Kitanda Espresso & Acai - Greenlake

Great options for small bites, coffee, and fantastic Portuguese bread! The Açaí bowl was a little pricey, and the topping options were limited, but still very good. Note that if you add protein to an açaí bowl, they don’t mix it into the base, but this, while strange to me, is clearly stated on the menu. The menu has several other options though of small, fresh sandwiches and breads that are more reasonably priced. They have a small section of Portuguese groceries near the back which was a nice touch — this includes frozen bread to make at home! The staff were very friendly, but the service was a little slow. The space has plenty of small group seating, fitting 2-4 per table. Near greenlake park, and a good place to grab a snack!

I ordered a Ziba Acai bowl with no coconut due to a mild allergy and informed the cashier about it. A few minutes later, I heard the person preparing my order start to call it out, and I believe it was the cashier who reminded them that it wasn’t supposed to have coconut. I didn’t look over, assuming they would have the courtesy to make a new one. When I got home, I realized they had simply scooped most of the coconut out instead of remaking the bowl. As I began eating, I noticed traces of coconut still in the bowl. This was disappointing, as allergies, mild or severe should be taken seriously. I called the store and requested a refund since I couldn’t drive back. They did offer to make another bowl, but I wasn’t able to return.

I paid $12+ for a fist full of smoothie. There are no sizes indicating. I figured it would be a regular sized drink. I am a 5.7 woman. My hand is not large.

Edit 08/2025: haven't had a bad acai for a while, been icy enough! Adding back stars Edit 03/2025: added photo of the workers here not taking orders until noon when I arrived at 11:30, during lunch time... Edit 09/2024: I've been consistently going here for 2 years. The quality of the food heavily depends on who's making it, as the past 2 times I've been there , the acai was very much in liquid form. Edit 05/2022: Since the review the quality has been superb, it's crazy how they improved their service significantly. I still go on Sundays, and the man who works there always makes quality acai. Changing this back to 5 stars. Old review: The quality of the acai differs by who's working that day, but the people working at Sunday noon keeps on putting peanut butter on the Festa bowl and not on the Energy blast. And the acai is all melted.

This was my first time in. I was in the area and wanted and coffee and something to eat. The coffee was good, and looks like they had a ton of food - mostly bread and buns with filling. So I decided to try the ham & cheese bun which was okay… kind of like a huge pizza pocket. I wasn’t expecting it to have a filling like that, I thought it would be more like a sandwich inside with more ingredients. However I would like to go back and try their other food options!!

Love getting breakfast or a snack here. Acai bowls are fantastic and their baked snacks are a fantastic savory treat on the side. They could probably use some more chairs but that being said I've always been able to find seating.

As a brazilian I can say that any place you eat in Brazil will be way, way better than this place. Is actually frustrating want to eat things that you miss and taste that horrible food they serve there. Something with no spices, no taste, no color, so dry that stuck on your throat when you are eating. If you are looking for a taste of our delicious food this place is the worst for it. Rum!!!

I am obsessed with the bread. It's got the best texture I've ever encountered in a bread product, and my 2 favorite things to get are the sausage egg and cheese sandwich and the Nutella bread. I'm pretty sure I've thoroughly enjoyed everything I've eaten there. The coffee is also good, and they do roast their own beans. It's a great little place with interesting Brazilian foods which aren't commonly found elsewhere.

Went here at around 8/9 in the morning and there were about two other guests while we were here. The staff were really nice and friendly and it's a nice spot only a few blocks away from the lake. Overall it was a nice spot and the coffee shake was good and the smoothie was alright, probs wouldn't go back but nothing against it. Mocha -7/10 not too sweet, pretty good. Decent amount of chocolate flavor, not heavy coffee flavor Tropical mango smoothie -6/10. Didn't get a strong mango flavor which I wanted, but it was there and it tasted alright

In the PCC plaza you will find this little coffee shop (dare I call it that). This place is great. The food is great. But has European portions (small), which isn't a bad thing. I can eat a Romeo & Kuliet in about 5"4 small bites. It just teaches me to score the flavors. The secret is in their breads. It's unique to me. Sometime you can just taste healthy. Keep me honest. Try it yourself!

Super friendly service, a fantastic mocha, and the best Brazilian cheese bread! Perfect for a quick breakfast -- they have acai cups and bowls in a variety of flavors (although I wish they used fresh mango instead of dried). I got mochas here twice in a week and it was perfectly sweet, indulgent, and packed a great punch of caffeine. Their greatest hit is their cheese bread though. Love the bite sized ones! Delicately crisp, savory, and filled with delicious melty, chewy, cheesy interior.

great açaí bowls! i got the lena and really enjoyed it also highlyrecommend the original kitanda- it's brazilian cheesy bread that's so yummy!

How I heard of this place: A friend from Brazil introduced us to Kitanda when she was in search of a piece of home, and it's been a place we have returned to ever since. Type of cuisine: All things Brazilian in terms of quick-bite snacks, acai bowls and novelty beverages. Ambiance: Not unlike other coffee shops, the space is run-of-the-mill with an order counter, cashier area and glass encased displays of the available foods/pastries. Dark brown tones, with yellow and purple seem to be the theme of eacf of the establishments we have visited throughout the greater Seattle area. What I ordered: We have ordered everything from acai bowls, to acai smoothies, chicken cones, cheese bread and more. What I loved: The favorites were always the delectable bites of savory goodness - chicken cones and cheese bread, but the acai bowls always taste fresh and full of vibrant life. Why I loved it: It's simple, but new; a great way to enjoy your typical espresso beverages and smoothies, but in a novel treat. Cost: Average

I absolutely love the Kitanda chain (acai bowls are a pinch to find around Seattle!) and the Greenlake location does not disappoint. The Romeo and Juliet ($3.99) was a delicious snack and the Lena bowl ($6.99) was also fresh, well made and yummy. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.

This was my first time in. I was in the area and wanted and coffee and something to eat. The coffee was good, and looks like they had a ton of food - mostly bread and buns with filling. So I decided to try the ham & cheese bun which was okay... kind of like a huge pizza pocket. I wasn't expecting it to have a filling like that, I thought it would be more like a sandwich inside with more ingredients. However I would like to go back and try their other food options!!

The restaurant has a nice comfy feeling to it. The food was okay. I got the Nutella bun. I'd be careful on how you're eating it because it could get messy

Really great açaí bowls and coffee! Picked up a couple "energy blast" bowls and americanos for breakfast and it was the perfect way to start our day! Very friendly staff at this location and speedy service! Thanks guys!

Wow I'll be coming again! Really blown away by their dessert options. Passion fruit mousse and flan were both so rich and flavorful . Açaí bowl was good too!!

Kitanda is in the perfect location, right next to Greenlake. Great place to get something to eat before walking around the beautiful lake. The first time I went here, I tried the chicken cone and a small açaí bowl. The chicken cone was cooked to a perfect temperature, soft on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside. The açaí bowl was a delicious and light dessert filled with wonderful flavors. I was very happy with the food and service here and have been to this place many times.

The first time I came here I found a giant piece of plastic that I nearly choked on in my acai bowl. The owner didn't much care to reach out to me, to see if I was okay. The second and third time (can you believe I came back?): my pre-ordered order of an acai bowl and Romeo & Juliet were done 24 minutes after my specified pick up time. This is absolutely unacceptable when I'm relying on the accuracy of the time and my work schedule. The kicker is both times they forgot my Romeo & Juliet sandwich, and I had to insert myself in a line of people waiting to order to let them know. Then they tell me they're out of that and can refund me. The refund never comes and I have to call several times again to get the $ back. On top of all of this, I've tried getting a hold of the owner on several occasions to share my experience with her instead of writing this review, but she claims she's too busy to take calls. Truly baffling all around. *The response from the owner below is interesting...they refunded me the ~$3 for the item they were out of weeks after it happened. Yet the owner isn't willing to take a 5-minute call from me about the rest of the experience, yet has the time to respond to negative reviews here? Very, very interesting...

Mostly I come here because I've always loves the pao de quejo - the cheese breads. Crusty on the outside, with a chewy, moist interior, savory and delicious. Unfortunately, their quality has declined over the past couple of years, maybe because of slow turnover? Please step up the quality, the last cheese breads I got were hard on the outside and dry interior - very little chewiness.

Love this spot! Clean and usually quiet, it's a good spot to work if you get one of their wooden tables in the back- not so much if they're taken and you're relegated to the wire tables up front haha. The bowls are formidable, recently I got their smaller 6oz Lena and their featured Bread Roll and that was perfect! Their Brazilian latte is very good as well and features condensed milk as the sweetener. It's a bit pricey but the quality is super consistent and the fruit is fresh and delicious! I'd say it's worth it!

No way you order a $10 açaí bowl and have half of it full with açaí. If i'm paying that much money for a bowl, it should be filled to the top.

Gluten Friendly options! Kitanda has my favorite breakfast sandwich around Seattle for a fair price. I always get the turkey sandwich which also has a fresh slice of mozzarella cheese. It's simple and satisfying. For those that haven't tried Brazilian bread yet, it's made from Tapioca flour and has hints of cheese. The outside is crunchy and inside is soft and slightly gummy/chewy. The turkey is salty and the cheese stretches from the sandwich to your mouth with each bite. Mmm! It is SO GOOD! They have other sandwich options too, great coffee, and house made as well as imported Brazilian treats. Definitely worth a try if you're up for something new. It could be your new favorite like it's turned into mine.

Love this Brazilian coffee stop, many coffee drinks to chose from. They also have an assortment of açaí bowls my favorite is the energy blast! There is also an assortment of small bites my favorite is the chicken cones. This place has a great working environment and is in walking distance to green lake and ppc Value 3 Atmosphere 4 Food 4 Staff 5

Absolutely Astonished!! I had the sausage breakfast sandwich!! It was great!!! I will most definitely be back!!

Açaí... the magical superfood that is meant to give you super powers.. or it's just a great marketing ploy to make this delicious fruit special... regardless of the special powers, it's a tasty thing. Kitanda serves it up well with various combinations that inspire you to believe you are now ever more special snowflake than you actually are. The Traditional Bowl is simple, just frozen Açaí on the bottom, with granola and fruit on the top. Yes, it's overly simple, but darn tasty. The perfect taste is a little bit of all three at the same time. That would be ideal in you are looking for something delicious.

Worst service ever. I would not recommend this place to anyone especially not ordering online. They always forget half the order!!! And then they argue if you talk about it to them. They're terrible people who work here. Huge waste of money and time

Look no further for açaí bowls in Seattle! This Brazilian cafe has delicious sandwiches, pastries, coffee shakes, coffee drinks & açaí bowls. Grab a bite at the eclectic spot!

I love this place. They serve authentic Brazilian snacks at reasonable prices, which earns them five stars in my book. It's the only spot in Seattle that offers real Brazilian goodies like coxinhas and pao de queijo to eat in the cafe or take home and bake yourself. The large pao de queijo tasted awesome-- cheesy and chewy the way it should be. I didn't try any of the sandwiches, but it would be hard to go wrong with the Brazilian cream cheese or dulce de leche. The coxinhas were filled with a good amount of chicken and were dairy free, so my lactose intolerant partner could enjoy them. The coxinhas were pretty good, but he liked the kibe even more. I'm not a kibe fan so stuck to the pretty good coxinhas and decent brigadero. I'll definitely be back to satisfy my Brazilian food cravings for as long as I live in Seattle. Please also start serving fried polenta!

Love this place and love that they're expanded to so many locations! Kitanda is my go to when I'm too lazy to make my own pao de quiejo. They're always fresh and warm with a crispy outer shell.

First off i want to say that the service here is always very good, speedy and really they get the job done. The product here as well is also very good, fresh, made to order and fairly generous in its portion size. Why 2 stars are missing - The ownership/management does not allow tipping for these awesome hardworking employees on their credit card machine. As someone who has been in the industry 10 years that is unacceptable. I will not be returning until this has been fixed because it is not fair to the employees.

I was so happy to see this Brazilian Cafe in Boston. They had some great treats that took me back to visiting Brazil. The most amazing thing I had was the stuffed Pao de queijo. I ordered the dolce de leite and Romeo & Juliet. Let me just say it was amazing!!! I also got brigediero, beijino, coxinha and bananinha candy. The coxinha was small but tasty just wish it was bigger and more filling. The other desserts and candy were just as I remembered having from Brazil. Inside it was very clean and they also had some other imported items you can buy. There is free Wi-Fi inside which helped keep me connected since I had spotty service in the area. I can't wait to visit again and have more menu items along with the stuffed Pão De Queijo.

Really good and pricey acai bowl. They didn't see my note to put the granola on the side but it ended up being okay when I blended it in. I'm not a big granola fan but since theirs is made in house it is different and I'm glad I got to try it. Something in the bowl I got (acai, coconut, cacao nibs, and banana) gave me awful stomach pains. Not sure what was going on but I'd be willing to give them another try since the bowl was so delicious.

Coxinha $2.89: I first had coxinha at my friend's baby shower in San Jose and thought it was so good! I don't know of too many places that have it, so I was excited to have a chance to eat it again. I'm not sure if I hyped up my memory of coxinha, but I didn't think the chicken filling was as flavorful here. I also felt like the dough layer was a little too thick. Romeo & Juliet $3.85: I love cheese bread (pap de queijo), guava, and mozzarella cheese, but I didn't enjoy them all together. I feel like cutting the cheese bread in half in order to add the fillings made it lose its airy lightness. The guava was really sweet, so I don't think it paired with the mozzarella well. Brazilian Cream Cheese $3.29: I've never had Brazilian cream cheese before. Since the cheese bread is warm, it melted the cream cheese into a gooey consistency. I thought it was a tad too sweet. Guarana $1.95: I love this soda. I need to buy some to have at home. Definitely recommend trying it! Final thoughts: If I'm already in the area, I wouldn't mind stopping in for Guarana and plain cheese bread. ***** My Star Ratings: 1 Star - Terrible. Just thinking about it makes me angry. 2 Stars - Meh. Unlikely for me to return. 3 Stars - OK. Open to coming back, but wouldn't go out of my way to. 4 Stars - Yummy! Will definitely return if I haven't already. 5 Stars - AMAZING!!! Would plan my day or even a trip around eating here.

Super disappointing açaí bowls. They use the sambazon packaged base which you can get at any natural grocery and then glop all the toppings on top with no stirring,blending or defrosting. So you get an icy watery puck or a mouth full of peanut butter. Mine was frozen solid in the center. Save yourself $11+ and just eat a wad of peanut butter out of the jar at home like an animal or make it classy and get the sambazon and do it yourself. How they serve it also doesn't help because it is a tall narrow Plastic cup so you couldn't thaw and stir yourself either. They also charge an extra $1 for about one strawberry extra and do not swap out another fruit for that one time xtra strawberry. Their breakfast pucks also appear to be heat and serve out of a packet as well. Two stars for having present employees and a clean (but rightfully empty) dining area.

Love the cheese bread and açaí bowls. They stopped offering coconut milk for their alternative mills. Love the atmosphere and location. I suggest not tipping more than ten percent because it's a stand in line and bus your own table kind of place.

This place is very fun, and has some treats and selections inside that you're not going to get from a generic coffee place. I believe its roots are Brazilian. I like the concept- and it's uniqueness. It's also extremely clean, and the staff are extremely authentic/personable. I appreciate their personality, and there are knowledge behind all of their ingredients/items. The location is a bit tucked away, so you have to search. When I feel like they could work on is: the price point for the portion - a bit over priced for my taste. I am giving them for star is never the less though, because I think they are unique, and it is nice to have something like this available. I tried the açaí bowl- it was a bit too sweet for my taste. I also like açaí because I'm from Hawaii and maybe have different standards. I think that they have a spot that's worth trying once! And most people can find something. I don't know / think it would be a regular spot for me though.

25 minutes and still waiting for a smoothie. One person making all orders. There were 4 simple orders in front of me. Orders filled in random order. No warning of an extended wait.

In the mood for an acai bowl, I decided to go to Kitanda Espresso & Acai in Greenlake. I went w/ their Energy Blast bowl, which consists of acai, peanut butter, banana, strawberry, granola, Brazil nuts, & honey. Personally I don't have many "go-to" options when it comes to acai bowls, but Kitanda Espresso & Acai definitely became one of them! The energy blast bowl was really good & refreshing. I am a peanut butter kind of guy so this is definitely a good choice for any peanut butter lover! I would definitely recommend this place & come back here for an acai bowl in the future!

I had a coconut treat that was great. I'm curious as to what was in the middle of it - it remind me of a coconut macaroon except it didn't have eggs and I thought it was a little bit sweeter and more tropical tasting. They had lots of baked goods that I didn't recognize that all looked equally delicious. The oat milk cappuccino was good as well.

I'm always on the lookout for places that have good açaí bowls, and the açaí bowls here were better than I expected. I literally just sat down at a random table waiting for my friends when I saw a sign on the windows of Kitanda and it had a picture of an açaí bowl, and so I decided to check it out while I waited. I never even knew this place existed until today. I got a normal açaí bowl with strawberries, granola, and cacao nibs. I was pretty disappointed in the size and amount of the strawberries. I was really wishing for more strawberries and they were quite small too so there wasn't much fresh components. The granola and cacao nibs did add a nice crunch and the cacao added a slight richness. The açaí itself was pretty good, not too sweet, and it was fresh and refreshing. Overall, pretty solid place. I really didn't expect it to be as good as it was. Slightly on the expensive side, but I would definetly get an açaí bowl again!

Delicious cheese bread, decent acai bowls, hit or miss service. A very friendly coffee shop that serves warm Brazilian cheese bread, which is super tasty as a snack. COFFEE: Coffee is decent and there is a modest coffee menu available. Brazilian latte wasn't anything particularly notable, so just stick with my standard Americano. FOOD: Was rather underwhelmed with their breakfast sandwich, as it was heated in such a way that made the usually soft cheese bread a bit stale, and was made with super cheap, ultra thin grocery bacon. Would just stick with their cheese bread for a tasty snack. Acai bowls range from $7.40-$10, and can become quite soupy as prior reviews note. Free wifi and a long communal table in the back if you're looking for some coffee and a quick snack. Service is friendly but can be slow and inconsistent.

Please fix your Saturday morning staff. I go there all the time but today, there was a line almost out the door, they were forgetting orders and the guy behind the counter literally tossed blueberries into my açaí bowl after he asked me what else was in it. Also the açaí mixture in my bowl was almost liquid and the bowl has only half full of ingredients. What is happening?

Ordered their açaí bowl and it was just one word : amazing! Fresh fruits and an amazing granola that is so good that you wouldn't stop eating it! Love those nuts that they put on it.

Not sure what happened but I got some Doordash from this place and my stomach wasn't reacting well to true food I've got . The prices are also pretty high overall for the amount you get .

Food options just keep getting better around Greenlake. Kitanda, one of the newer addition to the neighborhood, is a much needed cafe in the area. When I have the chance to sit back and relax, I'll order their traditional acai bowl. Its a no-frills bowl of blended acai, sliced bananas and topped with granola. Its a nice light breakfast or snack pre or post workout. Now, when I am on-the-run, I'll order their Super Hero smoothie which contains, acai, banana, spinach, 10 g of vegan vanilla protein powder and soy milk (I sub that with regular milk). The smoothie is not too filling but its enough to last me into my next work out. They have outdoor seating, which is where I prefer to hang out on non-rainy Seattle days.

I miss their old granola. Before they started using Erin bakers, they used a different place and it tasted much better. I am not sure if it's the same recipe, but just not prepared as well, or what. Their granola used to be my favorite, best I could find in the area. The new granola is mediocre at best, it's not terrible, but not great. I was hoping it was just a Covid thing but I don't think it is.

I love this place...and I've never even set foot inside! Lucky for me, Kitanda is on Uber Eats, so I often order from them on days where I'm working remotely. I always order the Romeo & Juliet (fresh mozzarella and guava paste with their homemade, biscuit-like bread) and an iced Brazilian latte (it has condensed milk in it). Once I ordered the "kibe" (think I'm getting that right) which is essentially a beef cone and really tasty too. They also have different selections of yummy açaí bowls. Now I just need to go in person!

Cheese bread!!! I'm drooling thinking about it! I am so lucky to live right across Kitanda in Greenlake. It has been a savior for me when I've needed a quick bite! And those cheese breads - OMG! They are soooo delicious! I'm a self-proclaimed plain Jane - so I like the OG cheese bread - no additional flavors, I think it stands on its own. But I have been known to partake in the bacon cheese bread on occasion. And they also offer it in a sandwich version (both sweet and savory sandwiches). You can also order the minis, so if I eat only one, I'm not devouring a whole large piece - who am I kidding I order 4 of the minis just for myself... If I need a quick meal fix and the cheese bread just doesn't do it, I also order the hot dog roll. They will heat it up for you and it's super affordable. Also, for a pick me up I'll order the Brazilian latte - the condensed milk adds a slight sweetness to the latte. Cheese bread with a Brazilian latte is a perfect little breakfast meal!!!

This is my first time here and won't be my last. I am used to mixing Acai into smoothies about wanted to try one of their famous bowls .. Ordered the Energy Bowl and it was good but but had a interesting twang but I think it's the Acai ( that I am not used too ). The cheese bread was so delicious !! I can't believe I have been coming to PCC next door for years and never stopped in .. I will be back for the Cheese bread and love that it's gluten free ! Next time I will try the coffee and they have a great bakery selection as well .. I will be back ! :)

YUM! Darn those delicious gluten-free cheesy rolls. I wanted a small snack to tide me over and those things hit the spot. I noticed upon leaving that you could purchase frozen ones to make at home...I may need to go back and get some. Seriously, order one...or five. The coffee was great as well. Smooth and nice overall flavor. Although I generally only order Americanos it was still tasty. Perfect to keep me warm during my walk around the lake. Cozy atmosphere. Good central location. Would certainly recommend.

I was pleasantly surprised by Kitanda! My parents just moved into the Green Lake Apartments right next door to this spot, so I popped in while waiting for them to arrive yesterday. I've passed by it a couple times and never thought much of it, but inside it's actually pretty cute! Nice wooden tables, though the chairs are metal & wood so they look nice but aren't all that comfortable for an extended stay. They do also have several patio tables outside in the nice little shopping stretch. I had the latte, and it was very good! Lots of foam, which I love. I didn't try their food yet, but am looking forward to it.

I discovered this place on Grubhub at the start of quarantine and my obsession with their açaí began. It's honestly the best açaí! I always order the Tudo bowl and while it's their priciest bowl it's packed with ingredients that'll leave you satiated all morning/afternoon, unlike other açaí bowls I've had. Everyone who works here is super friendly & they go out of their ways to remember their regular customers' names. They also have an app that you can download that lets you accrue points for free coffees, sandwiches, bowls, etc, & orders are always ready to pick up on time! If I ever stray away from my beloved Tudo bowl, I'll have to try their breakfast sandwiches and cheese bread because judging by other reviews they seem to be all the rage.

This place doesn't have nutritional facts posted anywhere on the website or store. When I asked how much added sugar the person had no idea until looking at the container of prepackaged açaí, 14 grams of sugar.. might as well be drinking a Pepsi. I don't where they consider anything at this place healthy it's all prepackaged and processed. Service isn't the greatest either they act like they're doing you a favor or something. I've had better.

I LOVE açai, so when I saw this place I had to stop in. I ordered an açai bowl and one of their little cheese balls (aka Pão de Queijo). The hint of spice on their spicy cheese ball was perfect. Unfortunately for me, no açai bowl ever tastes as good as the ones on the beach in Rio de Janeiro. It's good, just not as good as I remember! The cafe was entirely empty when I arrived so I don't expect this place to last long... I would absolutely come back and if you've never had an açai bowl, highly recommend you come and try one!

This place has very good food, but is run terribly. The GreenLake location is far from my house but the only Seattle location open until 8. Between 7 and 7:20 I called three times, but no one answered. Based on attitudes of past experiences, my first thought was...they are open but the workers don't want more people to come so they will pretend they are closed. My second thought was they just closed early, as I have experienced this at least 3 times at the u-district location. I arrived at 7:40 and the door was locked and the guy was taking out the trash. He told me he was closing early as it was just him working. I asked if he could answer the phone next time so people can know not to come, but he said no...it's too busy. I asked him about the busyness since no one was there and he was closing up, but obviously he does not care, or the management is not giving the workers what they need. Anyway, I had been excited to take açaí home but, again, it wasn't meant to be.