Don't let the nondescript 'COFFEE' sign on the storefront on the southeast corner of Baseline and McClintock fool you. With coffee that's French Pressed and never dripped and a wide variety of loose teas, Steve's Espresso is a unique mark in this quirky strip mall and on the Phoenix whole café scene.

The formula here is: "Better coffee, better prices. Why not?" Steve's Espresso sticks with what they know best: coffee, tea, and a couple tasty pastries. The staff are friendly and engaging - even when a new customer asks for "whatever you have that's like a frappuccino."

Steve's has a good wireless network and draws a quiet, studious crowd. The place is small, but it hasn't gotten so popular that you can't ever find a table. Extension cords abound, so no matter where you sit, your laptop can be plugged in.

True to its independent form, Steve's displays the works of local artists on its terracotta colored walls. Blue plastic over the fluorescent ceiling lights do their best to keep the lighting from getting garish, but you can only go so far with a strip mall suite. The artwork rotates regularly.

Steve's is perfect for coffee- or tea-lovers who want a decent brew but don't want to be lumped into the artsy/poetry-slam coffee scene. While there are no "coffeehouse performers," the ambient music sufficiently shuffles from eclectic house to Brazilian to jazz standards. Patrons are their respectful of their noise and space, and the authentic staff won't bog you down with hapless chatter.

Whether you want a taste of the independent tempe or just need a place to sit down and get through that last bit of work for the night, going to Steve's will guarantee that the coffee will be smooth and the atmosphere will be peaceful.