The coffee is toasty and naturally sweet, and my mouth is coated in its caramel essence. I regret having eaten before I got here, but I’ve made it my mission to stay long enough to build up an appetite. The Bombay-inspired small-batch bakery looks too mouthwatering to resist, and the flavors remind me of my husband’s Turkish latte: a delicious espresso adorned with cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, oat, and crushed pistachio.
I was on the hunt for a place to hunker down and write for a few hours; I opened Yelp, scrolled a bit, and settled on WhereUBean Coffee. What drew me in was the eclectic, mismatched furniture: an important cornerstone for a good coffee shop with the right vibe.
What’s the right vibe? For me, it’s quirky, nerd-friendly, and kind. I want to feel the sweat, blood, and tears of students and writers who’ve sat at old, wooden tables before me, reaching into their depths to put something on paper or screen. I want black cat-like baristas, calm and confident in their caffeine efficiency and creativity—perhaps, in short, a hodgepodge of introverts who decided to gather and support one another in somewhat-silence, surrounded by vintage furniture and arresting artwork that makes so little sense, it just makes sense.
For me, finding the right coffee shop in a new place is how I find the right people, and in the quiet suburbs of a state I’m unfamiliar with, WhereUBean took me somewhere I really wanted to stay. The full-bodied coffee and delicious desserts was just the start: the cafe is Indian-owned and very vocal about supporting local and international initiatives. They have a bin that collects stray books for children, posters from the Muslim American Society, and opportunities to sign pledges for Palestine. This is a place that embodies and encourages peace and community, and it’s small businesses like this one that remind me that none of us really know why we’re here, but we can all still decide to love and uplift one another as we circle the sun.
The history nerd’s fix
I gotta do it, if only for my husband, who’s endlessly fascinated with learning the history behind the places he visits. The earliest-known inhabitants of the Ahwatukee Foothills were the Hohokam people: master farmers and engineers who built extensive irrigation canal systems that were so well-done, Phoenix’s modern designs are still based on these originals. The Hohokam were well-known for their pottery, stone tools, and shell jewelry. They used materials from the surrounding deserts and mountains—including the nearby South Mountain, which borders Ahwatukee.
South Mountain, which defines the landscape of Ahwatukee Foothills, was considered culturally significant to the Hohokam. There are still Hohokam-created petroglyphs on South Mountain that depict animals, human figures, and geometric designs. This mountain range wasn’t just a natural barrier—it was also a spiritual place for the tribe, and it’s believed that they held ceremonies or rituals in the area.
After the Hohokam mysteriously disappeared around 1450 (likely due to drought or other environmental changes), their descendants, the Pima and Maricopa tribes, settled in the region. The modern Pima (Akimel O'odham) consider themselves the direct descendants of the Hohokam.
Back to WhereUBean
The name "Ahwatukee" is said to come from the Crow word "awwatukee," meaning "house of dreams" or "land of my dreams”, and this I feel in the bones of WhereUBean. People are drawn here to dream—of a brighter future, of compassion—and to connect with other dreamers in the process.
I guess we can talk about the coffee, too. I started my experience with an oat milk latte, which was indeed toasty, sweet, and comfortable sitting on my tongue. I stayed long enough to treat myself to a mango chia seed pudding, which was delicious, simple, and nutritious. Before it was time to duck out, I hunted and gathered a few items for my husband to enjoy: an apple butter cake and a mocha bundt cake made with Intelligentsia coffee, both of which he devoured and loved.
If anything might entice me to head back to Phoenix, it’s this spot. Thank you for the lovely experience, WhereUBean.
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