Fonté Cafe

It’s time for the “Monthly Grind”. This is where my sidekick Debra and I put the spotlight on a local coffee shop. Our visit this month takes us to Fonté Café to see what all the buzz is about.

Aztec Mocha

S & P Latte

November is a busy month for most people, with the holiday season starting and Thanksgiving dinner to plan. With that said I wasn't sure I would be able to to fit in a visit with Debra. With our busy schedules Debra and I were not able to meet up. So my friend Ryan stepped in for her on this visit...

Ryan actually picked this location. He has been telling me about it for a long time, so we thought it would be a great time to try it out. Located at 1321 on first avenue, across from the Seattle Art Museum and steps from the Pike place market. We walked on a very cold morning and arrived half frozen. I think being cold is what got me in the mood for something hot and in a hurry. I ordered an Aztec mocha which consisted of chocolate, cayenne, cinnamon, and black pepper. To go along with that I ordered the chorizo scramble. Ryan went on the more cautious side. He ordered the the S & P latte, it included carmel, smoked sea salt, and black pepper. To go along his latte he ordered the cheese omelet. The Aztec mocha definitely spiced things up for me. I have never had such a spicy flavor in my coffee. It literally took my breath away on the first sip! I have to say I really enjoyed all the flavors and that extra kick to it. The scramble was just as delicious...a mixture of spices, flavors, and heartiness left me wanting more. Ryan had nothing but good things to say about his latte and omelet. He was never has been a huge coffee guy, but I think after hanging out with me that has changed!

I felt like it definitely had that bar setting feel to it. Very comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. The staff was very friendly and our waitress was helpful in any of the questions we had. It is a bit on the smaller side of the cafes I have visited. 

Fonté roast their own beans, and was voted the best micro-coffee roaster in the Northwest,” by Northwest Palate Magazine. They also provide coffee to retailers, restaurants and luxury hotels including places like the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas, the Four Seasons, and many more.

Can't say enough great things about this visit. I highly recommend stopping in and trying some of their specialty coffee drinks and for a very tasty meal. I want to thank Ryan once again for stepping in for Debra and for picking a great place! You can visit their website at: http://www.fontecoffee.com/

Seattle Coffee Works

It’s time for the “Monthly Grind”. This is where my sidekick Debra and I put the spotlight on a local coffee shop. Our visit this month takes us to Seattle Coffee Works to see what all the buzz is about.

Still a little behind on the blogs but I am catching up! I got to pick our October visit location and it just happened to fall on Halloween. I have wanted to visit Seattle coffee works for a long time now. It is located on 107 Pike Street (between 1st Ave & News Ln) in downtown Seattle. It is very close to the Pike place market. It was really fun to see everyone dressed up in their costumes.

Ok enough about all that, let us get into the visit! Seattle coffee works does roast their own coffee and they have a variety of different blends available. They even had an Obama blend out. I really wanted to see the roaster, but Debra and I ran out of time. As we were deciding what to order, we both were offered a sample of freshly made french pressed coffee. I forgot what flavor the beans were, but it was very good and had a really unique taste to it. I ordered a mocha and also a small biscotti. Debra was a bit more hungry and ordered a sandwich. Now I know you all will be shocked, but Debra did not order tea this visit! I was pretty shocked myself...she ended up just having more of that french pressed coffee. I love giving her a bad time about ordering tea on our coffee visits. My mocha was excellent! It really had a nice taste and perfect balance of flavors to it. The biscotti was that perfect pairing to go along with it. Debra really enjoyed her pressed coffee and said that her sandwich was a great & simple lunch.

If any of you have visited Seattle coffee works you will know they have a variety of different brewing methods available. They have all the devices on display in the cafe. Some of them look pretty crazy. Their cafe is split into two sections. First is the Express bar where their standard drinks and food are served. You can also pick up some beans to go home with you. Now their Slow bar is their tasting room. I borrowed this description from their website:

"Come here to taste coffee varietals, test different methods of extraction, meet fellow coffee geeks, or celebrate a special occasion with a prized cup of coffee. This is a place to indulge your sense of curiosity and revel in the spirit of inquiry. There's so much more to coffee than meets the eye, and the best coffees and blends are yet to be developed. Partner with us on this journey of coffee innovation! Our Slow Bar is what makes us unique in the world of coffee. It's part ritual, part playground and part science lab. We will make you any cup of coffee to order."

I definitely plan on making another visit here soon! We simply just ran out of time for us to experience everything they have to offer. I hope you all get a chance to at least stop in a try a cup and maybe learn one or two things about coffee. Check out their website: www.seattlecoffeeworks.com