At Caffé Zingaro, on any given night, you just might be sitting next to a ballerina, Rat City Roller Girl, poet, or regular Seattle coffee lover like myself.
Caffé Zingaro is a decade old café that is nestled in Lower Queen Anne, and caters to a variety of coffee-loving customers. Their proximity to the Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Center, and Key Arena bring in both locals and tourists alike.
Laura, one of café’s friendly baristas, told me that she loves the café’s space and location and enjoys meeting new customers that come in every day.
I found the café to be warm, inviting, offering a great place to relax with a cup of coffee – and it has some of the friendliest baristas in Seattle.
The great customer service at Caffé Zingaro is no accident.
James Ly, who has owned Caffé Zingaro for eight years has owed his success to personalized customer service, a tradition he gives credit to his parents.
“My parents owned a bakery whose customers were all regulars. It was basically a big group of friends. As I got older, I wanted to create the same atmosphere and follow parents’ roots of quality and service,” said James.
While having delivering consistently great coffee by Lighthouse Coffee Roasters, James tells me that it’s really all about the customer. Everything from the coffee to the hiring his baristas are essential to competing in this coffee town.
“There’s a coffee shop on every corner here in Seattle,” James said. “It starts with the people you have. It’s about the staff and the atmosphere you create – They (the staff) have to be able to like to people, like the place, and create a good vibe.” James added.
“I’d wait three years to hire the right barista. A barista who has the right personality is the key to excellent customer service. I mean the barista who is eager to learn, who is open-minded and friendly. I was lucky to find people like this and now we are a great team together,” he said.
With local art displayed and poetry groups coming in and sharing their craft, Caffé Zingaro offers an elegant community space that is loved by the neighborhood regulars.
Of course, there is always room for new customers. I asked James what new customers can expect from Zingaro?
“They can expect a great cup coffee, pastries, and a good experience,” James said.
I’d have to agree. Caffé Zingaro is a wonderful café with excellent coffee and I hope to be back soon.
Oh and by the way, Zingaro means “gypsy” in Italian!
Address: 127 Mercer St, Seattle, WA
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