Checkout this video from their Kickstarter campaign:
Lighthouse Roasters
Description on Lighthouse Roaster’s website : One of Seattle’s original roaster cafes, Lighthouse has spent more than twenty years creating a loyal following of coffee lovers by treating the coffee buying, roasting and drink-making as a noble calling.
Neighborhood: Fremont
Address: 400 N 43rd St, Seattle, WA 98103
Music Playing: Lady by D’Angelo
What we ate/drank: Espresso and Cinnamon Apple Roll
Comments: When I first moved to Seattle I lived exactly one block away from Lighthouse Roasters right on the same street, Phinney Ave.
There were many a time where I missed my bus(5 going into downtown), so I would walk to Lighthouse Roasters for a cup of coffee and wait for the next one. Who wants to wait outside in the cold winter when you can see the bus stop from Lighthouse Roasters window? This was back in the day where there was no app to monitor the buses arrival. I’d get my coffee and listen for the bus coming down the street and then run out the door to catch it.
The layout of Lighthouse Roasters has changed since then, but there is one thing that has not-the old time general store feel. You ever see the movie, Doc Hollywood, where a big time doctor gets stuck in a small town where everybody knows everybody. Go into Lighthouse Roasters on any given morning. Rarely do you see anybody drive up and get a cup of coffee. Most of the people who go there walk from the surrounding neighborhood and they come every single day like it’s a part of their daily routine. Just sit there and watch. People talk to the baristas like old friends. Patrons recognize other patrons and small talk.
The last time I was there, I counted. There were six separate people reading newspapers! Not there looking at their phone, but actually reading a newspaper. That’s what makes it feel like a small town general store where the locals gather and hang out. For me that’s the allure of real neighborhood style coffee shops like Seven Coffee Roasters and Analog Coffee. You’re going through a neighborhood and they are right in the middle of it, like it shouldn’t be there. There are no other businesses near Lighthouse Roasters, only houses. Preserve and Gather and El Diablo Coffee(RIP) also have that neighborhood feel, but those are on main thoroughfares.
It’s really hard to explain why I like it so much. It’s the hustle and bustle of patrons ordering and talking, neighbors constantly walking in coming and going, the sound of the roasting process going on in the background, even the music -Lady by D’Angelo fit in with the vibe of the coffee shop. You add in their smooth and rich espresso and an apple cinnamon muffin and it’s perfect.
It’s one of the few places that I can recall that regularly has the coffee roasting process going on and is a part of the environment. There are places that have the roasting process on site but in a separate room(Café Allegro, Victrola Coffee,), or the roasting process is done on premises in the coffee shop(Elm Coffee Roasters), or some places have small roasters, which don’t make much noise due to it’s size(Armistice). I think having the roasting process right there and having the noise in the background adds something to the atmosphere.
And even if you’ve never been to Lighthouse Roasters, chances are you’ve had their coffee. Off the top of my head I know Bauhaus, Eastern Café and Voxx uses their beans.
The space is not big, but there are probably about 25 normal seats, 6 stools at the counter(my favorite so you can watch the baristas) and the standing counter looking out on the street that has room for about 5 standing patrons. This was my spot when watching for the bus. And I’ve said in posts before, I’m partial to coffee shops on corners due to the light in brings in from two directions.
They have a small selection of pastries, but that’s about it.
Writing this really brought back some memories when I lived down the block. Those were the good ole days when I was younger and dumber.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: The small town feel and hustle and bustle of making coffee, but also roasting beans.
Atmosphere: 5.00
Service: 4.75
Food Options: 4.25
Overall: 4.75
Eavesdropping Convo: See above
Related:
Realfine Coffee
Description on Realfine Coffee’s website : Realfine Coffee is a locally owned and operated business.
Our purpose is to create a coffee experience of the highest quality in a welcoming environment. Quality is not solely attributed to our high standard in coffee, but is also comes from the attention to detail our staff provides, which is developing a genuine sense of community through the relationships we foster with our customers. It is our uncompromising standards in all areas that allow us to offer the exceptional coffee we enjoy everyday.
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Address: 616 E Pine St, Seattle, WA 98122
Music Playing: Erykah Badu – Next Lifetime
What we ate/drank: Macchiato
Comments: I just happened to pass by Realfine Coffee on my way to Suika for dinner on Capitol Hill. This spot used to be a Stumptown Coffee. The original Realfine Coffee is in West Seattle and opened in 2015. This is the second branch and opened a few months ago. One day I woke up early and decided to check it out before going to work.
It has a very simple decor, but it’s not cold. It’s a small space, but feels airy. And unlike many cafes with this particular configuration of being long and narrow and being bright in the front and dark in the back, because of the lighting Realfine Coffee doesn’t have this problem. It feels warm and bright throughout.
One of the highlights of Realfine Coffee that I’ve not seen anywhere else is the built-in outlets in their long bench. Normally you find outlets under the seat or on the wall. These are located right at the base of the back of the bench. I thought it was really clever. The other seatings are 2 hightop stools looking out on Pine St and another counter that seats 8. The only qualm about this seating is that you’re looking straight into the wall. I understand why it’s designed this way since it provides a clear and open path from the door to the ordering station.
Besides coffee they had a refrigerator that had some juices and prepackaged snacks. They also serve canned beers and serve Macrina Bakery pastries.
Now, the thing that makes Realfine Coffee memorable to me was the cashier/barista, who I later found out was the owner. I’ve always had a hard time with small talk. Both starting small talk or responding to small talk. I even read a book on how to improve on it.
I have to tell you, I stayed at Realfine Coffee for about 45 minutes, but I could have stayed there a lot longer just listening to the owners small talk expertise. The secret to small talk is to keep the topics light and positive. The topic shouldn’t be too random and let the response guide the conversation.
Here are some snippets:
Sticking around for Thanksgiving this year? or Hosting Thanksgiving this year?
Owner: How was your weekend?
Patron: I saw Fleetwood Mac in Tacoma.
Owner: How was it? No Lindsey Buckingham, right?
Patron: I’ll tell ya, the guy who replaced Lindsey Buckingham really held his own. Note: I think it was Neil Finn of Crowded House who replaced Buckingham.
Here’s your latte, my friend. She used, “my friend” a lot.
Patron: I’ll have an Americano.
Owner: Not your normal drink?
Patron: No.
Owner: I could just tell by the way you ordered it, that it’s not your usual order.
Owner to patron: You have the cutest little sweatshirt on.
Owner: How’s it going?
Patron: mumbles order incoherently
Owner: That good, huh?
Patron: Do you own this?
Owner: Yes, I do. It’s a lot of hard work.
Patron: That’s so cool! Congratulations!
Owner: Thank you. It’s exciting
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: The nice calm atmosphere and the friendly owner.
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 5.00+
Food Options: 4.00
Overall: 4.60
Eavesdropping Convo: See above
Related:
Elm Coffee Roasters -South Lake Union (SLU)
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Description on Elm Coffee Roaster’s website : The world is full of incredible coffee. And we love that it’s our job to roast and share our favorites with you. Working with amazing producers and importers, we bring you vibrant coffees from all around the world.
Neighborhood: South Lake Union
Address: 230 9th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
Music Playing: Cath by Death Cab For Cutie
What we ate/drank: Cortado
Comments: I’ve enjoyed the coffee at Elm Coffee Roasters in Pioneer Square, so when I found out that they opened a branch nearer to my work, I had to check it out. Little did I know that it was in the lobby of an Amazon.com building, so it’s actually more of a coffee stand then an actual cafe.
There is some seating dedicated to for Elm Coffee Roasters to the left of the coffee stands that has individual tables and a high counter, but because it’s located in the lobby of the building you can make use of the comfy chairs and sofas to enjoy your drinks. Just a bit of a warning for the seats located near the stand, I saw only one outlet in case you are thinking of working there.
I was planning on ordering one of their combos- The One & One, which is a macchiato and an espresso, but it didn’t appear to be an option here. At least it wasn’t listed.
While I was sitting there enjoying my Cortado, it dawned on me. I don’t know if this is common knowledge amongst locals and I’m just behind the times, but it appears Amazon picks local coffee purveyors to inhabit their new buildings, which explains why these places exist – Caffe Ladro (1800 9th Building)-Mystery Solved!, Cascade Coffee Works, Victrola Coffee Roasters-The Most Heavily Guarded Cafe in Seattle. I also know there’s Fonte, Zoka, Caffe Vita and Rise(Farestart) in Amazon buildings. I definitely applaud Amazon for getting local companies in their branches and not the typical Starbucks that’s in my building lobby.
Going forward, I’ll keep these coffee shop reviews within a building lobby to a minimum unless they really are stand alone cafe such as the Cascade Coffee Works and the Victrola Coffee Roaster on 3rd and Pine. It’s not really fair to grade against stand alone cafe. I mean it’s a lobby so you can’t expect a whole lot in terms of atmosphere, but in this particular case, it’s Elm Coffee Roasters, so I’m sure I’ll be coming here regularly since it’s way more convenient for me than the Pioneer Square location.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: Having the option of enjoying a coffee while sitting in some luxurious chairs/sofa.
Atmosphere: 3.50
Service: 4.50
Food Options: 2.50
Overall: 3.75
Eavedropping Convo: Two guys sitting have a coffee inside when a guy passes the window rolling down the sidewalk on a Solowheel.
Guy 1(G1)- Dude, that same asshole almost ran my ass over last week.
Guy 2(G2) -Really?
G1) Yeah, by Whole Foods. There’s like a million fucking people on the sidewalk during lunch and this asshole is going full speed weaving in and out of people. Stupid fuck.
G2) This guy who used to work in my office had one. One day he came in on crutches because he munched it trying to avoid a dog.
Related:
Eastern Cafe
Description on Eastern Cafe’s website : Coffee, Loose leaf teas, beer, wine, cocktails, sandwiches, crepes, pastries
Neighborhood: International Districut
Address:510 Maynard Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
What we ate/drank: Macchiato
Comments: I’ve always known about Eastern Cafe, located in the International District, but never went there for a few reasons. One, it’s in the International District(ID), which is not close to my work. Second, I don’t mind traveling a little further to check out coffee shops if they open early, but they open at 7:30am, which means I’d have to come in late to work. I can handle 7:00am or earlier. Third, the International District is known for its tea places, not its coffee, so I wasn’t expecting much from any coffee place in the ID.
On one particular Sunday morning, our family had lunch at Dough Zone, which is a few blocks away from Eastern Cafe. I was dragging for a coffee, so while my wife went to Uwajimaya to grab some groceries, my daughter accompanied me to Eastern Cafe for a quick Macchiato.
The storefront looks like any other in the ID, but once entering it feels like you’re in Capitol Hill. First thing that came to mind was that Eastern Cafe looks like a rustic Capitol Coffee Works. Both have second floor lofts looking down on the baristas, the high ceilings and a first floor main seating area. The main difference is that Capitol Coffee Works is updated and Eastern Cafe has a weathered feel to it with it’s paint stripped walls and creaky floors, which makes it quintessential ID.
They use Lighthouse Roasters beans, which is always a sure bet. They have both savory and sweet crepes. I noticed they also have six drafts for beer and appear to have mixed drinks too. Like most spaces with the long narrow configuration, there’s a lot of light near the front, but the second floor loft area is situated in the back so it’s dark. I still enjoyed being able to sit up there and people watch and look down at the barista making the drinks. There’s both bigger community tables both in the first floor and second floor. The natural wood table in the loft area is especially beautiful. The rest of the cafe is rounded out by multiple tables and chairs for parties of two or solo.
I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here, but it’s really the only place to come for good coffee in the neighborhood and considering it’s the only choice, the quality is surprisingly good.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: Having a viable coffee option in the ID. A coffee oasis for this neighborhood.
Atmosphere: 4.50
Service: 4.50
Food Options: 4.75
Overall: 4.55
Eavedropping Convo: None
Related:
Fonte Coffee Roasters Cafe
Description on Fonte Coffee Roasters Cafe’s website :Our story begins in 1992 in the Pacific Northwest coffee capital of the world — Seattle, WA. It was here that founder and owner Paul Odom followed his passion and started Fonté Coffee Roaster. Our name is Italian for source. We help coffee lovers brew the freshest cup of coffee.
Neighborhood: Downtown
Address: 1321 1st Ave, Seattle WA 98101
Music Playing: Always Forever by Cults
What we ate/drank: Macchiato
Comments: Fonte Coffee Roasters Café is connected to the same building as the Four Seasons(I actually used their wifi while at Fonte), right across the street from the Seattle Art Museum(SAM) and two block aways from Pike Place Market, so similar to Seattle Coffee Works there are a lot of tourists as opposed to locals that come here. It’s always crowded because of it’s proximity to the aforementioned places, but also because it’s right on First Ave. Anybody walking along this main avenue going to Pike Place Market to Pioneer Square or vice versa will pass Fonte Coffee Roasters Cafe. It’s also one of the few places open at 6am in the area, so you see a lot of business people or a lot of people with suitcases getting ready to head to the airport having breakfast here.
The morning is not so bad but by mid-morning on, it’s normally crowded. Caffe Ladro , which is right around the corner doesn’t have this problem, because it’s not directly on 1st Ave and also doesn’t have the food options or drink options or space that Fonte Coffee Roasters Café has.
For Seattle standards the cafe is rather large. It has a modern-romantic vibe due to the warm lighting and use of dark materials-dark woods, dark leathers, and a dark ceiling. One really cool feature is the dark wood two by four lighting running the length of the cafe. For contrast most of the upholstered seating are a light tan.
As you enter Fonte Coffee Roasters Cafe you’ll notice they have two small elevated patio areas on either side of the door. Once you enter, on the left are upholstered seats that run along the store front and and individual chairs and tables that probably seat around 15 people.
On the right the high upholstered seats with a foot rest continue along the store front and then forms an “L” along the north wall. There’s a group table in the middle and then booth seats that round out the area. This area probably seats about 30 people.
Kudos for making a concerted effort for wheelchairs/stroller access both having ramps inside and out on the patio. One qualm I had was the cleanliness. As you can see from my pictures on this particular day and time, it was not busy in the cafe, yet many of the tables were not clean and there were newspapers all over the floor near the ordering counter.
There is a huge variety of food-For morning options they have pastries, but also savory dishes for breakfast -breakfast burrito, vegetables hash, scambles, french toast, omelettes, frittata. For lunch options there’s Italian sandwich, baguettes, salads, grilled cheese, chicken club. fried chicken Caesar wraps. Food is brought to table after ordering, but drinks are called out at the counter for pick up, which can be confusing. Nice touch of self serve water in recappable bottles that you can take back to your table. They also have beer, wine and mixed drink option.
As you can tell by their name they roast their own coffee. Actually, the person in charge of roasting at Fonte Coffee Roasters was one of the first roasters trained under the original owners of Starbucks and earned the title of Master Roaster before coming to Fonte.
I don’t mean this to be a slam, but Fonte’s not a place I’d hang out at for relaxation, but it is a place I’d bring my parents or non coffee drinking out-of-town friends. It’s not because the coffee is bad. It’s really good and they do have some coffee drinks you can’t find anywhere else such as Desert Rose Latte, Aztec Mocha Latte, Turkish Latte. It’s just that usually it’s too packed/busy with tourists to relax or meet up for a nice conversation. To prove a point, just go to their Yelp reviews. Look at the last 10 reviews. You could look today or a year from now I’d bet the majority of the reviews are from out-of towners. The reason i’d bring my parents/non coffee drinking out of town friends is due to the fact that it’s a very nice place and has a lot of drink options besides coffee. It also has a lot of snack options and is in close proximity to places I’d take out of town guests-Pike Place Maket, SAM, Pioneer Sq.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: High upholstered seats with foot rest. This might seem like a weird favorite thing, but it makes a huge difference to have the foot rest.
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 4
Food Options: 5
Overall: 4.35
Eavedropping Convo:
Guy 1(G1) – I’ve been going to Barnes & Noble a lot lately and reading a bunch of investments books. I’m addicted. It’s the only type of books I buy now.
Guy 2(G2) – No fiction or any other non-fiction? Only investment books?
G1- No, just investment books. I thought it would be mundane, but it’s really interesting. It’s all I read now
G2- Why are you into it?
G1- I never really was interested in finance, but I’m working now, saving some money finally and I want to put it to work. You know? I want to get to a point where I can buy a house too.
G2- Good luck with that(sarcastically)
Related:
Victrola Coffee Roasters – The Most Heavily Guarded Cafe in Seattle
Description on Victrola Coffee Roasters’s website : Victrola Coffee has been sourcing, roasting and serving premium coffee since 2000. Shop our coffee online or visit one of our Seattle coffee shops.
Neighborhood: Downtown
Address: 300 Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98101
Music Playing: Challengers by The New Pornographers
What we ate/drank: Macchiato
Comments:
Like most Seattlites, I try to avoid 3rd and Pine (aka 3rd and Crime), which for as long as I can remember has been the de facto crime spot in all of Seattle. I actually had some visitors from France who witnessed a stabbing here. If I ever want to scare straight my daughters, this is where I’d bring them and say, “If you don’t listen to your parents and study hard in school, this is where you’ll end up” and then I’d point to the plethora of shady characters who hang out here. I had an appointment and was walking to my office and took a path that took me by 3rd and Crime. What is this I see? Lo and behold, what is this new place in the Macys building? A Victrola Coffee Roaster? I had to rub my eyes to make sure it wasn’t a mirage.
It’s actually not that unexpected since Amazon just leased the floors on top of the Macys store and you know Amazonians love them some good coffee. So this Victrola Coffee Roasters is located in the lobby of the entrance to Amazon offices, but it really is on the corner of 3rd and Crime. This is where you can witness the ultimate Seattle worlds clashing and why I’ve named this coffee shop, “The Most Heavily Guarded in Seattle”. After seeing this Victrola Coffee Roasters, I decided to visit it a few weeks later.
UPDATED 9/14/19- If you still don’t believe me about 3rd & Pine & here.
UPDATED 2/23/20 –Another shooting and fatality. The Seattle Times article even talks to a Victrola employee. More here.
The first thing you notice are the security guards everywhere. When I went, there were two guards stationed outside of the doors. Inside there was a desk with another security guard sitting and one guard standing. Near the elevator to the offices there was another security guard and a another guard sitting having a coffee in Victrola. That’s six security guards total! In the café sat four patrons, including myself. If these security guards were not there, I’d guarantee you this place would be teeming with a cast of 3rd and Pine characters.
If you’ve been to the flagship Victrola Coffee Roasters in Capitol Hill you would never have guessed this is another Victrola Café. It is the exact opposite. The Capitol Hill Victrola is cozy, with worn wooden furniture, exposed brick and feeling of yesteryear. The 3rd & Crime Victrola is sleek, modern, new and I don’t want to say sterile, but it’s not as inviting as the Capitol Hill Victrola. It has pendant lighting and modern straight line furniture.
Take a look at the picture below of the long table with a purple neon light running down the center. Is this really Victrola? I understand that the feel of this café probably has a lot to do with matching the aesthetics of the company that inhabits the offices upstairs. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very nice café, but I wasn’t expecting the huge difference in atmosphere and décor.
Another difference is they have no Mighty-O Donuts! What? But they do have Soco Tacos, La Parisienne pastries. They also have drinks such as Izze, San Pellegrino and Naked Juice.
The definite highlight of the café is the corner facing out on 3rd & Crime is completely all glass and quite impressive. It makes that part of the cafe bright and airy. You can sip your coffee and watch the drug deals going down right in front of you across the street at McDonalds.
Although this Victrola is closer to my work, I’d still prefer to walk a little further and go to the one in Capitol Hill. I’d most likely come here if I were shopping at Macys or Westlake Center and needed a coffee break or if I needed to scare my daughters straight.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: The huge all window corner of the cafe looking out on 3rd & Pine
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 4.00
Food Options: 5.00
Overall: 4.35
Eavedropping Convo: None
Related:
Storyville Coffee – 1st Ave
Description on Storyville Coffee’s website : Find us on the bustling corner of 1st Avenue and Madison Avenue in Downtown Seattle. We are located at the base of the renowned Kimpton Alexis Hotel; a center point to the city’s landscape, just blocks away from the waterfront.
Neighborhood: Downtown
Address: 1001 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
Music Playing: Same music as their Pike Place Market location-some type of new agey jazzy instrumental spa like music.
What we ate/drank: Macchiato and Cinnamon Roll($9.76)
Comments: We dubbed the Storyville Coffee Company in Pike Place Market the Best Coffee Place to Impress Seattle Visitors. This is pretty much a smaller version of their Pike Place Market location and similar to Fonte Coffee Roaster Cafe because this Storyville is right on 1st Ave, so it’s very visible to visitors and is nearby a few hotels. This one doesn’t have the “secret” nature of the Pike Place Market location though. While sitting at this Storyville, I noticed it was part of the cashier’s greeting to ask if the person ordering was from out of town and more times than not, they were. The Kimptom Alexis Hotel is right next door and Hotel 1000 is right across the street.
Sometimes you go to different branches of the same café and it’s completely different. One might be vintage cozy and another branch might be sleek modern. This Storyville on 1st Ave is the exact replica of Pike Place Market version, but smaller. Like the much bigger Storyville in Pike Place Market, the 1st Ave version has the same dark wood panels, orange hue lighting and new agey jazzy instrumental spa-like music. They also have a kitchen in the back. And also similar to the Pike Place Market version, they make a damn fine macchiato and cinnamon roll.
This Storyville Coffee only has one regular table that seats 4. The rest of the drinking area are 3 individual standing only tables, a patio area on the sidewalk that seats 8 at a wooden high counter and a beautiful wood L-shaped counter that can probably accommodate 10 stools. The L-shaped counter looks on to 1st Ave & Madison through a massive floor to ceiling window that lets in tons of light. The rest of the café is rather dark due to the deep colors of the walls, floor and décor. Although they are pretty close to Pioneer Square, they are not quite in it, but they do have the prerequisite exposed brick wall that most Pioneer Square cafes have.
There are a couple things that stand out about this location
- They bring you a cup of water as soon as you sit down. This is even prior to your coffee drink being made.
- They bus the dishes/cups for you. I touched about this being a rarity in Seattle cafes here.
- Because the place is so small and due to the acoustics, you can pretty much hear any conversation going on, so having an interview here probably isn’t a good idea. Shout out to the graphic designer being interviewed. I hope you got the job!
- The cashier was super friendly and helpful. As mentioned I heard the cashier ask where most patrons were from to see if they were visiting. (Eavesdropping conversation below)
I find the prices to be a bit on the high side with espresso being $3.65, macchiato being $4.10 and cortado being $4.65. On average I would say this is about $.25-.35 higher than average.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: They bring a cup of water automatically to wherever you’re sitting and they bus your dishes. Just like a real restaurant!
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 5.00
Food Options: 4.50
Overall: 4.65
Eavedropping Convo: Cashier(C) asked where the patron was from and he said Philadelphia. The guy(G) said he didn’t drink coffee, but he was getting one for his wife back at the hotel room. She then asked what he wanted to order.
G- Looking at the drink menu on the wall. I’m not used to these fancy drink names.
C- Well describe to me what your wife enjoys drinking.
G- I think she just wants a regular black coffee, but since we’re in Seattle she wants something different and better than what she normally has.
C- Well, I think you should get an Americano or a French Press. Both are more flavorful than a normal black coffee, but it doesn’t have any cream or foam or additional flavors like vanilla, you know?
G- What’s the difference between an Americano and French Pass
C- Americano is espresso shots with water and a French Press is a pot with a plunger with a filter on it and we press the hot water through the coffee grounds.
G- Which is quicker?
C- The Americano.
G- Give me the Americano.
C- No problem. You can’t go wrong with either. They are both really tasty. I hope she likes it.
Related:
Cafe Hitchcock & the CBD Latte Drama
Description on Cafe Hitchcock’s website : There’s really no info on their website besides minimum address, menu, email/contact info.
Neighborhood: Downtown
Address:818 First Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104
Music Playing: Feel It All Around by Washed Out
What we ate/drank: Cinnamon Roll($3.50) ‘and Caffe Vita Doppio Espresso($2.75)
Comments: Hitchcock on Bainbridge Island was opened in 2010. We always called it “that really nice restaurant on Bainbridge Island at the end of the main street”. Although it was located on Bainbridge Island, it always seemed to pop up on various Best Seattle Restaurants lists regularly. Then there was an expansion of a Hitchcock deli in Georgetown. Then last summer Café Hitchcock opened in downtown.
The one thing Café Hitchcock is known for among Seattlites is the serving of CBD(cannabidiol) Lattes, which are cannabis infused lattes and the subsequent Seattle & King County Public Health issuing of a cease and desist to stop serving the lattes. And the owner of Cafe Hitchcock comparing the cease and desist on CBD-infused drinks to that of the dance ban in the movie “Footloose” Drama, yo! Hand me my popcorn! I regret not trying theses CBD Lattes prior to the cease and desist to see for myself. Because these drinks are available in other cities without issue, I’m hoping I’ll get to try CBD-infused lattes in the near future.
I’m reviewing as a coffee space but I’ve been here for lunch and they have really good sandwiches . They also serve beer on tap. At the time I visited, they had Fremont Brewing’s Lush IPA and Summer Ale, two of my faves. And the happy hour from 3-7 (props for not ending happy hour at 6 like most places) definitely looks interesting and we’ll have to remember it as a downtown happy hour option for the future.
Café Hitchcock is located on the bottom floor of the Exchange Building, which has a historic landmark designation. I actually used to work in this building many years ago and back then it was like walking back in time with it’s art deco feel. It’s actually exactly the same, but Café Hitchcock has replaced the nondescript diner that used to be in the space. Despite the diner’s convenient location when I worked in the building, I never ate there. The Exchange Building is on 1st and Marion, which is directly in the path of all the ferry commuters, so if you time your visit to Café Hitchcock right when the ferry has arrived, you might be waiting in line awhile behind said ferry commuters.
Off Topic: Visiting Cafe Hitchcock actually brought back memories when I worked in this building. Whenever a ferry came in, there were a massive amount of ferry commuters who were too lazy to walk up the block between 1st and 2nd Ave, so they would come into the building and use the elevators to go from 1st Ave to 2nd Ave. Now you can imagine for those of us who actually worked in the building, how frustrating it was to see these people clogging up the elevators and causing massive lines to form, so they could avoid walking one block from 1st to 2nd Ave. What made it more frustrating is the building next door, the Norton Building, had an escalator from 1st to 2nd Ave so there was no waiting necessary, but nooooo….. these lazy ferry commuters could not even take the escalator, they want to take the elevator!!! It boils my blood to this day. Truthfully it was only a small percentage of ferry commuters that did this, but it was enough for it to be a running joke for all of us who actually worked in the building.
Anyways, back to Café Hitchcock. It’s a huge improvement from the diner that used to be here. There’s subway tile throughout, concrete floors and exposed vents and pipes, which give it an industrial feel. The touch that gives it character are the ornate gold frame mirrors that hang on the south wall. Below the mirrors is a long wooden benches that runs along the entire wall with corresponding tables for four people and two people. Each of these tables has an individual spotlight, which makes each table really bright.
When you enter, there are 4 high counter stools looking out on 1st Ave. The left section of the space has an unfinished look with exposed brick and concrete and has 7 high counter stools looking out on the entrance way to the building. In the center are 4 wooden booths that seat two.
I ordered cinnamon roll and the cashier confirmed that all pastries are baked in-house, which I appreciate since it ensures freshness. The coffee is sourced by Caffe Vita. I ordered both for here, but gave both to-go, which is fine, but there is something missing when drinking an espresso in a paper cup.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: Baked in-house pastries
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 4.00
Food Options: 5.00
Overall: 4.35
Eavedropping Convo:
Guy 1(G1) – I just got through with a biography about Michael Collins. It was really interesting.
Guy 2(G2) – The Irish dude?
G1-Yeah. What was the last biography you read? I’m trying to get ideas for the next one to read.
G2- uhhhh….
G1-I didn’t mean to put you on the spot.
G2- Ooh!! A few months ago I finished a biography on this lady who used to work with Ted Bundy at a suicide hot line in Seattle. She talks about their conversations, how he interacted with people.
G1 – The serial killer?
G2- Yeah, she said he was really normal, but in looking back at the way he spoke to people, his mannerisms she could see how he had some traits of a psychopath, but wouldn’t be able to see it in real time, only after the fact. It was fascinating. Did you know he went to Udub?
G1 –What? No way! laughs
Related:
Preserve and Gather
Description on Preserve And Gather’s website : A Neighborhood Cafe
Neighborhood: Greenwood
Address: 358 NW 85th St. Seattle, WA 98117
What we ate/drank: Cortado, Mocha and Carmelized Onion & Gruyere Cheese Bun
Comments: Our children’s daycare is nearby and we’ve been told about Preserve and Gather but it’s been an afterthought as a cafe to visit. I’ve got to be honest, I wasn’t expecting much when I saw the outside. Preserve and Gather is at the bottom of a newer condominium right on busy NW 85th St in Greenwood. As we walked up we noticed the nice patio that had a long bench and few tables and thought, “well, at least they have a nice patio”.
As soon as we stepped into Preserve & Gather our whole perspective did a 180. The first thing we noticed was how bright and airy it was. We also noticed it had a neighborly vibe-tables with families, people enjoying newspapers, lots of people in conversation. It was a lively atmosphere. It didn’t have the commuter feel like so many cafes have of ordering a drink to go and leaving. Nor did it have the library feel of dead silence in a packed cafe with computer campers. There’s a time and place for both of these types of cafes, but there’s something about the feel of a community/neighborhood focused café like Preserve and Gather that makes you want to hangout, enjoy the space and return for more visits.
We intended to just get a quick drink and ordered a mocha and cortado, but we couldn’t help but notice the case full of both sweet and savory baked offerings. We asked if everything was made in-house and the person at the cash register said, “Yes, everything in made here” pointing to their open kitchen. The barista spoke up, “She’s being modest. She made everything in that case”. I believe the cashier and barista were the two owners. We asked the cashier/baker what her favorite is. She mentioned she likes savory more than sweet and recommended the caramelized onion and gruyere cheese bun, which we ordered. It was a reasonable $3.75. It did not disappoint. It was light, flakey and was like eating French onion soup as a pastry. The cortado was perfect and the mocha had a huge marshmallow added. I believe they use Conduit coffee beans, but I did notice they were selling bags of Silvercup from Everett and Fulcrum Coffee from Seattle, so I’m not sure.
Once sitting down to enjoy our drinks and bun, we really got a sense of the details of the cafe. You can’t help but notice the huge geometrically stenciling in gold against a blue wall. You’ve got the industrial feel with exposed piping and ventilation, concrete floors, Edison bulb lighting and the use of pipes to create magazine racks, coffee tables and high counters. But you’ve also got the pops of homeiness-the various potted plants throughout, the bright yellow wooden benches in front, the umbrella stand, the old-fashioned water jug, the community newspaper and magazine racks. It’s a perfect balance.
We already mentioned the seating on the patio and the yellow benches in front, but there is ample seating all around the space with 3 tables of 6 for groups or community sharing, 6 high counter stools looking out on 85th Street and at least 4 tables of two along the east wall. Besides coffee, they have around 10 choices for loose leaf tea, kombucha, beer and wine. I already mentioned they make all baked goods in house, but for other food options they have yogurt, toasts with toppings, sandwiches and various plates.
One thing to keep in mind is that they don’t have wifi or a lot of outlets, which might be a deal breaker for some who want to work or study there, but I can tell you it doesn’t seem to have hurt business. It may very well have helped business, knowing you are likely to find a seat since there won’t be any “computer campers” taking up a seat for hours. It may make this a first option for those who want to meet up with friends over coffee. I’m sure this was a conscious decision by the owners which I presume helps define the “Gather” in “Preserve and Gather”. It’s a place for people to gather and encourages conversation instead of silent laptop zombies. Another thing is that parking might be a challenge since there is no dedicated parking spaces.
The last observation we noticed and find refreshing is that among the people working at Preserve and Gather they exhibited a sense of pride in their café. Many cafes in Seattle feel like they phone it in and although they make a great coffee, the place is a mess or it feels like the worker is just biding their time until they can clock out. They don’t really care about making the café a comfortable and clean place to relax. The short time we were at Preserve and Gather, I saw the workers constantly cleaning, constantly straightening up, making sure the water jug was full, wiping counter tops and tables of crumbs and spilled liquid. They were not standing around, looking at their phone waiting for the next customer. This type of pride shown by the workers at Preserve and Gather really made an impression on us.
Preserve and Gather won’t be at the top of my list if I need to work remotely, but it will surely be at the top of my list for meeting and catching up with friends, getting a coffee/snacks/pastries with my wife and kids or bringing out-of-towners to a one of a kind Seattle café. I know it will be clean, I know we are likely to get seats, I know we will get quality coffee and food and I know that first time visitors will be impressed with the space like we were.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1456834651/preserve-and-gather-a-cafe-in-greenwood-seattle-wa
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: Made from scratch pastry/food, ambiance
Atmosphere: 5.00
Service: 5.00
Food Options: 4.75
Overall: 4.90
Eavedropping Convo: None
Related:
**********9/20-Unfortunately, EL Diablo Coffee Has Closed Down**********
El Diablo Coffee
Description on El Diable Coffee’s website : El Diablo Coffee Co. has been a fixture in the Queen Anne neighborhood for 15+ years, providing a gathering place for locals and more. We’ve partnered with Tony’s Coffee out of Bellingham, Washington, to serve El Diablo Coffee Co. customers unique, artisan coffee roasts, including carefully composed blends and single-origin offerings.
Neighborhood: Queen Anne
Address: 1825 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
What we ate/drank: Cortado, Strawberry/Banana smoothie, Cuban Toast, Breakfast Burrito with bacon.
Comments: We had never been to El Diablo Coffee prior to them moving into their new digs earlier this year. We were very familiar with Cloud City Coffee, which shares the same owner. I can’t imagine that the old location was nicer than this one.
To give some history behind El Diablos Coffee’s almost soap opera-ish move to a new location we only need to go back to this spring. Although we’d never been to El Diablo Coffee before, we did hear about the impending closing due to the landlord kicking them out within a short time period and the uproar it caused in the Queen Anne neighborhood. At the time it had been open for close to 20 years, so it had been a staple in the community for quite some time. They were given less than a month to vacate and find a new spot. Of course El Diablo Coffee wanted to stay in the neighborhood that made them successful, but also wanted to keep their employees. They tried to work with the landlord to no avail. Luckily there was a space a few doors down that had been vacated by a restaurant and that’s where they’re located now.
One of the reasons we had never been to El Diablo Coffee is that it’s on Queen Anne Hill and we don’t venture out that way too often. On this particular morning, we were meeting somebody who lived there, so we came here for breakfast. It’s basically a café inside of a house. This place is spacious both on the outside and inside. I counted 8 tables just on the front patio which is elevated so you don’t feel your right on the sidewalk/street. The patio also has tons of greenery and huge umbrellas for shade/protection from the rain. As you enter on the left there’s a living room with a group table that can seat 6 and a love chair. Right next to that is the counter/cashier where you order.
In the back is a bar counter and few individual tables, but one thing that may interest parents is a separate room with loads of toys for kids. It was nice enjoying our breakfast and drinks in peace while our daughter was occupied with all the books and toys. We’d pay extra for this amenity alone. What sets El Diablo Coffee apart from other cafes is that the first floor is already spacious for a Seattle café, but they also have a huge area upstairs that includes another patio. I believe the second floor is not yet complete, but it already has various tables, a couch with coffee table and a fireplace. The second floor is also really bright due to the skylights. I can see this being a perfect work area. They also have signage that the space is available to be rented out for things like baby showers, work get togethers, birthdays and even weddings. I believe they said that max occupancy is 100 people, so that tells you how big the area is.
If I’m comparing to Cloud City Coffee, they don’t have nearly the variety of food options. I had the breakfast burrito with bacon which was your standard egg, potato, bacon, cheese. I do appreciate that they toasted the outside. Couple of issues though. We ordered a Cuban Toast, which is tomato, cheese and ham, but they forgot the ham. We returned it and they apologized and fixed it right away. We also ordered a strawberry/banana smoothie, which they forgot to make. At the drink handoff area, they saw me standing there waiting and they asked what I was waiting for and realized they hadn’t made the smoothie yet.
The prices are slightly higher than Cloud City, which I understand, because the space is way nicer than Cloud City. Both places use Tony’s Coffee. One of the main differences is that El Diablo Coffee serves beer while I don’t think Cloud City does. They had locally breweries, Georgetown, Fremont and Figurehead brews on tap. They also had Two Beers and Georgetown Lucille IPA in cans along with, cider and wines.
I love the quirky blue peacock wall paper throughout along with the home touches like French doors, chandeliers and wall sconces for light.
In summary, this is a great place if you have a big group to meet up for coffee. It’s also an ideal location if you have kids since they can be separated in the kids room and you don’t have to worry about them bothering the other patrons. I always appreciate when coffee shops(and breweries for that matter) have dedicated spaces for kids, but El Diablo Coffee goes a step further with an actual room.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: Tons of space both on the front patio, inside the “house” and out on the back patio.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 4.25
Food Options: 4.50
Overall: 4.65
Eavedropping Convo: Guy was sitting by himself and a guy with an Australian accent came over.
Guy from Australia(GFA) – How have you been?
Guy from here(GFH) – I’ve been good, how about you? It’s been a while.
GFA-I like this place you picked to meet up.
GFH-Yeah, I like it a lot. It’s very decorative and I just work down the block, so I come here a lot.
GFA- Simplistic more so than decorative cafes are all the rage back home at the moment. I do notice all the cafes here have avocado toast like back home though. Comment: El Diablo has a Guacamole toast that’s on Cuban toasted bread
GFH- You feel right at home then, huh?
GFA/GFH- laughs
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