A Serious Roastery In A Serious Coffee Town

Let's play the word association game for just a moment. The word is Seattle, what first comes to mind? The answer should be coffee (or maybe Nirvana, for some). This Pacific Northwest metropolis is rich with culture and history steeped in the stuff, and thus the city is a treasure trove of truly exceptional roasteries and coffee houses. (Need we remind you that Starbucks started here?)

Located in the heart of Capitol Hill is the widely acclaimed Victrola Roastery and Cafe. Seattle is a city known for taking coffee very seriously, and this roaster and cafe has quite a lot to do with that. Most recently Victrola has garnered attention for its involvement with Nathan Myhrvold's super-cookbook, Modernist Cuisine. The photos included in the book's chapter on coffee were taken at Victrola.

Since all the coffee is roasted on the premesis, the results are fresh and sweet without a hint of the bitter aftertaste that often accompanies over-roasted beans. The best thing to do is grab a table (if you're lucky, since it's pretty packed most of the time) and watch the baristas work their magic.