14 June 25th - July 1st, 2026 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Mini Truck, Big Flavor Meet the coffee truck inspiring customers to slow down and enjoy the ride. BY OFELIA MONTELONGO A Circa Coffee morning starts long before the first customer approaches Kayla Slepack’s custom-built Japanese mini truck. It begins with the cracking sound of roasting beans and the distant barking of her dogs. Slepack has spent more than a decade in the coffee industry. During the week, she works as head production roaster for Moxie Coffee Co., where she roasts coffee for wholesale clients and online orders, and manages the warehouse. On the weekends, her dream of owning her own coffee business takes shape through Circa. She crafts fruity, playful syrups from scratch and roasts the beans herself before heading out in her mobile café. Circa Coffee’s compact truck houses a full espresso bar inside. Although the concept began in early 2025, it wasn’t until December that permits finally came through, allowing Slepack to fully launch the business. Working at music festivals and events for other coffee shops inspired her to pursue a mobile concept, which would allow her to connect with a wide range of communities. While Circa moves around the Valley, it most often sets up outside Overdue Vintage in downtown Phoenix. The shop’s rotating vendors and built-in community made it an ideal home base. “I thought their concept fit perfectly with the concept of timelessness and staying connected with the world around us,” Slepack says. “The simplicity in the name Circa is supposed to reflect timelessness, as well as our slogan: time waits for everyone.” That philosophy carries into the experi- ence she hopes to create, where her customers can slow down, even briefly, and step away from the rush of daily life. What’s on the menu at Circa? Slepack frequently experiments with new drinks, focusing on house-made flavors built from fresh and natural ingredients. Seasonal offerings have included strawberry cold foam made with real fruit and specialty teas with playful touches like edible glitter. Her process for making syrups is simple but intentional. She starts with a base of sugar and water, infuses real ingredients like vanilla or fresh strawberries, and avoids artificial flavors often found in commercial syrups. She then blends these with her freshly roasted coffee and matcha imported from Japan. The result is a menu that feels both playful and precise. Customer favorites include the white chocolate miso latte, made with a blend of espresso, white chocolate, red miso and milk, and the guava vanilla matcha, served iced. For those skipping caffeine, a house-made ginger ale made with fresh ginger offers another option. Beyond the menu, Slepack is focused on building connections, both with customers and other small businesses. Circa has already hosted collaborative events, including a Valentine’s Day scav- enger hunt with neighboring vendors, and she frequently works with local creatives, from bakers to ceramic artists. “One of my main goals is working with small businesses, especially women- owned businesses,” she says. “It’s not competition. We should all support each other.” Her people-oriented philosophy began more than a decade ago, when she first entered the coffee world as a psychology student in college. “I drank so much coffee when I was in college, and I thought it would be really cool to work at a coffee shop and get free coffee while I was broke,” she says, laughing. “I realized that everything I liked about psychology, connecting with people, getting to know people and helping them and making a change in their lives, I could also do that through coffee,” she says. That approach is what keeps Slepack grounded in the day-to-day grind of Circa. “I have a great opportunity to make someone’s day really great,” she says. Although her college years are behind her, and though she’s become a profes- sional coffee expert, Slepack’s curiosity to keep learning hasn’t faded. “I feel like there’s always new things to learn about coffee,” she says. “Everyone’s figuring out new ways to brew it. There are always new methods, new equipment. I can always learn more.” That same sense of exploration led the barista to skip the typical food truck and choose something a little more eye- catching. The Japanese flatbed was trans- formed into her dream coffee-making space, complete with an enclosed interior and air conditioning to keep the lattes flowing during Phoenix’s sweltering summers. The future looks bright for Circa Coffee. Slepack is currently working on adding patio seating and remains open to collaborations and private events. She often creates custom drink menus tailored to each occasion. Want some glitter and flowers in your coffee? Slepack’s got you. “Anyone can make good coffee,” she says, “but it’s the feeling that people get when they go get the coffee that makes them come back.” Circa Coffee Saturday and Sundays at Overdue Vintage 1346 W. Roosevelt St., Suite A Mondays at The Churchill 901 N. First St. Kayla Slepack spends her weekends slinging coffee from her mobile cafe, Circa. (Ofelia Montelongo) Kayla Slepack has transformed a mini flatbed truck into her own coffee company. (Ofelia Montelongo) ▼ Food & Drink
