Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

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.

it sounds quite delicious, and worth every calorie. Pears might be nice replacement for the apples also.

Transcendent! It makes the caloric intake all the more worthwhile...

I'm so gonna do this to someone!

Only on SE will you encounter the twisted mind whose first reaction would be to turn something so admittedly adorable and yet weird into a pre-breakfast prank. Great idea! Thanks redhead...

You described it perfectly. It is adorable in a weird twisted way....so cute!

If anyone watched through to the drunken dog, here's a link to the original Orson Welles footage that it's spoofing.

Witty, and apropos. Politically... I'd rather not say.

@amosbkin, slashchef: The Cold War portion was definitely the best.

The cold war was my favorite.

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.

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?

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.

am I the only one who likes Caffe Ladro? the mocha with orange peel is my favorite coffee drink ever.