You already know that Seattle has a rich coffee culture, but with many cafes closed and daily routines disrupted, it's harder than ever to take advantage of that abundance. Luckily, there are still plenty of ways to get coffee from local, original roasting companies, which source their beans from sustainably run farms with fair trade practices, roast them right here in the city, and create their own special blends. We've rounded up our favorite local roasters that either have cafes open for takeout or that offer online ordering and delivery of their beans, so you can step up your at-home coffee game. Plus, find out how to support these places in other ways, including donating to virtual barista tip jars, purchasing gift cards, and signing up for weekly or monthly coffee subscriptions.

We've adapted this article from a 2019 piece about The Stranger's favorite original coffee roasters, written by Lester Black, Leilani Polk, and Rich Smith. Some of what they wrote about in-cafe experiences is no longer relevant, but we've kept most of it for context.

Anchorhead

What we said: The blocks around Westlake Park can feel like a special type of hell as you navigate between tweakers begging for money and people from Marysville doing the Suburbanite Shuffle (walking from Old Navy to the Cheesecake Factory to Gameworks). But nearly hidden in a set back office tower is the coffee oasis that is Anchorhead. Everything is tasty here. The lattes are as good as anywhere in Seattle. The espresso is excellent, especially on the house's Leviathan Blend. And at the center of Anchorhead's bar sits the Poursteady, a $12,500 pour-over coffee robot that perfectly executes your next single origin, natural washed roast. LESTER BLACK

Cafe status: Closed

How to support them in lockdown: Order whole bean coffee online for delivery. Choose your favorite roast (like the Leviathan Blend that Lester suggests), or choose the Roaster's Choice box—new subscriptions are 15% off. You can also purchase gift cards for future use, or shop merch, like their brand-new "Be Good to Baristas" T-shirts and hoodies, all proceeds from which will go to Anchorhead's laid-off staff.


Broadcast Coffee

What we said: Idaho-transplant-turned-Seattleite Barry Faught left his lucrative corporate job to open Broadcast, named in honor of his dad, Bill Bailey, a beloved Boise area broadcaster. Nearly 11 years later, there are now three locations, including the roasting studio and cafe that opened in 2017 on Jackson and 25th. The inside of all three feels clean, bright, and modern while still coming off as warm and welcoming. And the coffee speaks for itself—their beans are roasted in small batches and have become popular enough to be sold wholesale, the flavor rich and indulgent like a dark-chocolate truffle by Godiva. Broadcast brews can also be found at Ghost Note Coffee on Capitol Hill. LEILANI POLK

Cafe status: Open for takeout daily, except Tuesdays. The Jackson location is also serving fried egg breakfasts from Wednesdays through Saturdays. Ghost Note is also still open for takeout.

How (else) to support them in lockdown: Check out their online store, which includes their limited "Gimme Shelter" blend that's good for "happy pets" and "binge watching TV," Broadcast-branded mugs, gift cards, and coffee subscriptions.


Caffe Umbria

What we said: Italians don't drink coffee sitting down. They drink their shot of espresso while standing at a local cafe counter, exchanging gossip for 5 or 10 minutes before carrying on about their day. So the long counter at Caffe Umbria's Pioneer Square shop is the first clue that they are following the Italian tradition. The second clue is the expertly extracted espresso and their syrupy-sweet dark roasted beans. Try their Gusto Crema roast, a delightfully saccharine mix of chocolate and dried fruit, no sugar required. LESTER BLACK

Cafe status: Closed

How to support them in lockdown: Shop online for home delivery—choose from bagged coffee, Nespresso pods, cold brew concentrate, gift cards, and more. You can also donate directly to your favorite barista's personal Venmo, CashApp, or PayPal accounts through their virtual tip jar.


Caffe Vita

What we said: Mike McConnell has managed to do the seemingly impossible with Caffe Vita: He's expanded his Seattle coffee shop to be a national-level chain without simultaneously devolving it into corporate garbage. [Ed. note: Caffe Vita is now headed by Deming Maclise.] Vita has coffee shops in Los Angeles and Brooklyn, yet the Capitol Hill headquarters is still a dark den of artists and writers drinking coffee inside and smoking cigarettes at the small cafe tables outside. LESTER BLACK

Cafe status: Closed

How to support them in lockdown: Vita's made the news for their "We Got This Seattle" COVID-19 Relief Blend—$2 from each bag sold goes to coronavirus relief efforts. You can also order other bagged coffees, K-cups, home brewing equipment, tea, merch, and gift cards online, sign up for a coffee delivery subscription (new orders are 15% off), and donate to their virtual barista tip jar. Aside from their website, you can also find Vita's bagged coffee through other retailers, including Westman's Bagel and Coffee (which will deliver whole bean coffee along with your BEC) and the new startup delivery service NW Bakery Box.


Conduit Coffee

What we said: You could drive by Conduit Coffee a hundred times without noticing its existence amid that thin stretch of industrial buildings along Westlake Avenue near the Fremont Bridge. Inside, a small team of Seattle coffee veterans roasts batches of beans for their expertly crafted coffee, like the nutty, lightly roasted yet full-bodied Locofocos Espresso blend. LESTER BLACK

Cafe status: Closed

How to support them in lockdown: Order beans or start a subscription online. Conduit is operating on limited roasting hours and shipping on Mondays only, so orders must be submitted by Sunday for delivery the following week.


Elm Coffee Roasters

What we said: Elm Coffee Roasters has quickly established itself as one of the city's best purveyors of delicately roasted beans since they opened their Pioneer Square shop in 2013. Try their Ethiopia Tabe Burka, a roast that's full of subtle fruit notes like lime and pineapple, or enjoy the dark chocolate notes of their Colombia Maria del Rosario. Both of Elm's cafes are elegantly designed with lots of natural light and stylish understated notes. LESTER BLACK

Cafe status: Open for curbside pickup and takeout—they've marked out social distancing-friendly spots to stand in line

How (else) to support them in lockdown: Shop beans, merch like sweatshirts and hats, gift cards for both online and in-store purchases, and home brewing equipment online—they're offering free standard shipping on all domestic orders, and free priority shipping on orders of $50 or more. You can also start a coffee subscription.


Espresso Vivace

What we said: Espresso Vivace and its founder, David Schomer, changed the way Americans drink espresso. Schomer opened Vivace in 1988 and then published a coffee manifesto in 1995, Espresso Coffee: Professional Techniques, that introduced the world to a range of coffee styles and skills, including the practice of latte art. Have you seen baristas putting flowery swirls and heart shapes into your latte? Schomer is the reason this practice has become standard for baristas across the country. His book has been translated into four languages and is now in its fourth printing. And the espresso at Vivace is as good as ever. LESTER BLACK

Cafe status: Closed

How to support them in lockdown: Shop roasted and unroasted coffee, Vivace-branded porcelain coffee cups, travel mugs, and more online. You can also buy the 2013 edition of the book that made Vivace famous, or join the Single Origin Club to get different single origin coffees shipped to you each week.


Herkimer Coffee

What we said: Coffee snobs tell me I'm supposed to like "bright" flavors in my espresso, but when I'm buying fancy coffee, I prefer the nutty, chocolaty notes offered by Herkimer coffees. I especially like a cold brew made from the drip blend. Something about the slow cold-brewing process pulls out the hazelnut punch of the roasted beans. Plus, the places on Capitol Hill that serve Herkimer—Analog Coffee and Porchlight Coffee—happen to be coolest cafes in the neighborhood. RICH SMITH

Cafe status: Closed; Porchlight and Analog are still open for takeout

How to support them in lockdown: Order whole bean coffee for delivery, or place an order to pick it up at their Phinney retail location between 1-3 pm on weekdays. You can also order apparel, ceramics, travel mugs, and gift cards online, or sign up for a subscription.


Lighthouse Roasters

What we said: The Fremont-area corner cafe that houses Lighthouse Roasters is cozy and functional—giant bags of beans are stacked in the back near the vintage cast-iron roaster where the beans are hand-roasted daily in view of cafe patrons, who drop in for drip coffee and lattes made with Lighthouse's creamy milk-chocolaty blend. It's the sort of coffee that serves as the perfect introduction to Seattle brews for the uninitiated (i.e., your parents who are visiting from Florida). LEILANI POLK

Cafe status: Closed

How to support them in lockdown: Order whole bean coffee or grounds customized to your at-home setup for delivery ($5 flat-rate local delivery) or free in-store pickup between 9 am-5 pm daily. You can also buy mugs, tumblers, and gift cards to be used exclusively for online purchases.


QED

What we said: The coffee served out of this math-inspired micro-roaster cafe is robust with nutty, caramel, and cocoa notes, and the name comes from the Latin phrase "quod erat demonstrandum," which translates to "what was to be shown," a technical notation at the end of math proofs. It's clear that Matt Greenfield's one-time side venture is making itself shown. After just four years of operating, the original Mount Baker brick-and-mortar location (worth visiting just so you can drink your cup while enjoying the stunning view from Mount Baker Ridge viewpoint across the street) now has a sister shop a few blocks from Seattle Center. On a side note, it's one of the few places you get four espresso shots in a 16-ounce latte—as it should be. LEILANI POLK

Cafe status: The Mount Baker cafe is open for takeout orders as of April 13, and is also selling toilet paper and other household items. They recommend ordering ahead through the Joe coffee app. The Queen Anne cafe is closed.

How (else) to support them in lockdown: Shop bagged coffee, mugs, home brewing products, and gift cards online. You can also leave virtual tips for QED employees through Venmo (@qed-barista-fund) or PayPal (Qedbaristafund@qedcoffee.com).


Seattle Coffee Works

What we said: One of the only active coffee roasters in downtown, Seattle Coffee Works roasts expressive and ethically sourced coffees inside their cafe just steps away from Pike Place Market. Coffee Works is serious about coffee ethics—their yearly "authenticity report" tracks their direct purchasing relationships with their coffee growers and they provide health care and benefits to their employees. The four Coffee Works cafes don't accept any tips, because the cost of benefits and a living wage are already built into your coffee's price. Does all of that morality make their coffee taste better? I think so. LESTER BLACK

Cafe status: Closed

How to support them in lockdown: Order coffee online for delivery. They've announced that if you order two or more bags, the promo code "community" will get you free shipping (though, as they also suggest, you can choose to leave it off in order to kick them an extra donation). You can also contribute to their pay-it-forward fund to help give a free bag of coffee to hospitality workers who've been laid off. Subscriptions are also available.


Slate Coffee

What we said: Slate is for the flavor fiends. Do you like your coffee brutalized into dark-roasted submission of burnt flavor Ă  la Starbucks' French Roast? Slate is not for you. This roaster and coffee shop seems to find a way to roast their beans as lightly as possible, creating coffees that show incredible nuance. Did I just taste green tea? Soy? Wood and almonds? Slate coffees invite you to think and consider each shade of flavor. Especially if you opt for one of their natural washed roasts, which they seem to be experts at creating. This young roastery has quickly spread from one location in Ballard to an empire of discerning outposts featuring cold and clean interior design in the U-District and Pioneer Square. LESTER BLACK

Cafe status: Closed

How to support them in lockdown: Order coffee and brewing equipment online (get 20% off with promo code COFFEE-19) or sign up for a subscription.


And then some...

There are so many other places that we didn't have the space to wax poetic about when we originally published this in print but that are worth mentioning:

  • Cafe Allegro, the local coffee shop said to be the inspiration for Starbucks (closed, but bean delivery and gift cards available)

  • Cherry Street Coffee, the omnipresent and dependable downtown coffee chain (open for takeout and bean pickup)

  • Victrola Coffee—according to Sean Nelson, "15th Avenue became a neighborhood when Victrola opened" (open for takeout and online bean, merch, and gift card orders)

  • Caffe Ladro, the OG Seattle coffee chain by Jack Kelly, its name literally translating to "coffee thief" (most cafes are still open for takeout and online coffee ordering is available, including their "We're In This Together" COVID-19 relief blend)

  • La Marzocco, the espresso machine showroom and cafe at KEXP's community space, supplied by rotating coffee roasters (closed, but current Seattle-based featured roaster Fulcrum Coffee offers bean delivery, subscriptions, and takeout at their Mountaintops Cafe)

  • True North, offering unique small batch in-season craft coffee (online orders of beans and brewing equipment available)

  • FontĂ©, the only one of these roasters that has expanded to Ireland (online ordering for bagged coffee and Uptown Espresso available)