Coffee on the Ave – (1) Café Allegro

Posted on Mar 7, 2009 in Coffee | 0 comments

First, some background: I now work at the University of Washington in the Registrar’s office (2nd floor Schmitz Hall). I attended the UW as a student and spent many a lunch time scouring University Way for food and coffee. And that’s the last time you’ll hear (read?) me referring to the street by its proper name… which nobody calls it. It’s “The Ave.” Much of my time these days is spent consulting and working on side projects, and what better place to do that than at a coffee shop? Since I’ve been frequenting these establishments a lot recently, I thought I’d share my impressions. So keep an eye out for reviews of coffee shops on or around the Ave in the coming weeks.

Café Allegro

cafeallegromusic.com | Map and info

Coffee

The coffee at Allegro is good. Not mind-blowingly good, but certainly decent. Probably 3.5 out of 5 beans, to coin a silly rating system.  I’ve had their lattes, mochas, and drip coffee.

• Beans – The serve Browns Coffee; not a roaster I’d heard of before, but is fair trade certified so that’s good.
• Milk – They use Meadowsweet milk, which I know because it’s easy to see everything going on as the barista makes your drink.
• Mocha – Yes, definitely at Allegro. They use powdered Ghirardelli cocoa that they pour the shots into, add some milk and stir, finishing with milk to the top of the cup. Sweet, but not overly so.
• Container – To go cups are plain white paper. Drinks enjoyed on site are served in glass mugs with a handle (tall) or cardboard sleeve (grande).

Prices

Like most coffee shops, Allegro’s not cheap. A tall latte (my usual beverage) runs $3.15. Make it a mocha and you’ll pay $3.40. Tall drip is $1.65. On the good side, though, all their espresso drinks include two shots, which sort of evens the playing field when it comes to tall beverages. Interestingly, all menu prices include tax.

Watch out if you pay by debit or credit: there’s a 25-cent surcharge (or, as a sign on the register states, there’s “a discount for cash.” It’s all about perspective, I suppose).

Service

The baristas I’ve encountered seem nice, and the atmosphere is laid back. On more than one occasion, though, i’ve had to wait while the barista chats with the customer paying. I’m all for friendly interactions (isn’t that what a coffeeshop should have?) but it’s frustrating to wait behind someone talking to the barista after they’ve ordered, had their drink made, and paid. Also, with the barista usually responsible for ringing up customers (at least when I’m there around lunchtime) it can be slow. I typically get a table and set up shop and wait for the line to die down before going for my beverage.

Location

Allegro claims to be the oldest coffee shop in Seattle; not sure about that but it’s definitely been around a long, long time. It’s located down an alley off 42, just off the Ave. Not the easiest place to find under the best of circumstances, but right now its worse due to massive construction next door. You’ve got to squeeze yourself past dumpsters and cranes and consturction workers to get to the place.

Once you do, though, you can sit in one of three main areas. There’s the main lobby near the coffee bar (I’ve never sat there). A small hallway opens to the back room, which is nice and where I spend most of my time. There’s also an upstairs area that is completely disconnected from the main area. You have to go outside, then up a flight of stairs to reach it. It’s cool up there and even has a deck and is usually much less busy. (Apparently they have live music there on Friday nights, hence the name of their website.) Thankfully, the WiFi works fine up there. Allegro has two networks for better coverage, which is a nice touch.

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