Coffee is to me, as it is to many, a special kind of drink. It can be enjoyed alone or with company, at home, in a café, or on the go. And due to the multiple variables that go into its brewing, no two cups are quite the same. In addition, changes in climate while growing, roasting method, and other variables yield vastly different results. If it’s not obvious, I have a bit of an appreciation for coffee. 🙂

A few months back I took a trip to Seattle, and along with my wife, we tried out some notable coffee shops.

Our first stop was Anchorhead Coffee. Based in Duvall, Washington, this coffee company has a few cafes around the state, including Bellevue and Seattle. The atmosphere upon walking in was modern and relaxed. We ordered our drinks and took our seats towards the back. It’s a place I could see myself frequenting. It has just enough liveliness, but not too much as to be distracting. The location we visited is connected to a hotel, but I believe the others are stand alone shops. Upon receiving my coffee (black), I took a sip and made my assessment: bold flavors, full bodied, not too acidic, balanced without being bland. I would later find out that the blend they serve in shop is called “Narwhal”, which according to their packaging, is a blend of Guatemala and Sumatra, with flavors of milk chocolate, cherry, and nougat. Not bad for our first coffee stop!

The next shop we visited was Storyville Coffee. This roaster also has a few locations, but we visited the one at Pike Place Market. We’d read the good reviews, and upon walking up to the establishment there was a sizable crowd. In the line to order, there was a sign for a QR code that could be scanned to sign up for their email newsletter. If you did this and showed the cashier, you’d get a free coffee mug (the mugs are well made and a good size). I ordered my usual black coffee and we found what seating we could. Compared with Anchorhead, Storyville looked like it was going for more of a brighter atmosphere. Almost like an old style 1920’s-30’s vibe (with a modern twist). The coffee itself was perfectly fine. It could have been a touch bolder, but that’s down to my personal preference. It was a fair cup of coffee. The atmosphere was certainly memorable, and probably contributes to its popularity.

On our last day in Seattle, we stopped by Caffe Ladro. Of the three shop, this one has the most locations (16 spread around Washington). An interesting fact about this chain is the name means ‘Coffee Thief’, and there are apparently some locations found in front of Starbucks (in order to steal their business). We walked inside and ordered our drinks. I remember the staff was very friendly towards us, and it made for a good start to the morning. The atmosphere was cozy, and though there was limited seating, the early morning meant there weren’t many people staying inside. As I sipped my black coffee, I was pleased with the blend. Good flavor, lots of caffeine. I could see myself frequenting this place.

Each shop has their draw that makes them appealing. Which one is best comes down to personal preference. For myself, Anchorhead was my prefered coffee, but Storyville and Ladro were enjoyable as well. All of the places have websites where coffee beans can be ordered and delivered anywhere in the U.S., so although I do recommend going to Seattle to experience these coffees, it’s possible to enjoy them from the comfort of home as well.