Espresso Vivace Capitol Hill
Espresso bar · Capitol Hill
532 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102
Highlights
Pioneer espresso bar known for smooth, caramel-like espresso.
Pioneer espresso bar known for smooth, caramel-like espresso.
"We typically try to avoid superlatives, but Vivace on Capitol Hill makes the best espresso in the city. It’s the kind of place that puts a lot of care into their coffee—they’ll even replace your ristretto shot for free if you drop it all over the sidewalk right after walking out with it (this has certainly not happened to us). There's always a constant buzz of activity, but it's never so crowded that you'll find it hard to concentrate. And if the weather is pleasant, they'll raise a garage door which gives the whole cafe an open-air feel." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"Vivace makes the best espresso in town, so it’s no surprise that this stuff also tastes excellent when dropped into a glass of cold milk with the best type of ice (a.k.a. the flat chips known as crescent cubes). Between that, fresh dairy, and a pump of velvety homemade chocolate sauce or caramel, this is a summer standard that should be in your car’s cup holder at all times." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"If we judged an espresso bar solely on how much Dr. Frasier Crane would appreciate it, Vivace is enough to make the man shout, “Life is a banquet!” But this isn’t just a Capitol Hill pinkies-up spot trapped in the ‘90s—it’s definitively the best coffee shop in Seattle. That’s thanks to house-roasted beans, smooth ristretto pulls, and a deep dedication to the science behind using porcelain cups. Plus, a double-shot tastes just as fancy and rich as an iced mocha sloshed with chocolate sauce." - aimee rizzo, gabe guarente
"As far as coffee shops go, Dr. Frasier Crane would approve of Vivace’s espresso. That is, if he were a real person and Cafe Nervosa went out of business. Vivace’s ristretto shots are less bitter than a lot of others you’ll find in the city, and they’re serious about porcelain drinkware here. On a hot day, an iced mocha (layered with homemade vegan chocolate sauce) sips like a pile of melted Fudgesicles." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"Going to Vivace is a pilgrimage. This is the coffee shop owned by David Schomer, an espresso innovator whose book Espresso Coffee: Professional Techniques had a profound impact on the industry. Vivace was one of the first shops in the country to do latte art, and while these days you can get espresso drinks topped with foam flowers all over the city, there’s something special about coming here. Vivace lost its old beloved sidewalk espresso bar last year, but the cafe inside the Brix building on Broadway is still going strong. While you wait in line for your drink, check out the big board describing the history of espresso." - Harry Cheadle
