One average college student on a journey to find the best coffeeshops in Seattle.

I would like to know if there is a better way to spend your morning than with a friend, sitting in a coffee shop, drinking a nice brew? If there is, let me know. This particular morning I am with my friend, Sarah Baggs, from Portland, Oregon. Being from Portland, we decided to go to a Portland staple that has moved up to the great city of Seattle, Stumptown Coffee. I have many friends who have told me that Stumptown has revolutionized the coffee business with its Fair Trade and Direct Trade practices and the emphasis they put on the flavor of coffee. Well, it’s time I had some directly from the source. When we first walked in the doors you could sense the urban ambience Stumptown tries to create at their 12^th Avenue location. Wood beams, fantastical hanging lamps, and metal comprise the décor of this café, a refreshing change of pace from the local artistry that normally decorates coffee shop walls. I only wish that it was slightly bigger to accommodate the crowd that now occupies the space. Amidst the chatter and jazz that occupies the space is a constant humming of the roaster downstairs.

It may be the most beautiful sound in the world and I close my eyes, listening to its symphony of sounds that fills the room. Maybe this is the lesson I am supposed to learn from Stumptown; that the sounds of a coffee shop are just as important as the decoration.

Well, I will stop boring you with my fascination of the acoustic qualities of this café and move onto the coffee. I will admit that my expectations are high for their coffee not only from what I’ve heard but also from the fact that a large number of coffee shops in Seattle use Stumptown beans. Today they feature their Costa Rica Montes de Oro made in a French Press, like Neptune and many other cafés. It probably is one of the sweetest coffees I have tasted on my journey thus far. The cup prominently showcases honey along with a sweetness developed from a lighter citrusy flavor that I am told is a tangerine. It is also has a surprisingly light body for a French Press. For my next beverage, I decide to go with a macchiato, something that I have found to be an acceptable compromise between a latte and a straight up shot. Although the artistry was not as impressive as I had hoped (not that I am a latte art fiend), the cup itself was most excellent. It had just enough cream to offset the acidity of the espresso, which in itself was also sweet but also had this smoky flavor so smooth and delectable, that I cannot even comprehend it. If I could order another, I most certainly would but I will restrain myself for the sake of my cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health.

Café Rating: 9 shots of espresso

Coffee Rating: 10 shots of espresso

I got off of work early today so I thought to myself, “What better way is there to celebrate getting off of work early?” Coffee! I truly enjoy the sweet pleasure of going to a coffee shop, sitting down with a cup of drip, and enjoying my time spent typing and reading. Today I ventured over to Capitol Hill to a little place called Porchlight Coffee. This café is tucked away and I would have missed it had it not been for a kind gentleman on the Broadway who gave me the most colorful directions an elderly man has ever given me (And when I say colorful, well… you should know what that means). The shop itself does not possess any outstanding decorations and it has the basic coffee shop feel of one toned wall paint, local paintings, and wooden furniture. They do have one couch but a couple is currently occupying its comfortableness (and yes, this is a word). The coolest feature of this establishment is its decent record collection organized by genre filled with classics and newer albums. I was tempted to buy the newest Queen album but realized I didn’t know any of the songs and I would only purchase the album because of its masterfully designed cover.

Now to what I came here for in the first place, a good cup of joe. I ordered my regular 8 ouncer and sipped away. The cup had a nice mellow taste of caramel and was nice and round. Nothing stupendous was experienced today but a cup I enjoyed and at this point, wouldn’t mind trying again. But I was disappointed when the barista told me it was the last cup they had. Fortunately for me and my ever increasing caffeine intake, I refrained from waiting for more drip coffee and went straight to the espresso. This was actually an extremely delicious espresso shot. It definitely had chocolate notes and had a tartness of dark berry of some sort, I am not exactly sure of what. It also was very smooth and I almost drank it like water but restrained myself from experiencing a powerful caffeine jolt. My only side note is to bring cash. They do accept credit cards but only if the purchase is over five dollars. Actually, just plan on bringing cash to any coffee shop you go to in Seattle to avoid the possible embarrassment of not being able to pay for your drinks. I was in that unfortunate situation myself at this café but remedied it by purchasing a blueberry tart from Mini Empire. It was a scrumptious way to end my Porchlight Coffee visit.

Café Rating: 7 shots of espresso

Coffee Rating: 8 shots of espresso

Another morning, another cup of coffee. On this particular morning, I decided to venture to a place I have always seen but had never been before, The Ballard Market. Connected to the Ballard Market is a little fair trade coffee shop called Equal Exchange Espresso and yet another shop on my Disloyalty Card.

Honestly, the café itself is smaller than most and seating is limited inside the establishment, which is an issue since it can get crowded in a jiffy. There is seating located outside which would be perfect for a sunny day but Seattle decided to withhold its sunshine from me for today. So here I am, sitting in here with my wonderful roommate Danny Guttridge, looking at the older looking wood panels, a variety of potted plants, and other decorations promoting global awareness and fair trade coffee. I am also a huge fan of the location because it is connected directly to the Ballard Market so if you are looking to do some grocery shopping and you need the delectable drink known as coffee, you can stop in this little café to get your caffeine fix.

The coffee is great but before I get to that, I just have to say the to-go cups are probably the coolest to-go cups I have seen so far. They really make sure to present their mission and purpose of fair trade coffee, even through their cup designs, which has a farmer, the café’s logo, and just an overall cool design. Now, I started off with my normal drip and the interesting thing was I got to pick out my drip from containers off to the side. This almost turned me off to the coffee because it reminded me of the way my school’s coffee shop presents their coffee and their coffee is just terrible. But I was surprised and Equal Exchange’s coffee had subtle flavors including citrus notes and somewhat off a milk chocolate aftertaste. It was also sharp on the tongue but the aftertaste was smooth and delicious. Overall, it didn’t impress me but it was still a tasty cup of joe. Danny was trying their mocha and after seeing his facial expressions, I decided to try it for myself. It was a great decision and I thoroughly enjoyed the marshmallowly whipped cream on top of a vibrant mocha. The espresso in the drink was a little overpowering but being a guy who likes the taste of espresso, I didn’t mind it all that much.

Addendum: So my friend suggested I give Equal Exchange another try with their espresso. I will say that I am partial to brewed coffee but I was more than willing to give it another try. We ordered a double shot and my was it delicious. It definitely had a lemony flavor to it with hints of dates in it. The shot was also very smooth and was just the right acidity to expose the full flavor of the shot. I stand corrected and I now have a better appreciation for coffee shops and the variety of drinks they offer.

Cafe Rating: 7 shots of espresso

Coffee Rating: 9 shots of espresso

So I am officially half way through the Disloyalty Card (5 down, 5 to go). And what better way to get there than by going to a highly regarded coffee shop such as Neptune Coffee. The first thing I noticed was the Reggae music playing in the background and the plants scattered throughout the place. I honestly don’t know if they are trying to follow the Neptune theme (Roman god of the sea) or if it’s just the sunny weather we are having but this establishment definitely has a tropical coffee shop feel to it right now. And as I’ve discussed before, the barista could be in Reggae type of mood as well but I digress. There are the typical pictures of local photographs on the wall but there is also a ping-pong table in the back and a huge refrigerator right behind the counter.

Now I am not only feeling a tropical feel, but a “college dormitory kitchen in the Caribbean” type of feel. The refrigerator even has drawings on it, the most interesting of which is a unicorn devouring a dinosaur and a ninja. Hopefully, my children will be as creative as that. And one shameless plug for Neptune Coffee: they have some cool t-shirts on sale for $15. Come check them out.

Now that I’m settled in with Reggae music, shorts, and Rainbow sandals, I can finally taste the coffee. Now I trying to find the drip coffee on the menu but it was missing. So like a fool, I tried ordering the basic drip coffee. Thankfully, the barista was kind enough to correct me and point out that they only serve French press. This shop actually presses all their coffees and then puts it in a dispensable container. That is fine with me since I believe that French press coffee helps to bring out the full flavor of the coffee. The press coffee was actually very fruity not just in taste but in scent as well. It also had a full body and was actually mellow, a trait that most coffees lack. However, sipping a full cup of hot coffee on a fairly hot day made me extremely hot. And I guess I was starting to feel warm as well so I decided to order an iced drink to celebrate one of the few hot days in Seattle. I went back to my roots and ordered an iced mocha and I have to day, it was delightful. It reminded me of my youth when I would drink my chocolate milk and blow bubbles in it till the milk flowed over the side of the cup. I refrained from doing it in the café but it was pretty good. My only criticism is that it lacked that espresso taste that I usually look forward to in an espresso drink but I will forgive them this time. I mean, I can I be so finicky on such a gorgeous day.

Cafe Rating: 9 shots of espresso

Coffee Rating: 10 shots of espresso

This Disloyalty Card thing is probably one of the best ideas the Seattle coffee scene has thought up and its next location led me to Fonté Coffee Roaster in Downtown Seattle. It’s located right next to the illustrious Lusty Lady, which closed for good not too long ago (may she rest in peace). When I walked into this establishment, I did not think I was in a coffee shop. I thought I had walked into an upscale European café with bottles of wine adorning the walls and the fine leather seating where my posterior is now resting. I was offered complimentary water as I sat down and was given a wine bottle full of water along with a chilled glass. Honestly, I felt like a wealthy aristocrat ready to take on the world. Then I looked at the menu and reality set in once again. But if you want to feel fancy and sophisticated for an afternoon, this place is your best bet. You can even make yourself feel more sophisticated by going to the Seattle Art Museum across the street because art museums obviously exude elegance.

Well I wasn’t about to let my poor college student status prevent me from enjoying this experience so I decided to go all out with a macchiato and my own personal French Press. I honestly think the waitress thought I was crazy for giving her such a caffeinated order but she retrieved the order and placed it in front of me along with my own personal chilled cream and sugar. I have to say I wasn’t all that surprised by the taste of my two drinks. They were both fabulous, smooth to drink and the French Press was very flavorful with pecan notes and chocolate. I mean, I am pretty good at making French Presses as my previous blog can attest to. But all joking aside, the atmosphere of this place basically ensured (at least in my mind) that the coffee would be more than satisfactory. Yet I feel a little out of place as I sip on my masterfully brewed coffee. This coffee and coffee shop might be too fancy and elite for me. But don’t let my apprehension prevent you from coming to this café. It’s something that you should experience at least once.

Cafe Rating: 10 shots of espresso (mainly for being so high class)

Coffee Rating: 8 shots of espresso