With hundreds of coffee shops in the city (and more popping up all the time), it’s clear that Seattle’s coffee scene is thriving. Seattle is the coffee capital of the USA, which is why coffee tourism is one of the top things to do when visiting Seattle.
I’m a local who’s visited countless Seattle coffee shops in the decade I’ve lived here, and no two are exactly the same. I’ve put together this list to point you to the ones you absolutely can’t miss when you’re in the city.
Craving a solid cup of joe or a one-of-a-kind specialty drink? Want a cozy cafe for remote work or a quick grab-and-go stop? Keep reading for options for all of that and more!
Notification: Travel Lemming is an independent reader-supported blog. You can support us by purchasing via the affiliate links on this page, which may earn us commissions. See our Advertising Policy for further explanation. Thank you!
23 Best Seattle Coffee Shops
Sound and Fog
Minimalist coffee shop with high-quality beans, unique rotating drinks, and wine and chocolate for sale.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website
Sound and Fog is a major player in West Seattle’s coffee scene. It has high standards for its coffee, so even the most hard-to-please coffee snobs will appreciate its quality drips and specialty drinks.
This modern, minimalist shop is relatively small and has no Wi-Fi, so don’t come here to work. Instead, bring a book or a friend to catch up with, and take advantage of the outdoor seating on a warm day.
Sound and Fog stocks a rotating selection of natural wines, local beers, artisanal chocolates, and some pottery. It also sells beans from domestic and international roasters along with its year-round primary roaster, Heart Coffee Roasters.
Hood Famous Cafe + Bar
International District cafe and bar known for its innovative Filipino coffees and baked goods.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 485-7049
Go to Hood Famous Cafe + Bar with a healthy appetite. It’s both a fantastic coffee shop that serves drinks with traditional Filipino flavors and a bakery with treats like ube cheesecake, biko, and buko pie.
The most popular drink is the iced ube latte, but you also can’t go wrong with a refreshing calamansi espresso tonic. Come around lunchtime to try various rice bowls. Visit on the weekend for the turon mochi waffle.
This trendy shop is across the street from the International District light rail station and has an upbeat atmosphere with friendly baristas and local gifts for sale.
Herkimer Coffee
Modern coffee shop with some of the best coffee in Seattle, all roasted in-house .
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 784-0202
Herkimer Coffee has a sustainable, no-nonsense approach to quality coffee, and a loyal following because of it. Its cafes are contemporary and clean with plenty of seating and great pastries.
Find cafes in Phinney Ridge, South Lake Union, and several other Seattle neighborhoods. Herkimer roasts its own beans daily. You can even watch this process if you pop into its Phinney Ridge shop (the aromas are heavenly).
This is one of the best places to grab a coffee if you want to try a mix of light to medium roasts. Herkimer is one of my favorite local roasters and I 100% recommend buying a bag of its beans to take home with you.
C & P Coffee
Cozy neighborhood stomping ground featuring live music and community events in a house-turned-coffee shop.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 933-3125
C&P Coffee is in the running for my favorite coffee shop in Seattle! It’s part coffee shop and part neighborhood hangout with live music, open mics, silent book club nights, and other events.
This West Seattle gem was converted into a coffee house from a regular house and it still retains the homey feeling locals love.
Find comfy, mismatched chairs, tables, and couches inside and more eclectic seating options out front and on the side of the house. During summer, go to the backyard to hang out in the beautiful, garden.
This shop is perfect for lingering. C&P’s coffee is strong, but the menu has plenty of other options, like a mean matcha latte, if you’re looking for something sweeter.
Victrola Coffee Roasters
Popular Capitol Hill roaster with quality espresso drinks in contemporary cafes.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 1-800-575-5282
Victrola Coffee Roasters is one of the classic Seattle coffee houses. It has multiple locations, though the most popular is its Capitol Hill cafe.
This local roaster specializes in quality classics: espressos, lattes, cappuccinos, and cortados. You can buy a bag of single-origin coffee beans from any of its shops.
Victrola’s popularity means it can get crowded (especially in Capitol Hill). This is a great place for work if you’re able to grab a table, though
Its vintage and jazz-era-inspired flagship cafe features exposed brick walls and has a cozy yet modern environment. Head to the cafe in Beacon Hill for a quieter, more homey atmosphere.
Uptown Espresso
Casual, laid back, and work-friendly cafe serving up lattes with “velvet foam.”
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 441-1084
Latte and cappuccino lovers are in for a treat at Uptown Espresso. This coffee shop is known as the “home of the velvet foam,” and serves delicious drinks topped with thick, foamy goodness.
Uptown Espresso’s cafes are in Belltown, West Seattle, and Magnolia. Its great drinks and laid-back environment have turned many visitors into regulars. Come to any location with your laptop. Uptown has good Wi-Fi, plenty of tables and outlets, and a relaxing vibe conducive to getting work done.
It also serves delicious pastries and has a breakfast and lunch menu that includes breakfast burritos and sandwiches to keep you full through the workday.
👉 Budget Hack: Come to coffee shops to save on breakfast if you’re trying to do Seattle on a budget. A drip coffee and a pastry or breakfast sandwich will run you way less than breakfast at a traditional Seattle restaurant. It’s also a good way to sample treats from local bakeries.
Cafe Allegro
Historic gem in the U-District where students and remote workers sip espresso drinks among eclectic art.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 633-3030
Cafe Allegro is one of the oldest espresso bars in the city and has been a University District staple for over 40 years. The shop is tucked away in an alley, which makes coming here feel like you’re discovering something secret.
There’s seating on the ground floor as well as upstairs and outdoors. You’ll always see a mix of students and a slightly older crowd working away on their laptops or chatting quietly. Cafe Allegro’s decor is funky and eclectic, and the vibe is subdued, yet welcoming.
Try any of the espresso drinks (the mochas are a standout) while relaxing or working in this historic espresso bar for a few hours.
Hello Em
Vietnamese coffee and Bahn mis are favorites at this cafe in the International District’s Little Saigon.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website
Vietnamese coffee drinks and Bahn Mi sandwiches are Hello Em’s specialties. And it’s pretty darn good at those.
Order the cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese iced coffee) with egg cloud, or try the cà phê cốt dừa (latte with coconut cream and chips). You can’t go wrong with any Bahn Mi choices, but I’m partial to the breakfast one.
Grab a chair in the airy seating area and savor your selections. This coffee shop is better for chatting and relaxing than working. But there’s plenty to look at. Hello Em features local Asian art and literature throughout the shop to support and uplift the surrounding Little Saigon community.
Black Coffee Northwest Café
Black-owned coffee shop in the Central District with youth programs and tasty pastries.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 629-4022
Make a trip to Black Coffee Northwest the next time you’re in the Central District. This Black-owned coffee shop is community-oriented, with an emphasis on supporting youth-focused leadership programs.
Stop in to enjoy a cup of black coffee (or a white chocolate mocha for something sweeter), and check out the local Black art and roasters featured throughout the cozy space.
Just be sure you get there early enough to snag the popular potato scone before it sells out — trust me, it’s a must-try.
Caffe Ladro
Unpretentious, local coffee chain with relaxed cafes and Fair Trade coffee.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 282-1549
There’s no shortage of Caffe Ladro shops around Seattle. You’ll find them in almost every neighborhood, making Ladro nearly as easy to get to as the coffee giant Seattle is most known for.
Caffe Ladro serves mostly sustainable, Fair Trade coffee. Its drip coffees and soy lattes are phenomenal, but more adventurous coffee drinkers should try specialty drinks like the Medici or Gibraltar.
Most cafes have seating both inside and out. Ladro’s casual vibes make it the perfect place to snag a morning coffee and people-watch while you wake up with your brew.
Monorail Espresso
Hole-in-the-wall joint in downtown Seattle with expertly made espressos.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 422-0736
Monorail Espresso is a hole-in-the-wall in the downtown Seattle area. It’s been in business since the 80s when it started as a coffee cart. Since then, Monorail has mastered the art of Seattle’s drink staple, making it one of the city’s most beloved coffee joints.
This is the perfect place to stop for a moment to refuel when exploring downtown’s attractions. The Pike Street location has a few tables and seats outside. It’s also near Westlake Park where you can sit down and nurse your drink a little longer.
Monorail’s lattes are creamy and its espressos are strong. Want a standard by which to judge coffee in Seattle? Come here first.
The Station
A cool and community-oriented Beacon Hill cafe with various programs and events.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 931-1357
The Station is a Black and Latino-owned coffee shop in the Beacon Hill neighborhood.
This locally-owned shop serves up standard coffee drinks with several specialty concoctions (the Mexican mocha and brown sugar latte are crowd-pleasers). Breakfast sandwiches, biscuits and gravy, and pastries round out its food offerings.
What sets The Station apart is its dedication to the neighborhood. It hosts festivals and night markets, features local art, supports small makers, and raises awareness about local causes to benefit the community.
The Station is right outside the Beacon Hill light rail station, so this is an easy shop to get to. Come here to meet up with friends and learn about what’s going on in the neighborhood.
Tougo Coffee
Welcoming First Hill cafe with well-made drinks and a kid-friendly play space.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website
Tougo Coffee is a bright spot in the First Hill neighborhood. You’ll typically find the owner behind the counter, serving drinks and chatting up locals and visitors alike. His easy-going demeanor and friendly conversation help make this a go-to neighborhood gem.
There’s plenty of seating to work, catch up with friends, or make art inside Tougo. It’s kid-friendly too, with a small play area for little ones.
Enjoy delightful signature drinks like the honey goat latte or the espresso fizz. And make sure you grab some delicious local pastries while they last (the breakfast tacos go fast!).
Olympia Coffee
Local roaster with incredible coffee beans sourced from various regions in small batches .
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 935-4306
Serious coffee drinkers and self-proclaimed coffee snobs: Olympia Coffee is the place to go. Its West Seattle cafe is small with limited space, while the Columbia City location is a bit larger. But the coffee at both is top-notch, albeit on the pricier side.
This is one of the best places to buy coffee, specifically if you prefer single-origin beans and appreciate a variety of tasting notes.
Olympia always has a good assortment and rotation of beans, so you can try batches from various coffee-growing regions like Ethiopia, Colombia, and Burundi.
I highly suggest trying Olympia for a high-quality espresso, pour-over, or simple Americano. Its seasonal drinks are also worth a try if you’re searching for something flavorful, unique, and not overly sweet.
Broadcast Coffee
Clean and simple cafes with comfortable seating and fantastic cold drinks .
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 322-0807
Broadcast Coffee isn’t the flashiest or trendiest, but this low-key neighborhood cafe is appealing in its simplicity.
Broadcast has great standard pours and fun seasonal drinks. Visit on a warm day and try some of its cold “pony drinks” for some interesting flavor profiles.
This is a dog-friendly shop and a decent-sized place to work. It also has many pastries and other food items (burritos, salads, etc) to choose from. Find Broadcast Coffee cafes in both the Central District and Roosevelt, all close to several other stores and eateries.
Starbucks Reserve Roastery
An immersive and expanded iteration of Seattle’s most well-known coffee brand.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 624-0173
The coffee giant that helped launch Seattle into the coffee capital of America has countless locations throughout the city (sometimes several within blocks of each other). None of those are major standouts compared to Seattle’s independent cafes, but the Starbucks Reserve Roastery is a different story.
The Reserve presents an elevated Starbucks experience. You can try a larger variety of coffees than are available in other shops, along with coffee flights, yummy meals, and even coffee-infused cocktails.
Starbucks Reserve Roastery offers tours for people interested in learning about the coffee roasting and tasting process. It’s open until 10 pm too, which makes it perfect for students and late-night workers.
👉 Pro Tip: Most people come to Seattle and want to visit the first Starbucks in Pike Place Market. However, I’d recommend going to the Roastery instead if you’re more interested in Starbucks coffee-making history and want a tour or educational experience.
Elm Coffee Roasters
Modern cafe with tasting flights, fantastic coffee, and private cupping classes.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 445-7808
Elm Coffee Roasters is in Pioneer Square and embodies Seattle’s coffee culture. The cafe is attractive, clean, and modern. The coffee is phenomenal.
The best thing to do is get one of its reasonably priced flights so you can sample a few of its drinks. Elm has perfectly extracted, smooth espressos and quality macchiatos. But you can’t go wrong with anything you try, including some of the homemade hazelnut milk.
As a fun bonus, you can even book a private coffee cupping class with Elm to learn from the pros if you’re interested in learning more about the coffee-tasting process.
Espresso Vivace
Crowd-pleasing Italian-style espresso bar that tops drinks with some of the best latte art in Seattle.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 860-2722
Espresso Vivace is the place for people who love a good Italian-style espresso. Its main location in Capitol Hill is immensely popular. It caters to people with a sweet tooth and those who like their coffee black. One thing they’re arguably the best at? Latte art.
Visit a cafe or enjoy its sidewalk bar for coffee on the go. Espresso Vivace sources single-origin coffee beans, so its brews taste bold and unique. Two of its most popular drinks include a delicious velvet mocha and the Cafe Nico.
Zoka Coffee Roasters
Spacious, work-friendly cafes with big tables and an assortment of pastries.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 545-4277
The Zoka Coffee Roasters cafes are large and quiet, with big tables and ample seating.
You’ll find people tapping away on laptops with headphones on as they work, complete projects, and study. This is one of the most popular cafes to get some work done, particularly at the University District location.
Zoka’s coffee is solid, and its chai lattes are popular. It’s got a big pastry selection to keep you fueled the whole time you’re here. There’s plenty of parking near the north Seattle cafes, making it ideal for remote workers and students.
Moonshot Coffee
Tiny, plant-filled shop with strong coffee and an expansive coffee bean, wine, and beer selection.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 620-0315
You’ll find Moonshot Coffee just outside of Seattle city limits in White Center. It’s a beautiful shop with tasty coffee.
Moonshot uses Olympia Coffee beans to make its drinks, resulting in delightful concoctions. Come for its cold brews and espresso, or try out non-coffee drinks like its golden milk latte and toasted lemonades.
The shop is bright, welcoming, and plant-filled. There’s not much indoor seating, but you could spend a good amount of time here shopping around the selection of wine, beers, chocolates, coffee beans, and other goods.
Coffeeholic House
Sweet, creative Vietnamese coffee drinks are served from two charming coffee houses in north and south Seattle.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 722-3327
Coffeeholic House is a unique Seattle coffee shop. It serves Vietnamese coffee in two locations. The original shop is in Columbia City, and a newer shop is in Greenwood. Both locations are pretty and aesthetically pleasing, though the original is take-away only.
The coffee here is unlike most coffees people are familiar with. Coffeeholic’s signature drinks are made with sweetened condensed milk and some are topped with a salted egg foam. This a good choice for people with a sweet tooth.
Not sure where to start? The best-sellers are the Coffeeholic Dream and the Purple Haze. Try either and you’ll be hooked.
Anchorhead Coffee
Attractive coffee house with delicious house-made food and several specialty coffee drinks.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website
Top-notch coffee, delicious food, and a dark, yet relaxing atmosphere all perfectly describe Anchorhead Coffee.
Be sure to try out its smooth, nitro cold brew, creamy, pistachio matcha, or any seasonal drinks. Anchorhead also serves breakfast sandwiches and a variety of great baked goods (I’m a big fan of banana bread and scones).
Get some work done, grab a mid-morning pick-me-up, or meet up for a coffee date at any of Anchorhead’s three Seattle locations downtown and on Capitol Hill.
Distant Worlds Coffee
Coffee shop for self-proclaimed nerds with community events and vegetarian and vegan bites.
📍 Google Maps | ☕ Website | 📞 (206) 525-5191
Distant Worlds is a coffee shop for board gamers, D&D campaigners, sci-fi/fantasy lovers, and anyone who delights in geekiness.
Help yourself to the books and board games when you enter, and peruse the selection of arts and crafts from local makers. Distant Worlds hosts open mics, craft nights, Star Trek meetups, and other fun events. The atmosphere is always warm and accepting.
In addition to coffee, Distant Worlds serves a variety of breakfast and bakery items that are all vegan or vegetarian and allergy-friendly. This is one of the best shops to visit if you want more than just a cup of coffee. Come here for a friendly community and a space to hang out with fellow nerds.
👉 Don’t Miss: Distant Worlds is in the tiny, but fun Roosevelt neighborhood, and there are some cute shops in the area to explore after your coffee shop visit. It’s also a ten-minute walk to Green Lake Park, one of the best parks in Seattle. Make sure you stop there too!
FAQs About Coffee in Seattle
Why are there so many coffee shops in Seattle?
There are so many coffee shops in Seattle because Seattle is known as the coffee capital of America. Seattleites are big coffee enthusiasts and the coffee shops in Seattle are where many people gather to get out of the house on the frequent dark, rainy days.
Why is Seattle known for coffee?
Seattle is known for coffee for several reasons. The climate necessitates a warm, comforting drink through winter, and many Scandinavian immigrants helped bring an appreciation for the beverage to the city. Innovative espresso bars began operating in the 70s and 80s, and Starbucks brought a wider appreciation of coffee to the general public, influencing the boom of coffee shops in Seattle.
***
You can’t go wrong with any of the coffee shops on this list, so now it’s time for you to get out and grab a good cup of coffee!
Where are you starting? Let me know in the comments.
