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Best Cafés in Seattle (2026)

Seattle has a strong coffee culture, and some of its most interesting cafés are also part of its history. The Original Starbucks at 1912 Pike Place keeps its early look and draws crowds of visitors, while Café Allegro in the University District, opened in 1975 and entered from an alley, is often described as the city's first espresso bar. Caffe Vita, founded in 1995, roasts its coffee at its flagship on East Pike Street in Capitol Hill.

Pike Place Market is also the best place for a bakery breakfast. Le Panier has sold French bread and pastries there since 1983 and opens at 7am every day, and Piroshky Piroshky, open since 1992, sells savoury and sweet filled buns to take away. Further afield, Bakery Nouveau in the Alaska Junction of West Seattle is worth the trip for its breads and pastries, though it is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Queues are longest at the market cafés in the middle of the day and at weekends, so go early. Many cafés sell their beans to take home, which makes an easy souvenir, and several are close enough together that you can try two or three in a morning.

6 places · Updated October 27, 2026

Our top 3 cafés in Seattle

  1. Piroshky Piroshky Russian bakery, Pike Place MarketBaking in Pike Place Market since 1992, Piroshky Piroshky is a small Eastern European bakery selling savoury and sweet piroshky and pastries to take away.
  2. Le Panier French bakery, Pike Place MarketA French bakery in Pike Place Market since 1983, Le Panier sells bread, croissants, macarons, éclairs and other pastries, with coffee and espresso, every day.
  3. Original Starbucks (Pike Place) Historic coffee shop, Pike Place MarketTrading at 1912 Pike Place since the 1970s, the Original Starbucks is the company's oldest store, keeping its early look and drawing crowds of visitors.

Café

2. Le Panier

French bakery$Pike Place Market

A French bakery in Pike Place Market since 1983, Le Panier sells bread, croissants, macarons, éclairs and other pastries, with coffee and espresso, every day.

View details — Le Panier

Café

4. Café Allegro

Espresso bar and roastery$University District

Opened in 1975 in an alley in the University District, Café Allegro is one of Seattle's earliest espresso bars and roasts its coffee on site.

View details — Café Allegro