The birthplace of Starbucks, the world’s largest coffee chain, Seattle has long held the reputation of being one of the best coffee cities in America.
To test that theory, I visited 15 of the top rated Seattle coffee shops. Here are the best places to grab a cup of coffee in Seattle.
The First Starbucks
It’s impossible to talk about coffee in Seattle without mentioning the iconic First Starbucks.
Located at the Pike Place Market near the Seattle Waterfront, the First Starbucks pays homage to the corporation’s humble beginnings by displaying the original Starbucks logo. The storefront has also kept its original design, giving it a unique, homey feel that is quite different from most Starbucks locations.
The most exciting thing about the First Starbucks? The location offers an exclusive espresso roast that you can’t purchase at any other Starbucks location, not even Starbucks Reserve Roasteries. The First Starbucks also sells unique cups and mugs to commemorate your visit.
When planning a visit to the First Starbucks, make sure to visit in the early morning or late evening! When I first stopped by the shop during my trip to Seattle, there was a line of 50+ people waiting outside the store.
Instead of waiting in line for over an hour, I returned to the First Starbucks at 8pm. Not only was I able to enter the store right away, I was able to walk around the store and browse their merchandise!
Fonté Coffee Roaster
Founded in 1992 by a former Starbucks coffee roaster, Fonté Coffee Roaster is well known across Seattle for providing a broad offering of both Single Origin and coffee roast blends.
Fonté’s Downtown Seattle location also serves several creative espresso beverages like Sage Lattes, Desert Rose Lattes, and more. I personally tried both the Sage Latte and an Aztec Mocha. Both were unique and memorable, and cemented Fonté as a must-see coffee shop on the West Coast.
As an added bonus, the Seattle location also boasts a hearty food menu and a festive wine bar.
Victrola Coffee Roasters
Located in Capitol Hill, Victrola Coffee Roasters is another independent coffee shop that is popular amongst Seattle residents.
Not only does it serve mouthwatering drip coffee and espresso beverages, it’s also the best coffee shop for remote workers on this list. Each Victrola Coffee Roasters location offers several tables, sofas, and chairs from which you can set up shop for a few hours.
Top Pot Donuts
While Top Pot Donuts is well-known across Seattle for selling the cities most delicious donuts, Top Pot also brews a mean cup of coffee. With locations scattered across Downtown Seattle and the entire Puget Sound, make sure to stop by Top Pot Donuts for a memorable breakfast and brew!
Starbucks Reserve Roastery
The mecca of all coffee shops, the Starbucks Reserve Roastery was hands-down the most enjoyable coffee shop in Seattle.
Covering over 15,000 square feet in Seattle’s trendy Capitol Hill neighborhood, the Seattle Reserve Roastery offers coffee roasts and beverages unique to the location, along with pastries, cocktails, food, and an expansive retail area. Customers can order a delicious cup of coffee and grab a bite to eat, all while enjoying stunning industrial architecture and enjoying a sneak peak at the coffee roasting process.
Bags of coffee for sale at the Reserve Roastery 
Fresh pizza on display
Coffee roasting equipment
My first order from the Starbucks Reserve Roastery was a Cold Brew Trio Flight. The flight offers coffee enthusiasts the opportunity to try two different cold brew flavors along with a taste of Nitro Cold Brew. Each cup was delicious, and it was fascinating to taste the differences between the roasts.
Whiskey Barrel-Aged Cold Brew 
Vietnam Da Lat Cold Brew
Another memorable drink from the Starbucks Reserve Roastery was an Espresso Affogato. This drink was made by pouring two shots of espresso poured over locally made vanilla ice cream. While I’m not a huge fan of sweet coffee drinks, I have to admit that the Espresso Affogato was delicious!
To round off my tastings for the day, I ordered a Starbucks Reserve Espresso Martini Flight. While I typically love espresso martinis, I did not love any of these. If you’re looking for a cocktail, I’d recommend a different menu option. You could also try heading over to one of Seattle’s noteworthy cocktail bars for a drink.
Final Notes
Being a coffee enthusiast, visiting Seattle and exploring its rich coffee history has been one of my top travel goals. I’ve long dreamed of exploring coffee shops around the city and trying new and unique roasts.
However, I was overall very disappointed with Seattle’s coffee scene. Several of the supposedly “legendary” coffee shops I visited served coffee that was completely undrinkable. A few more made very average cups of coffee. Despite visiting several of the most loved coffee shops in Seattle, I could only recommend the 5 shared here.
To be honest, I think that Seattle’s reputation as a North American coffee hub is unfounded. While Seattle is the birthplace of Starbucks, the ultimate coffee behemoth, it’s local coffee scene leaves much to be desired. If you want to explore local coffee culture that’s more enjoyable, visit Phoenix or the Bay Area.
What a fun post! I really enjoyed touring through coffee shops. I had no idea that’s where the first Starbucks was either, how interesting!