Photographing and drinking my way through café after café is a price I’m willing to pay. 

There are those special hole-in-the-walls types of places that you either discover by yourself, or those you only hear about and never try. Well Seattleites, promise me that you will not pass by Pike and 6th ever again without trying Monorail Espresso. By the looks of this tiny espresso stand it it does not seem all that special, but when you take a chance, you realize its truly a gem. I had a great americano with awesome crema, but what made it even greater was the old man behind the bar who served it to me. The old man’s name is Costa and he is from Bulgaria. He was so kind, and you could tell he took great pride in making his customers the perfect drink. He works on the weekends and he told me that when I work downtown he would make a drink just for me. How sweet is that?!! I left with an awesome americano in my hands and a smile on my face. Isn’t that how it should be when you get a cup of coffee? 

If you want to discover this place for yourself, their hours are:

Monday-Friday 6am-6pm

Saturday-Sunday 9am-5pm

Maintenant, I am sitting in a warm nook upstairs in Joe Bar (Capitol Hill) drinking my delicious americano and eating an authentic nutella and chantilly crêpe. The atmosphere here is so inviting. The old dark wood banisters and antique light fixtures along the wall make you feel like you stumbled on a place you remember from childhood. This place is perfect for an intimate conversation with ton petit-ami, conversations with your friends, or simply, a place to read or study. But for whatever reason you are here , make sure you try their delicious crêpes. They have everything from ham and gruyere to lemon and sugar with fresh fruit. Also the coffee is amazing, best crema on my americano.

Trust me, this will be your new place to adore. Bisou bisou mes chéris.

For more information on location and hours, check out Joe Bar’s website: http://www.joebar.org/