I’ve lived in Seattle’s U-District for over 2.5 years, and, after much trial and error, I’ve really narrowed down my spots. These spots mostly consist of a handful of the dozens of coffee shops around the University of Washington campus. Due to the overwhelming plethora of options for cafes here, I will be ranking a fraction of them in this article. You might be asking, what are my qualifications? 1) my prime hobby is cafe-hopping, 2) I am an honest Aries, 3) I was a barista for six months, and 4) coffee is my number-two purchased item (protein bars take first). Now let’s begin.
10. Bulldog News & Cafe should have the best coffee on the Ave given their prime location to campus and the Link station. I’ve never not finished a drink, except for the one day I went to Bulldog News. The baristas were lovely, the magazines were cool, but if you are trying to find good coffee, keep reading.
9. I bet that you have walked by Byrek & Baguette hundreds of times without realizing it’s there. This hole-in-the-wall cafe has an awesome atmosphere once you find it; there’s tons of greenery and artwork on the walls. I would like to give this spot a second chance before I graduate because I vaguely remember how much I disliked their coffee. There were great options for food, and the friends I was with thoroughly enjoyed their morning meals. Byrek, I’m sorry, you get 9th – for now, at least.
8. If I enjoyed a little afternoon boba, maybe Sip House would be higher on my rankings. Regardless, this Vietnamese cafe has delicious coffee for the first two sips and then not so much after that. Not my cup of tea (or perhaps, coffee), but that shouldn’t mean you won’t enjoy this cafe yourself. There’s tons of natural light inside, and it’s a really great spot to study.
7. Cafe Allegro is the equivalent of burnt coffee to me. That being said, if you are going on a Hinge date, take them here. I had an informational interview with an important individual from the Seattle Mariners, but I was so distracted by the taste of my latte that I don’t remember much of what he said. If you are also dreading a date or meet-up, suggest taking them here because nothing can be quite as bad as that burnt aftertaste in your mouth. Pro: the cafe has roof access.
6. I’ve only been to Saint Bread once after my biology lab group decided to leave our section early to get coffee. Needless to say, that was the best decision of my week because I dreaded that class (apologies to my TA that quarter, you were lovely). The wait time is longer on a weekday than it takes to get into Finn’s on Wednesday karaoke night, and the coffee is average. I am convinced people go to Saint Bread to have some kind of superiority complex and to tell others that, yes, they woke up to stand in line at Saint Bread. Congratulations? Pastries are good though.
5. Cafe On The Ave reeks of sophomore year. I loved this little cafe/restaurant/bar/nightclub, whatever you like to call it, until the owners decided to remodel and replace their staff. I was friends with all of the baristas, and you could probably find me tucked away in the booth corner at both 9AM and 9PM. But, when the cafe closed in August and returned a month later with flashing disco lights, I was appalled. What happened to my slightly disgusting booth seat? Where were the baristas that didn’t charge me for ice? I miss those days.
4. Husky Grind at Mercer Court is my most controversial opinion, but this on-campus coffee shop is for the girls. The baristas are hip, and the coffee specials cycle out based on the season. I was in NUTR 302 this past fall quarter, and, as a class, we tried their pumpkin spice latte that used real pumpkin pulp in the drink. Prices are decent, and your Husky card works here – a win! Check out the farm at Mercer Court after a study session at Husky Grind, and I promise you won’t be disappointed by the superb vibes the west campus apartments have to offer.
3. I also used to love Ugly Mug Cafe as my go-to sit-and-stare-at-the wall cafe. I enjoy their coffee and avocado toast just as much as the next basic UW student but have two major qualms: 1) price, and 2) location size. There are approximately seven people who can fit comfortably in Ugly Mug Cafe. Waiting for a table to open up is like waiting for a machine at the IMA – both the person waiting and the person on the machine are staring at each other, guessing the next move, so no one gets anything done. Additionally, I feel that their pricing is off by a few dollars. Ugly Mug is still super cute inside and will always have a place in my heart.
2. I’ll admit, I was previously an avid Cafe Solstice hater. I think it’s because the first time I went freshman year, my laptop was simply not connecting to the wifi no matter how much I troubleshooted it. I swore against ever going back, until I went as part of a group project this year and realized this spot on The Ave has the best mochas I’ve ever consumed. I still cannot connect to their wifi consistently, but sometimes we have to make sacrifices.
1. Seafab Cafe is the upperclassmen morning hangout. It’s my worst-kept secret. It needs no explanation. It’s where I’m writing this article from. It’s everything and more.
Not mentioned: Leon Coffee House (never been), Herkimer Coffee (only went once and my mom paid for my drink, bias), U-District Starbucks (do I need to elaborate?), and Pointdexter Coffee (only negative reviews from friends).