Cafe VanGo
** UPDATE! Jason Calhoon is now a partner at Avenue Coffee and no longer utilizes the Bookmans spot.**
I frickin’ love coffee. Espresso, cappuccino, French press – love it. Early morning, late morning, mid-afternoon, yes, please. But it can’t be from any ol’ place. Oh, no. It has to be from a place that takes pride in what they serve. A place that knows the difference between light, medium, and dark roasts. A place that won’t ask me when I buy beans, “would you like us to grind this for you?” A place that knows a cappuccino has specific ratios of espresso to froth and ain’t just a smaller version of a latte. A place where they don’t make drip coffee. And of course, a place whose barista(s) know this, in addition to the owner, and strive for perfection. In San Francisco, the lines at coffee shops with this kind of attention to detail are usually so long that I would find myself questioning the worth of the effort only to be gleefully reminded each time, that, god yes, it was. I had nearly given up hope for something this good here in Tucson until a slight tweet from an unknown Twitterer, “espressojunky,” perked my ears up. In the least likely of spots – the Bookmans parking lot at Grant and Campbell – is a red trailer serving coffee and espresso called Cafe VanGo.
Jason Calhoon, owner and operator, won 2008′s Southwest Regional Barista Competition. Now, I can’t imagine what that contest entails, but he won the damn thing. For all I know, Jason can do cartwheels while juggling coffee beans with his feet. But in all seriousness, he knows what it takes to make an amazing cup of coffee, espresso, and cappuccino. So far, that’s all I’ve had, and I think those staples are the true tests of a good barista.
You might be wondering, “what makes his brewed coffee so much better than other cafes’ coffee?” Well, he’s got a Clover machine. According to this article in Wired, the Clover machine made such an impression on the CEO of Starbucks, he purchased the company leaving only 250 Clovers in existence. Without getting into the details, it brews a cup at a time – to order. You never know when you walk into a cafe how long that carafe of drip coffee has been sitting there. At Cafe VanGo, there isn’t any drip coffee. When you order a cup of coffee it’s fresh ground and brewed to perfection.
Unfortunately – or fortunately depending on who you ask – coffee has become something of a fad drink. A frappuccino, while a super-sweet and tasty drink, strikes me as more of a melted milkshake than coffee. And an iced, double soy latte with hazelnut is just plain amusing. It’s sort of the equivalent of mixing 7-Up with a nice Pinot Grigio. With all of this going on, there is a huge movement towards straight up coffee, espresso, and cappuccino. No frills – just like it’s been being made for eons. The beauty of this movement is it’s hard to find this kind of coffee without an ear to the ground, especially in a not-so-upwardly-mobile town like Tucson. The reason I bring all of this up is that, while I’m sure Jason at Cafe VanGo can make you anything you dream up, you’d be under-utilizing his wonderful coffees – and skills.
Cafe VanGo features coffee from at least four different regions daily. The roasts range from light to medium-dark. It’s a huge misconception that a dark roast is a stronger coffee. It tastes stronger, but caffeine-wise it’s actually less caffeine than a a light roast. A light or medium roast allows for the full flavor of the bean to shine – another element of the new-wave coffee movement. All of the beans Jason uses are from PT’s Coffee Company out of Topeka, Kansas. I’m a huge proponent of going local whenever possible, but not at the mercy of quality. PT’s is Roast Magazine‘s 2008 Micro Roaster of the Year. They have direct relationships with artisan farmers and adhere to strict guidelines which you can find on their website here.
Okay, so what’s not good about Cafe VanGo? Well, it’s a trailer. Tables and chairs are provided outside, but once it warms up, it won’t be a desirable place to hang out unless you plan on running inside Bookmans for a Dog Fancy magazine from 1979. Even now, it’s more of a walk-up counter, chit-chat with Jason and the regulars for a few minutes (I met Bob Bookman there) and then hit the road kind of a place. Wifi is provided via Bookmans. But again, if you’re looking for an indoor spot with air conditioning where you can meet a client, this isn’t it.
Hours are 7am-3pm daily. I think it’s the best coffee you can get in the city. Check it out. Let me know what you think.
What a well written article. I have had the pleasure of tasting a little bit of everything from Cafe Vango. I traveled with rock bands for the last 10 years & coffee was the only thing that kept me going. We would have the best coffee available, but it was drip coffee. I thought I knew good coffee until I was smacked in the face by Van Go’s espresso & coffee. You can taste instantly the difference between that & other brewed coffee. I think Jason is so meticulous on how he brews coffee that he has a top of the line grinder that grinds each batch to the gram per the roasters instructions to make the perfect cup every time.
If you haven’t had the privilege of tasting a cup of joe from Cafe Vango, it proudly puts other coffee’s to shame. It is true service with a smile.
Got some shade now….
I agree! This is the only place I go when I am in Tucson. I have gone to the best places in my home towns of Atlanta and LA and Jason + VanGo are still at the top of my list.
He cares, and it shows.
Thank you for your wonderful article. I appreciate that Tucson is on the cutting edge in supporting new business!
Gennie Armstrong aka the bean
nice writing
I went to Cafe VanGo after work and ordered a cup of mocha latte on ice. I enjoyed it and will become an irregular regular (I have an odd work schedule). I met Jason and he’s a nice fella. I also bought a couple of books from Bookman’s. The only reason I went to VanGo is because of Tucson Foodie on Twitter. You tweeted me with your siren song.
Jason,
Next time I am down visting Genniem I will have to stop and check out your coffee.
Thanks for all your comments!
[...] Calhoon, of Cafe VanGo, recently received rave reviews on Tuscon’s local Foodie Blog. It is a delight to see a blogger who really knows his coffee. Jason started a portable coffee [...]
Jason takes his coffee super serious and you can count on him to make make you an excellent coffee. If you love coffee and are in Tucson – do yourself a favor and check his place out !
[...] Tucson Foodie has a nice write up about Jason Calhoon’s Cafe VanGo. Check it out here: http://tucsonfoodieblog.com/2009/04/24/cafe-vango/ [...]
I read this article at 1:30AM this morning. I went to Van Go at 7:35AM this morning. Oh my gods! There is finally good coffee in Tucson!
Sometimes, it’s difficult for people to realize that coffees vary. Yet, there are more flavor and aroma compounds in coffee than in wine. You know those people who can drink wines from around the world, pick out grape species and origins, and talk about “floral notes” and “spicy” in their wines? You can do that with coffee, too. And you can only do it when it is prepared correctly. Most places have mediocre beans and prepare them badly. Jason, on the other hand, has great beans and prepares them perfectly.
If you want to experience coffee like some people experience wine—that is, with wonderful aromas and flavors that you may not expect—visit Van Go and Jason. You won’t regret it.
Tucson now has good coffee.
Thanks for the tip – I have been struggling to find the perfect cup of coffee since moving here, and still don’t have a winner. I will have to try VanGo. I moved here from Orlando, where this place called Austins roasted their own beans every day and completely spoiled my tastebuds. Since you’ve been in Tucson longer than I and clearly have a passion for food: do you know somewhere in town I can buy green coffee beans? I know countless websites, but I’d like to buy in person if possible.
Adventure Coffee Roasters could probably lead you in the right direction.
I got my very first iPhone yesterday, and installed the Urban Spoon app. I searched for coffee near my house, and guess what came up? Cafe VanGo! I have never noticed it before because I use Speedway to get to work, rather than Grant — but I made a special stop there this morning to try it out.
Not only was my latte smooth, rich, and delicious, it also had a glorious design on the top AND was less expensive than I have been paying for the occasional latte to go.
See there? My iPhone is improving my life already…by improving my coffee selection (which has the BIGGER impact on the quality of life).
I’m so glad to have learned of Cafe VanGo!