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Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Capitol HillMon-Sun. 6:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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15th Ave Coffee is actually a Starbucks, ok, so it looks like we receive consistent solid coffee and good service.
I like the design here as it looks like the rest of 15th Ave. I see nothing wrong with upgrading your style to match the neighborhood, it's better than bringing a cookie cutter shop to this artsy hood.. no? It seems kinda dark in the back of the shop though.. I like the bench table seating that is available in the far front for lots of natural light.
Try the Clover press coffee, it will NOT disappoint. Anniversary Blend is the Yum!
I like it.
Had 15th Ave Coffee + Tea not been "starbucks inspired" everyone would be praising it. But hey it's cool to hate on Starbucks so I'll give you that.
Five stars.
You have to hand it to Starbucks, they're willing to take chances and try something new. Their new 'flagship' at First and Pine along with this new 'non-Starbucks' Starbucks on 15th Ave are hopeful signs that the ubiquitous cookie-cutter current store design found in their stores from Sarasota to Singapore might soon be a thing of the past.
For the uninitiated, 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea was a Stabucks that got a radical makeover in name, look and menu. Everything that was is now gone and what's there is now more vintage chic than corporate slick. Old sports seating, cement floors, refinished hand-me-down furniture now define the new aesthetic and for what it's worth, it's nice. There are some nice design touches here suggesting someone was paying attention. Like all Starbucks, lots of folks are camped out with their laptops but unlike other Starbucks they make sandwiches on the spot and the baked goods are a notch better than what you'll find in some of their other stores. Another benefit: they serve beer and wine in the evening when they also have live entertainment. A list of upcoming acts are available on their website.
I admit it: I like Starbucks. But I also like a lot of other independently owned coffee places in Seattle. I try to give my business to them when I can. Diva, Ladro, Stumptown, Vivace etc... But Brien and I were curious about 15th Ave and since they're located on one of our favorite Seattle streets, we hit them up two weeks ago on a Friday afternoon.
When you walk in the door it is apparent that they have taken a great deal from the decor of Smith, the restaurant/bar next door. Which I read about before they opened in the Stranger. But since decor isn't copyrighted, there's nothing to be done about it.
I did like the natural woods mixed with metal motifs, but I liked it when Smith did it first.
The lady taking our orders this particular day didn't greet us, just snapped "Whatdoyouwant?" and rung us up in a hurry, obviously annoyed with our questions about sizes and the different types of coffee brewing they feature etc... Then, with no one in front of us, we waited 10 minutes for two regularly pulled Americanos, while the two baristos behind the machine chatted with each other and talked on their cell phones.
This is definitely not a place to come if you're in a hurry, which is something I like about Starbucks. Plus, although they say they're trying to be a neighborhood coffee house, Victrola and Ladro are across the street with significantly more to offer consumers actually looking for that "neighborly" vibe.
Overall it was a big disappointment, but I'm not sure I can say I'm shocked about that. I still love 15th Ave but it's "neighborhood coffee house" sucks the big one.
This review is simple, not trying to copy others, but here goes my opinion...
Been here 4 times as my conversation group meets here on a weekly basis. Each time I have seen food gnats either flit around OR land on top of pastries. One word? EW!!!
Don't like their coffee, since I'm not a *$ fan. Do like their loose leaf tea offerings due to it being more than the average *$ Tazo offerings. In particular their Silver Needle. Been having it iced, need to try it hot.
Tried a snickerdoodle & sandwich there ONCE and it was far worse than one at regular *$. Identical sandwich of turkey w/cran BUT the bread was stale on its crust and it was wrapped up in food service butcher paper. Cookie was meh, could tell it'd been there for a bit.
Service has been really friendly and accomodating. Our group reserves the patio and the staff has been conscientioius in always putting up a reserve sign for us. Two thumbs up for that alone.
Decor is that in keeping w/gentrification of most coffee houses on Capitol Hill. This one does it better b/c they do have wine. It'd be better if their receipts didn't look identical to *$.
I don't drink Coffee, but decided to peak in here after dinner at SMITH. After having heard about all the evil's of Starbucks and corporate blah blah, I was kind of ready to hate on everything in the store even though I'm not a coffee drinker.
Well...first impressions. Wow, they spent a lot of money here decorating the place. Everything although it was...I don't know what word would be suitable here...faux rustic...it seemed sterile...like how many board room meetings did it take to decide on which faded paint color should go on which wall? I think the main detractor to the interior is that when a small business owner creates a unique space, they take what's available to them by sifting through junk or being creative rather than a team of marketing people scouring and poaching ideas from people and mixing them together and spewing forth their interpretation of a "hip" and "happening" coffee shop. If you try to bottle "cool" it ends up being not "cool".
Well, aside from that, they still serve Starbucks Coffee from what I've heard. Repackaged and re-branded, it's still a Starbucks underneath. My buddy ended up getting a small americano and didn't really mention anything about the taste. It was incredibly hot though. So I can't really comment on the flavor.
The service however is excellent. Everything is clean and the staff are helpful and nice. It's just another coffee shop in Seattle, but this one is backed by Starbucks.
I guess if anything else from all the bad rap it's got, If I were a coffee drinker, I still wouldn't support this place. They took the Sonics away from us. 'Nuff said.
Meh.
They didn't offer the shaken black iced tea, nor did they even offer to make anything similar (it isn't that hard - some ice and liquid sugar and a swirl!).
Instead, I had to take the iced tea (full to the very top of the cup) and dump some of it out in the trash so I could add some sugar syrup.
The ambiance is nice, but the old chairs up against the wall were not very comfortable - sorry, but I'd rather have something be more comfortable than look cool if you're going to be sitting for a bit.
It's still a Starbucks. Alas, that means two stars and it goes up and down from there. Examples of what changes a rating: being the only decent coffee for 100 miles (see also, Starbucks, Bismarck, ND), being 24 hours inside, etc.
They did extend the hours. They have beer and wine. Thus, they get three stars.
I don't, however, get why you'd go here when there are better options down the street, like Victrola, Ladro, Remedy Teas, Insomniax, etc etc. It's just a Starbucks. In Boston, that means good coffee. Here, it's just the middle of the road.
I didn't see anything special.
I know it's a nice place to stay for coffee and some readings.
I liked how they use the space.
The interior was nice except the cranky bench chair.
It's kind of nice to choose one from many different kinds of coffee beans.
It really feels like a high-end coffee place... compare to Starbucks.
However, it's just another nice coffee place.
One thing I hated was the open food case.
It attracts flies so much that I saw a huge one stopping on the pastry.
I guess they need to do something about it.
I stopped in here today, their second day of being open, and first let me say that I didn't have any of the pre-existing biases that some others on Yelp seemed to have about it. I go to Starbucks AND independent cafes and don't think that anything Starbucks = the devil.
didn't really need another coffee today, but I ordered an iced soy mocha anyway, just to try. also got a yummy lemon bar. I think they made my coffee in a bigger size than I asked for, but no big deal....it was just a little too much soy milk/coffee for me. otherwise fine.
I love the decor! lots of seating and interesting interpretations of the trash/recycle cans, condiment table, etc. there are big rolls of brown butcher paper that they pull down and write the food menus on...love those.
they're still working out the kinks, but that is to be expected for the second day being open. I'm very easygoing about new businesses and always give them a generous time frame to work things out.
I'll definitely be back......
i was so surprised. I didn't think that i would like this venue. Where is the old place?
I was so surprised! It's nice. It has a lot of open attractive space. It looks inviting and i tis.
Happy people with much more variety than before.I will be another happy people coming in over and over.
I walked into the shop and was, unfortunately, that annoying customer who can't decide what she wants, but the barista was very patient and offered up several suggestions. He sold me on the mocha, though, when he told me it was made with a house-made ganache.
I'm not huge on coffee-foam art, but I have to admit that my drink was poured beautifully. They were doing a brisk business, and I heard the various counter staff greet many of those coming through by name.
Really, I like what they've done with the place. I generally find most Starbucks interiors a little off-putting (something about the color of the wood they use for the tables, it's too bright and harsh for me), but I enjoyed the muted browns here, which gave the space a cozy, comfortable feeling. And so what if the decor was created on a designer's sketchpad and not cobbled together lovingly over a series of years by an indie coffeeshop proprietor? It still looks great. The bibliophile in me adored the pages on the back wall, and I thought the butcher paper rolls being used as changeable menu boards were very clever.
Patio space is difficult to come by in this densely-populated area, but they carved out a small area at the front for a cute, mostly-enclosed patio that may even be usable in the wintertime!
I really liked it here, and would be happy to come back when I'm up on 15th.
After finding this place, we knew what we wanted. Well, at least the boys did. BEER! That's right. All for the right to say they ordered beer at a coffee/tea shop. They have wine too, if your taste buds are more refined. Oh and they have no problem cardin' your arse too if you decide to order. I opted the more, normal stomach friendly choice that suited the environment: tea. With so many selection, where to begin. Well, they have an area with samples of each tea choices in dishes to help you out. I went with the green dragonwell. It came served in 2 system pot: top compartment to hold the tea and hot water to which drips into the bottom compartment to catch the brew. The tea was alright. I've had better. Maybe a another round through the seepage system to make sure it gets brew'd properly?
Organic wood communal table in the front, open "sun room" in the front/outside and plenty of table space in the back. Enough room to hold an impromptu group meeting or a tea party. Kitchy and looks like decor out of a ReadyMade magazine. Starbuck's alernate ego isn't bad, but I will have to agree with a more closed food bar. I scrunched my nose if a fruit fly got a taste of my goods before I do.
A wonderful European coffee house in Seattle - bravo. Great architecture, wonderful staff, and of course amazing coffee and tea. The Clover coffee machine make the most amazing brew yet. Food is decent and decently priced. Wine and beer is a nice alternative on a Saturday afternoon. Hope it does well - I would already miss the place if it went away. I really feel that the neighborhood esthetic was captured and blends in well. A nice classy retreat.
Only one thing - would be nice if the prices for things were more easily displayed.
Not incredibly impressed.
I normally get a short drink which contains one shot of espresso. This new "inspired by Starbucks" location puts two shots of espresso in all of their drinks. For a short that's just too much espresso (where is there room for the milk?).
They don't accept Starbucks cards (maybe in the mode of somewhat separating themselves?) which is a bummer for me. People often complain of Starbucks high prices, but if you use a starbucks card it's quite cheap as my soy and my sugar free vanilla extras are FREE.
It took forever to get my drink. There was one poor girl making all the drinks for the 4 people that were waiting.
I do like the dark colors and rustic feel. It's also nice not to have a bright light shining in my face. The wifi is incredibly fast and they have cute pictures on the wall.
Kudos for them offering wine. I think I may come back if I feel like sipping on wine while reading a book or studying, but for my regular coffee run there are other better, cheaper places to go.
People are going to naturally hate on this shop due to its 'Starbucks in disguise' label. One that it should definitely own up to.
If this was an independently owned shop whose owners toiled and troubled to make the design perfectly cozy and original, and the espresso perfect and fresh, then it would get a solid 4-star rating from me. However, the feel/design/decor/attitude was simply stolen from other Seattle-area independent shops, organized by a team of Starbucks think-tankers, and replicated in Disney-esque fashion. For that... I cannot embrace nor reward this location with 4 or 5 stars.
Positives: wine, beer, free wi-fi, better-than-Starbucks coffee, freshly ground and not made by machines.
I came here early in the afternoon on opening day, 24 July 2009, and was pleasantly surprised to see the place was not completely packed. I got in line --- the line moved fairly quickly --- and ordered a tall cup of Espresso Roast. I asked the man at the register if they accepted the Starbucks card; they did not, so I gladly paid cash. Since it was opening day, it looked like some of the employees were still working out the details and the functions of the new store. The guy operating the Clover machine had to ask another employee about something, and some other guy appeared to be reading an instruction manual of some kind. Major Cohen -- I think it was he -- was watering plants and busing dishes, but when he wasn't busy, he took the time to sit down with some of the patrons and talk about coffee and the new store. An electrician on a ladder was installing a security camera on the far wall. Overall, the employees were polite and did their jobs well, but they didn't seem as enthusiastic about coffee as I expected. Maybe they'll warm up in time.
I had to wait about 4-5 minutes for my coffee, and once it was ready, I had no trouble finding an open seat, one of the old wooden theater seats in a corner. Very comfortable! To my delight, wi-fi here is free and easy to access.
My coffee was good. I'd never had Espresso Roast before, but now that I've tried it, I'll probably stick with some other blend that I like better. The blunt, low-acid, one-dimensional flavor that works so well for espresso is not as good in a brewed coffee. Some people like to complain that Starbucks serves only burnt, over-roasted coffee, but that is simply not the case. At 15th Avenue Coffee & Tea, there are plenty of different coffees from around the world, including some nice Latin American single-origin coffees and other mild to medium blends. And there are different brewing methods, too: pour-over drip brew, French press, and Clover. And the espresso is prepared using an honest-to-God La Marzocco manually operated espresso machine -- just like in the early years of Starbucks.
I liked the inside of the store. The line flows in a logical direction, from the door toward the back of the store. There's not much for me to say that hasn't already been said (e.g, "repurposed" this and "recycled" that), but it comes together nicely.
According to the website, 15th Ave plans to sell ice cream too, but I didn't see a freezer area. Also, there appears to be a sun room / conference room near the front, but it was cordoned off on opening day. My guess is that it might be a little while before the store is running at "100 percent."
15th Ave might be worth a try if you're in the area, especially if you enjoy dark, flavorful, delicious brewed coffee. I sure do.
Wow - what a nice addition to an already great neighborhood (15th/Capitol Hill). I read a bunch about this place in local blogs and the Seattle Times and my wife and I decided to check it out Friday night and was so impressed that we came back with my parents who were visiting from out of town on Saturday. Our coffee drinks (drip "poured over", iced latte) and the tea we ordered were all great.
In general, they serve beer, wine, tons of coffee, tea, Beecher's cheese and desserts, and they're open to 11 - so it's a great place to go after a movie or dinner (or both). And you can hear yourself talk (nice for a change), unlike most bars. And yes, there's free wi-fi.
I also got more personal service the two times I've been here than I've _ever_ gotten at the ultra-locally-owned hipster places down the street. You know, smiles, helpful advice (i.e. "what exactly is that Clover machine?") and friendly conversation. Maybe it's just because they opened two days ago, but they seem to actually be trying to keep their customers (the miracle of competition) by engaging with them - hopefully that'll continue after they've been open a while.
I frequent tons of coffee shops, from independent stores, to local chains to the big behemoths (including the parent company of this place) - and frankly the quality and experience is all over the place (some great; some not so much, see also my Yelp reviews). This place is owned by Starbucks, and they're clearly trying to do something really different with a less staid/corporate look and feel. But any criticism that they simply walked into the nearby establishments and copied the exact style is totally off-base. It's definitely not like a Starbucks you'd find out in suburbia, although there are several subtle connections (the "inspired by Starbucks" tagline, and the little "power" icons on the wall with the same font as the Starbucks). But otherwise, the decor was pretty unique and well designed, including lots of seating around small and large (reclaimed wood) tables, bus-depot seats, and some pretty cool artwork (don't know the source) on the walls. On one of the nights there was even a little stage with some local music act.
This is getting long, but I also wanted to mention there's a place to leash up your pooch out front (and water bowls), along with this outdoor but semi-enclosed room that they're still getting ready (apparently you can rent it out for like a community function or meeting or whatever).
So perhaps you won't burnish your indie cred by hanging out here, and maybe the shots aren't as expertly poured as the best places in Seattle (although that's subjective), but you can have some good drinks (coffee or otherwise), tasty treats and good conversation - what's not to like?
I say put your biases aside, haters begone, and everyone else give this place a try.
I was curious about the new Starbucks concept store, so I thought I'd go and take a look.
First, I guess I should say that I remember back to the early '80s, when there weren't many neighborhood coffee shops of any kind, and Starbucks was just beginning their expansion, opening stores around town. Back in those days, Starbucks coffee was nothing short of a revelation. They were not just raising the bar, but really radically reinventing the whole coffeeshop experience. They were - at that time - the ne plus ultra coffee experience. That was a long time ago though, and while much MUCH great competition has sprung up, Starbucks stores have gotten quite sterile. Starbucks is much in need of reinventing itself for the urban market, and I was very interested in seeing how this experiment looked.
The store is attractive, with a front seating area that reminds me of a greenhouse. It's a cool earthtone interior. Obviously they're going for a worn, shabby-chic look. Mostly the decorating notes look good, but there are a few telltale signs that this is really an imitation of a cozy, well-worn sort of space. At first glance it looks like they're doing the mismatched tables and chairs thing, except that it's not really all that mismatched All the chairs are the same, and all the stools are the same too. I suspect this is mostly new furniture in the shabby-chic style. I wonder what the interior designer was thinking of with the theatre seats along both walls in the back - they're much too low for all the (identical) two-tops along the wall. Talking Heads in the background - not too loud - and I liked that. By the way - I ducked into Smith next door, and I don't see any particular ripoff of their style. The color palate is quite a bit different in Smith - much warmer - and actually the decor looks a lot more opulent over there. I don't know what the big to-do about the decor is about. I guess people are just looking for trouble.
Because of my schedule it's really much easier for me to come in the evening, so instead of coffee, I ordered a sandwich and a glass of wine. The ham sandwich came out MUCH too fast to be made to order. That said, it was obviously carefully engineered to hold well, with no mayo or mustard - only ham, swiss, and onion confit carefully tucked in the middle, where it wouldn't soak into the bread. It was quite tasty. The sandwich was fully priced at $8.
The wine service on the other hand, was a disaster. They have a short but really well-chosen glass-pour list - MUCH better than the majority of restaurants I can afford. I ordered one of the whites, the Drouhin Macon-Villages. The girl behind the counter couldn't understand me though, and I had to ask again. She apologized, saying she didn't speak French. I don't either actually, but I DO know how to pronounce the name of a wine. Anyway, she eventually asked the guy she was working with to please get me the wine. Unfortunately they didn't seem to have any of it chilled and ready to serve. They took a bottle off the back-bar counter and started to open it, but I refused it, saying that it needed to be chilled. The guy went in the back, and got another bottle - I assumed that it was out of the cooler - and served me a glass. It was in a tumbler - not great - and still basically at room temperature. Price was $7 - probably decent for a wine like this in a restaurant setting, but I would have been much happier if it had been served properly chilled, and in a stem.
I suppose I would have gotten something much better if I had stuck to the core product. I watched another party order and be served tea, and that looked pretty good. I might go back there for coffee sometime if I get a chance. The only problem is of course this is out of the way for me, and of course there are a dozen other places I could go that are closer and get a great drink.
I realize 15th Avenue is owned by Starbucks. OK? Let me start off and say that. But I think it's a really smart business move. And honestly-the service here is way better than most local cafes and coffee shops I go to. I personally don't care for the ambivalent, grumpy attitude I get from a lot of baristas who seem to forget that patrons are spending money and in turn providing them with a paycheck. Not my style.
Anyway-Starbucks can get a little stale. The loud frapp machine, the cookie cutter interiors, the terrible pastries. This is a nice alternative. You know what to expect for the most part-it's like Starbucks. The friendly baristas, it's relatively clean, and consistent. But there is a Clover machine which really is an improvement. And the french press option is great. And the fact that the baked goods and sandwiches come from Essential Bakery makes it the best of both worlds, right?
I like this place. I think the local coffee shops should stop complaining about all of the cues Starbucks have taken from them and should take a cue from 15th ave Coffee and Tea-BETTER SERVICE.
Cool concept. Love the place. They have Stella and I heard they were getting more local brews. Coffee is good too. The design is nice, once it gets "lived in" a little more, it'll be less sterile.
Great Staff. Good coffee. Baked goods from the essential baking company. Free Wifi 7 days a week and open til 11 pm. Those are the highlights.
Here I drank a mocha I have not tasted since 1995. Its the one that at first was not sweet enough and I was tempted to put sugar in, but did not because of the barista's scornful glare. The mocha I always got in the short size, because my baby-sitting money couldn't afford a tall. The mocha that became my base line for what a good mocha was. I had missed it. Its nice to have it back. Thank you *$s.
This place is lovely - beautiful decor, great coffee, super nice staff, great strong FREE wifi, and best of all today - rocking air conditioning!
I am so glad to see this place open in the 'hood - I keep trying to love Victrola, but can't get into hanging out there because of the crappy loud music they blast all the time. This place is very comfy and big and and the music is actually at a normal level - I was able to sit in on a conference call on my cell today without trouble.
Good food and coffee! And beer! How can you go wrong? (Oh, did I mention - A/C?!)
I went there a couple times on opening day, once for coffee in the AM, and again for beers after work. On both occasions, it was busy, but not overwhelming. I thought they did a great job with the interior. Not too fussy, and certainly not a carbon-copy of other neighborhood businesses as some might like you to believe. It was very unique and cool. It's not super-convenient during the week for me to get up to 15th Ave, but I certainly plan to go back on weekends from time-to-time.
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