People travel from all around the world to experience Seattle’s coffee scene. Beyond world-class espresso, the city’s cafe culture has a superb international feel. So, the next time you’re in the Emerald City, spend a morning transported somewhere else via these five cafes.
Hello Em Viêt Cafe
Eggy coffee and some of the best bánh mì in the city.
Vietnamese coffee is equal parts strong and sweet. Hello Em serves up the perfect formula in their cozy corner of the Little Saigon Creative. The cafe brews hot and cold drinks flavored with varied ingredients such as whipped egg, condensed milk, coconut, banana, and salted peanuts.
The space doubles as a roastery and triples as a community space. So if you’re a fan of the flavor profiles, beans are available for purchase, and if you’re looking to connect with the Vietnamese community, this is a great spot. They exclusively use coffee from Vietnam, roasted specifically for the Vietnamese drinks on the menu. For food, customers can savor bánh mì sandwiches with fun twists such as Laughing Cow cheese and Pacific Northwest salmon.
Karoo Cafe
How a taste of South Africa is warming up the “Seattle Freeze”
Owner and founder Olivia Vermaak missed the warm hospitality of her home country, South Africa. Then, during the Rugby World Cup, informal potlucks at watch parties at Kell’s Irish Pub connected her with the expat community and sparked an idea.
Karoo Cafe opened in the former Pike Place Market mortuary above the bar. It (and Kell’s) might be some of the most haunted spaces in Seattle, but what visitors feel upon entering is genuine warmth from the staff, including Olivia herself. The night of my visit, reservations filled most seats. But no one was turned away, and tables and chairs were rearranged to welcome new friends.
The happening space is equal parts cafe and cocktail bar sans snobby, third-wave coffee shop pretension or big city bar attitudes. The decor is reminiscent of South Africa, with animal print and bright colors making up the design core. So too is the menu, which features exclusively South African wines, spirits, and bites from Vermaak’s homeland. As she put it, “What’s the point of doing this just to serve what everyone else does?”
And if you don’t drink, no worries, there’s also a full mocktail menu with non alcoholic spirits.
Freya Bakery & Cafe
Warm up with cinnamon, cardamom spice, and everything nice!
Nordic heritage is a huge part of Seattle’s identity and culinary scene. That means fresh seafood, sure, but also coffee breaks and delicious bakeries. If the latter two are up your alley, head over to Freya Bakery and Cafe, located just below Pike Place Market.
The team bakes up mouthwatering sweets like cardamom knots, sesame and poppy seed twists, cinnamon rolls, as well as savory options like quiches and sandwiches.
The beverages are nothing short of fantastic, with some of the creamiest lattes and smoothest brews in Seattle. The flavor offerings nod to Scandinavia, and lavender and strawberry are popular. If you’re in the mood for something extra fun, try the homemade house syrup, København, a delectable combo of cardamom and almond. It will have you planning another Seattle trip purely to sip its genius again!
Himalayan Java Coffee Seattle
Have you ever tried white coffee?
Nestled in the bottom of an office/residential building lobby, Himalayan Java Coffee might initially feel like the GPS led you to the wrong address. However, the wonderful aroma of coffee and the kind staff will put you right at ease.
The eclectic food mix range from breakfast sandwiches to butter chicken burritos, paninis, and, randomly, some of the best macarons in the Greater Seattle area. However, white coffee is truly the star of the menu. Purposeful underroasting produces these white beans, which have extra caffeine because of the shorter duration of the roast. When brewed, the white coffee makes a special, nutty flavor profile. It definitely isn’t exclusive to Himalayan Java, but it’s certainly not a regular option on menus. They also take pride in serving beans from the Himalayas, harvested at high altitude.
The cafe also offers a robust tea menu for non-coffee drinkers with favorites like chai, matcha, and London fogs, as well as an expansive herbal list.
Caffe Umbria
Italian espresso, no international flight required!
Three generations of Italian Americans have been serving up proper espresso downtown long before Howard Schwartz arrived. In the 1940s, the grandfather, Ornello Bizzarri, started roasting in Perugia, Umbria, before relocating the family to Seattle. In the 80s, his son, Umberto Bizzarri, began a roastery and cafe that today is known as Caffe Umbria.
Today, third-generation roaster, Emanuele Bizzarri, continues the tradition and creates blends the Italian way. No single origin stuff here. Caffe Umbria’s are artful creations, made with a mastery that has literally been perfected over generations. Long before latte art took over social media, the Bizzarris blended coffee beans like a painter, making the perfect shade.
Today, Caffe Umbria has a few locations throughout the city and frequently hosts barista training courses. Additionally, the roastery is one of the largest suppliers of beans in the Emerald City and you’ll find their brand in numerous restaurants and cafes.