Tangos Tapas
1100 Pike St.
Seattle, WA
206-583-0382
www.coffee.net/restaurants/seattle.com
Waltz to this Latin inspired restaurante that serves a delicious mix of tapas and some of the best paella in town. Flashing a rustic, yet modern decor, the urbanites and mojitos flow freely at Tango.

Just a hop and a skip from the heart of downtown Seattle is a venture into Spanish cuisine that offers quality, variety and delicious homemade sangria. From the exterior, the most remarkable quality of Tangos Tapas is the incredibly tall and expansive windows which, from the inside, provide fantastic views of life outside. Many of the windows face downtown Seattle, and as the sun retreats the city lights up offering a pleasant cityscape view that compliments a meal nicely.

The interior is rather stylish and is hallmarked by vaulting ceilings and a tasteful color scheme. Long, elegant curtains hang from the window and pieces of modern art dot the walls. And although there are industrial design elements such as exposed piping and the style of lighting, much of the furniture and many fixtures are made from natural materials resulting in a pleasant mix of styles.


Le Gourmand
425 NW Market St.
Seattle, WA
206-784-3463
www.coffee.net/restaurants/seattle.com
On the intersection of 6th and Market sits a small and humble house. The house is carefully constructed of brick and stone and has a lush veneer of ivy and other rambling herbs and flowers from carefully tended gardens. Despite its unpretentious nature, this house, which has been carefully converted into a cozy little restaurant, can easily claim that it is serving some of the best French cuisine in the greater Seattle area.


After entering and being seated at Le Gourmand, you zone into something of a time bubble where the sometimes-hectic pace of life is pleasantly calmed. The pace of the meal with its various courses is meant to be a leisurely affair requiring several hours to enjoy, starting with the appetizer and ending after dessert is served. This is intentional, so it’s best to plan on making the dinner the focus of the evening because this is truly a meal that should be slowly savored in a relaxed and peaceful environment. Top on the list of recommendations are the blintzes filled with fresh sheep’s milk cheese served with a chive butter sauce that had an incredible rich and warm flavor where the chives provided just the right amount of zest.

Another highly recommendable appetizer is the mussels in white wine broth which had a nice fresh taste with sweet and tangy overtones. The sole and shrimp mousseline (think minced seafood paté) and rabbit liver paté were also enjoyable.


Rays Boathouse
6049 Seaview Ave NW
Seattle, WA
206-789-3770
www.coffee.net/restaurant/seattle.com
Billing itself as a quintessential North West seafood experience, Ray’s offers bay-side views and sustainably caught seafood amidst a classically decorated interior reminiscent of the Age of Sail.

Ray’s Boathouse had a warm and classy style to it, without being so gaudy like many of the new fancy places we’ve been to. Lots of warm colors and ambient lighting, it’s a little dark and they completely play up to it a few lit up candles. A real dark intimate affair, great for a group of close friends or a couple.

Some of the greatest ocean side views are available, but it was dark for us to see the water at the time. The menu as expected is a menagerie of seafood, purchased directly from local fishermen. Salmon, Sablefish, Crab Cakes, Alaskan Crab Legs, its all there; plus some meat (tenderloin steak and duck breast and confit) for those with a meatier disposition. We had the Shilshole Sampler for starters to go with our Sablefish in Sake, King Salmon, and Grilled Hailbut


Trophy Cupcakes
1815 N. 45th Street Suite 209
Seattle, WA
206-632-7020
www.trophycupcakes.com
This is a full service cupcake bakery and café housed in a historic schoolhouse in Seattles’s Wallingford district. Specializing in cupcakes, espresso, and unique paper and party goods.


Coffee and Seattle – 2 words that go hand in hand, here are just a few suggestions……

www.coffeenewsseattle.com
This is a weekly publication about coffee


Zeitgeist
171 S. Jackson St
Seattle, WA
206-583-0497
www.zeitgeistcoffee.com
Exposed brick yields to saffron-stained wood shelving and a wall of glass. Put simply, this is a city coffee shop. Regulars from neighboring businesses stop in for shots to keep them going, while artists and writers cozy up to the scattered bistro tables outside. The baristas take their jobs seriously, as befits deep, smooth illy, the house brand of espresso. The cafe also serves a variety of pastries and grilled sandwiches at lunch.

Zeitgeist is bar none the most beautiful, and inexpensive coffeehouse in downtown Seattle. There is great ambience, attractive baristas, interesting art shows, and delicious coffee. I would recommend Zeitgeist to any tourist coming through Pionner Square.

Designed to provide a place that is different from the typical “out of a box” corporate coffee shop.

We work hard to present a warm, pleasing place that is more in keeping with a traditional coffee house, a place for the exchange of ideas and a meeting place for the community. Contributing to the neighborhood in the way that only a small business can.

For five years Zeitgeist Coffee has focused on the arts. We constantly strive to show challenging work from emerging and established artists.


Lighthouse Roasters Fine Coffee
400 N. 43rd St.
Seattle, WA
206-633-4444
Tucked into an unassuming storefront on the north slope of Fremont, Lighthouse Roasters serves what many consider to be Seattle’s finest cup of coffee. A smattering of friends, neighbors, dogs, groovy murals and artwork provides a comfortable spot to waste away the day. Along with the coffee and espresso offerings, the cafe also serves an assortment of pastries and Odwalla juices. Local musicians perform on Friday and Saturday nights