Caffe Fiore – Ballard

****NOTE: This review was done prior to the Covid-19 outbreak. Of course, things are much different at the moment, but we hope things will get back to normal soon and hope you will continue to support these local businesses****

Caffe Fiore – Ballard

Description on  Caffe Fiore’s website: We are grateful to have a business that can create a hub for the neighborhoods we operate in. Over time, each hub has created its own community and given our customers that “third place” that can make us feel more connected to our city and our neighbors. We encourage community interaction by providing community tables at all of our locations.

Neighborhood:  Ballard

Address:  5405 Leary Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

Music Playing:  Broken Finger Blues by Richard Swift

What we ate/drank: Doppio Macchiato, Drip coffee(Caffe Vita-Peru Rancho Sabancaya)

Comments:  It’s been awhile since we’ve been here, but we do remember Caffe Fiore used to have a really nice patio that looked on an open lot that was used for vendors for the Ballard Farmer’s Market. You could relax out there and see the world go by as you enjoyed your coffee.

Fast forward to the present. Caffe Fiore still has a patio, but it looks straight into a concrete wall of a newly constructed building where once the open lot existed.  Ahhh…. another casualty of Seattle’s insane growth these last few years.

Inside it’s just as we remembered it. Caffe Fiore is long and narrow and pretty dark due to the minimal lighting provided by Edison bulb lamps. The dark interior is also caused by the deep dark wood floors, tables and counters.

There is ornate steel work on the ceiling and woodwork on the walls.  Of course they also have a Seattle coffee shop standard in an old building, exposed brick.

Most of the seating at Caffe Fiore are stools and high tables or counters. We happened to grab one of the few normal height tables, but if you intend to stay there awhile just be aware of the seating styles there.

I didn’t realize that Caffe Fiore is owned by Caffe Vita, but according to this Stranger article they are. That would explain why they were serving Caffe Vita coffee, when their website claims to have their own beans.  They have limited pastry selection(similar to Vita) if you’re looking to have some food.

Caffe Fiore kinda has this romantic vibe to it-dark, warm lighting. There’s just something about Caffe Fiore(for us), that just doesn’t feel inviting.  Perhaps it was the workers who seemed a bit robotic, the high hard seats throughout, the lack of sunlight in many areas of the café. We love Vita coffee so know issues there, but when in the Ballard neighborhood, we’ll opt for Bauhaus, Anchored Ship Coffee and Caffe Umbria.

Ratings(1-5)

Favorite Thing: Ornate details

Atmosphere:  4.00

Service: 4.00

Food Options: 3.00

Overall: 3.70

Eavedropping  Convo: None

Related:

• Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Seattle Coffee Shops
• What Visitors Think of Seattle
• Seattle Food Wars
• Part 5 – Best Seattle Coffee Shops for Food Options, Friendliest Service