Glhlavka World

Coffee — the drug of choice for Seattlites.  Your average Seattlite has at least one, and often two, coffee drinks a day.  And we’re not talking about the Folgers swill that the rest of the country drinks.  No, we caffine-addicted coffee snobs prefer our drinks to have fancy Italian names that cost $5 at a pop.   This is the only city in the United States where no one bothers to make a pot of coffee for business meetings, because everyone arrives with their own drink in hand.  And your average order requires at least four descriptives - double tall skinny almond latte, anyone?  Having lived in Seattle of over five years now, and averaging at least 10 lattes a week, here are my picks for the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Seattle coffee scene –

1.  Vivace
Grade: A+
Location: Capitol Hill and South Lake Union

Hands down, Vivace serves the best coffee in town.  They roast their own beans, and clearly manage to put a little crack into the mix.  All I can say is that a latte from Vivace is heaven in a cup.  But don’t try to emulate your usual Starbucks order at this place - the drinks only come in “8 oz.” and “12 oz.”  As I once overheard one offended barista declare to the customer in front of me who had the gall to order a grande latte - “We’re a coffee bar, not a milk bar.”  But don’t let the cooler-than-you attitude of the baristas and regulars keep you away, or you’ll miss out on the best java in the world.  And, if you are lucky enough to get a sidewalk table seat at the Capitol Hill location (a walk up locale) on a sunny day, you just might get served by the sexiest baristas in town and catch some “only in Seattle” people watching while you are at it. 

2.  Java Bean
Grade: A
Location: Ballard and West Seattle

The Java Bean is a sweet little gem of a coffee shop in my neck of the woods with a perpetually glowing fire and a charming “mountain ski lodge” motif.  This is the kind of place that you can take a book or the Sunday paper, curl up on the sofa, and sit happily for hours while downing some of the best coffee in Seattle.  I am particularly partial to the Eggel sandwiches (egg, ham/bacon, and cheese on your bagel of choice, cooked on a panini press), but the baked goods from such top Seattle bakeries as Mighty O Donuts and Alki Bakery are also worth a try.  No weekend is complete without at least one (and usual two) trips to the Bean.  Plus, your canine friends will scarf up the free dog bones and attention from passersby.

3.  Cafe Ladro
Grade: A-
Location: Downtown, Capitol Hill, Fremont, Queen Anne

I have so many lattes at Cafe Ladro that I fill up my coffee card with $100 at a time - and I’ve usually burned through that amount in the span of a month.  Cafe Ladro has terrific coffee, which is a close runner-up to #1 ranked Vivace.  If you have a hankering for a breakfast munchie, the vegan oat bar is shockingly delicious (and this is coming from a devout carnivore).  Plus, they have a store conveniently located across the street from my office building.  Although I often see patrons hunkered down with books and laptops at the various Cafe Ladro locations, I have never found the interior of the stores to be particularly inviting.  No matter the location, however, you will always encounter the nicest baristas in town, many of whom are budding local artists. 

4. Cafe Vita
Grade: A-
Location: Capitol Hill

No trip to the Pike/Pine Corridor of Capitol Hill is complete without a stop at Cafe Vita.  Their deft touch in the roasting process results in some of the smoothest coffee in town.  Many of the wiser restaurants in town serve Cafe Vita coffee, and it is no wonder.  I cannot tell you how many times I have marveled at the delicious coffee served with my meal, only to find out that the coffee was roasted by Cafe Vita.  The Capitol Hill store also is a nice, mellow place to hang out with friends before heading out the clubs for a show or a little booty shaking. 

5. Bauhaus
Grade: B+
Location: Capitol Hill

Bauhaus is a Seattle coffee institution.  The coffee is darn good, but the real draw is the store itself.  The downstairs is a library of sorts, with additional seating upstairs.  Grab a book or your friends and a Scrabble board, and you’ll feel right at home.  This is the perfect place to go if you are visiting from outside the state, and want to have a true “Seattle  coffeehouse” experience. 

6.  Pegasus Coffee
Grade:  B
Location: Downtown and Bainbridge Island

Pegasus Coffee roasts its beans on Bainbridge Island, but also has a small coffee shop (no seating) in downtown Seattle.  The coffee is strong, if not as smooth as I would like.  But, it is heads-and-shoulders in quality and taste above some the large coffee chains in town (see below).  Plus, the baristas make this a place you want to stop for your morning coffee every day on the way to work. 

7.  Victrola
Grade: B-
Location: Capitol Hill

With many other coffee shops within walking distance (e.g., Cafe Ladro), I have never been particularly enthralled with Victrola.  However, the real draw of this place is the coffeehouse itself.  Locals flock to Victrola in droves to meet up with their friends, sit in one of the sidewalk chairs with their dogs, or make solo visits with their books or laptops.  This is the kind of place where people linger for hours, happy to enjoy the mellow ambiance and fellow clientele.  A good place to take a first date. 

8.  Starbucks
Grade: C+
Location: Every streetcorner in Seattle

I was once stranded in northern Florida for three years, where the only place to get non-Folgers drip coffee was the Starbucks franchise in the local Barnes & Nobles.  And, when my stock of Vivace coffee that I had shipped to Florida ran out, I was often desparate for a decent cup of joe.  In utter gratitude, I swore that I would never deride Starbucks coffee again.  So, I won’t here.  Suffice it to say that Starbucks is neither the best (see above) nor the worst (see below) coffee in Seattle.  And, it has the benefit of being absolutely EVERYWHERE in town.  That being said, the switch from barista skill to full automation has resulted in the watering down of what was once a great brand. 

9.  Tully’s 
Grade: D
Location:  Every streetcorner in Seattle not already occupied by a Starbucks

Tully’s strives to be the next Starbucks, and I am not sure that’s such a good thing.  Given the choice between the two, I will pick Starbucks every time.  I have tried Tully’s on several occasions, but am always left feeling disappointed.  And, maybe it’s just me, but the service  seems ungodly slow.  But, if you really want a coffee and there is nowhere better around, Tully’s will do in a pinch.

10.  Seattle’s Best Coffee 
Grade: F
Location: Half as ubiquitous as Starbucks and Tully’s

My friends and I jokingly refer to Seattle’s Best Coffee as “Seattle’s Burnt Coffee.”  I have no idea what they do to the coffee to make it taste so bad.  I don’t think I have ever enjoyed a coffee from SBC, and have thrown more then one in the trash.  It may be better than Folgers drip, but not by much.