Caffe D'arte

We became regulars at Caffe D'Arte for a week and a half while staying at the Moore Hotel in Seattle on vacation. Their coffees are fantastic (says my boyfriend), and I fell in love with their awesome decaffeinated chai tea (which is sold on Post Alley down the street). \r \r The service is amazingly friendly - after a couple of days, they remembered our order and always engaged in small talk while making our beverages. On the last day of our trip, they actually gave us our drinks at no cost. \r \r It also happened to be the least expensive of any coffee vendor we crossed paths with in the Seattle area. Almost nothing on their menu (drink-wise) exceeds $2.00, which surely can not be said for Starbucks/Tully's/Seattle's Best. \r \r We actually considered having our photo taken with our barista before we left, but let's face it...that's just creepy. Anyways, Caffe D'Arte - where it's at for awesome coffee and teas in the Seattle area. It's just up the street from Pike Place Market on the corner of 2nd and Stewart (?). Pros: Awesome service and quality more

Caffe D'Arte's five espresso roasts and their excellent decaffeinated blend are as different from every other espresso option in Seattle as a full-color movie is from a black-and-white newspaper photograph. I did not know the full potential of espresso until I tasted this espresso. The shop is handsome and unassuming; the focus is on the coffee rather than on any sort of youth-culture image. Taste the coffee; you won't need the image. The baristas whom my wife and I met were friendly and well-trained, eager to educate about their excellent coffee but without any superiority complex. The only nearly comparable espresso I have found is Illy, and Caffe D'Arte is as good at half the price. Pros: Best coffee. Well-trained baristas. Fast shipping. Half-pound bags available for order. Cons: Not in Maryland. more