**********Unfortunately, This Restaurant Has Closed Down**********
Recommended by: Amy/Emmy? from Hokkaido Ramen Santouka.
Description on the Junkichi Robata Izakaya website: Junkichi Robata Izakaya is an upscale authentic style of Japanese cuisine utilizing a live fire charcoal grill. Dating back centuries to northern Japan where fishermen would gather around a communal hearth for warmth and to prepare their food, fishermen were searching for a way to prepare their meals aboard their vessels and created a way to enclose the charcoal to protect their boats from the high heat and thus robata was created. Originally a method for northern Japanese fishermen to be able to cook aboard their vessels the definition of Robata is a charcoal grill guests can be seated around used to slow cook skewers of the freshest ingredients over hot coals and can literally be translated to “fireside-cooking”.
Neighborhood/Type: Capitol Hill
Address: 224 Broadway East. Seattle, WA 98102
What we ate/drank: ASAZUKE- house made Japanese pickled mixed vegetables, ginger, kombu kelp, shaved red chili pepper, SHISHITO PEPPERS, TORIKARA-deep-fried crispy organic free-range chicken w/original soy sauce flavor, shishito pepper, lemon, YAKI-GAKI-grilled shucked oysters , chives w/homemade soy sauce, BATTERA-vinegar marinated mackerel, shiso leaf, gari ginger, roasted sesame seeds ,whiteboard kelp, seven spice seared tuna, avocado, cucumber, spicy tuna tartar, flying fish roe, serrano pepper, cilantro, bbq sauce, spicy mayo, habanero sauce, tempura crunch, JUNKICHI TSUKUNE- duck & organic free-range chicken, shrimp, jew’s ear fungus, meatloaf Junkichi Style , GINDARA SAIKYO-black cod marinated in sweet saikyo miso, grated daikon radish, vinegared tiny gingerroot
Comments: Robata means “fireside cooking” in Japanese and is basically Japanese barbeque in which fatty meats and vegetables are cooked over coals. The coals used are not the black chunks we put in our normal outdoor barbeque, but compressed wood. Something with fatty content is best for robata because the intense heat creates a tasty crust. The tradition started in Northern Japan where fisherman took lit coals out on to their boats so they could grill food while out to sea. It was difficult to start fires on wooden boats, so bringing lit coals from the mainland to be used for meals was the main option. Izakaya is casual, informal dining with normally small dishes sorta like Japanese tapas.
We went to Junkichi Robata Izakaya for dinner and met up with friends one of which is from Japan. We relied on her to do most of the ordering although our server had really good suggestions and more than able to answer all our questions about preparation, taste profile and how big the servings would be. Being on Capitol Hill and having a more modern feel, I was worried about how authentic the food might be at Junkichi Robata Izakaya, but my friend assured us it’s very authentic preparation with more local ingredients. In the grand scheme of things, authenticity matters less to us than being tasty. You often here people say that Un Bien and Paseo are not authentic Caribbean sandwiches. Who cares?! They damn good!
As mentioned Junkichi Robata Izakaya has a modern feel to it and an open kitchen with various ingredients laid out at the counter near the open prep area. They also have a small patio out front. I’ll admit the food is a little on the higher-priced side, but the food preparation and tastiness of every dish we had was spot on. They also have a wide variety of food so it feels like you can go back over and over and try many different dishes. Having a group and sharing dishes is definitely the way to go.
All the dishes were good, but the one dish I would order over and over again would be the Yaki-Gaki, the grilled oysters. The oysters are monster huge and normally my preference for oysters is raw, but the char from the grill along with the oyster juice left over in the shell is sooo good. See the rest of our ratings down below.
A funny note. As mentioned above the local who recommended Junkichi Robata Izakaya worked at Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. When we walked in to Junkichi we noticed the little robot that is supposed to recognize you if you sign up and have been there before. We said, “That’s the same robot they have at Santouka.” We later discovered that Junkichi Robata Izakaya and Hokkaido Ramen Santouka are owned by the same company! So we wondered whether or not this was a genuine favorite of a local or if she was “trying to keep it in the family”. Regardless, both restaurants are at the top of our favorites list.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 5
Food/Drinks: 5+
Bang for the Buck: 4.25
Overall: 4.75
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Eavesdropping Convos: None
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: Brandon suggested Ooink down the street as a favorite.
Bonus recommendations to visit in the future: Our friends we dined with suggested Kamonegi.
Related:
Zoka Coffee Roasters – Tangletown
Description on Zoka Coffee Roaster’s website : The flagship store that started it all. Situated snuggly in the beautiful Tangletown neighborhood of Green Lake, Zoka One is a community favorite. Host to a multitude of groups, early morning adventurers, students, and coffee enthusiasts this location has become an invaluable resource to the area. With an offering of hand brewed single origin coffees, freshly baked pastries, and unlimited wifi, its easy to see why this shop is seldom empty.
Neighborhood: Green Lake/Tangletown
Address: 2200 N 56th St, Seattle, WA 98103
What we ate/drank: Doppio Espresso
Comments: Zoka Coffee Roasters has been around as long as I can remember in Tangletown. I believe the first time going there was in the late 90’s. It’s the first coffee place I can remember that had the reputation of having zombie college students taking up every table for hours on end. This is before laptops and wifi became prevalent. Students would come with their backpacks and books and sprawl out until every spot was taken. I remember it being like a library. It was so quiet and you always had to take your drink to go even if you intended to stay unless you were lucky enough to grab a spot when one of the zombies decided to leave.
It also had the reputation of having the stereotypical snooty Seattle barista. The theory was that because Zoka Coffee Roasters was always crowded with people, the workers could be as pleasant or unpleasant as they wanted because their customer service didn’t matter if it was good or bad. They would still get enough business to pack the place regardless. I personally never experienced any bad service, but it was definitely the reputation.
There’s a lot more competition these days, but even today, you can understand why people pack this place. The space is huge by Seattle café standards. They have beautiful exposed wooden beams, wood walls and shelves throughout with multiple tables and chairs. The location is on a corner so it has huge windows facing south and west, which lets in a lot of light. Towards the back is a separated area that’s more conducive for groups or private chats.
Because it’s off a main thoroughfare, it’s easy to find parking in the neighborhood. Like Seven Coffee Roasters Market & Cafe, Lighthouse Roasters and Analog Coffee, Zoka Coffee Roasters is not on a main street. It’s right in the middle of the Tangletown neighborhood, but it’s not really a secret because it’s been around so long everybody knows about it. The coffee is A+ , but food options are limited to pastries and breakfast sandwiches.
Their website doesn’t give a whole lot of information about the company, but it does have video instructions(albeit in cartoon form) on using a French Press, Aeropress, Pour Over, Chemex, but the rest are links to buy beans, gear or subscription. Besides this location, they have one near University Village, another in South Lake Union and one in Kirkland. I’ve been to the University Village location and it’s very similar in vibe and decor to this location.
Our observation is that it’s not as crowded as it used to be and it’s not as difficult to find a spot to sit anymore, which is great. If we had to guess, it’s probably due to the presence of a lot more coffee shops in Seattle now for people to study/work at.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: Spacious, but cozy atmosphere
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 4.75
Food Options: 3.75
Overall: 4.35
Eavedropping Convo: This was a rather brazen customer to have this conversation with the barista and he was pretty loud.
Customer(C)-I’m so glad your here. The person who was working the mornings the last few weeks was not very good. I haven’t been here for three weeks. I think he was over pouring because the drink was not very good
Barista(B)-Really?
C-I think a lot of people complained because my co-workers said the same thing. Something was just off with the viscosity. I don’t know.
B-hmmmm..
C-Do you guys have a regular schedule so I know when you’re working?
B-Normally I have my schedule two weeks out only.
C-Yeah, I just don’t want to come here when that guy is working here.
Cascade Coffee Works
Description on Cascade Coffee Works website : From the get-go, we wanted Cascade Coffee Works to feel like an oasis in an otherwise bustling and demanding area. Our signature Slow Bar is still in the picture as well, giving our customers the option to try some of our premiere single origin coffees on paired manual brewing methods.
Neighborhood: South Lake Union
Address: 1130 Thomas Street, Seattle, WA 98109
Music playing: Couldn’t hear due to the morning crowded trying to get their caffiene
What we ate/drank: Macchiato
Comments: We’ve not spent a lot of time here, because it’s out of the way for us and whenever we’ve come, it’s been in the mid morning or early afternoon and by that time it’s normally packed. On this particular day, I went earlier in the morning and able to relax a bit. Maybe it’s unfair to compare this brand new location(opened in 11/17) to the older sister branch Seattle Coffee Works in downtown, but it’s as different as night and day. Cascade Coffee Works is located in the Troy Laundry Building which was built in 1927 and established as a Seattle Landmark in 1996. It’s now been converted into Amazon office space.
The similarity to Seattle Coffee Works is the limited food offerings and a slow bar that had a syphon, Chemex, Hario, Kalita Wave and an Aeropress. The differences are everything else. The space is industrial, bright and modern, it has a garage style door that can be opened for nice weather, white walls, and in the front, counter seating near the slow bar and comfy living room area with 3 leather love seats and a coffee table, In the back there are two hanging swinging chairs. In the middle there’s a community table for 8 and various separate tables for two. There’s also a few chairs/tables outside on the sidewalk and a few tables that you can use in the lobby of the building. There are plants throughout, along the back wall, hanging from high walls, in pots on the shelves.
Being in South Lake Union and in an Amazon building, as you would expect there are a ton of folks with blue badges getting their caffeine fix here. Like Seattle Coffee Works there’s a no tipping policy, although it’s made up with higher than normal prices, which I’m fine with. Unlike Seattle Coffee Works, Cascade Coffee Works is more my style. It’s bright and modern, but comfortable and has enough touches that make it different from other spots. There’s also cold brews and beer on tap.
And again, I want to point you in the direction of their website, which I explained in more detail on our Seattle Coffee Works post. It’s a great resource for where their beans are sourced and the huge effort they take in making costs transparent to the customer and fair to the farmers. If I worked or lived in the area, I’d definitely frequent this location more. Also, if I’m meeting a friend who works at Amazon, I’ll surely suggest Cascade Coffee Works. Let’s face it, we all know at least one person who works at Amazon.
Ratings(1-5)Favorite Thing: Bright and airy with both modern and cozy touches.
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 5
Food Options: 3.75
Overall: 4.50
Eavedropping Convo: Gal and a guy catching up over coffee. I don’t think they worked at Amazon based on the way they were dressed, but I think they had a meeting with Amazon. I think they were killing time before their meeting.
Guy: He’s promised me this bonus and keeps comin’ up with excuses not to fuckin’ give it to me.
Gal: How about going to James?
Guy: I feel like a little bitch, if I go over his head for help. Thinking of just telling him, “Look, if you don’t give me the bonus by the end of next month, I’ll expect I’m not getting it and act accordingly”
Gal: Then what?
Guy: It’s not like I can really quit. I have to stay til next March to get my stock options. Then I’m fuckin done.
Capitol Coffee Works
Description on Capitol Coffee Works website : Capitol Coffee Works takes coffee in a new direction, delving into facets of coffee we’ve always dreamed of offering. It was conceived as a studio for Specialty Coffee, with a bright, clean, plant-filled interior that beckons to those interested in exploring lighter-roasted, fruity coffees. The space feels like an art gallery with coffee at center stage. A sleek ModBar undercounter espresso machine invites authentic interaction between baristas and customers. Our expert team provides start-to-finish table service on cozy lounge seating, elevating coffee drinking into a refined experience. They serve super-premium quality coffees – some of the best coffees in the world – made in the most exacting brewing devices available.
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Address: 907 E. Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122
Music playing: This Land is Your Land by Chicano Batman
What we ate/drank: Macchiato, Mt Bakon breakfast taco from Sunrise Tacos
Comments:
Capitol Coffee Works is the 3rd iteration of Seattle Coffee Works. The 2nd being Ballard Coffee Works and the 4th being Cascade Coffee Works. This location has more similarities to the Cascade Coffee Works than Seattle Coffee Works. Although all the branches have a no tipping policy and a slow bar, the Capitol Coffee Works is similar to Cascade Coffee Works in the modern look and brightness due to large front windows. A unique feature of Cascade Coffee Works is the 2nd floor area that allows you to see over the front portion of the café and the barista. It makes you feel like a cat observing everything from the highest point. They also have table service, which I don’t believe the other locations provide.
The location is located in Capitol Hill at the centrally located Pike & Broadway. You can’t be more centrally located in Capitol Hill than here. Although the store front faces north it still provides a ton of light. There are a few tables and chairs outside. The front portion on the inside has a long wood bench along the front window with 4 small tables. Above the barista station is a giant photograph of a bee and directly across on the other wall is another giant photograph of a coffee bean. Right in front of the barista is are a few more small tables and towards the back is a large table that seats about 6 and a few more smaller tables with leather stools. The back wall is painted with a mountain landscape. It reminds me of a painting you might see in a 70’s arcade. There’s also a seat that’s suspended from the ceiling.
Near the spiral staircase that leads to the upstairs portion is a leather sofa with a small table. On the second floor are just a few tables and chairs, but the partition is made of glass which allows a lot of light up there. Although I love being perched up there on the 2nd floor to watch the customers coming in and the baristas making the drinks, while I was up there it did get a little hot.
I really enjoyed Capital Coffee Works. I like the aesthetics here more than Seattle Coffee Works. and it’s more relaxing than the hustle and bustle of Cascade Coffee Works.
And again, I want to point you in the direction of their website, which I explained in more detail on our Seattle Coffee Works post. It’s a great resource for where their beans are sourced and the huge effort they take in making costs transparent to the customer and fair to the farmers.
Ratings(1-5)Favorite Thing: The second floor area with glass partitions that give an unobstructed view of the first floor.
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 5.00
Food Options: 4.25
Overall: 4.65
Eavedropping Convo: Guy having an informal coffee with a gal before her first day on the job.
Guy-They probably won’t expect lot out of you on your first day. It’s basically getting to know you, meeting everybody, getting logins set up, badges, etc
Gal-Have you been with the company long?
Guy-Yeah, I’ve been here a little over a year. <<That’s long? For all intents and purposes Gary is your boss, but if you are uncomfortable or think this is not what I signed up for, having personal issues with colleagues, then you come to me. Since you’re a contractor you’ll be here only until the project ends, but you can contact me at any time if there’s an issue. Sometimes, it’s not a good fit for all personalities.
Gal- For sure, it’s like dating. You need to be compatible with the company and the people you work with. The last job I was at, I knew with the first few days. This is not gonna work out.
Cafe Allegro – Seattle’s Oldest “Secret” Cafe
Description on Cafe Allegro’s website : Established in Seattle’s University District in 1975, Cafe Allegro is home to Seattle’s oldest espresso bar and one of the country’s finest Seattle-style coffee roasters. Our beans are imported from family farms around the world and roasted in small batches onsite at our cafe. Whether you’re a one cup a day drinker or a true Seattlite, we guarantee you’ll enjoy every sip.
Neighborhood: University District
Address: 4214 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105
Music playing:
What we ate/drank: Cortado, Macchiato, Lemonade
Comments: Café Allegro has a strange dichotomy in that it’s Seattle’s oldest coffee shop in the Coffee Capital of the World, but it’s also “hidden” in an alley which makes it difficult for those “not-in-the-know” to find it. With Café Allegro being the oldest coffee shop in Seattle, you’d think it would be a really popular place among visitors, but from our perspective it’s only popular among UW students. When asking locals about their favorite coffee shops, we rarely here Café Allegro mentioned. I think it’s due to a few reasons. Number one, it’s hidden in an alley right off The Ave(University Ave) between NE 42nd and NE 43rd Ave, so it’s hard to find. Number two, it’s in the University District, which is popular among U-Dub students, but not the rest of the Seattle general population. Number three, people who know about Café Allegro and have gotten a cup to go, don’t know it has tons of space, so they dismiss it as too crowded/too small. I, myself, didn’t know how big it was when I first came here. I thought Café Allegro was comprised of just the area in which you order, which fits maybe 25 people and always packed. Some infrequent visitors, may know that there’s an adjacent seating area through a narrow walk way near the barista counter that has some individual tables, booth seating and additional counter seating. But unless you are a frequent visitor, you may not know there is also an upstairs room with seating for at least an additional 30 people and a patio that has 3 benches and a few individual seating. The upstairs portion is relatively new(from 2015?) and not accessible from the café. You have to go outside and then enter a separate door for the upstairs portion. So there are “hidden” rooms/patio within this “hidden” café. This floor also houses their roaster. In totality, if I had to guess, Cafe Allegro could seat at least 80 people conservatively.
Café Allegro was established in 1975 and is located within a building built in 1909. Previous iterations of the space were a bank and funeral home/mortuary. I love that there really is no signage except for a beaten down hanging sign in which you can barely make out “Café Allegro est. 1975”. When you first enter Café Allegro you get a sense it’s part of the community because of their huge ever changing wall of Seattle event posters. Exposed brick walls and worn wood counters give you a sense of its history. They also have a wall of framed foreign currencies that always seems to catch the eye of new visitors I bring here. The aforementioned additional rooms are very nondescript, but the tables with burlap coffee sacks under glass as table tops is a nice touch.
As mentioned in our Best Seattle Bars To Impress Out of Towners, Our Seattle Coffee Shop Thoughts and Seven Coffee Roasters posts, Seattle visitors love these little hidden gems. Places they would never find without the help of a local. The latest visitors we took here were a family from Sweden. They were visiting mutual friends in Kent, WA and wanted to meet up. We suggested meeting at the University Farmers Market on a Saturday and after strolling the market, they mentioned they would love a cup of coffee. I suggested Café Allegro. Even my friend from Kent, WA who graduated from UW had never been to Café Allegro. As we walked down the alley, I started getting strange looks, but as soon as they entered, they said, “How cool!” and got out their phones and started taking pictures. Of course, the main café seating area was packed, but I mentioned the upstairs and lo and behold, we went up there and had the whole floor to ourselves. We had a group of 7 adults and one 2 year old who did not want to sit still, so this was a perfect area for us. The Swedish visitors said, “We feel like this is a very local place. We would have never have found it. That’s the advantage of having a local show you around”. They had also read about Molly Moon Ice Cream on the airplane magazine and wanted to go, but we told them we’d take them to another less known, less crowded place in walking distance from Cafe Allegro. We took them to Sweet Alchemy Ice Creamery less than a block away and they loved it. We told them to go to Molly Moon also, because it’s good, but asked them for their opinion after they tried both and take into consideration the wait time and hype and tell us which is better. Of course, Sweet Alchemy.
Café Allegro actually has it’s own Wikipedia page which tells more about its history and its founder who was instrumental in a fledgling company, called Starbucks.
The food options are mainly pastries, which were from Marsee Bakery. They also have teas and cold drinks. The signage also says they have beer and wine, but didn’t see any displayed and why would you have beer and wine at the oldest coffee shop in Seattle anyways? You come for coffee. From their website you can buy individual bags of beans and bean subscriptions.
Warning: The beans sold by Café Allegro are not the same beans you see in Whole Foods, which are their in house brand, Allegro Coffee. It can be quite confusing.
Ratings(1-5)Favorite Thing: The “secret” aspect of Seattle’s oldest coffee shop.
Atmosphere: 5 + 1(extra for ample seating and ambiance)
Service: 4.75
Food Options: 4.00
Overall: 4.75
Eavedropping Convo: None, except for the comments from our Swedish guests we took here. In place of Eavesdropping Convo, I’ll place this video about Cafe Allegro.
Evoke Coffee
Description on Evoke Coffee website : At Evoke, we strive to offer the best in food and drink. We use Heart Coffee to craft the highest quality espresso drinks, infused with a broad selection of our house-made syrups, and utilize fresh ingredients to make stunning dishes to order.
Neighborhood: South Lake Union(SLU)
Address: 235 9th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
Music playing: Hate The Real Me by Future
What we ate/drank: Macchiato
Comments: Evoke Coffee reminds me of a situation we have in our own household. When we host visitors via Couchsurfing, they always mention our dog in our reviews, love to take pictures with her and try to conjole her into sleeping in their room. If we see our Couchsurfers again, they always ask how our dog is doing. Wait a minute?!? We opened up our house to you, gave you shelter, a place to sleep, a clean bathroom, use of our kitchen all for free! Don’t you remember us or want to know how we’re doin? No, it’s all about our dog. I feel that’s the same quandary that Evoke Coffee has. Everybody will remember their Bernese Mountain Dogs, Pablo and Pedro. I’m no different. If somebody asks me about Evoke Coffee, I’ll probably say, “oh yeah, the place with the dogs”. Their dogs are super friendly and well behaved and add to the enjoyment of having coffee there. And if you know anything about Seattleites they go ga-ga over dogs.
Pedro, the shop puppy 
Pablo, the shop dog
The location is in South Lake Union and takes industrial/minimalist to the max. It feels like it’s still under construction with black tarp as a ceiling, concrete floors and white walls with not art or pictures. Their lighting are hanging lamps with multiple Edison bulbs. Their table tops, chairs and stools are all metal and all black with the exception of two couches. The space is big with a high counter with six stools and a long bench with individual tables to the left and the aforementioned couches, a community table(with 6 outlets in the middles and USB jacks), and a high counter with 3 stools on the right. Besides their dogs, they are also known for their sign, “but first, coffee”.
They use Heart Coffee from Portland, OR which I’ve never had before. The macchiato I had had a distinct sweetness. It was quite different. I love that they use Delonghi double walled thermos glasses. Not only does this keep the drink hotter longer, but it also allows you to see the color and texture of the drink that you get in a Gibraltar glass, but not in the normal ceramic cups. For food options – construct-your-own omelettes, pastries and acai bowls. They also have sandwiches.
The weekday morning I went, there was one person taking orders and making drinks, so if you have a bunch of time consuming drinks ordered in a row in front of you, it might take awhile. This is where the two mascots definitely help. People were petting and playing with them while waiting for their drinks and even after getting their drinks, hung around to play with them some more. We enjoy industrial/minimalism, but this was a bit too industrial/minimalism. I loved the coffee, loved the Delonghi glasses and of course, loved the dogs, but it’s out of the way for us and not a “comfy” place to relax. We’d probably take visitors who love dogs and a good cup of coffee.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: Loved the coffee, loved the Delonghi glasses and of course, loved the dogs, Pablo and Pedro
Atmosphere: 3.50
Service: 5
Food Options: 4.35
Overall: 4.25
Eavedropping Convo: No conversations to report here. Just a lot of fawning over the dogs. A guy did come in with his dog and stayed awhile to let his dog play with Pablo and Pedro. Then he and his dog left, but came back 5 minutes later. Apparently, his dog wanted to play more. He let them play a bit more and then said to his dog, “Done with your morning social visit, buddy?” and they left for good.
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
Recommended by: Nobody. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka was the winner of our Battle of Seattle Ramen post.
Description on the Hokkaido Ramen Santouka website: We would like you to try our ramen and enjoy its delicious flavor to the last drop. This is the wish of the founder, part of every small bowl of ramen.
Neighborhood/Type: University Village
Address: 2626 NE Village Ln, Seattle, WA 98105
Music playing: None
What we ate/drank: TONKOTSU MISO RAMEN-Robust miso paste and silky broth, with a hint of bonito dashi creates the gentle balance flavor. TORONIKU GOMA MISO RAMEN-Combination of savory flavors of sesame and miso in creamy tonkotsu broth.Topped with menma, kikurage mushrooms, toroniku slices and baby arugula leaves. TSUKEMEN-Thickened soy flavored tonkotsu soup has enriched flavor and umami. SHIYAKE IKURA GOHAN-Rice bowl topped with grilled salmon & salmon roe. Gyoza.
Comments: Hokkaido Ramen Santouka was the winner of our Battle of Seattle Ramen post. The post also provides a good primer with my own view on Seattle ramen history and how it’s evolved so quickly in the last few years. This location has only been open for a year and located in University Village. Their only other US locations are in Bellevue and two more in Boston. So why do we believe that Santouka is the best ramen in Seattle. Well, we go pretty often and have tried the Shio, Shoyu, Miso and Goma Miso Ramens. We’ve had the Tsukemen, gyoza, takoyaki, karaage and all are top rate. They also have “combos” where you can mix and match ramen dishes with their side dishes. And while many ramen places allow you to order larger portions by paying extra, Santouka is the only place I know of in Seattle that gives you the option to order a smaller portion for a lower price. The capper for us is that they have free ramen for kids all day, every day.
The service is quick and regardless how busy it is, we’ve never had to wait long for a seat. And it’s not a big place to begin with. I’m the type of person who likes certain foods at a certain tempature. I only like hot coffee even if it’s a 100 degrees. I like my water ice cold. There are other foods that I can eat hot or cold like pizza and fried chicken. When it comes to ramen, I always like it hot regardless if the weather is super hot. I’m not a huge fan of cold soba or somen. Taking all this into consideration, the Tsukemen at Hokkaido Ramen Santouka has won my taste buds over and is my favorite and I’d say it’s one of my top 10 dishes in Seattle. For those unfamiliar with Tsukemen, it’s noodles that you dip out a soup and then eat. The soup has a very flavorful dense taste, so there’s an art to eating Tsukemen. It takes restraint to only dip 3 or 4 noodles at a time. If you try to stuff a bunch of noodles in the soup, the flavor will be too overpowering. Having the Tsukemen with the Aji-Tama(half cooked egg) takes it to another level. It’s a good dish to have in the summer for me. It’s not piping hot, but it’s not cold. The noodles are at room tempature and the dipping soup is hot. My daughter loves the shio ramen and my wife switches around every visit, but seems to like the Goma Miso Ramen with a gyoza side.
The place is not that big. There are booths on the left side that can fit 4. On the left side long bench against the wall with individual tables. In the middle are tables for two and in the middle towards the back is a large community table for singles.
If you are interested, here’s the grid from our Battle of Seattle Ramen post. I think Arashi Ramen, Ramen Danbo and Kizuki Ramen are just a notch below Santouka, but not by much.
For now, Hokkaido Ramen Santouka is our favorite ramen place. It’s efficient, clean and modern, lots of parking in University Village, free kids meal and above all great tasting ramen.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 5
Food/Drinks: 5
Bang for the Buck: 4.5
Overall: 4.85
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Eavesdropping Convos: None
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: Amy or Emmy, our server suggested Junkichi Robata Izakaya in Capitol Hill
- See what a 36 year old from Japan thought of Seattle
- Kokkaku
- Coffee Shops to Impress Visitors, Impress Visiting Coffee Snobs, Make Visitors Feel Like Locals.
- Our Top 15 Best Seattle Dishes of 2018 (Part 2)
Seven Coffee Roasters Market & Cafe
Description on Seven Coffee Roasters website : Seven Coffee Roasters was started in a small cafe/roastery in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle in 2006 by Sean Lee. Seven is named after Sean’s grandmother, affectionately called “Nana” by grandkids. Nana, in Japanese, means Seven.
Neighborhood: Ravenna
Address: 2007 NE Ravenna Blvd, Seattle, WA 98105
Music playing: Summertime by Ella Fitzgerald
What we ate/drank: Macchiato, Iced Latte, Iced Mocha, Full Tilt Raspberry Popsicle.
Comments: Plopped in the middle of the Ravenna neighborhood is an old unassuming general store. Unless you are looking for it or happen to be driving through the neighborhood, you will never find it. I remember the first time we “found” Seven Coffee Roasters Market & Café. The moment we walked in, we fell in love with it. It really is just a neighborhood general store, but there are a few but very distinct differences from your usual general stores(although there aren’t many that have survived). First, you won’t find your normal name brands, but you will find local products. No Cheetos or Dorritos, but you will find Kettle and Tim’s. No Haagen Dazs ice cream, but you’ll find Full Tilt. No Sutter Home or Gallo wine, but they do have 8 Bells(located right down the street), Matthews, Januik. For the size of the store there is an amazingly wide variety of wine, beer and snacks. I also love their old school refrigerator that houses their cold drinks. I wonder if it’s the original from 1922(see below). The other thing that sets it apart is that they’re a coffee roaster, which makes their coffee drinks far, far above average for a general store. The actual roasting is done offsite. I’m not sure if due to Seven Roasters roasting their own coffee as well as having lower costs due to it’s location, but their prices are $.75 to $1 cheaper than your normal Seattle café. The first time going to Seven Coffee Roasters Market & Café was in the evening, so we just had beers. At the time, they had taps, but our latest visit only had beers in cans.
According to their website, “the store was established in 1922 and unofficially the second oldest market in Seattle, Seven Market & Cafe now sits where the former Boulevard Grocery once stood.” & “ Seven Market & Cafe sits in the quiet and charming neighborhood of Ravenna, near the University District. Ravenna Boulevard was once a main thoroughfare in Seattle for loggers hauling their goods from Green Lake to Lake Washington. The market served those loggers and others using the boulevard as a passage.”
It’s a tiny little place that might fit 12 people max inside, has a few small tables outside on the sidewalk along with a bench and an adjoining patio that maybe seat 6 or 7. The left side of the storefront has a garage style door that they open. This gives the high seating counter the prime spot to sit to enjoy both the inside and looks out on Ravenna Blvd, which I love for its median that’s lined with trees.
As mentioned in our Best Seattle Bars To Impress Out of Towners and Our Seattle Coffee Shop Thoughts posts, out of town visitors love these hidden local gems and Seven Coffee Roasters Market & Café is no different. We had friends come from out of town and they actually went to Starbucks Reserve twice. We took them to our little hidden coffee roaster, Seven Coffee Roasters Market & Café and they loved it. No crammed cafe with tourists, just laid back conversation on the patio and great coffee. I’ve even mentioned this place to locals and most have never heard of it or seen it, but even those who have driven past it and knew about it said they had no idea it was a coffee roaster. They normally say, “We just thought it was a small convenience store”. This is our normal stop when going to our dog sitter, who lives in the area. It’s also the de facto hot chocolate source when visiting Candy Cane Lane during the holidays.
Their blog is a good source for their history and a blog that profiles the rotating local artists who sell their art in the café and also provides profiles on the various local businesses who serve their coffee- Bryant Corner Café & Bakery, Honest Biscuits, Sod House Bakery and Flying Apron Bakery.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing:
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Food Options: 4.75
Overall: 4.85
Eavedropping Convo: None. Only that the barista made my macchiato and when handing it to me said, “Let me know if it’s good”. It was.