Papá Changó Cafe

In a city that is famous for its "freeze", Papá Changó is unapologetically warm, intimate, and fun. It's a tropical antidote to the dreadful winter blues. On the wall, you'll see Papá Changó's specialty coffee menu, a delightful showcase of amazing latinamerican coffee drinks, from a simple espresso Cubano to the heartwarming Abuelita Mocha. If you want something traditional (except drip and cold brew), just ask, you won't be disappointed either. I enjoyed every coffee I had here, whether it's a straight cortado or a nutty horchata latte, it is always delicious. If you'd like to have a bite with your coffee, Papá Changó has some unique pastries that you'll never find elsewhere. I usually don't get pastries at coffee shops because the selection is often uninspiring. Yet I have the opposite problem at Papá Changó: a papaya scone or a guava cheese pastelito? I couldn't choose, so I had both. As if that's not enough magic for 100 square feet, Papá Changó is wonderfully decorated with exuberant details that I almost feel like a flamingo in the everglades. The baristas-I've met Milo and Blake-are just as chill yet full of energy. When the owner Sergio talks, he speaks out of his heart. It's impossible not to be touched by his profound love for his culture, and his genuine care towards his customers. Ask him for recommendations–he won't just tell you *his* favorite drink but will work with you to find a coffee that *you* may like. As for me, I think he convinced me to move to Miami one day.

Papa Changó is a super rad coffee shop that totally reps Miami cafe culture hard – cafecitos and pastelitos – while still honoring Seattle coffee lover’s appetite for quality roasts. They serve Panther Coffee and offer super yummy pastries like the quintessential Cuban pastelitos that’s filled with guava and cream cheese. Love the BIG Miami vibes and still blown away by how much awesomeness they pack into such a small space!

Absolutely love this coffee shop. You can really tell that they’ve put a ton of thought into the the menu and the design of the cafe. The owner was very gracious and provided some amazing recommendations.

I haven’t tried this petite coffee shop yet, passed by at dusk and did see they had an oat milk alternative for plant based folks like I. It is Officially on my hit list. Will update this review once I order in delight ✨☕️.

Such a fun cafe. Warning it IS tiny. Like, take a coffee to-go, or sit outside the cafe. Definitely no inside seating. Totally worth it, however. They serve unique coffees you simply can’t find most places! (Traditional Cubanos and cafe con leches!) definitely a great spot to grab your coffee in Ballard. These people know what they are doing! Stop by on a Saturday and enjoy the farmer’s market right outside.

Such a great spot! I don't know where else to get Cafe Cubano in Seattle and this one was so good. I definitely will be returning and want to try the guava pastelitos!

ToGo only, but plenty of seating outside and around the adjacent park. Very good service and slightly different menu selections. A welcome nod and highly to Latin favors.

Had a cortado from here, with the Panther coffee they carry, and now all I want are cortados. Great looking shop in the heart of Ballard. Friendly service too.

This lovely pocket cafe could be easily be ten stars, simply an upbeat ray of sunshine in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. This post is for a series of visits: Oct 2, 15, 22, and Nov 11. Friendly and welcoming cafe staff, amazing baked goods by Raiz, and a variety of on point Cuban style and espresso beverages. My favorite remains the ultra smooth and crafted with such depth, cafecito. I've planned ahead also and ordered online their pastry assortment with sweet/savory pastries, scones, and cookies. First box was shared with The Homie and Wendy K, Yelp Elite and IG friend. Second box was shared with The Homie and the owner and crew at Watson's Counter. Also, my mom was the recipient of papaya scones. My favorite is the delicious guava cream cheese pastry, pastelito de guayaba y queso. Pro tips: arrive early for best baked goods selection, start a stamp card, and there's nearby public seating at Bergen Place or Marvin's Garden. Feel that warmth and guaranteed to improve your day!

Arrived a little after 7am perfect timing for the arrival of the pastries to arrive from Raiz warm out of the oven. This space reminded me of my visit ti Key West a few years ago when I visited a Cuban Cafe for cafe con leche. This space has had a number of businesses in it over the past years hope these guys do well here. The lighting wasn't perfect for pics but it set a mood. Coffee was delicious perfect for a rainy day.

Saw amazing reviews for this coffee and super excited to try their coffee/pastries! The visit did not disappoint at all. I love the decoration of the coffee shop with the Latin music in the background like I'm in south Florida. The barista was super friendly and recommended cafe con meil to go with oat milk as he learned that I'm lactose intolerant. I'm a huge fan of the pastries as we got Pastelito de Guayaba y Queso, Pastelito de Carne, and Scones de Papaya. I am so glad that the barista recommended scones de papaya as it was amazing! They offer punch card to get a free drink after 10 purchases. Definitely coming back and highly recommend for anyone visiting Ballard area.

Cutest Miami Inspired Cafe in Ballard. If you blink you might miss it because it's small and located in the corner but when you walk in you are immediately transported to tropical Miami. By far my favorite aspect of this cafe was the decor and vibes. We ordered a cafe con leche, Cortadito, papaya scone, and pastelito de carne. I was a big fan of the Cortadito and papaya scone. As a born and bred Miami girl I am so happy a cafe like this is now open. It's a little piece of home.

This is my new favorite coffee spot. Other reviewers are right that there is often a line, but when you have a warm and friendly owner greeting you and Latin music pumping out of the cafe, where else honestly would you want to be? Some people pay big money for that kind of experience. The coffee is wonderful, the type of place that entices you off of your old latte habit. I had a Cubano, Cafe con Leche, and most recently, the Mocha Abuelita, which was just perfect - not too sweet with real chocolate at the bottom. I'm also a fan of the pastries. Yeah they run out, but if you want a reliable pastry supply chain, get up at 7:00 am or go to Starbucks. Would be nice to have more than a single table, but who could sit with that Latin music playing in the background? Me gusta Papá Changó!

Is the line quite a wait? Yes. But is the coffee worth it? Yes. Had the Abuelita Mocha & Cafe con leche. It was delicious. Smooth and citrusy beans held their own flavors even when served with milk and sweetened. The staff was efficient for such a small space. I love all the plants inside. Got there a little after the Sunday market closing so most of the pastries were gone, but I will definitely be back. Get the punch card!

Great flavors to pick from. The coffee I got was kinda burnt but besides that I love the flavor. Good price and friendly service!

Super friendly owners, and delicious pastries. I came by the cafe around close to 2pm. Initial reaction of the inside is that it is super small, but a nice place to stop by if you're in the mood for some pastries and specialty coffee. There was only one seat inside and they can probably only fit one group of customers/ one customer at a time. The wait wasn't extremely long so this was no problem for me. But, owner was nice enough to not charge me for the scone for patiently waiting and was able to give some recommendations to someone not super well versed in Latin style drinks :) so I appreciate the kind customer service. I tried the Scones de papaya and the hot chocolate (Chocolate caliente) both super yummy, was bummed that they didn't have any guava butter left for the scone but nonetheless still very good. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back to try more pastries, I'm not a big coffee person so I didn't have much of a choice except the hot chocolate. Would love to see some non-coffee choices in the cafe, I always love horchata.

Shocked that this place closed down. I passed by one morning just a couple weeks ago and loved the cafe con miel I ordered. I didn't get to try any food, and I was looking forward to trying more of their drinks :(

Could anything be more comforting and heartwarming than walking into a coffee shop and instantly feeling like you belong? Blink and you'll miss the entrance to this beautifully decorated corner off of the main drag in Ballard. It will sound cliche, but this tiny shop packs a big punch. This place is so much more than an Instagram dream come true. Run by arguably one of the coolest people I've met in Seattle, it's authentic with coffee that will literally blast you off. I had the espresso and it was, dare I say, perfection. Bold, smooth, earthy and I swear I felt an instant boost after one sip. You can try authentic Cuban drinks here as well! Papa chango is truly a gem and makes the trek to Ballard if you're not in the area totally worth it. Of course the vibes are ~immaculate~ but it's the genuine desire to serve great, unique coffee that will really keep me coming back.

It's a tiny little place to be prepared to wait a little outside but worth the wait. First off the coffee is flavorful and smooth. The syrups are housemade and don't overpower the coffee. The pastries are really good. Had the guava pastry, the papaya scone and the ground beef pastry. All had great texture but the star was the ground beef pastry. Reminded me of an empanada. The guava could have been filled a little more but the flavor and texture were good. The scone was slightly over baked but again the flavor was spot on. Ballard is a drive for me but I would drive to go again for sure!

Get there early if you want a pastry!!! Sadly my friend and I got there after 10am and they were all gone. I can't wait to go back because if the pastry is as good as the coffee I will be ecstatic. I wasn't sure what kind of coffee I wanted so one of the staff members helped me decide. And even though there was a long line behind me he didn't rush me at all :) I ended up getting an iced Cafe Y Leche with oat milk, with half the amount of sugar and it was one of the best coffee drinks I have ever had! I will be back soon! :)

I love Papa Chango! This is the cutest little coffee shop with only room for a couple people but the vibes are the best. I love that they have Latin American espresso drinks in addition to typical espresso drinks! I'm in love with the cortadito which has just the right amount of sweetness and the cafe con leche as well.

The coffee is amazing, service was fast, and the shop is so cute. There's tables outside for dining. It's easy to get to as well in the heart of Ballard.

Delicious hot coffee drinks and friendly service. This is a great addition to our neighborhood.

Papa Chango has been on my list forever. So happy I got to try it. I went on a Sunday morning and the line was very short, maybe because of the farmer's market nearby. I tried the cubano and pastelito de guayaba y queso and pastelito de carne. I actually enjoyed the carne more than the guayaba, I enjoyed the filling to pastry ratio more though the flakiness of the guayaba was nice. The cubano was also surprising, it tasted kinda sweet! Reminded me of a thinly condensed Vietnamese coffee, yum. What separates a 4 from a 5 star for me is often the service, and Papa Chango did not disappoint. The barista was very friendly and thoughtful. Also the decor is lovely, very warm.

A slice of Miami in the PNW. The spot is small, but the flavors are big. Arrive early because a line is not unusual. Definitely try the pastries...all of them! And obviously the coffee, but you already knew that!

Authentic Miami influenced cafe. Line out the door is a good sign, wait it out and enjoy un cafecito.

Stopped in during a morning walk through Ballard. Cozy little shop with friendly staff. Cafe con Miel was a great recommendation. Will definitely be back!

Amazing drinks and pastries (some of which you won't find anywhere else around here!), chill ambience, and thoughtful decor. The owner and staff are warm and welcoming. Always a delight to visit this Ballard gem.

Best coffee in Ballard. Possibly Seattle. Super nice owner. Pastries are bomb, too. Wish they were open more days of the week!

I live in Ballard so I've walked past this new cafe many times but it was usually closed or had a long line. This morning the line was reasonable and I love trying new cafes so I decided to join the others waiting! I ordered the Cafe con Miel (honey) with oat milk and it was SO good. I will definitely be back. I'm not much of a morning person but knowing Papa Chango is open at 7am might change that!

What a great addition to the Ballard coffee scene. Stopped by here with my daughter and was treated to some of the best hot chocolate we have ever had. Order one of each of the pastries and cookies and they were all great. Not a coffee drinker but I am sure that would have been awesome as well.