Phoenix automatically gets a one up on S-bux for not being incredibly greedy. It gets another point for having absolutely delicious blends of unique lattes. They somehow manage to make the same dull Starbucks-esque flavors into surprising treats. I don't typically buy straight coffee from coffeehouses, but my husband likes Phoenix's.
I am consistently amazed at how hard it is to find a coffeehouse that has free internet, good coffee, and comfortable seating. This Phoenix has all three if you come at the right time. Comfortable seating can be hard to come by on a busy day, but the other two are consistent!
Another reviewer mentioned the sweet indie tunes playing - it's a nice change from Starbucks' third replaying in an hour of "Dance Me Till The End of Love", but at times, clutching a cup of coffee in a dark Coventry basement listening to "Idioteque" does not exactly encourage "cawffee tawk".