1. Atulea - I finally had a chance to stop by the ever-so-popular (and very Instagrammable) cafe located in Captiol Hill. The interior is super cute and clean with greenery around and a pink + green leaf patterned wall. I tried their Matcha Latte and loved how bold the flavor was along with not being sweet at all. A lot of times, matcha can be too sweet, but I love how you can add your own sweetness (with honey or brown sugar syrup) so you can control the sweetness all he way. Their cheese boba drinks were good too! This was my first time here and I'll definitely be back when I'm in the area.
2. Moore Coffee Shop in Burien - Known for their cute latte art, Moore Coffee House opened a new location in Burien which is great news for my friends who live south of Seattle. Lines are minimal if any and they still have the great quality drinks on their menu, latte art included! I've tried their Taro, Matcha, Horchata, and Golden Milk ones and each of them were almost TOO cute to drink. My favorite is definitely the Golden Milk, but they're all pretty good though some could be sweet. My goal is to try at least each flavor once!
3. Boon Boona Coffee - A favorite not only because of their amazing coffee, but because they are so close to the Ascendance Pole & Aerial Arts (my home studio!) in Downtown Renton. The quality of their coffee is amazing; they're bold in flavor without being bitter and oh so smooth. They also offer a variety of syrups (Rose Cardamom is a favorite!) along with Oat milk as a substitution, and now matcha lattes as well! Their staff is great and you can find me here at least once a week! They also have some yummy baked goods from Macrina Bakery and delicious cookies from Lowrider Baking Company.
4. Fuji Bakery - I've been to Fuji Bakery before, but honestly, it's been a couple of years. I go to the one in the ID/Chinatown since it is more convenient and happened to be in the area before I had a meeting. I decided on a couple of baked goods and a Hojicha (roasted tea) latte, a cheese danish pastry, and fried dango. The baked goods were nice, but the star was definitely this hojicha latte! The roasted tea flavor really paired well with the milk and the pastries. Fuji Bakery has tons of other sweet and savory baked goods. If you're in the area, definitely stop in to grab some to-go or to eat in there.
5. Ghost Note Coffee - After an appointment I had in the Cap Hill area, I decided to check out this spot based off their menu and not having been their previously. They do Signature Drinks that coffee based and honestly, some are even better than cocktails out there! I love their unique drink menu and seasonal items and will definitely be back to try their other available drinks. It also has a very simple yet clean setting with plenty of seating. I had their Sun Ship which consisted of Espresso, smoked grapefruit rosemary syrup, coconut water, sparkling water, and lime. The barista that made it took so much time and care into creating it, as if it were a real cocktail.
6. Hood Famous Cafe + Bar - I've been a fan of Hood Famous cheesecakes so when I heard they were opening a cafe in the ID, I was super excited! I love the green house vibes you get from their interior and their popular Ube cheesecake. What was a total win for me were their Mochi Waffles, both savory and sweet versions. I can't wait to see if they'll expand their menu, but honestly I would go back just for those mochi waffles! You can also step in to buy their different flavored cheesecakes as well including, ube, calamansi, pandan, and my fave, durian!
7. Queen Bee Cafe - I've heard so many great things about Queen Bee Cafe from friends and I didn't get to make it here until last month. They're known for their crumpets and is great to go to if you don't want to fight traffic at Pike Place Market to go to 'The Crumpet Shop' there. We tried quite a few of their crumpets and the most value for your money are definitely the sandwiches since they also come with a side of salad or chips. My favorites were the smoked salmon and sausage and gravy ones. They also have coffee drinks that are served with of course, honey. I would ask for it on the side or with a lighter hand since it can be a bit too sweet, but the Spanish Honey Coffee was my favorite with the mix of spices.
There you have it, my current favorite coffee shops and cafes! I love that Seattle has new places popping up which just means more places for me to try! Stay tuned for my next foodie round up or restaurant review!
-Kirstie