Space : Seattle Sunshine is a neighborhood coffee shop frequented by locals, UW college students and dog-walking neighbors. The interior is spacious and features a popular, quieter, and more secluded second floor. The decor is modest but bright and comfortable, fitting the friendly atmosphere. They offer several pastries and excellent sandwiches. As an added bonus, Seattle Sunshine has locally-made gelato in a small freezer under the counter. Popular with kids, the gelato also makes the affogato a can’t-miss option on a warm day.

Noise: Can be a bit loud when students take over on weekends, but it is generally quiet and comfortable.

Coffee Quality: Lighthouse is the house grind, a popular mid-tier Seattle local brand. The coffee is a little over-roasted but good.

Food: Macrina Bakery pastries, assorted panini sandwiches, all very good.

Standout Option: An affogato while sitting outside on the shop’s Adirondack chairs  

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f you’re looking to be served a truly outstanding cup of espresso from a Barista that looks like a salmon fisherman, Ancient Gate is your destination of choice. Some Seattle places manage to be pretentious while also being welcoming and Ancient Gate is a prime example.

Space: The space is comfortable and very hip, but not large. Barstools surround the barista bar, appropriate as the Baristas are happy to discuss the finer points of the brew with you. The remaining seating tends toward couches as much as tables, and the “step down” architecture makes it feel like a destination. That said, with the limited space it’s not the ideal place for a long work session or call.

Coffee Quality: Some of the best coffee you’ll find, with rotating single origin espressos ensuring variety on different days. The “side by side” (see photo) is a cortado/espresso combo served with sparkling water that really lets you appreciate the coffee.

Don't Call it Mocha: Ancient Gate takes their chocolate as seriously as their coffee including a very dark 70% drinking chocolate. Try the “bicerin” for an espresso/dark chocolate treat.

Space: Fred offers a unique ambiance—arty and cool but still comfortable—located in the almost-hip Roosevelt neighborhood of Seattle. The kind of place where Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act is part of the decor without quite being tacky. The artwork is fun without being distracting and the space is comfortable. Despite being relatively small, the space is exceptionally well-designed. It provides areas near the front suited for socializing, while the back corner with its library-lamp arrangement calls for quiet work or study. Bring your Macbook if you want to fit in. 

The staff at Fred are particularly friendly and would love to talk to you about coffee (ask them about their kelly green La Marzocco espresso machine!).  

Noise: Generally very quiet, though the space is smartly arranged to have quieter and less-quiet spots.

Coffee Quality: Fred brews Broadcast coffee (it’s loosely affiliated with the Seattle-Boise based Broadcast roasters) which is excellent. 

Food: Though they low-key the pastries, they are actually baked in-house and are outstanding. 

Come for the Coffee: Fred is among the Seattle coffee places that has adopted the European style of serving sparkling water with an espresso or macchiato. A macchiato with sparkling water definitely lets you enjoy their excellent brew. 

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The first Zoka opened in 1997(!) in Seattle’s Green Lake district. That location is often crowded, making the University location a better choice much of the time. Zoka’s coffees are often single-origin and direct sourced, an early player in what has become a trend. The cafes and coffee are very popular in the region.

Space: The University location is spacious and comfortable, despite its location in the ground floor of a rather quotidian condo complex. Retro style lighting and well worn furniture rounds out the decor. There are communal tables at the front, with more cozy type spaces as you move backward toward the gas fireplace at the end. It’s a popular and fitting place to sit and do work or to chat. 

Coffee Quality: Zoka’s roasts are well balanced if not outstanding, but very drinkable in the Seattle style. 

Food: A small selection of pastries is available, and this location also does breakfast sandwiches/burritos that are quite good.

A Seat by the Fire: The fireplace at the end of the space is a great place to warm on a wet Seattle day! 

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Allegro (established 1975) is broadly acknowledged as Seattle’s first espresso bar. It’s still going strong, 50 years later. If coffee had dive bars, it would be Allegro - you access it from an alley (just past a dumpster), and its mishmash collection of rooms are well lived-in. The cashier takes your order, then gives it to the barista on a post-it. It’s in the heart of the University district, just a few steps from the campus, and the student/faculty influence is clear, but not overwhelming. 

Space: Allegro’s primary space is a tall-ceilinged room with lots of glass and a small espresso bar, but it’s also a collection of smaller semi-linked rooms. While it no doubt gets busy during “study hours,” in earlier times of day there’s plenty of seating and a good choice of different vibes. An upstairs area often hosts community events. 

Coffee Quality:  The coffee is blended, in an older style, but not at all astringent and really drinkable. Don’t expect fancy latte art, just a really drinkable, relaxing cup of espresso. 

Coming in March: If you’re lucky enough to find yourself at Cafe Allegro in mid-to-late March, walk a couple hundred meters to the West, and you can see the cherry blossoms blooming in the University of Washington quad. It’s a bucket list experience.

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