Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room

Seattle is such an amazing city. There is so much to see and plenty of activities to keep you busy for a few days. One of our favorite things about Seattle is that it's a foodie heaven! When in Seattle we typically eat plenty of good food and drink lots of delicious coffee. The last several times we have been in Seattle, we make it a point to visit the Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room. You might be thinking what's so special about a Starbucks with a fancy name?

Starbucks Reserve Roastery

Well think again because the Starbucks Reserve Roastery is a very unique experience. Located on Capitol Hill, the unique design and huge windows make it hard to miss. Upon entering the Roastery, you are quickly greeted by very modern and industrial finishes. As you might already know, Starbucks Reserve Coffee are one-of-a-kind rare lots of coffee that are hand selected from local farmers around the world.

There are several areas to explore in the Roastery, including the self guided tour of coffee being roasted, a coffee library and an overlook upstairs where you can grab some great pictures when coffee is being roasted and packaged. You have probably seen packages of the Starbucks Reserve Coffee at your local Starbucks (they have a gold star on the packaging typically).

There is also all kind of merchandise for sale including coffee brewing gear, swag and packages of coffee. We always snag a couple bags of coffee as it's our souvenirs from our travels.

Tasting Room

If you want to sit down and rest your feet, you can sit down at any table and generally a Starbucks partner will come over to take your order. You can also place your order by going to the main coffee bar located closest to the entrance. This place is always packed. We have visited during different times of the year and different times of the day and you always have to hover to find a seat.

But don't let the chaos and the amount of people deter you from trying some of the amazing coffee and food that the Tasting Room has to offer. You can get anything from black coffee to Roastery creations to hot chocolate and even ice cream with shots of espresso in it. They always seem to have something new, particularly when it comes to the food.

Our Most Recent Visit

On our most recent visit, the reserve roastery was packed so we decided to split up so we could double our odds of finding a spot to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee and a snack. There is a lower part of the roastery and the upper part where you enter. One of us stayed in the upper part and one of us went to the lower part. Within about five minutes, we were able to snag two cozy chairs close to the fireplace. Sitting inside close to the windows and the fireplace enjoying a delicious coffee was a perfect afternoon break.

When we started drinking coffee several years ago, our taste preferences have changed tremendously. If you are a true coffee connoisseur, then you will appreciate the offerings here. This time when visiting the Tasting Room we decided to be very basic. We opted for a cup of the Pantheon Blend which had flavors of toasted almond, graham cracker, and bittersweet chocolate. Along with the coffee we got a grilled cheese. The grilled cheese was made with the famous Beecher's Handmade Cheese, another place you need to checkout down at Pike's Place Market. Needless to say this was probably one of the best basic grilled cheese sandwiches we have ever had.

So next time you are in Seattle, definitely make sure the Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room is on your agenda!

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