****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****
Street Bean Coffee Roasters – Belltown
According to their website, Street Bean Coffee Roasters has partnerships with many of the local coffee spots. Among them, La Marzocco Café & Showroom, Caffé Vita, Herkimer Coffee, Counter Culture Coffee, Storyville Coffee Co, Anchorhead Coffee Co and Seattle Coffee Works. The partnership includes hosting coffee or job education field trips to supplement apprentice training , working alongside Street Bean to provide job readiness skills for apprentices, working with Street Bean to find job opportunities for graduating apprentices, commiting to hiring a certain number of apprentices on a yearly basis and donating educational materials and or resources to help run our apprentice program. It’s great of these local companies to support the community like this.
While I admire the principle behind the cafe, Street Bean Coffee Roasters is in a location out of the way and unfortunately the ambiance and quality is not quite the draw to make the trip out there on a regular basis.
****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****
Outlaw Tamales
Recommended by: Nobody. A testament to how much of a “secret” this place is. I stumbled upon it visiting Tempesta Coffee (RIP)
Description on the Outlaw Tamale’s website: Steve is an artisan, small batch tamale designer making new and original (as well as traditional) tamales in Seattle. Always handmade. Always small batch. Always made with love and care with the consumer in mind.
Neighborhood/Type: Belltown
Address: 2025 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 in a Jiffy Lube parking lot.
What we ate/drank: Sausage, Egg & Cheese- $8, Shredded Beef & Cheese(diced green chiles, onion & pepper jack cheese – $9, Salsa Verde Chicken -$8
Comments: Outlaw Tamale is a couple, a cart and a covering in the Jiffy Lube parking lot in downtown Seattle(Belltown to be exact).
There were 10 choices – 2 breakfast, 7 regulars(classics) and 1 special. The special today was Salsa Roja Chicken w/free roasted tomato, but we opted for a breakfast(Sausage, Egg & Cheese- $8) and two classics(Shredded Beef & Cheese w/diced green chiles, onion & pepper jack cheese – $9 , Salsa Verde Chicken -$8).
On this particular day the tamales had pretty traditional fillings, but my understanding is they do experiment with non-traditional fillings like spicy barbecue beef with bacon, Philly cheesesteak and meatball parmesan.
We got the breakfast tamale heated up to eat and took the Shredded Beef and Salsa Verde Chicken refrigerated to eat later. They offered to open up the tamale for us if we were going to eat it on the spot, but we decided to take it back to the office to eat.
While waiting for them to prepare the tamales, I spoke to the owner. I thought this might be a side hustle business, because they are only open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8am – 2pm. He advised this was indeed his full time job and that they are only open on these days because he can only make so many tamales in a day.
First things first, the price is higher than normal, but the size of the Outlaw Tamales are probably twice the size of normal tamales. It’s more of a burrito size than a tamale size. Tax is included in the listed price.
Normally, tamales are 80% masa and 20% or less filling. The Outlaw Tamales do have a thick masa, but the filling is just as plentiful. The ratio is perfect in our opinion. The masa is firm, but moist.
Many times a tamale filing can get dry and clumped together, but the Outlaw Tamale filling is nice and gooey, almost like when you cut open a chicken pot pie. They offer small containers for either a green medium verde salsa or a Poblano hot salsa. Both homemade and both delicious.
The fact that these are made in small batches assures quality control for each tamale. This is really a “mom and pop” operation, so in order to survive they really rely on word of mouth for increased business, which means their product better be tasty enough for people to rave about it to co-workers, family and friends. The common sight of “sold out” on their chalkboard proves word is traveling. We love supporting these small businesses.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: N/A. It’s a cart located in a parking lot.
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.50
Bang for the Buck: 4.50
Overall: 4.65
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:
**********12/20-Unfortunately, This Business Has Closed Down**********
Description on Tempesta Coffee website: Truly great coffee meets truly great donuts
Neighborhood: Belltown
Address: 2103 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
Music playing: None
What we ate/drank: Glazed Sprinkle Donut and a Torrefazione Italia Americano, Chocolate Doughnut, Vanilla Seahawk Doughnut
Comments: I have a future post coming up that settles the score once and for all who has the best donuts(or doughnuts) in Seattle, Top Pot or Mighty-O. I may have been a little too hasty, because a new challenger appears. Tempesta Coffee may have the best donuts of all.
I happened upon Tempesta Coffee by accident. I had to drop my daughter off at daycare and took the E bus into work, which I don’t normally take. One positive about taking a new bus route is it takes you past places you don’t normally see. On this occasion it took me through a part of Belltown I haven’t been to in a while. I noticed one block prior to my stop, the bus passed a little coffee shop, Tempesta Coffee.
I believe this used to be a one chair barbershop if I remember correctly. I decided to check it out. The place is tiny. It will give Pegasus Coffee Bar a run for its money as the Smallest Coffee Shop in Seattle. There’s no chairs and one cocktail table that might serve two standing people, so it’s definitely a grab and go type of place.
It’s the type of place you’d stop on your way to work or stop in for a short coffee break in the afternoon before heading back to the office. It would be great if they could somehow expand so you could enjoy your coffee and donuts right on the premises or perhaps add a few chairs/tables outside.
I see it’s connected to what appears to be a couple of garages/store units that they could possibly expand into, but it may not be owned by them. I found out that Tempesta Coffee is from the same folks who own Orfeo next door, Steelhead Diner and Blueacre Seafood.
The coffee they used is from Torrefazione Italia. The 12 oz comes with 2 shots and the 16 oz comes with 4 shots for all you caffiene fiends. I’m not aware of too many coffee shops that use this coffee, but whether it’s the beans or the person preparing it, it’s exceptional. I went two days in a row, because I thought the first drink I got was an anomaly, but the next day was just as good. You noticed, I don’t really discuss the quality of coffee in my reviews because I figure all drinks are superb at any Seattle coffee cafe that I would frequent.
I’ve got to say, their Americano is soooo good. I had their Americano in the morning and had one in the afternoon at Espresso Vivace. I don’t know if it was an off day for Vivace and an exceptional day for Tempesta, but it was not even close. It wasn’t a standing 8 count, it wasn’t a TKO, it was a bonafide knockout with Tempesta as the victor. It was that huge of a disparity.
History Lesson: For those of you new to Seattle, Torrefazione Italia used to have cafés in Fremont and Pioneer Square. The founders then formed a relationship with Seattle’s Best Coffee where they shared a roastery. Then Starbucks bought both, Torrefazione Italia and Seattle’s Best Coffee. Although Starbucks decided to continue selling the coffee under the Torrefazione Italia brand, they closed the Seattle cafes along with the other Torrefazione Italia 15 cafes around the US and Canada. One good thing that came out of the demise of the cafes is that the family that previously owned Torrefazione Italia before being bought by Starbucks, went on to create another roaster and multiple cafes, which became Caffe Umbria. One final bit of trivia, the first Caffe Umbria location is the one in Pioneer Square. It was also the first location of the first Torrefazione Italia cafe.
The donuts are made there onsite. I believe it might be Orfeo’s kitchen. $2 for small batch donuts? Sign me up. For some reason, I love that the donuts look imperfect. The glaze was uneven and not a perfect circle, but it just confirms that the donuts are small batches and not mass produced. Some of the donuts from other Seattle donut institutions are so perfect looking they’re made for instagram, but perhaps it just confirms that they are made in mass?
These donuts are not too soft and airy like Krispy Kreme, but also not super dense and of course super delish. In addition to the donuts they also have a breakfast sandwich, a ham and cheese sandwich and get this, a mufuletta sandwich! How random. I’ll definitely have to try it. If the donuts are any indication of the quality to expect, I’m super curious. It appears they are creating an online order process on their website, but it’s not functional at the moment.
The service was friendly and knowing it was my first time, she gave a lot of information about the drink, the donuts and the mufuletta. A couple of insider tips, if you are going to come in for a dozen donuts or more, call in and they can prepare it for you. While I was there she was trying to prepare a 3 dozen and a dozen donut order. Because this is small batch, I wonder if there is only a limited amount of donuts available each day? I’ll have to ask next time I’m in. Also for the muffuletta, call in 10-15 minutes prior to pick up and they can make it ahead of time so you don’t have to wait.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: The small unassuming Tempesta Coffee makes me feel like I’m in on a Seattle little secret(for now) for great donuts and a rarity in Seattle, mufuletta sandwiches.
Atmosphere: 3.50
Service: 5
Food Options: 5
Overall: 4.50
Eavedropping Convo: None
Moore Coffee –Belltown
Description on Moore Coffee website: We may be small but our coffee is big with flavor.
Neighborhood: Belltown
Address: 1930 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Music playing: Benita Du Luz by Mana
What we ate/drank: Americano. Unfortunately, I was there before they were starting breakfast.
Comments: Moore Coffee is probably best known for their latte art. I’m not normally a latte drinker, so part of Moore Coffee’s appeal is lost on me. The last time I visited there was construction going on outside, but there is a huge patio area right outside the store front that can be utilized once construction on the building is completed.
Moore Coffee is situated between the Moore Theatre and the Moore Hotel. It’s actually connected to the lobby of the hotel. They also have another branch a block away nearer to Pike Place Market. As you enter this particular Moore Coffee, there are two big leather seats near the front door and the counter where you order. There is a separate room that seats about 20 that includes leather couches on opposite ends with single tables and individual chairs as well as window seating looking out on 2nd Ave. This room also contains the kitchen area for waffles and sandwiches(see below)
They use Caffee Darte beans for their coffee and have various food items such as yogurt, hard boiled eggs, oatmeal’s fruits, pastries and tamales! This is the first coffee shop I’ve seen with tamales as an option. They also have various teas available. They also have sweet and savory waffles. I was looking forward to an Apple Cinnamon waffle, but it slipped my mind that they don’t serve waffles until 8:00am and I was there too early. They also serve sandwiches after 10:00am.
Like Cloud City, they have punch cards that are kept on the premises so you don’t have to carry it around. Their system is a vertical card holder on the wall with the cards kept in alphabetical order.
The things I enjoy about Moore Coffee are the quirky little features all around the location-the video fireplace, the little tv with static that says, “pick up here”, the old time telephone hanging on the wall behind the barista, the mix of “fancy” chandeliers and picture frames mixed with simple furniture, the burned food menus, the interesting pulley lamps with Edison bulbs.
I’d say it’s the perfect place to get a coffee before seeing a show at Moore Theatre but they close at 4:30. But if you are a huge fan of latte art or need a quirky place to relax with a coffee, waffle/sandwich, Moore Coffee is a good option in Belltown.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: All the little quirky things listed above.
Atmosphere: 4.5
Service: 4.5
Food Options: 3.75 prior to 8:00, 5.0 after 8:00.
Overall: 4.5
Eavedropping Convo: Couple coming in from the hotel.
Guy-I had no idea Seattle had so many homeless people. I think there’s more here than Vegas.
Gal- I don’t know about that.
Guy-It’s pretty close.
Gal- I don’t get it. I mean I understand that people in Las Vegas might have a gambling problem, then lose all their money and then lose everything and become homeless, but I don’t get it why there are so many here