Revolutions Coffee
Description on Revolutions Coffee website: Coffee As A Conduit To Community and Conversation
Neighborhood: Green Lake
Address: 7208 East Green Lake Drive North, Seattle WA 98115
Music playing: My Kind of Woman-Mac Dermarco
What we ate/drank: Americano
Comments: This Revolutions Coffee is a new location, opened in early July, that couldn’t be more different from its old version. The old location was down the street a few blocks. I remember it had bright red and deep blue walls and concrete floors with different rugs all over. It was spacious, warm and conducive for big group gatherings.
The new location is very sparse, smaller and very minimalist. Where before there seemed to be big groups having conversations, now it’s like a library with people studying/working. This is neither bad, nor good, just such a huge transformation.
It’s also now right across from Green Lake Park, which is one of the reasons they decided to move once the location came open in the Spring of 2016. It’s super quiet. 7 people on their computers. Nobody was talking so if anybody had a conversation, you could hear it.
You can tell from the picture that it can get rather dark especially near the middle and back since the good amount of sunlight comes from the front windows. Because the place is long and narrow, the main sunlight is in the front. All their coffee is roasted by Herkimer, which has a retail location down the street on The Ave.
Ratings(Scale 1-5)
Favorite Thing: Whenever a guy came into order, the barista would greet him by saying, “What can I get for you, my brotha?”
Atmosphere: 3
Service: 5
Food Options: 3.5
Overall: 3.75
Eavesdropping Convos:
Customer(C)-On his phone waiting to order- He’s already there?! I’ll be there in 5 minutes. Gets off phone to order.
Barista(B)-What can I get for you, my brotha?
C-I’m just getting a turkey sandwich. I’m interviewing somebody and I’m five minutes late. I’m just dragging coming back from a three day weekend. Totally not in the mood to be doing an interview right now. I’m going to finish this interview real quick and head home early.
I’m pretty certain the interviewee had no chance at getting hired.
Name: Ghost Note Coffee
Description on Ghost Note Coffee website: A Modern, Progressive Take On The Café Experience
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Address: 1623 Bellevue Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Music playing: None
What we ate/drank: Double Espresso of Colombia Narino Samaniego(?)
Comments: The first thing you’ll notice different about Ghost Note Coffee is their brewed coffee is made to order, so you don’t have to worry about when the last batch was brewed. And it’s not by pour-over, which you all know can take awhile. It’s done through a special machine specifically made for Ghost Note that makes it within 90 seconds.
Their specialty drinks seem interesting, but most are cold(I think 6 out of 7) and I wanted something hot. I wouldn’t mind trying some in the summer, though. Here’s some examples:
- Lush Life -Espresso, almond milk, orange blossom honey syrup.
- Cold Sun Ship -Espresso, smoked grapefruit rosemary syrup, coconut water, sparkling water, lime.
- Cold Equipoise -African espresso, tonic water, juniper sage concentrate, cucumber.
I decided on a double espresso of which I had two choices. I ended up getting the Colombian. It came in a fancy whiskey-looking glass more suited for a craft cocktail. If I had to guess, the shape of the glass most likely traps the smell/aroma of the shot for drinkers enjoyment. I can appreciate the attempt to be different from the sea of coffee shops in Seattle, especially in Capitol Hill, which is café central. I’ll definitely remember Ghost Note Coffee because of the glass and specialty drinks. Coffee beans for sale are from Broadcast Roasters, pastries from Salmon Berry, toast from Colombia City Bakery and sandwiches from Bread and Bone.
Don’t look for a tip jar like I did, because they have a no tipping policy, but there is a 10% gratuity included. I can live with that(see below)
This is the old Capitol Hill location for Broadcast Coffee and the layout is exactly the same, but there are some differences that make it feel completely different. I would say when it was Broadcast it was sorta like their current Roosevelt location. No nonsense, very sparse, more minimal. The new space under Ghost Note is a lot more “fancy”-the food display, the stools, the chairs(see pic below). The main parts of it are exactly the same though-the industrial look of exposed concrete walls and pillar, bar seating along the front window, the long high tables that fit six. It’s a small space, but does not feel cramped. And Because it’s not on the main drag of Pike/Pine or Broadway it probably won’t be as crowded as the other Cap Hill cafes.
Ghost Note has free public cuppings occasionally, although it appears the last few have been during the weekday mid-morning. Damn you, work!!
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: The craft cocktail style glass the espresso comes in.
Atmosphere: 4
Service: 5
Food Options: 4.25
Overall: 4.50
Eavedropping Convo: Since I was the only one there, there was no eavesdropping conversations to overhear.
Seattleunexplored Coffee Shop Tipping Question: We’ve had this discussion with a lot of people and there doesn’t really seem to be a consensus. The no tipping policy at Ghost Note just reminded me about the subject. When we go out to coffee shops regardless if we order to go or stay, we always tip. It’s just second nature to us. I think it’s second nature to everybody. Normally, tipping is done at the end of the service-in restaurants, bell hops, concierge, taxi driver/Uber drivers, bartenders, etc. Although it’s standard to tip, you have the ability to tip more or less depending on how you feel the service(or product) was. This is not so in a coffee shop, you tip ahead of time when paying, not knowing how well the service or drink quality will be. What if, after ordering my drink, paying and giving a tip, the cashier says, “What are you still doing here? Don’t you see there’s a line? Hurry up and move so I can take the next order, idiot. Your drink can be picked up over there, you dumbass.” And then you get your drink and it’s horrible. Can you go over to the tip jar and pull your tip out? No. Can you ask the barista to remake your drink? Yes. But it will take some extra time and if I had to guess many people order their drink to go. It’s one of the few situations where you tip prior to any service/product. I understand that most people who work in coffee shops rely on tips to supplement their wages(is this still the case with the new min wage of $15/hr?- that’s a topic for a whole nother converstion), but it’s just strange tipping for services/products not yet rendered with the hope that everything goes right. In looking at the ordering, paying upfront process, I guess it’s the most efficiently appropriate time to tip. What say you?
Cloud City Coffee
Description on their web: At Cloud City Coffee, you will find locally roasted, specialty coffee, freshly baked pastries, and delicious breakfast and lunch items prepared in-house by a top-notch culinary team. We offer free Wi-Fi, comfy couches, a lending library, newspapers, games and a kid’s play area, all in accord with a staff that is sincerely happy you’re here. Cloud City Coffee is not simply a café, it’s a community.
Neighborhood: Maple Leaf
Address: 8801 Roosevelt Ave, Seattle WA 98115
Music playing: Gone For Good by The Shins
What we ate/drank: #1 muffin(cheddar, bacon, egg), Double espresso, Mexican Mocha. Oatmeal w/fruit toppings
Comments: In Our Seattle Coffee Shop Thoughts post we named Cloud City Coffee our Favorite Cozy Coffee Shop in Seattle. Unlike modern or minimalistic coffee shops like Broadcast Coffee, Revolutions Coffee or Elm Coffee Roasters, where I tend to get work done, Cloud City Coffee is more of a place to relax and meet up with friends and family. Their motto is “Community and Café” and there are a lot of things going on at Cloud City Coffee that fosters a community feel like a community library, a dedicated kids area with toys, and pay-on-your-honor section for brewed coffee($2) and day old bagels/pastries($1).
This is the type of place where we’d choose to meet up with friends or families that we’d hadn’t seen in awhile. They have something for everybody with their food options from pastries, to sandwiches, salads, soups and even quiche. I believe everything is made in house, which is pretty impressive. They also have multiple drink options in addition to coffee drinks with tea and smoothies available. The coffee they use is from Tony’s Coffee up in Bellingham. The last few times I’ve been, my doppio has been Ganesha Espresso and brew was Café Camelita and Sophia’s Blend.
A warning, this place is always packed, which means their small parking lot is always packed. There are multiple tables that seat six, but you’ll most likely be sharing. They have a small outdoor seating area and when weather permits they have garage style doors that are opened facing south and east that let’s in a lot of light.
In Our Seattle Bar Thoughts post we wrote about our love of neighborhood bars because they tend to be relaxing, chill and have a good cross section of the folks from the community. This is the same reason we enjoy Cloud City Coffee. I wouldn’t say their coffee is the best, nor would I say their food is the best, but there’s an intangible value on how a place makes you feel. These types of neighborhood coffee shops make you feel like you’re in your living room, but away from the distractions of home. It’s a place to escape for awhile and feel comfortable. When I think of a neighborhood coffee shop, this is what I picture.
I see a lot of people working and studying there. In this environment I’d be too tempted to just relax and enjoy my coffee. I’d recommend Cloud City as a place to meet up with friends/family to talk and relax. Or if you are headed to Maple Leaf Reservoir Park a block away take a to go coffee and meal and have a picnic. Or take visitors from out of town who can experience a one-of-a-kind true neighborhood spot with lots of drink and food options.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: The on-your-honor section really feels like a trust factor that can only exist in a community coffee shop.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 4
Food Options: 5
Overall: 4.75
Eavesdropping Convos: My one yr old daugther was eating a muffin and staring at woman with her family(husband and daughter?) at a community table. The woman notices and smiles back at my daughter. My wife notices the woman smiling.
My wife- Sorry, she’s in the staring phase.
Woman- She’s probably staring, thinking who’s that weird looking person.
My wife- No.…. She likes staring at beautiful things.
Woman- Aww…… thank you.
Woman’s teenage daughter- Yeah, right.
Her daughter’s delivery was kinda like this:
Caffe Umbria – Westlake
Description on the Caffe Umbria website: For over three generations, the Bizzarri family has been evolving and improving on the enduring craft of Italian espresso, combining the harmonious artistry of the blend with the precise science of the roast to create signature blends that reflect the passion and personality at the heart of the Italian caffè experience..
Neighborhood: Westlake
Address: 1201 Westlake Ave N, Seattle WA 98109
Music playing: None
What we ate/drank: Doppio Espresso, Spinach/Cheese pastry
Comments: They also have Ballard and Pioneer Square locations and all are very different styles.The Westlake location has a few tables with four seats to the left, some individual seating along their front window and a two booths on the right side. They also have a standing bar area facing the barista that even has a foot rest. I don’t know if this is common in other coffee places but it’s the first time I’ve noticed it. They have a few sweet and savory food items to munch on. We had a spinach/cheese pastry. One of the things that stood out to me was their Monocle Guide to Drinking and Dining book. I’m a huge fan of the Monocle periodical, but it’s so damn expensive. It was fun looking through the book while drinking my espresso. The other thing that stood out was the handles on their espresso cups. The handle is inverted with a small hole which makes gripping in with your thumb and finger really easy. I’ve not seen these anywhere else. Overall, the décor is pretty minimalist and atmosphere is bright and airy due to the huge windows on the front and south of the location and open floor plan. It’s way different from their Ballard location that had leather couches, comfy seats and big wood community table. The Pioneer Square location is also different with exposed brick walls, really airy and dark wood chairs and tables and what seems like way more variety of food options.
Ratings(Scale 1-5)
Favorite Thing: Caffe Umbria’s education section on their website teaches you the proper way to brew your coffee using a Aeropress, French Press, Moka Pot, Chemex and Hario V60. I definitely used it to fine tune my brewing using my Bialetti. It gives the educational videos from Victrola Coffee Roasters‘ website a run for it’s money.
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 5
Food Options: 4
Overall: 4.25
Eavesdropping Convo:
Gal 1) Guess what?
Gal 2) What?
G1) I spent $674 eating out last month.
G2) Shut up! G1, you really need to stop going out to eat for all three meals!
G1) I don’t. I swear. Maybe two times a day at most, but most of the time just once. It’s hard for me to eat leftovers and you know my neighborhood has a new restaurant open every week. The real problem is all my friends are foodies. I seriously need to move out of Cap Hill.
The foodie struggle is real, yo.
Name: Caffe Ladro
Description on their web: At Caffe Ladro, we strive to provide profound service.
We believe that profound service improves the world.
Neighborhood: Downtown, but has 15 locations(9 in Seattle, 2 up north and 4 on the East Side)
Address: 801 Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98101
Music playing: What Do You Love? by YG
What we ate/drank: Medici, Gibraltar
Comments: Although each Caffe Ladro location is different, this one is way different. Some locations are inviting/homey and others are minimalist modern. I always felt like this location is straight out of the Jetsons. Even though the walls and cashier/barista station are covered with dark wood, the rest of the space looks like what one would envision as futuristic in the 60/70’s. This location is on the bottom floor of the 801 Tower, which was constructed in 1970. Most Seattlites know about this apartment building because it’s a circular building like a rocket and was one of the few high rise apartment buildings in NE part of downtown until recently. The cafe has slanted floor to ceiling windows all the way around the front and side which makes this Caffe Ladro location super bright. Another reason for the Jetson feel might be the 5 planetary-looking hanging lamps.
Caffe Ladro is known for their Medici. And though I’m normally an espresso/americano person, when in Rome….
The Medici is a doppio esprseso poured over chocolate syrup and orange peel, with whipped cream on top. I thought it would be super sweet but it wasn’t and quite good. The Medici was actually created in Seattle at an espresso bar no longer in existence, Last Exit on Brooklyn, which was located in the University District near UW.
They have some limited pastries
As for the seating options. There’s only a short bar with stools facing out on Pine, a few individual leather seats and few small tables with stools. There’s also a small bar near the cashier that seats three and a very small patio section.
The grand Hyatt hotel is one block away, so all the taxi drivers line up on the street right next to Caffe Ladro. One thing I noticed is the number of taxi drivers who come in for their cup of joe at Caffe Ladro while waiting for the hotel to call them to pick up a fare.
Mystery Solved– I asked the workers what the logo of the silhouetted man represented(Got the coffee place right this time). They said Ladro is Italian for thief, so the figure is supposed to be a cloaked mysterious in-the-shadows thief. Ah-ha…..
Mystery Really Solved– See review of Caffe Ladro(1800 9th Building)
Ratings(Scale 1-5)
Favorite Thing: The unconventional “Jetsons” architecture.
Atmosphere: 4
Service: 5
Food Options: 3.25
Overall: 4.25
Eavesdropping Convos: A regular comes in…
Barista(B)- Hey, haven’t seen you in a while. Normal macchiato?
Customer(C) –You got it. How’s your morning so far?
B-So far, so good. Does it feel hot in here? *Waves her hand at her face to cool off* I’m feeling hot.
C-And I’m a heating seeking missile. **laughs**
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Name: Caffe Vita
Description on their web: By creating an environment where the customer can see, touch, and taste the coffee they purchase, we provide a unique learning opportunity that allows our coffee to speak for itself. Caffe Vita is always fresh, imported directly from the farm and roasted on-site.
Neighborhood: Pioneer Square
Address: 125 Prefontaine Pl South, Seattle, WA 98104
Music playing: Conventional Wisdom by Built to Spill
What we ate/drank: Americano, Frosted Apple Fritter from Mighty-O
Comments: Unlike Caffe Ladro, that seems to have a different vibe per location, Caffe Vita locations all seem to have the same vibe-warm and comfortable. Of all the Caffe Vita locations, this is by far my favorite. Some thing to be aware of — this location is not open on the weekends, but all their other locations are. I guess Pioneer Square is generally a ghost town on the weekends. Another thing I didn’t realize is the Capitol Hill location is open until 11:00pm for all you night owls. They also have locations outside Seattle in Portland, NY and LA.
This particular location has an industrial look with huge steel supports, a huge metal staircase and bar stools made from camshafts. Because of it’s size, it’s good for groups. A huge community table is located in the front along with 3 or 4 tables for two. In the back is more bar seating. That’s not all. They have an upstairs area with a leather couch and a few more table seatings with a really interesting glass coffee table that have a huge cut section of a tree trunk surrounded by a steel mechanism.The ceilings have to be at least 25 feet high, which means the huge windows allow in a lot of light.
For all you vegans out there, you’ll be happy to know that their pastries are from Mighty-O Donuts. I had a huge apple fritter that had an unusually large portion of frosting(see pic above) with my Americano. The cashier said, “Looks like they put extra frosting on this one for you”
People call me a Looker. I don’t mean that as in, “wow, that guy’s a looker!” but more like “wow, that guy likes to look at things a lot.” This Caffe Vita location has a lot of cool things to look at-the coffee grinder in the front window, the coffee table pictured above, their huge siphon, and even the floor tiles, which are definitely original.
Ratings(Scale 1-5)
Favorite Thing: All the cool things to look at-the coffee grinder in the front window, the coffee table pictured above, their huge siphon, and even the floor tiles,
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5 + 1 extra point(see below)
Food Options: 3
Overall: 4.5
Eavesdropping My Convo: Let me preface the story below. I’ve always been interested in Caffe Vita’s logo. It’s dude who looks like a court jester who is offering up a cup of coffee. I was trying to make small talk with the cashier and asked about the origin of of the logo for “Caffe Ladro“. Yes, I asked her about the logo of a different cafe. As you can see from the two logos below side by side, there is nothing in common except both are humans and both are wearing hats.
Anyways, here’s how it went down. I had just put in my order.
Me-You know the logo for Caffe Ladro, the guy with the trench coat? What’s the origin? What does it represent? Remember, my dumbass is in Caffe Vita.
Cashier – Looking perplexed. You mean……..
Me- You know the silhouette of the guy in a trench coat.
Cashier- Well different coffee places have different logos, but Cafe Ladro’s owners probably had their logo of what they envisioned a typical Seattle person looking like, bundled up in a hat and trench coat. She even physically showed me how a bundled up person looks similar to the logo!
Me- Ahhh…. Ok.
Cashier- Yeah, no problem.
I sat at a table and waited for my drink. I started thinking of the conversation. By the way she phrased her answer, it finally dawned on me. I was mortified when I realized I had asked her about another cafe’s logo.
After I realized what I had done, my first thought was, wow I can’t believe she was so nice and actually tried to explain a another cafe’s logo. She was not condescending in any way and was genuinely trying to answer my question. I never did find out about Cafe Vita’s logo, but I did find out about the Cafe Ladro’s logo from Cafe Ladro, which I’ll write about next.
When I do find out about the Vita logo, I’ll report back.
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Voxx Coffee
Description on Voxx website: We start with our own custom blend of premium beans sourced through farmers in the world’s best coffee growing regions. We are proud to partner with Lighthouse Roasters, a Seattle pioneer in roasting since 1995. We are believers in doing what you love and loving what you do. And we make coffee for people who love coffee.
Neighborhood: Downtown
Address: 1200 6th Ave, Seattle WA 98101
Music playing: Lake Superior- The Arcs
What we ate/drank: Americano and White Knuckle Obrien breakfast burrito(eggs, potatoes, onions, bell peppers, and cheddar)
Comments:
Voxx Coffee is on the bottom floor of the Park Place Building right near the entrance. It’s also near the Convention Center so it’s a good option if you happen to be there. First thing I noticed are two phone booth sized express work stations meant for less than 20 minute increments. Good if you need some privacy. Towards the back is a narrow bar meant for enjoying your coffee while standing, but near the front area is a wider bar along the front window with four seats.
There’s a “living room area” with a couch, corner table, seat and coffee table. And along the side are long benches and 6 tables for two. Although it’s a small space, they’ve maxed the areas to enjoy your stay. It would definitely be difficult to find seating if you came with a bigger group. The front area with the “living room area” and benches has warm lighting. The other side of the space with the express work stations seems like a different place with plain exposed concrete walls and darker lighting.
Food options are various Macrina Bakery pastries and White Knuckle sandwiches and burritos. In watching the three folks working the morning I went, they were making a concerted effort to keep the line moving in an efficient manner without being pushy, cognizant of the morning folks trying to get to work. When I ordered an Americano and burrito, the cashier rung me up, a 2nd person filled the cup with hot water and handed off to the barista and the burrito was put in the panini press before I was finished paying. It’s the first time I’ve seen a burrito warmed with a panini press which made it toasty on the outside.
Ratings
This is more of a coffee shop that I’d go to if I was only in the area. I mean their coffee is good and the service is great, but it’s just not the type of space where I’d want to relax and spend some time. On the other hand, their location in Eastlake is bright, airy and more inviting.
Favorite Thing:
Ratings(Scale 1-5)
Atmosphere: 3.5
Service: 5
Food Options: 4.0
Overall: 4.25
Eavesdropping Convos:
I heard you’re looking for a house this weekend?
Noooo, looking to rent. Renting. Renting. We thought about buying, but some things are out of your control like if the owner wants to sell to you or not versus renting where I have more control over how much I want to pay, distance of commute or if I want to stay longterm. If we could stay in our little one bedroom apartment with a two minute commute to downtown, I would.
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Broadcast Coffee
Description on their web: We source high quality coffee, roast it carefully, and get excited to share it with you.
Neighborhood: Roosevelt
Address: 6515 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle WA 98115
Music playing: Said So What by French Kicks
What we ate/drank: Americano or double espresso. Mighty-O Old Fashioned glazed doughnut
Comments: We mentioned in Our Seattle Coffee Shop Thoughts post that Broadcast Coffee was our Favorite Modern-Style Coffee Shop. I’ve never been to their Central District location, but the Roosevelt location is my go-to coffee shop when I need to concentrate and get some work done.They have lots of seating and outlets, but it doesn’t feel cluttered due to the big open space in the middle and because everything is white. The walls, their mugs, to go cups, even the exposed vents and pipes on the ceiling are white. Food options are limited to mainly Mighty-O pastries, various instant oatmeals and yogurts.
I also mentioned how that previous post how they really take pride in their quality and the story of a barista here remaking my espresso 3 times, because somebody left the front door open as they were leaving and she felt it affected the taste of the espresso due to the change in pressure. It’s not the type of place I suggest when I want to catch up with somebody and shoot the breeze, because it’s normally quiet and due to its minimalist decor, conversations carry. Although when I think about it, I have conducted interviews and met up with our doulas there. It seems that the majority of people who go there are UW students, Roosevelt High students, yoga goers from next door and people who work remotely.
It’s one of the few places I buy coffee beans from. I normally just get coffee outside and rarely brew my own, but I’m a big fan of their Crossfade Blend and so I have some at home. One other thing that sets Broadcast coffee apart from the rest, is that they stay open late for a coffee shop, closing at 8:00pm everyday. Broadcast also goes one step further than Caffe Umbria that has a great resource on their website on how to brew using different devices with video and pictures. Broadcast has a service where you actually bring in your brewing device and for $40 they’ll make sure you’re using your device properly, grinding properly, using best choice of coffee and even the type of water. I’ve not heard of this type of service before. And also like Mr West Café Bar, they have what I believe to have a great music selection that I Shazam often.
Ratings
Favorite Thing: It’s bright due to the massive front windows. It’s normally very quiet, which makes it my go-to spot for working.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Food Options: 3.5
Overall: 4.75
Eavesdropping Convos: Some quips from a very loud talking real estate agent
Real Estate Agent(REA)-May I ask what you do for a living?
Home Buyer(HB)- I work for Zillow as a software engineer manager.
REA-I have a love-hate relationship with Zillow. They gouge us on advertising. For me, it doesn’t matter because I’ve got a reputation and so many referrals where I don’t need Zillow’s help anymore. Are you feeling secure there?
HB-Yes, I’m pretty secure. Watch, now that I’ve said that I’ll get fired on Monday.
******
REA-Just to prove how long I’ve been doing this, I got my first 2nd generation home buyer from a certain family I’ve been doing business with for ages. When I first worked with this family, this kid was 14. Now I just got him into a house after he graduated college. One day I’m buying him condoms for his 18th birthday, the next I’m selling him a house. Time flies, huh? **laughs heartily***
*******
REA-I’m at your beck and call 24 hours. In this market you need access to houses within 24 hours of being put on the market. If you wait for the open house on the weekend, you’re too late. I can get you to see these houses weekday or weeknight. That’s what it takes right now. Seriously!
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Anchorhead Coffee Co
Description on their web: We are believers in doing what you love and loving what you do. And we make coffee for people who love coffee.
Neighborhood: Downtown
Address: 1600 7th Ave, Seattle WA 98101
Music playing: It Is Not Meant To Be-Tame Imapla
What we ate/drank: Americano
Comments: In our post, Seattle Bars For Each Stage of Dating, we talked about Suite 410 as being the bar where you’d take a date to impress. It had to be quiet, chill and have dark lighting to set the mood for romance. Anchorhead Coffee Co is the coffee shop equivalent of Suite 410. First of all, Anchorhead is located on the bottom floor of an office building so it would normally be hard to spot from the street, but you can’t miss it because of the word, “COFFEE”(see below) in huge letters in the window. First thing I noticed is how dark it is there, which makes it more conducive to a relaxed, winding down from a hard day at work feel. It’s the perfect place to grab a coffee before seeing an evening movie or a show down the street at the Paramount. It does get busy in the morning with all the Nordstrom employees in the building getting their caffiene intake.
There are leather industrial stools along the front glass window facing the street. The same stools are also placed at the opposite end of the space along two long tables. In the middle of the space are two turquoise leather chairs and leather sofa with a narrow wood coffee table between them. Along the side are more traditional tables but with leather rolling office chairs. There’s also some limited outdoor seating when the weather is warmer.
The food choices are above average. They had berry banana oat muffins, banana loaves, bacon cheddar chive scones and croissant breakfast sandwiches with bacon, egg and cheese. All were huge. They have your normal espresso drinks as well as a pretty extensive pour over menu and nitro cold brew. In the winter they also have seasonal drinks like pumpkin latte, mulled apple ciders and mochas with mint. They have a few beers on tap. Bale Breaker, one of my favorites, among them.
There’s definitely a lot of competition in the area. Anchorhead Coffee Co is surrounded by Caffe Senso Unico, Mr West Cafe, Caffe Ladro, Made Coffee and of course, Starbucks, but they more than hold their own.
Note: When I first saw a sign saying Anchorhead Coffee Co was opening, I thought that Anchored Ship Coffee, a place in Ballard was opening another branch. The similar name and very similar logo really tripped me up.
Ratings(Scale 1-5)
Favorite Thing: Our choice for a nice relaxing romantic atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 4.5
Service: 5
Food Options: 4.75
Overall: 4.75
Eavesdropping Convos:
Gal 1(G1)- Have you ever been to Baltic Room?
Gal 2(G2) – Yeah
G1-I was there the other night with friends and there was this guy there. Super cute. This girl goes right up to him and starts flirting with him. I aspire to be that girl someday. You know, just doesn’t care and just goes after what she wants.
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Name: Storyville Coffee Company
Description on their web: A Simple Pleasure. A Desperate Need. A Beautiful Dream
Neighborhood: Downtown-Pike Place Market
Address: 94 Pike Street, #34, Seattle WA 98101
Music playing: Some type of new agey jazzy instrumental spa like music.
What we ate/drank: Doppio Espresso, Frosted Cinnamon Roll, Chocolate Cake, Mocha
Comments: As we mentioned in our Coffee Shop Thoughts, this is the coffee place that most impresses our visitors to Seattle. First of all you will normally end up near Storyville Coffee Company if you have visitors in town since it’s located in Pike Place Market. What seems to impress our visitors is that it’d hard to find, so unless you are looking for it, you won’t come across it unlike some of the other coffee places in Pike Place Market, such as the first Starbucks, Local Color or Ghost Alley Expresso, which you’ll stumble across if walking the market or going to the gum wall. Visitors feel like their in on a local secret spot. Storyville Coffee Company is in the building on the NW corner of Pike and 1st. You walk up the stairs and it’s on the top floor.
The other thing that impresses visitors is the place itself. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite coffee place, but you will not find a more gorgeous coffee shop in all of Seattle. First thing you notice is the huge semi-circle ordering bar with warm lighting. There are two stations for making the drinks and if you look right behind the cashier and baristas you can see all their pastries. The next thing you’ll notice are their huge semi-circle windows that look down on the market and it’s famous Public Market Center sign and if you look straight ahead, the view of Puget Sound. There’s a huge fireplace and lots of comfy leather seats and sofa. There are a pair of long repurposed wood tables with stools. The hardwoods look original like some of the other spots in the market. They also have another location down the street on 1st and Madison and a location in Queen Anne, but neither comes close to replicating the experience of the Pike Place Market location for your visitors. I’ll make the bold statement that when it comes to both the inside space and the views, there is no other place in Seattle like it.
Apart from the normal expresso and brewed coffee(including cold brew), there are tea options, hot chocolate and Italian sodas. The food options are a kale salad, homemade tomato soup, oatmeal and a breakfast sandwich, but the real goodness are their baked goods. I’m partial to the Frosted Cinnamon Roll. I have a tradition of visiting Storyville for an espresso and cinnamon roll after visiting my dentist, who is also located in the market. What, no cavities? Give me a sugary cinnamon roll then! You’ll pay Pike Place Market prices, but the beautiful space makes it worth it.
They have a subscription service that ships coffee beans the same day it’s roasted out of their Roasting Studio on Bainbridge Island. They claim that by subscribing the cost comes to 65 cent per cup. Not bad. They also have an admiral mission to stop human trafficking by donating a portion of every cup sold to organizations fighting human trafficking. One quirky thing is that they don’t open at 7:00 or 8:00, they open at 6:59 and 7:59. I’m also curious about their logo, a child playing with a toy airplane. The next time I’m there, I’ll ask and report back.
Ratings
Favorite Thing: The frosted cinnamon roll and gorgeous space.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 4.5
Food Options: 4
Overall: 4.5
Eavesdropping Convos:
Girl 1(G1)-So we visited a financial advisor last week and he says we’re way behind in saving for our retirement. All this time I thought that our company automatically puts money for our retirement in the 401k, but it looks like you have to sign up for it. I had no clue. How am I supposed to know? All these years I thought the company put money in this account for us. I wondered why I never got a statement. I told Gary(her husband?) that I had a 401k, but I guess I don’t. He was pretty pissed.
Girl 2(G2)-Yeah you have to opt in. I try to contribute at least the company match since they match it 100%. It can add up super quick.
G1-What!? What does that mean?!
G2-If you contribute 4% of your paycheck, the company puts in another 4%. It’s kinda like free money.
G1-Are you serious?! 8 years I could have been doing this? Why didn’t HR tell me!!!
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- Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Seattle Coffee Shops
- Storyville – 1st Ave
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- Mr West Café Bar,