Caffe Vita Coffee Roasting

Seattle has a coffee scene. You probably know this. And every so often, one of the Pacific Northwest greats decides to plant a flag somewhere else which is exactly how Phoenix ended up with Caffe Vita. They started in Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle back in 1995, became one of those names serious coffee people just know and now they roast right here too. You can actually watch them do it from behind the glass.

The room is a vibe. Wood panels on the walls, dark hardwood floors, black ceilings and so many windows. The seating mix is dialed in. Tables when you need to work, a leather tufted sofa when you want to sink, leather accent chairs when you want to feel a little fancy. It is spacious, chic and cozy all at once.

Now to the coffee, because this is where Caffe Vita earns the hype. Heads up on the latte situation. Three sizes, same shot count across the board. So size up and you are basically buying more milk. I asked the barista which one was the sweet spot and he said medium without hesitation. Medium it was. And what a call.

You get two espresso choices. The flagship Caffe Del Sol Blend (the 1995 OG, medium roasted, pulling from Brazil Natural, Ethiopia Natural and Guatemala Washed), or whatever rotating guest bean they are spotlighting. Peru single origin on my visit. I went with the flagship because I wanted to know what the house actually tastes like, and oh man.

The latte came out velvety. Silky. Heavy in that good way like it has something to say. Milk chocolate and caramel did most of the talking blending with the milk into what tasted like warm liquid dessert without a drop of syrup involved. Then the Ethiopia natural portion of the blend snuck in with a dark cherry note that the dairy turned into something closer to a chocolate covered cherry. The finish lingered sweet and clean. No burn. No bitter ash. No coffee shop sadness. Just a long, slow caramel goodbye.

Their Theo Blend is the other signature and I am hoping it shows up in the shop sometime so I can try it.

We also tried the Ginger Lemonade. It was fine. Sour, a little shy on sweetness, refreshing in a "wake me up" sort of way. Not the headline act. Quick bonus, the flavor syrups here are mostly house made. Always a good thing.

The pastry case is sneaky good. Everything is from Chaconne Patisserie run by James Beard semifinalist Mark Chacon (the man trained at Tartine and Chez Panisse). So your morning latte has a worthy dance partner.

The baristas here are pros. Skilled, friendly, ready to walk you through the menu without making you feel like you are taking a test. A portion of every coffee bag sold goes to non-profits working on youth and homelessness, which is a nice thing to know. And every so often they host cupping events, if you have ever wanted to slurp coffee out of a tiny spoon while a professional teaches you why it tastes like blueberries.

Caffe Vita is Seattle showing up in the desert, dressed to impress and somehow not breaking a sweat.