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The Ten Most Recent Comments By SteveB

From Serious Eats

Best Non-Starbucks Seattle Coffeeshops

Lots of these are great. The icing on the cake, though: Vita's doing free drinks at all of their locations for the duration of the Starbucks outage...

SteveB at 6:39PM on 02/26/08

Responses to Comments by SteveB

From Serious Eats

Best Non-Starbucks Seattle Coffeeshops

I've seen lots of comments on which coffee house is best.

I've been enjoying Espresso in seattle for a very long time now. I started drinking espresso at (does someone else remember?) The Last Exit at it's original location on Brooklyn, which was in the early 80's.

I've been to nearly every coffee shop at one time or another. Ironically, the one I've avoided, because I felt it took itself to seriously, was Espresso Vivace. My friends would keep bugging me, you've got to try Vivace and I would say, but how could it be better than _____. I recently read Espresso Coffee: Professional Techniques, which is the Bible for anyone considering opening an Espresso Shop, and decided I had to try it.

I am now ruined. When I go back to my old standards, all I can do is bitch, "It's too bitter", "It's too flat.", "It tastes burnt, etc." I'm not saying no one else can make a decent espresso, but I've never had a bad espresso at Vivace, period. They are the pinnacle as far as I'm concerned.

stanley at 7:12PM on 04/25/08

From Serious Eats

Best Non-Starbucks Seattle Coffeeshops

Okay, I'm not an espresso junkie wandering the neighborhoods of Seattle. Much of my drinking is done behind closed curtains at home.
That said, these are the shops I frequent most; Cafe Ladro in the Gatewood/West Seattle district (they also have an outlet in Broadway/Capital Hill that is far more renowned), Cafe Rozella at the southern edge of West Seattle/Rat City, Angelia's (renamed from the Red Cup after the untimely death of the owner) in the Alaska Junction, Revolution Coffee and Art in the Admiral District, and finally Diva in the Greenwood/Phinney Ridge area.
The point I was making is that far too much attention and resources is paid locally to the downtown core while rich, rich neighborhoods go unacclaimed and neglected. It strikes an even more sensitive nerve to have an out of towner extol only what is found in the heart of town.
Granted, any attempt to list the "best of" coffee houses in Seattle is going to rattle everybody with an opinion. But more, stepping into an age-old fray between downtown and the 'hoods is treading dangerously.

czken at 6:12PM on 02/27/08

From Serious Eats

Best Non-Starbucks Seattle Coffeeshops

czken: I do know that Erin contacted a number of friends she has in Seattle and polled them all, collecting intel and observations to put this together. You're right, though; I should have put her in touch with The Mamster as well, since we all know he's a great trusted source in Seattle.

I did like seeing Zeitgeist on this list, though; it was where I grabbed coffee and hung out a bit with friends before going to see the KINGDOME DEMOLISHED.

I'm curious now, though, which places and neighborhoods outside the core would you have placed on the list?

Adam Kuban at 11:34AM on 02/27/08

From Serious Eats

Best Non-Starbucks Seattle Coffeeshops

Written by, "Erin Zimmer, our Washington, D.C., correspondent..."!!! I guess that makes sense to an eastern clientele; after all, Washington IS Washington...
At first glance at the attached map, it is obvious that the same error is made here that characterizes our local pols and other such elitists.
No, Seattle's life does not end at the edge of the downtown core. Seattle's neighborhoods have a rich offering of culture, arts, quality eateries, independent coffee vendors and roasters. To ignore that detail is not doing this otherwise fine site's reputation any favors. Where was Matthew Amster-Burton when this post was written?

czken at 6:28AM on 02/27/08

From Serious Eats

Best Non-Starbucks Seattle Coffeeshops

Caffe Ladro! mmm

paris221966 at 11:29PM on 02/26/08

From Serious Eats

Best Non-Starbucks Seattle Coffeeshops

VIVACE!! I'm with unarata on that one. Best in town, hands down. slashchef, it sounds like your Ladro drink is probably a knockoff (I say only because I am a viciously loyal Vivace drinker, not because I have any proof) of Vivace's Cafe Nico. So so good.... Ladro is my go to on 15th though. Victrola's vibe is weird.

katiekate at 9:52PM on 02/26/08