This family of beekeepers opened a honey-centric coffee shop in Peoria

In an area of the West Valley dominated by larger chain restaurants and coffee shops, House of Honey is a breath of fresh air with a cozy, curated vibe more often found in downtown Phoenix.

Tucked away inside a large shopping plaza at 91st Avenue and Union Hills Drive in Peoria, the brightly lit shop has plenty of comfortable seating for working or meeting up for coffee with friends. A wall of small plants is the first thing guests will see, followed by a wall of full-size bottles of honey from the owner's family-run bee farm. The honey isn't just decorative, the jars are available for purchase and the honey features prominently in specialty drinks made with honey-infused espresso.

Owner Leslie Gonzalez comes from a family of beekeepers. The Gonzalez family bees have been responsible for pollinating crops in Arizona and California since 2007. The family used to sell their honey through a separate distributor but Gonzalez said she recently took over the honey distribution herself.

She and her family opened House of Honey coffee shop as a home base to sell their honey as well as provide "something trendy, fun and cute in the West Valley."

Doughnuts, pizza and Korean BBQ: 37 new restaurants are now open in metro Phoenix

What's on the drinks menu at House of Honey?

House of Honey's coffee menu includes classic drip coffee, cold brew and americanos plus mocha, caramel, vanilla or coffee frappes. Specialty drinks include a cinnamon honey latte, coconut white mocha breve and drinks with honey cold foam.

A selection of hot teas includes green, black, hibiscus and raspberry, which are served right from an adorably aesthetic pink teapot. There are also iced tea options and energy drinks with unique flavors such as desert pear, dragon fruit, peach, ube, lavender and coconut.

A menu of specials changes every month. The May menu included a "Bee-utiful" rose honey latte topped with condensed milk cold foam and a "Honey Moo Moo" mocha honey latte with condensed milk cold foam.

Many drinks are made with honey-infused espresso. Gonzalez said the process of adding honey directly into the espresso shot, rather than pouring it into the drink later, helps to keep the honey from crystallizing too quickly, especially in iced drinks.

I tried a drink from the April menu called the "Queen Bee", which was a vanilla latte with honey topped with strawberry vanilla cold foam. The honey taste was noticeable and distinctive, but not overpowering — it added a delightful bit of sweetness without being cloying.

What's on the food menu at House of Honey?

House of Honey offers a selection of bagel sandwiches, including a peanut butter and honey bagel ($4.50) and a Lunch Break sandwich ($8.24) made with turkey, lettuce, cheese, avocado and mayo. There are also yogurt and smoothie bowls that incorporate honey.

A large pastry case includes strawberry and chocolate chip muffins, cheese Danishes, croissants and other rotating items sourced from local bakeries. There are a few gluten-free options, including a monster cookie and zucchini bread from Bloom Bread & Bakeshop, also based in Peoria.

How to visit House of Honey

House of Honey Coffee is open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Details: 9163 W. Union Hills Dr., Peoria. 623-296-4538, houseofhoneyaz.com. @houseofhoneycoffee on Instagram.

Reach the reporter at [email protected]. Follow @EndiaFontanez on X, formerly Twitter.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: House of Honey brings sweet local flavor to Peoria, Arizona