SEA: Coffee shops with good views

[scarlett]

[Ling]

^I think it's Belle Epicurean you're thinking of...

[Olivia]

So back to the original point of this thread. Close to downtown, with good coffee, and a good view. I would recommend Bauhaus on Pine. They have giant floor to ceiling windows with a clear view of the Space Needle. They serve Top Pot donuts and many other awesome breakfast pastries. Also a great place to come late at night if you can’t sleep as they stay open until 1am.

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This isn't downtown, but one of my favorite coffee places in all of Seattle is El Diablo Cuban Coffee Company on the top of Queen Anne. Picturesque walks, but the real view are the fabulous murals covering the walls...

[dandelion]

Yum -- agreed! Definitely try the Cafe Cubano: a shot of espresso with caramelized sugar. Plenty of crema, too.

Edited July 11, 2006 by dandelion (log)

[ladybugseattle]

The people watching from the 4th and Pine corner windows of Juan Valdez would be hard to beat. Watching the foot traffic from a former Bon Marche display window is major entertainment. They claim to be owned by the coffee growers association of Columbia who have the trademark on the fictional namesake. I'm mostly a drip drinker and prefer theirs to the more roasted others in town.

[LEdlund]

Didn't that used to be a Tully's? I didn't realize it became a Juan Valdez........

There's a Juan Valdez on 5th that is empty every time I go by it. I'm surprised they would open another location in Seattle.

[dandelion]

I believe it used to be a Briazz. The kiosk in the middle of Westlake that's now a Starbucks used to be a SBC. This Juan Valdez definitely gets a lot more foot traffic than the one on 5th by Betsey Johnson, but with that Starbucks right across the street it must be tough.

Sadly, I don't really care for their coffee myself.

[Ling]

Thanks mamster, I went to Zoka this morning and I thought the coffee was a bit better than Vivace. It seemed to me that the roast was a bit lighter than Vivace. It was excellent! Caffe Senso Unico next...

[Eden]

Any nice (quiet) coffee shops in the wallingford/uDistrict areas? The Black Cat closed on me so I need a new place to get together with friends & chat...

Any opinions on Cafe VanGogh up in Wedgewood?

[chuck]

Cafe Lulu on 65th and Latona is a cool, quiet, small place for good coffee.

There's a little shop just south of Ravenna on the east side of Roosevelt that is interesting. Nice people.

Van Gogh is quirky. The coffee's fine, and they serve delicious gelato, but the decor is Wedgwood grandma. And it's in a strip mall. If you're in the neighborhood you should check out the crepe cafe/coffee shop just north of QFC on the other side of the street (north of 86th, I think) - good coffee, friendly people, fresh crepes and sidewalk seating. Or head south to Top Pot on 70th and 35th N.E. for strong, bitter (in a good way) drip and a couple of meaty doughnuts.

I head to one more place near Van Gogh, but for a different reason: Honeybear Bakery/Third Place Books, which has a fantastic selection of used books and a great old growth counter on the southwest end of the building for watching the traffic go by, is the home of some of the worst service in existence. Car wreck bad. I go there to see what's going to happen to the people in line behind me, in front of me, and to me. I've seen an eight-year-old refused a warm egg nog because the cashier couldn't figure out how to ring it in, even after her mother offered to pay for the egg nog latte but without the espresso shots. Melodramatic shows over a specific brownie in the case ('This one? Are you sure? This other one is just as good... Oh, whatever.') Employee blowups with each other, with customers. Oh, it's sweet. I was there a week ago during a lull and the very cute, helpful cashier took my order, then I paid, then I waited for a bit. Nothing seemed to be happening. The cafe was crickets, no one waiting for anything, so I asked the laconic barista about my drink. 'Coming up!' was the response. He sprung into action suddenly, as if he had just gotten the order. 'Here ya go! Single grande vanilla latte to go.'

'Uh, I had a double short Americano for here.'

'Anyone for a vanilla latte?' 'Hello (slightly frantic)?' 'VANILLA LATTE.' A dozen startled readers, possibly there for the same reason I was, look around at each other. Nothin'.

'I had a peanut butter cookie with that Americano.'

'I don't do the cookies.'

And the streak continues...

[Eden]

Heads up that due to summer vacation Top Pot in wedgewood is not a very quiet place right now. On the other hand they were playing excellent music in the background when I was there last week, and a pink feather boa donut is never to be sneezed at...

The "Wedgewood Grandma" environment at VanGogh will probably work well for my needs

I was just hoping to find someplace I could bus to from Ballard rather than always driving....

[crouching tyler]

Help me out, folks.

I am looking for good coffee (espresso, actually) after 6:00 p.m., in downtown Seattle.

Imagine you are going to a lecture, a symphony, a play, a concert in the downtown area and you want an americano (single short, please) or a latte (single short 2% for the caffeine addicted hubbie) before the event, just to keep the brain humming along at full speed.

And just to keep things challenging, imagine you want to go somewhere that is not starbucks/tullys/seattle's best.

Where do you go?

Extra points for somewhere where you can sit for 15 minutes and enjoy your coffee, while waiting for your date/friend/spouse to meet you!

Thanks!

[tsquare]

Help me out, folks.

I am looking for good coffee (espresso, actually) after 6:00 p.m., in downtown Seattle.

Imagine you are going to a lecture, a symphony, a play, a concert in the downtown area and you want an americano (single short, please) or a latte (single short 2% for the caffeine addicted hubbie) before the event, just to keep the brain humming along at full speed.

And just to keep things challenging, imagine you want to go somewhere that is not starbucks/tullys/seattle's best.

Where do you go?

Extra points for somewhere where you can sit for 15 minutes and enjoy your coffee, while waiting for your date/friend/spouse to meet you!

Thanks!

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Caffe Ladro at 1st and Union?

[tighe]

Help me out, folks.

I am looking for good coffee (espresso, actually) after 6:00 p.m., in downtown Seattle.

Imagine you are going to a lecture, a symphony, a play, a concert in the downtown area and you want an americano (single short, please) or a latte (single short 2% for the caffeine addicted hubbie) before the event, just to keep the brain humming along at full speed.

And just to keep things challenging, imagine you want to go somewhere that is not starbucks/tullys/seattle's best.

Where do you go?

Extra points for somewhere where you can sit for 15 minutes and enjoy your coffee, while waiting for your date/friend/spouse to meet you!

Thanks!

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Caffe Ladro at 1st and Union?

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I like the drip coffee at Ladro a lot, but IMO, the espresso kind of sucks. One block south (1st & University) is Stella Cafe, which serves the best espresso I've ever had (please note that the breadth and depth of my espresso experience pales in comparison to many who take it more seriously). Not sure how late they stay open.

Edited February 25, 2009 by tighe (log)

[crouching tyler]

Thanks to tighe and tsquare. We ended up at the 1st and Union Caffe Ladro - open until 9pm every day. I'll check out Stella next time I'm downtown.

I am a little surprised at how few choices there are for independent coffee shops after 6 pm downtown. I guess most people are either at the tail end of their caffeine intake for the day, or have moved on to other beverages, or can make it through a evening lecture without the need of a stimulant .

Help me out, folks.

I am looking for good coffee (espresso, actually) after 6:00 p.m., in downtown Seattle.

Imagine you are going to a lecture, a symphony, a play, a concert in the downtown area and you want an americano (single short, please) or a latte (single short 2% for the caffeine addicted hubbie) before the event, just to keep the brain humming along at full speed.

And just to keep things challenging, imagine you want to go somewhere that is not starbucks/tullys/seattle's best.

Where do you go?

Extra points for somewhere where you can sit for 15 minutes and enjoy your coffee, while waiting for your date/friend/spouse to meet you!

Thanks!

←

Caffe Ladro at 1st and Union?

←

I like the drip coffee at Ladro a lot, but IMO, the espresso kind of sucks. One block south (1st & University) is Stella Cafe, which serves the best espresso I've ever had (please note that the breadth and depth of my espresso experience pales in comparison to many who take it more seriously). Not sure how late they stay open.

←

[tsquare]

Thanks to tighe and tsquare. We ended up at the 1st and Union Caffe Ladro - open until 9pm every day. I'll check out Stella next time I'm downtown.

I am  a little surprised at how few choices there are for independent coffee shops after 6 pm downtown. I guess most people are either at the tail end of their caffeine intake for the day, or have moved on to other beverages, or can make it through a evening lecture without the need of a stimulant .

Help me out, folks.

I am looking for good coffee (espresso, actually) after 6:00 p.m., in downtown Seattle.

Imagine you are going to a lecture, a symphony, a play, a concert in the downtown area and you want an americano (single short, please) or a latte (single short 2% for the caffeine addicted hubbie) before the event, just to keep the brain humming along at full speed.

And just to keep things challenging, imagine you want to go somewhere that is not starbucks/tullys/seattle's best.

Where do you go?

Extra points for somewhere where you can sit for 15 minutes and enjoy your coffee, while waiting for your date/friend/spouse to meet you!

Thanks!

←

Caffe Ladro at 1st and Union?

←

I like the drip coffee at Ladro a lot, but IMO, the espresso kind of sucks. One block south (1st & University) is Stella Cafe, which serves the best espresso I've ever had (please note that the breadth and depth of my espresso experience pales in comparison to many who take it more seriously). Not sure how late they stay open.

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You are welcome. I have used that spot many times over the years for just that purpose! I could not tell what hours Stella keeps - but it sounds like a great spot.