While visiting Seattle, we had to visit a few Starbucks stores, since it did originate from Seattle. And no matter what some people say, we enjoy a cup of whatever the drinks they have from Starbucks every now and then. The first one we visited was one of the regular Starbucks stores, on Pike Street. It had colorful rainbow leading to the entrance of the Starbucks store. How fun!

So, we walked on the rainbow and went inside. What awaited us at the end of the rainbow was a small store with long wood counter table in the middle. It was clean, organized and with a nice amount of natural light coming in from the windows. They had Seattle and Washington State themed mugs and tumblers, which were really cute! I considered purchasing one, but decided to give myself a day or two to decide…

They had usual offerings of drinks and food. The food and dessert offerings were neatly displayed on the counter. I felt like they had more baked goods offerings than some other Starbucks that I’ve visited at other location outside of Seattle… They all looked really good to me!

After visiting a regular Starbucks store, it was time to visit their Reserve location. We visited Starbucks Reserve in NYC (you can read about it here: http://www.foodlovergirl.com/starbucks-reserve/), but when I mentioned that to the locals, they kind of…well, they made me think that it is not the same thing. The one here is called Reserve Roastery and the moment we walked in, we could clearly see the difference.

I gotta say, the first word the came out of my mouth when I entered was “wow!” It was HUGE inside, enormous even. Within the first second or so, a staff greeted us with a nice, welcoming smile. He gave us a quick information on what they are and do, and what they offer. It felt almost like a fancy museum or boutique in here.

And they get to have the word “Roastery” in their name because they do roast coffee in here. They had gigantic roastery equipment in here. The equipment was really large, taking up almost two stories high. It was impressive.

The roasting area is where their Master Roasters ply their craft. The coffee is a form of art, which they take very seriously here. They use the “perfect combination of time and heat to help ensure each coffee’s ultimate expression.”

Straight from the entrance was their Main Bar. It was a long oval shape, with “coffee masters” in the middle. You can either order whatever the coffee or espresso of your preference, or ask the coffee master to make a suggestion based on what kind of coffee you like. Their coffee is made with their rarest, freshest coffee beans. The bar was quite interesting with modern design. And guess what? It was manufactured and handcrafted in New York of solid teak and stone marbles. Oh yeah, New York contributed to this magnificent roastery. And if you find a coffee that you really like, you get the beans by scoopful from their Scooping Bar.

 

They have a lower level from the main entrance. They have a large seating area and an Experience Bar. If you are a true coffee lover and want to know more about coffee craft and innovation, this is where you go. You get to have deep sensory experience of coffee from coffee masters. They will explain brew methods, origin of beans, and some other coffee stories that will help heighten your appreciation for coffee.

 

Off to the right of the Experience Bar, they had a small, semi-private room. It was a Coffee Library with more than 200 books on coffee. It can be used as a meeting room as well. Since the room is surrounded by windows instead of walls, you get to have a nice view of the Roasting Station from upstairs.

If you want more than just coffee or espresso, they have that ready for you! On the main level, to the right of the entrance is a large souvenir shop area. Off to the side, they have a Mixology Bar. This is where “the art, science, craft and theater of mixology come to life.” They offer all sorts of cocktails with coffee or espresso in it. They also offer wines, aperitivo, sparkling, beer, cider and more.

And don’t worry about having those delicious drinks on empty stomach, they have that covered too! At the back of the souvenir shop, they have a large eatery section called Princi with a good varieties of food.

They offer artisanal pizzas, salads, soups and sandwiches, some breakfast and lunch dishes…

Pastries, artisan breads, and yes, handmade desserts! They had some cakes including tiramisu which I really thought about getting to honor Tom Hanks (if you are a fan, you know the reference of tiramisu in Seattle).

If you are not interested in food, they do have all sorts of souvenirs that you can purchase only here at Reserve Roastery with their logo on it. They had t-shirts, mugs, pens, notebooks… So many items!

The last Starbucks we visited was one and only, THE original Starbucks in Pike Place. The first Starbucks opened in 1971, in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market. The name Starbucks was inspired by the novel Moby Dick, “evoked the romance of the high seas and the seafaring tradition of the early coffee traders.” The first time we walked by the store, the line was ridiculously long. It was a nice weekend afternoon, so it was filled with tourists. So, we went back during the weekday, and the line was still long but not as long as the weekend line. There was a very friendly staff at the door, letting few people in at a time, as few people leaves the store. Very good way to keep the store from overcrowding. 

The staff also handed out “souvenir” menu to the first few customers in line outside, so that we can see what they sell beforehand. With that, you can order your drink with the souvenir, and the barista inside will get the merchandise for you. Once you enter the store, there is a short line in the inside. Once the barista becomes available, he/she will raise his/her hand and you move up. Order, get your stuff, wait for your stuff, and done.

I had my special gold Starbucks card, but that didn’t get me anything special… And no, this is not that kind of “free Starbucks coffee for the rest of your life” kind of card. Anyways, we got the coffee that they offer only at this spot called Pike Place Roast. Very fitting. It was smooth, balanced and rich.

We also decided to get the mugs that are also only available at this location. We got the one with their original logo, and the one with Pike Place design on it.

After visiting three Starbucks locations, I think we covered the basics. All the locations had something different to offer, and it was quite the fun experience. The staffs were friendly, polite and welcoming as well at all locations, which made the experience sweeter. I am glad I got to see the original Starbucks, it was pretty cool. And, I heard that they are building another Starbuck Reserve in NYC. This one is not just the “Reserve” but actual “Reserve Roastery” which will be interesting to visit, and we don’t have to get on a plane to get there.

 

Starbucks – 824 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122

Starbucks Reserve Roastery -1124 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101

Starbucks Pike Place – 1912 Pike Place, Seattle, WA 98101