Ala's Cafe

Seattle’s Cafe Avole to Open New Location at the Liberty Bank Building | Eater Seattle

"I've watched Cafe Avole grow over five years in Brighton from a grocery-store espresso cart into an Ethiopian coffee shop and roaster: in 2016 co-owner Solomon Dubie used funds from a successful Indiegogo campaign to transform the former Rainier Mini Mart into the Rainier Avenue space. The menu focuses on Ethiopian roasts brewed through traditional methods and offers snacks such as pastries, ambasha, and ful medames (a fava bean stew). Beyond the coffee, Dubie and co-owners Gavin Amos and Getachew Enbiale have worked to be a positive force in the community — serving free food during the pandemic, supporting other area businesses through pop-ups, and partnering with local nonprofits like Nurturing Roots to address food insecurity — and their planned expansion into the Liberty Bank Building this spring feels like a big, exciting step for the neighborhood." - Gabe Guarente