefs cobble together all comestibles from scratch, whipping up an all-day breakfast menu of fruit- or egg-filled english muffin sandwiches and pastries and a lunch menu of salads and wraps enlivened by gourmet toppings such as candied almonds and herbed goat cheese. Meanwhile, baristas finesse a much-buzzed-about La Marzocco Strada espresso machine that hisses Italian love poetry as they steam café classics along with sweeter sippables made with Nutella and house-blended chocolate sauce. Fresh's commitment to the environment is evident in its exclusive use of recyclable cups and tableware and refusal to employ any underage endangered species.

It was a fateful day that Campus Candy founder Mark Tarnofsky dropped his daughter off at Indiana University about four years ago. On a mission to track down a simple candy bar, the dutiful dad found himself roaming far afield until he finally landed at a distant drugstore. Convinced that college kids want candy within constant reach, Tarnofsky started his first store right there, and soon expanded to the schools in Wisconsin, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. Each outlet sells more than 500 different types of candy, all of which may be repurposed as toppings on a rotating menu of frozen yogurt. By slinging bulk candy at a fixed price, Campus Candy stores make it easy for college kids to load up on diverse desserts without filling their schedules with bonbon-making classes.

Surely the world would be a better place if the potentially lethal gold in Olympic medals were replaced with festive-ribboned cookies. Today's Groupon gets you $20 worth of delectables from The Khaya Cookie Company's online store for $10. Like a munchy bobsledder in the heated comfort of your own living-room bobsled, you'll feel like a celebrated winner who has helped put this glorious nation one cookie further ahead of arch-rival Sweden in the rankings.

Floor-to-ceiling windows adorn the front wall of Sparkroot, showering light onto a small tree that sits at the center of a circular wooden table. This café space, lined with the work of local and international artists, aims to spark creativity with paintings, varied seating options, and a lofted area that takes advantage of the towering ceiling. Within these confines, tunes blast from a classic jukebox, harmonizing with the chatter of conversations and fingers typing on laptops.

Of course, customers don't watusi into Sparkroot just for the atmosphere, so the staff works to create a menu as innovative as the decor. Behind the counter, baristas brew espressos and lattes using Blue Bottle coffee, a small roaster that uses organic and pesticide-free, shade-grown beans. The drinks, which also include craft beers and wines, are complemented by housemade vegetarian meals, including pressed ciabatta sandwiches and crunchy granola.