We all remember when the world stopped but when did it start back up again? For many of us it still feels a lot different than the life we knew before but now kids have school again, there are sports again, and we are starting to try to gather safely again. And suddenly my photo feed has coffee shop pictures in it again and I’m searching for bakeries and lattes near the soccer fields we go to on the weekends and life feels so much more alive. For me, when there are coffee shop visits, there is hope. And we have so many delightful coffee shops in Seattle. I still have a whole bunch of tried and trues, but here are some Seattle coffee shops we’ve been visiting lately as well.
Empire Records and Espresso
We ducked into this coffee shop the other day when we arrived at Columbia City Bakery too late for cookies and treats. We picked up a delicious peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie and a perfect art-ful and tasty latte. We even bought some beans for French Press coffee at home as a souvenir. There is a little outdoor space and a music shop that sells records upstairs. This is the type of coffee shop made for rainy Seattle days and apparently they have waffles we need to try at this shop next time as well.
Fuel Coffee
Fuel Coffee is another Seattle coffee shop with more to it than delicious coffee and there are currently three locations. The one we went to in Capitol Hill has books as well (I had no idea!) and a cute little pocket patio where we enjoyed our coffees with a cookie from Hello Robin right nearby. (They have such good snickerdoodle!) Cone and Steiner is also close and if it wasn’t so cold the day we visited we would have driven a little further to Kakigori for an ice dessert too.
The Flora Bakehouse
I had an appointment that got rescheduled that brought me minutes away from Cafe Flora Bakehouse and I’ve been meaning to get here forever. We love the Flora group in Seattle (it started as just Cafe Flora, a vegetarian restaurant we used to go to quite often when the kids were small), but now we especially appreciate Floret the most because visiting this one means we’re at the airport. My lavender honey latte at the Flora Bakehouse hit the spot and the upstairs patio is brilliant. The floral themed hand painted wall inside matches a Dorotea Ceramics pattern that I’m dreaming about buying one day too.
Fulcrum Coffee Roasters
I learned about Fulcrum through Intentionalist and also because it’s right near GH Pasta which we eat way too often and then I was lucky enough to win a gift certificate there for a photo prize through Intentionalist and the EverGrey Seattle. And I’ve been there a handful of times lately and I like their specialty lattes. They had one this summer that was a pink rose drink and I recently tried the one that has Spruce in the name and it feels very Christmas-y. I also like that Fulcrum has Maria Luisa Empanadas so I pick these up for my kids. There is indoor and outdoor seating and we usually take our coffees and walk towards the 5 star Amazon store and wander the outdoor spaces nearby.
Red Arrow Coffee
Maybe Red Arrow Coffee is my favorite pandemic coffee shop find that we’ll keep coming to forever because it is beautifully designed, it has great food and coffee and it’s all hidden in a dreamy secret garden style outdoor space. There was a pimento cheese biscuit on the menu that was really incredible and then on one visit while I was eating this sandwich, I saw someone with a toasty pile of bread and learned that this was the toast and ricotta honey which is too delicious as well. I ordered a corn soup on another visit and it came to my table topped with beautiful edible flowers. The garden space makes me feel like I’m in a world other than the one I live in 15 minutes away and I think it’s the type of place any visitor to Seattle needs to check out as well.
Cafe Hagen
This is yet another spot with great pastries and coffee. I like their South Lake Union store the best because it has a patio and plantful (yes full of plants, not plentiful) eating area. If you are just grabbing a coffee then I would go to the Queen Anne one. There are too many things on the menu that I want to try at this place and they seem to create menu items based on the season which keeps things interesting as well. I also want to visit their space in the Nordic Museum-I think this collaboration is a fantastic idea.
As with everything these days, please check the actual websites of all of these places before you go because anything can open or close at any time and schedules often change. I should probably add Cafe D’arte and Espresso Vivace to this list as well-they’re old favorites too. And if you are visiting Seattle and are looking for other food suggestions I have a list here and more information about me, Terumi and this blog can be found on my about me page. Please feel free to message with any Seattle recommendations if you have them or want them too.
Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys. She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live. She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)
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