Seattle Coffee With Style: The Arabica Lounge on Olive Way

Arabica Lounge in Seattle is Now Closed

If you’re headed down Olive Way towards downtown most likely you’ll see the Arabica Lounge on your right.

Though the Arabica Lounge gives off the vibe of being “upscale” because of its modern decor, elegant art, straight lines and “open” feeling, it is really quite a mellow place to hang out in for a couple of hours and soak the energy of this corner of Seattle.

I nearly always enjoy the music choices they play, which is a mellow-jazzy lounge mix that seems to gel with writing and good conversation. Yes, the place is artsy, fartsy, and beatnikish, but I think it’s actually quite classy – and it adds to the diversity of coffee shops that Seattle offers. After all, we can’t expect Gorillaz playing in every coffee shop in this city, right?

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Unlike other “lounges” this place really stands by its name – and it’s quite welcoming for people to just hang out and enjoy people watching (which on Denny and Olive can be entertaining) or simply getting your work done online. Certainly, the place attracts its share of writers, online browsers, professionals, and local artists all living and sipping espresso under one modernly designed roof.

On this day, Barista and the chief vibe officer, Jojo, made an excellent espresso with Stumptown Coffee Beans, which I enjoyed with an in-house baked rosemary chocolate cookie. The espresso was excellent and the cookie incredible. In fact, everything they offer is made in house, which means fresher and tastier than most pre-packaged goods.

I admire cafes like the Arabica Lounge who take the time, make the effort, and share the love when it comes to their baking for their customers. In the long run, it often means that business will be a more responsive to the changing tastes of their customers. Using fresh, local ingredients with less packaging, is always a positive thing for me and other patrons.

While the Arabica Lounge is in fact a coffee shop, they also offer a surprisingly deep menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner choices with their coffee, bottled beer, and a small selection of wine. The place gets 4 out of 5 stars in my book for their well-served coffee, customer service, and delightful ambiance.

Location: 1550 E Olive Way (Corner of Denny)

Neighborhood: Capitol Hill

Free Wifi

Parking: Street Parking

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