****NOTE: This review was done prior to the Covid-19 outbreak. Of course, things are much different at the moment, but we hope things will get back to normal soon and hope you will continue to support these local businesses****
Alison’s Coastal Cafe & Bakery
Recommended by: We stopped in for coffee at Caffe Fiore, which only has pastries. We asked if they could recommend a place close by that served heartier breakfasts. There were three people working there and they kinda gawked at each other and had no answer. A customer overhead our conversation and piped up, “There’s a cafe across the street that has really good breakfast sandwiches. I think it’s called Alison’s”.
Description on the Alison’s Coastal Cafe & Bakery’s website: To provide high quality scratch baked goods, coffee and eats for the people of Seattle. At the same time serving the community of Ballard and mentoring teens as employees and leaders in their schools and communities. We don’t serve seafood…we just LOVE the Coast and it makes us feel at home. So our space is your space and we want you to feel at home!
Neighborhood/Type: Ballard
Address: 5404 Leary Ave NW Seattle WA 98107
What we ate/drank: Bacon Waffle Sandwich – Buttermilk bacon waffle, stacked with avocado, fried egg, cheddar and spinach, Cinnamon Roll, Famous Sandwich – House biscuit, egg, spinach, cheddar,, sausage, B.E.C.A. – Bacon, Egg, Cheddar, Avocado on house bread.
The owner of Alison’s Coastal Cafe & Bakery started out as a caterer prior to opening a brick and mortar in the Summer of 2014. They are open everyday for breakfast, which makes them a rare option in Seattle on weekdays. They have normal sandwiches that they start serving at 11:00, home made bakery items(scones, cookies, banana bread, cinnamon rolls) and take-home items like quinoa salad, lasagna, fruit salad, burritos. But we believe their real specialty is their breakfast options, specifically their breakfast sandwiches.
Alison’s Coastal Cafe & Bakery is made up of a small outdoor seating area and an assorted mixture of tables and chairs inside. There’s definitely a beach/ocean vibe with octopus and starfish prints with walls painted sea foam blue. A print out on the wall says the Oregon coast is the inspiration. Pictures and information about the staff is a nice touch, especially if you’re a regular.
The mish mosh of furniture and themed décor definitely creates a very laid back and comfort feel to the café. The kids nook in the corner was definitely an area we appreciated when we brought our 9 month and 2.5 year old with us. There’s also an impressive collection of cake photos which I assume is from the catering side of the owner. If so, it’s quite remarkable.
Alison’s Coastal Cafe & Bakery serve their breakfast dishes all day long and everything is made in house, which is pretty impressive because there’s a wide variety of options-baked goods, prepped to go meals and to order meals. They use Lighthouse Roasters for their coffee.
We’ve been to Alison’s Coastal Cafe & Bakery a few times and each time it appears there’s been some training going on. I’m not sure if this lead to orders taking a bit longer, but our orders did take a tad longer to make than expected during our multiple visits. This is definitely where the kid’s nook and ordering a cinnamon roll to start definitely helped.
Everything we ordered was delicious including the cinnamon roll, but the best by far was the Bacon Waffle Sandwich. Instead of using regular bread or a biscuit, waffles are used. The buttermilk waffles are fluffy and airy with bits of bacon in it and it’s such a unique presentation that we’ve not seen anywhere else. It includes avocado, fried egg, cheddar and spinach.
Buttermilk bacon waffle, stacked with avocado, fried egg, cheddar and spinach
The Famous Sandwich, which is a house biscuit with egg, spinach, cheddar and a choice of meat, in this case sausage, is sufficiently good. But when compared to Morsel and Biscuit and Bean, who both have very similar biscuit sandwiches at slightly lower prices, it’s hard to not place this sandwich a distance 3rd.
The B.E.C.A. sandwich is made up of bacon, egg, cheddar and avocado on house bread. How can you go wrong with runny egg yolk mixed with cheese, bacon and avocado in between toasted house made bread? This hit the spot.
Summary: Alison’s Coastal Cafe & Bakery is a nice comfortable café. Due to its size it’s probably not a good option for larger groups, but definitely a good option for take out. We saw many food delivery drivers come in to pick up meals while we were there. The breakfast options we’ve tried are very good, but a bit on the expensive side for what you get. It’s an ideal spot for early risers in Ballard who want more than just a pastry with their coffee. A quick search shows that Alison’s Coastal Cafe & Bakery is the only breakfast option at 7:30 on weekdays in downtown Ballard area south of NW Market Street. We will be back and we’ve got our eye on the Cinnamon Roll French Toast.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.00
Service: 4.25
Food/Drinks: 4.50
Bang for the Buck: 4.25
Overall: 4.25
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!
Related Articles:
****NOTE: This review was done prior to the Covid-19 outbreak. Of course, things are much different at the moment, but we hope things will get back to normal soon and hope you will continue to support these local businesses****
Caffe Fiore – Ballard
Description on Caffe Fiore’s website: We are grateful to have a business that can create a hub for the neighborhoods we operate in. Over time, each hub has created its own community and given our customers that “third place” that can make us feel more connected to our city and our neighbors. We encourage community interaction by providing community tables at all of our locations.
Neighborhood: Ballard
Address: 5405 Leary Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Music Playing: Broken Finger Blues by Richard Swift
What we ate/drank: Doppio Macchiato, Drip coffee(Caffe Vita-Peru Rancho Sabancaya)
Comments: It’s been awhile since we’ve been here, but we do remember Caffe Fiore used to have a really nice patio that looked on an open lot that was used for vendors for the Ballard Farmer’s Market. You could relax out there and see the world go by as you enjoyed your coffee.
Fast forward to the present. Caffe Fiore still has a patio, but it looks straight into a concrete wall of a newly constructed building where once the open lot existed. Ahhh…. another casualty of Seattle’s insane growth these last few years.
Inside it’s just as we remembered it. Caffe Fiore is long and narrow and pretty dark due to the minimal lighting provided by Edison bulb lamps. The dark interior is also caused by the deep dark wood floors, tables and counters.
There is ornate steel work on the ceiling and woodwork on the walls. Of course they also have a Seattle coffee shop standard in an old building, exposed brick.
Most of the seating at Caffe Fiore are stools and high tables or counters. We happened to grab one of the few normal height tables, but if you intend to stay there awhile just be aware of the seating styles there.
I didn’t realize that Caffe Fiore is owned by Caffe Vita, but according to this Stranger article they are. That would explain why they were serving Caffe Vita coffee, when their website claims to have their own beans. They have limited pastry selection(similar to Vita) if you’re looking to have some food.
Caffe Fiore kinda has this romantic vibe to it-dark, warm lighting. There’s just something about Caffe Fiore(for us), that just doesn’t feel inviting. Perhaps it was the workers who seemed a bit robotic, the high hard seats throughout, the lack of sunlight in many areas of the café. We love Vita coffee so know issues there, but when in the Ballard neighborhood, we’ll opt for Bauhaus, Anchored Ship Coffee and Caffe Umbria.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: Ornate details
Atmosphere: 4.00
Service: 4.00
Food Options: 3.00
Overall: 3.70
Eavedropping Convo: None
Related:
Bitterroot BBQ
Recommended by: Our neighbor recommended Bitterroot for a more upscale setting for BBQ when our out of town guests requested American BBQ and our favorite BBQ joint shut down their restaurant.
Description on the Bitterroot’s website: Serving Northwest BBQ in the heart of Ballard. We pair our smoked meats with American craft beer and a bourbon selection that makes any enthusiast swoon.
Neighborhood/Type: Ballard
Address:5239 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
What we ate/drank: Cowboy Killer- 1/2 chicken, brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork, 3 sides(Fries, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, Mac & Cheese w/bacon and pulled pork. IPA from Lucky Envelope Brewing, Cherry Cider from Anthem.
We had relatives visiting from outside the country. When we asked what they wanted to eat, they said, “American BBQ”. We just found out BBQ Smith decided to quit their brick and mortar location and go strictly to catering only. Because they were from out of town we wanted to take them to a more upscale barbeque joint. Our neighbor suggested Bitterroot.
We knew of Bitterroot’s existence, but had never been. We’d been invited to a birthday gathering there once, but weren’t able to attend. Now was our chance.
Fair or not, when we think barbeque, we tend to think the more “hole-in-the-wall” qualities the location has, the better the barbeque will be. So when we saw that Bitterroot was smack dab in the middle of “fancy” heavy hitters like Stoneburner, Brambling Cross, Percy & Co, and Bastille right on Ballard Ave, we were a bit leery. Would the bbq be that good or would we be paying for the hot location?
First things first, Bitterroot does not take reservations and seating is done on a first come, first serve basis. We arrived on a Friday evening at 7:30 and expected there to be a wait. The place is relatively small. We wanted to dine in the main dining area, so we put in our names and hung out in the back bar area. You have your choice of eating back there too if you want. Our group of 4 ended up waiting about 15 minutes before a table opened.
The interior reminds us of an upscale Seattle Biscuit Company with an old shack feel using reclaimed wood, chain link fencing, exposed brick. It has that same easygoing shack feel. This casualness is carried through on your dishware, which are metal baking sheet trays lined with parchment paper.
Our guests from out of the country had a lot of questions regarding the options, not being familiar with American bbq. Our server was patient and provided detailed answers. A member of our party asked about the available bottled sauces on the table prior to ordering and he explained each one-sweet, honey mustard, spicy and vinegar and how each would taste with a variety of different meal choices.
To give our guests the full spectrum of what Bitterroot had to offer, we ordered the Cowboy Killer, which pretty much gives you one of everything- 1/2 chicken, beef brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork and a choice of 3 sides. For our sides we got the fries, cole slaw and baked beans. We were afraid that the Cowboy Killer would not be enough for 4 adults(boy, were we wrong) so we also ordered a mac & cheese w/bacon and pulled pork. Our drinks were an IPA from Lucky Envelope Brewing, Cherry Cider from Anthem, coke and a cocktail(can’t remember which one).
1/2 chicken, brisket, baby back ribs,
pulled pork, 3 sides(Fries, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans
Truthfully we could have done without the mac & cheese, although it was very good. I never had pulled pock in mac & cheese before, but the Cowboy Killer, could have easily fed 6 adults.
When we could not take another bite and the platter was still over half uneaten, our server said the dish is intended to have left over for take home. It took us two more meals at home to finish off the leftovers from the Cowboy Killer and leftover mac and cheese.
The barbeque was moist and seasoned perfectly. The ribs fell off the bone and the brisket just melts in your mouth. The sides were nothing to write home about, but our guests really enjoyed their first taste of American barbeque, so what more can you ask for? That’s all that counts, right?
The Scores:
- 1/2 chicken (Score: 4.0 / 5.0)
- beef brisket (4.75 / 5.0)
- baby back ribs (4.5 / 5.0)
- pulled pork (4.75/ 5.0)
- Sides- Fries, cole slaw and baked beans. (3.75 / 5.0)
- Mac & Cheese w/bacon and pulled pork (4.5 / 5.0)
Bitterroot was the perfect combination of upscale barbeque, which seems like an oxymoron, but it’s just what our guests were hoping for. We also learned that the owners of Bitterroot also own one of our favorite sandwich places, Mammoth, that we mentioned in our favorite 2018 dishes.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.50
Bang for the Buck: 4.00
Overall: 4.35
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!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future:
Related Articles:
Sazon Kitchen
Recommended by: Back in the spring, a friend of ours mentioned a new Mexican restaurant that opened on 15th Ave NW that served breakfast everyday. He couldn’t recall the name of the place, but on the way to one of our Watson’s Counter visits, we saw Sazon Kitchen and tried it out a couple times.
Description on the Sazon’s Yelp section written by the owner: Clean, newly renovated and open kitchen concept makes Sazon Kitchen a great breakfast and brunch option. Specialty dishes like Machaca de Res, eggs-clusive items and the grain casserole are just an example of our northern Mexico Cuisine delights.
Neighborhood/Type: Ballard
Address: 7301 15th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117
What we ate/drank: Rox’s Signature Eggs – Motul style eggs, fried tortilla, beans, ham, criolla sauce, queso fresco, chicharron, cilantro, avocado, fried sweet banana, picked red onion. Machaca De Res- Shredded Beef, Chimi Potatos, Chiloquil, Two Eggs, Tortilla. Grain Casserole – Mix of grains in criolla sauce, braised tri-tip and eggs. Toppings include chicharron, cilantro and pickled red onions + greens and bread.
Comments: As mentioned above we heard Sazon Kitchen a new Mexican restaurant opened and served breakfast daily opening at 7:00am. As you know from our Varsity Inn and Senor Moose reviews, Mexican + Breakfast = instant visit.
Here’s a history of Sazon Kitchen per the owner from their Yelp page, “ Sazon started as pop up food vendor at a number of events like bumbershoot, bite of seattle, hempfest and others… Last year we invested in a food trailer but for health laws trucks need to be parked at a commissary kitchen overnight and driving and pulling a 20′ trailer back and forth was too tiring and time consuming. Luckily after looking for a place to make our truck stationary we end up finding a good place to open our dream breakfast place where we can also have our lunch and dinner taqueria.”
As mentioned, Sazon Kitchen is open everyday(except Wed) at 7am. Each time we’ve been we’ve been able to get a seat very easily. There are tons of outdoor seating, but we chose to eat inside. It’s very bright due to having windows on all three sides. You pay at the cashier, they give you a number, you choose a seat and they’ll bring it out to you. As soon as we sat they brought over some glasses and provide an individual glass bottle of water for the table, which is a nice touch.
They have an open kitchen and on multiple occasions we were entertained with the chopping while prepping the dishes being in sync with the beat of the music being played. Over the kitchen you’ll see a collection of French presses. We’ve not ordered a French press opting for either drip or cortados during our visits. The coffee being served is from Caffe Vita.
The owner mentions specialty dishes, Machaca de Res, eggs-clusive items(Rox’s Signature Eggs) and the grain casserole, so those are the three dishes we’ve had so far.
Lot going on on the plate. garnish of onion, avocado, radish. Makes for good presentation but ingredients involved from the main portion of the dish to the garnishes. You can see all the ingredients involved in the description under each photo of the dish.
We enjoyed all the dishes we’ve had so far. All are really flavorful and due to the number of ingredients/garnishes, you can practically experiment with different combinations of spoonfuls of flavors. Almost on every dish, I wished there were a little more pickled onion or avocado or banana or chicharron. We would say the Machaca De Res was the simplest and most familiar of the dishes with the least amount of ingredients. The machaca was moist and tender and with the beans, potatoes, eggs and tortillas make a great breakfast option.
Rox’s Signature Eggs is a dish you won’t find anywhere else. It’s served Motul style which means the tortilla is on the bottom and the egg is on top. In between was the ham.
The best of the bunch is another dish you won’t find anywhere else. It’s the Grain Casserole. I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but this is the dish I’d order again on return visits. It was braised trip tip and some peppers and onions over a bed of various grains- I think lentils, beans, long rice and regular rice? I’m not sure, truthfully, but with the sauce and generous topping of protein and veggies, it was so delicious. The one minor thing, I’d prefer is tortillas instead of bread accompanying this dish. Perhaps the abundance of grains wouldn’t be a good match with tortillas? At $18, I was a bit hesitant since it’s bit on the high side, but after tasting it, I’d get it again.
We’ll definitely keep Sazon Kitchen on our list of breakfast/brunch options that’s served all week. Although Senor Moose has a relaxed atmosphere, Sazon Kitchen is even more informal and a good option for us to take the entire family due to the large outdoor area. We’re also looking forward to return during lunch or dinner hours since we’ve only come during the mornings.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 4.75
Food/Drinks: 4.50
Bang for the Buck: 4.25
Overall: 4.40
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!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future:
Related Articles:
Caffe Umbria – Ballard
Description on Caffe Umbria Coffee’s website: Caffè Umbria is a full-service, wholesale coffee roaster based in Seattle, Washington. But the family’s roots in roasting go back to the 1940’s, when Ornello Bizzarri built his roastery in Perugia, Italy. The Arco Etrusco in our logo is a landmark of the Umbrian city.Caffè Umbria is currently served in hundreds of cafés and fine dining establishments throughout North America, from the Bellagio Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas to the Culinary Institute of America in Napa. To each of our customers, we guarantee unmatched quality, freshness and professional service.
Neighborhood: Ballard
Address: 5407 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
What we ate/drank: Doppio Macchiato
Comments: This is the last of the Seattle Caffe Umbria locations that we’ve written about. We wrote about Caffe Umbria in Pioneer Square that made it to our Seattle Coffee Awards for Best Coffee Shops For Big Groups and Best View. We also visited the smaller Caffe Umbria in Westlake. They do also have two locations in Portland and two in Chicago.
The Caffe Umbria – Ballard location is right in the middle, size-wise to the huge Pioneer Square location and the small Westlake location. Located right on Ballard Ave in the old part of Ballard, the ceilings are much higher here, than in normal Seattle buildings, so the floor to ceiling windows let in much more light than normal height spaces. The height of the windows even make the back of the space quite bright.
They have a few pastries available, but not a full menu. Some of the stand out features of the space are the chandeliers and the huge exposed brick wall. There’s various types of seating- a few outdoor seats, counter seating at the front window that look out on Ballard life, counter seating where the drinks are made, bench seating with single tables and a “living room” type seating area.
Like Anchored Ship Coffee, try not to come here during the Sunday Farmers Market if you can help it. It’ll be packed and drinks may take awhile.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: A modern space with some vintage touches in old Ballard.
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 4.75
Food Options: 4.00
Overall: 4.50
Eavedropping Convo: Two ladies talking at the table next to us. At first they were talking as if they were friends, but it became clear they were conducting a job interview.
Interviewer: So what is you ideal work environment?
Interviewee: Well traveling is my jam, so anything involving travel, especially overseas travel I’m on board with. Comment: Yes, she really did say that “traveling was her jam” on an interview.
Interviewer: Ok. Well, you know this position doesn’t involve any travel with the exception of conferences domestically. With video conferencing and screen sharing there really is no need for face to face for the job.
Interviewee: My belief is that so much more can be gained by face to face conversations. Trust and bonding with the client for instance.
Interviewer: Agreed, but there is a cost involved with travel, especially if it’s absolutely not required.
Interviewee: Truthfully, if a company doesn’t see the value you in it, I can live with it. I don’t mean to be rude, but I’d be hesitant to work for a company that couldn’t afford for their employees to travel.
Comment: At this point the interview was for all intents and purposes over. The interviewer just went through the motions of asking the remaining questions with no follow up questions. We would have loved to know what industry and position this was for.
Related:
Venture Coffee
Description on Venture Coffee’s website: After taking over a small coffee shop called Java Bean in 2016, Maria Beck spent years honing her vision for the perfect neighborhood cafe that would bring together the unique personality of the Pacific Northwest and her culture of Danish Hygge. With the innovative mind of an engineer, a body supported by a dedicated team, and a soul driven by a passion for people, Venture Coffee Company was finally born in 2019.
Neighborhood: Ballard
Address:5819 24th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Music Playing: Put A Light On – The Generationals
What we ate/drank: Cortado, Hot Mamas breakfast sandwich on a jalapeño cheddar bagel.
Comments: The last time we visited this location it was called, Java Bean. We had a friend in town who was staying at an Airbnb close by. She asked to meet up and catch up at Cafe Besalu, but it was closed, so she saw and suggested a cafe next door that was open, Java Bean.
It was the one and only time we went to Java Bean. My recollection was that it was dark and felt dated-massive chalkboard menu, refrigerator display case, a huge hand painted mural of Mt Rainier(?), carpeted floors. It also had some quirky details like a stove in the middle of the space that was on a stone platform, a greeting card stand and the type of sofa you might find in your great grandma’s house. Let’s just say, you knew it had a very eccentric owner.
I can’t recall how Venture Coffee was brought to our attention, but it took awhile to put 2 and 2 together and figured out it was the old Java Bean location.
The transformation feels like the previous owner was a older person who liked the way Java Bean looked and didn’t care what anybody thought. That’s how they liked it and if people didn’t like a stove in the middle of the space and blue carpet, tough, they can go somewhere else. It feels at some point, the previous owner said, “I had enough with this business! I’m turning Java Bean over to my hip granddaughter.” And the new owner made some minor tweaks and made into a totally transformed space.
Venture Coffee is now bright and airy. Natural wood counter/tables. Garage style doors that open during warmer weather. No more carpet. The antlers on the wall stayed from Java Bean, but it feels like it fits in with the framed photos of elk(their logo) and wilderness. I believe the brown leather couch is also something from Java Bean, but it fits in with the rest of the decor. There are nice touches such as the ice tub full of bottle and canned drinks instead of the normal fridge, the old fashioned water jug, antlers, the steel orb hanging lights. Just the right amount of plants /succulents.
The place probably fits about 35 people inside but some areas are pretty tight. There are also a few outdoor seats in front and on the side.
They appear to have their own beans. They have a small amount of pastries and breakfast sandwiches. I had the Cortado along with a Hot Mama sandwich which had bacon, cheese, spinach, egg and Mama Lil’s peppers. And you know I’m a sucker for Mama Lil’s-I’ve mentioned it as an ingredient in my blog posts-Toulouse Petit, Porkchop & Co., Il Corvo – Best Pasta in Seattle, Morsel vs Biscuit & Bean – The Battle of Seattle’s Best Biscuit Sandwich. You have the choice of getting this on brioche or bagel. I chose a jalapeño cheddar bagel.
Venture Coffee definitely has that neighborhood hangout vibe. While we were there, it seems most of the patrons are regulars and on a first name basis with the workers. There were people reading on their kindles, people reading newspapers, two people having business meeting and two fellows conversing in sign language. The word that comes to mind is comfort. Reminds me a lot of Lighthouse Roasters , Preserve and Gather and Cloud City Coffee in that respect
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: The Hot Mama sandwich
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 4.75
Food Options: 4.75
Overall: 4.75
Eavedropping Convo:Two guys talking. One was complaining about his wife/girlfriend(?)
It’s ridiculous she doesn’t want to put food in microwave because she thinks it kills nutrients. Seriously when it’s 3:00 in the morning who cares about nutrients being zapped from god damned frozen French fries! I told her, “I’m drunk! I’m starving! I want fucking fries right the fuck now!
Related:
- Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Seattle Coffee Shops
- Best Seattle Coffee Shops For Each Stage of Dating
- Part 4 – Best Seattle Coffee Shops to Impress Visitors, Impress Visiting Coffee Snobs, Make Visitors Feel Like Locals.
- Part 5 – Best Seattle Coffee Shops for Food Options, Friendliest Service
Portage Bay Cafe – Ballard, South Lake Union, University District, Roosevelt
Recommended by: Our server, Angela(?) from Toulouse Petit suggested Portage Bay Cafe as having really delicious locally sourced brunches.
Description on the Portage Bay Cafe’s Facebook: Eat Like You Give a Damn!™ We serve local, organic, sustainable breakfast, lunch & brunch in four Seattle neighborhoods. We also offer to-go orders for corporate events and private parties, as well as hosting private dinner events in our bright, open cafes.
Neighborhood/Type: Ballard
Address: 900 NE 65th St, Seattle, WA 98115
What we ate/drank: See below. We’ve been here numerous times and had numerous dishes.
Comments: If I had to guess, Portage Bay Café is probably the most popular brunch spot in Seattle. Any published list of best/most popular/favorite brunch spots in Seattle will inevitably have Portage Bay Café on it. And if you don’t believe it, all you have to do is walk past Portage Bay Café on any given morning and see groups of people waiting outside for tables to open. Here’s also more proof, Lyft has something called a Lyftie Award of their most visited places by their riders.
In 2018 more riders requested a Lyft to Portage Bay Café more than any other brunch spot in Seattle.
There are currently four Portage Bay Café locations-University District, Roosevelt, South Lake Union, Ballard. The one we frequent most is Roosevelt. This location is relatively new and I believe bigger than the other locations.
Portage Bay Café is the quintessential Seattle brunch experience and one of the main places we take visitors from out of town to. It’s always buzzing with patrons, they have a variety of dishes for everybody, they source locally(in fact there’s a chicken coop right next to the University District branch for eggs). Our visitors all seem to love the experience and feel they’ve gotten a real local experience. The pictures on the wall show their various suppliers of locally sourced product. There’s also a hanging racing shell which pays homage to the rowing culture out on Portage Bay. UW is one of the powerhouses in the world when it comes to rowing and most of their practices happen on Portage Bay and the Montlake Cut.
No doubt, Portage Bay Café’s claim to fame is their breakfast bar with endless toppings of fruits, nuts, butter, real maple syrup, sugars whenever you order. Their breakfast bar menu includes a variety of French toasts and pancakes, which then gives you the privilege of going to the bar to pile on as many ingredients as you want.
Another reason Portage Bay Café is so popular is they are a very family friendly establishment. I’m not exaggerating when I say that on a typical day, 20% of the patrons will be kids. Portage Bay Café is definitely one of the easy choices when meeting up with other families for brunch. As mentioned there is always groups of people waiting for a seat, but one of the more perplexing things is that Portage Bay Café takes reservations from a party of one to parties of ten. So unless people are going to Portage Bay Café on a spur of the moment, they must love waiting in line or building the anticipation of being seated?
Apart from the breakfast bar, there are a variety of meals on the menu as well as specials. Here are a few of the dishes we’ve had over our multiple visits.
THE BREAKFAST SANDWICH 2 organic scrambled eggs*, hill’s pepper bacon, house-made bourbon fig jam, organic arugula, mount townsend creamery new moon jack cheese on house-made potato bread with salad.
GREEN MOLE BURRITO uli’s chorizo & carlton farms pork shoulder carnitas, organic potatoes, spicy bean blend, organic cilantro-lime cream, wrapped in a large, organic flour tortilla. topped with our house-made, green mole sauce & a sunny-side up organic stiebrs farm egg, quest cotija & green onion garnish.
FARMER’S HASH (V**) (GF) Three organic, over-easy stiebrs farms eggs*, a variety of local, organic, sustainably grown vegetables, roasted onions, fingerling potatoes, fresh herbs. served with house-made whole wheat toast and your choice of: $14.50 locally sourced corned beef
CLASSIC FRENCH TOAST organic, house-made challah bread, rich egg batter, powdered sugar garnish.
JOE’S SCRAMBLE your choice of uli’s apple chicken or maple pork sausage, organic baby spinach, beecher’s flagship cheddar, sautéed local mushrooms.
THE BREAKFAST SANDWICH 2 organic scrambled eggs*, hill’s pepper bacon, house-made bourbon fig jam, organic arugula, mount townsend creamery new moon jack cheese on house-made potato bread with potatoes.
The funny thing is that we rarely go to Portage Bay Café when it’s just our family going to brunch. Because of Portage Bay Café’s popularity it’s continually crowded, so we don’t go there often. Their dishes are consistently solid and there’s something for everybody and their famous breakfast bar always makes visitor’s jaws drop, but there’s not a lot of dishes that push the boundaries like recently visited Porkchop & Co., Wandering Goose(RIP 2020), The 5 Spot and Watson’s Counter do. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s one of the reasons Portage Bay Café is so popular. They make great dishes with sustainable locally sourced product in an inviting atmosphere that has excellent customer service. So we normally reserve Portage Bay Café outings when visitors are in town since we are assured of impressing them.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 5.00
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.75
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!
Servers Locals recommendations to visit in the future: We met up with friends a recent visit to Portage Bay and they mentioned that Skillet Diner on Capitol Hill is another favorite brunch place they enjoy. We’ll check it out.
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Anchored Ship Coffee – Ballard
Description on Anchored Ship Coffee’s Facebook : We’re a small, independently run coffee shop on Ballard Ave.
Proudly serving Counter Culture Coffee and treats from local vendors (Including Gluten Free pastries!)
Address:5308 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
What we ate/drank: Cortado
Comments: We’ve visited Anchored Ship Coffee various times when occasionally going to the Ballard Farmers Market on Sundays. Because Anchored Ship Coffee is located on Ballard Ave where the Ballard Farmers Market is held, it’s a regular stop for coffee. If you plan on visiting Anchored Ship Coffee, my advice is not to visit on Sundays while the market is going on. You’ll have a long line and you won’t really be able to enjoy the cafe because it’ll be too crowded.
When visiting on a weekday or Saturday, the environment is a compete 180 degree change. No crowds, choice of seats, relaxing. The ground floor is where you enter and where the coffee bar is. The only seats on this floor are a few looking out the window.
The main seating area is on the second floor that probably seats about 20 people. I’m not sure how new this area is, but I don’t recall this seating area being here on prior visits. Even if this area is quite far from the store front and away from the natural sunlight, it’s still quite bright due to numerous and ample lighting.
The thing I liked about this space is that the chairs and lighting are all different, but the same style so they’re all complimentary. So many cafes have the exact same chairs, tables and lightings. It’s nice to see some variation that all comes together.
The music is piped into the front of the store, so this area is really quiet.
There’s also a third floor loft that is above the barista/coffee bar. The coffee used here and sold is Counter Culture Coffee, a roaster based out of North Carolina. There’s limited food options with pastries, Ellenos yogurt, hummus and some pre-packaged wraps. They also have juice and kombucha for sale.
One last thing- I mentioned in my Anchorhead Coffee Co review that I thought Anchored Ship Coffee was one in the same. It was only until visiting Anchorhead Coffee Co when it first opened that I realized they were not the same company, but who could blame me? Take a look at the two “Anchor” themed logos?
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: The different types of chairs and lighting.
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 4.75
Food Options: 4.00
Overall: 4.35
Eavesdropping Convo: Two very loud parents with kids in tow talking about another parent who was not present.
Parent 1 (P1)- She only talks to her daughter in German. I mean, if she’s staying here in the US, they should try to immerse themselves in the English language and US culture.
Parent2 (P2) – I guess, but I can see wanting to preserve your culture with your kids.
P1 – Half her culture. The other half is American, remember?
P2 – True
P1 – I just think it’s rude to talk German to your kids in front of us. Because you know when she switches from English to German that she’s doing it so we don’t understand what they’re talking about and probably talking about us!
P2 – No, I don’t think so.
P1 – Why else would she switch to German? If she’s not talking about us, she would just stick to English if there’s nothing to hide.
Related:
- Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Seattle Coffee Shops
- Best Seattle Coffee Shops For Each Stage of Dating
- Part 4 – Best Seattle Coffee Shops to Impress Visitors, Impress Visiting Coffee Snobs, Make Visitors Feel Like Locals.
- Part 6 – Seattle Coffee With Most Character, Best Seattle Coffee Shops Overall.
**********Unfortunately, This Restaurant Has Closed Down**********
Recommended by: Not a server, but a customer eating next to us at Porkchop & Co. made small talk and mentioned the Hi Life down the street is another great option for brunches and is a bigger space, so there’s less of a wait.
Description on the Hi-Life’s website: Located in the 106 year old historic Firehouse No. 18 built in 1911, we serve up a rotating menu that features the best of our four seasons here in the Pacific Northwest. With an emphasis on our grilled and brick oven roasted dishes, our line turns out tasty, full flavored food for breakfast, lunch and dinner each and every day.
Neighborhood/Type: Ballard
Address: 5425 Russell Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
What we ate/drank: Ballard Barrio Breakfast Burrito- A burrito full of chorizo, black beans, eggs, and cheese, topped with salsa and served patatas del desayuno, Chorizo Scramble-Green onion, avocado, tomato, parmesan cheese with crispy potatoes and toast. 2 x Caffe Ladro drip coffee.
Comment: We’d never been to this establishment as the Hi-Life, but I did come here when it was a concert venue known as The Ballard Firehouse. In fact, I remember seeing The Fixx and The Alarm play here one weekday night many years ago. Bands such as The Kinks, Blue Oyster Cult, Anthrax, Motorhead and Modest Mouse also played here.
Well now this former firehouse is The Hi-Life, part of CHOW Food, which also includes one of our other favorite breakfast restaurants, The 5 Spot.
Based on the pic above of the Hi-Life you can definitely see the remnants such as the huge doors and open space that this building has been reincarnated from a previous life of a firehouse. It was built in 1911 and the horses were kept in stables where the kitchen is now. You can actually see one of the original fire poles from the old sleeping quarters right over the current bar. The building was in use as a firehouse until 1975 and has been the Hi-Life since 2004. The exposed beams and brick walls give the feel from yesteryear.
Like the The 5 Spot, you enter a huge space with a bar area on the right and the dining area on the left. Many of the dishes harken back to the firehouse, such as the Firehouse Benedict, Station House #18(short stack of pancakes with bacon and two eggs) and Firehouse Mac & Cheese.
One of the better deals you can get here are the meals on the “Not-So-Early-Bird-Breakfast” menu, which is served from 8am-11am on weekdays for $7.75. Can’t beat that. One of the dishes we got off this menu was the Ballard Barrio Breakfast Burrito, which had chorizo, black beans, egg and cheese and served with potatoes and salsa. The burrito was toasted on the outside just how we like it. We were thinking that because it was on this special priced menu, it might be on the smaller size, but that was not the case. It was huge and we took half of it home with us.
The other meal was a special of the day, a Chorizo Scramble with green onion, avocado, tomato, parmesan cheese with crispy potatoes and toast. We had originally ordered another dish and after our server left to put in the order with the kitchen I noticed the special on their black board. We flagged down our server and she graciously went to the kitchen to change the order without issue.
The Hi Life is a good place for groups and in a historical building with a fun history.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.25
Bang for the Buck: 4.75 especially off the “Not-So-Early-Bird-Breakfast” menu.
Overall: 4.50
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!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: Our server, a recent transplant to Seattle, was really friendly and engaging. She tried to give suggestions on where some of her favorite restaurants in Seattle were, but she was so new to the area she hadn’t gone to a lot of places and then ones she mentioned, we’d already been to. She actually went to a co-worker who suggested Toulouse Petit.
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Mabel Coffee – Ballard
Description on Mabel’s website : The coffee shop is named after founder Brooke McCurdy’s Great Aunt Mabel; a remarkable woman who blazed her own storied trail her whole life. The tiny coffee shop celebrates Mabel’s spirit of adventure with tasty local fare ready to go for its customers, and delicious coffee drinks for their road less traveled, whether off to work, or a stroll around the surrounding quiet residential streets.
Address: 7001 24th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117
Music Playing: One Love by Bob Marley on a record player
What we ate/drank: Macchiato
Comments: We’ve passed by Mabel Coffee a few times and always thought it was a small little cafe with only a few seats due to their small store front. Little did we know that it’s actually a very big place and probably one of the better coffee shops for large groups to gather. It probably has a chance of cracking our list of Best Seattle Coffee Shops for Groups.
When entering Mabel Coffee, you’ll notice a travel theme with map covered tables, postcards lining the counter, a community travel journal, the menu appearing on an Interstate symbol and the Mabel Coffee logo that includes a traveling RV. This area is rather small with seating for maybe 10 people max. They have some pastries from Macrina and Flying Apron and your normal coffee drinks.
The one thing that sets Mabel Coffee apart from the rest of the Seattle coffee shops is that they serve Bulletproof Coffee with Brain Octane and Grass Fed Butter. The only other places I know of that serve Bulletproof is of course Bulletproof Coffee in South Lake Union and the cafes in Whole Food Markets. If you’ve not heard of Bulletproof you can read more about it here. In short, it’s supposed to suppress hunger, provide mental clarity and provide a more steady lasting energy than regular coffee. I first heard about it from Tim Ferriss about 4 years ago and it always intrigued me. I do get a Bulletproof Coffee every once in awhile and there’s some controversy on whether or not it’s just a placebo, but I’ve got to admit, I do feel my mind is more clear whenever I drink it. Mabel Coffee provides another option if I ever want Bulletproof Coffee.
You can add Mabel Coffee to the long list of Seattle coffee shops that spin records on an old fashioned turntable. I know Convoy Coffee, Slate Coffee Roasters, Porchlight Coffee and Analog Coffee have record players and you also have Victrola Coffee Roasters that has the phonograph as its logo.
Once you’ve obtained your drink, you can go through the door way and it opens up into a massive room full of a mish mosh of tables and chairs. The space reminds me of my old class rooms from grammar school. There’s a small kids area and the biggest community board I’ve ever seen. There’s also another separate room that can be reserved.
Mabel Coffee definitely has a community feel to it – the community travel journal, the large community board, the unpretentious nature of their mish mosh of tables and seatings, the availability to rent a room, doggy treats, dedicated kids area. It’s definitely been added to our list of coffee places we intend to frequent.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: They serve Bulletproof Coffee, space is great for large groups and you can rent a small room in the back
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 4.75
Food Options: 4.25
Overall: 4.65
Eavesdropping Convo: A guy(G1) was showing another guy(G2) the separate room available for reserving in the back.
G1 – This is the room I was telling you about. I think it’s reserved for a church group on Wednesdays, but we can reserve and go over our business plan.
G2 – G2 looks inside. Oh, wow. This is great. It’s bright and we can have some privacy and good coffee to boot.
G1- No doubt. I don’t think anybody knows about this place.
G2 – How did you find out about it?
G1 – Remember my buddy, Greg? He said he and his boys used it to play Catan here for a few hours last weekend.
Related:
- Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Seattle Coffee Shops
- Part 4 – Best Seattle Coffee Shops to Impress Visitors, Impress Visiting Coffee Snobs, Make Visitors Feel Like Locals.
- Part 5 – Best Seattle Coffee Shops for Food Options, Friendliest Service
- Part 6 – Seattle Coffee With Most Character, Best Seattle Coffee Shops Overall.
- See what a 25 year old from Finland thought of Seattle