“Coffee is our liquid sunshine in Seattle.” — Joshua Boyt, Victrola Coffee Roasters.

When in Seattle, your drink of choice should always be coffee.

Begin your caffeine-fueled sojourn with a pilgrimage to the site of the world’s first Starbucks outlet, which opened its doors in Seattle’s Pike Place Market in 1971.

While doing so, look to the city’s burgeoning independent café scene to understand why coffee is synonymous with life in Seattle. With our Pan Pacific Seattle team's recommendations, witness how passion, knowledge, and creativity have given rise to expertly executed brews that will heighten your senses and raise your expectations of what a quality cuppa should entail.

It’s no surprise that Seattle has repeatedly been named the “best coffee city” in the US; most recently, they defeated 99 other contenders to rank No. 1 in a coffee survey by personal finance site WalletHub.

Read on for our guide to café-hopping during your Seattle holidays, with a few pointers on coffee trends and terminology to get you appraising your cuppa like a pro.

Credit: Dan Cole @ Milstead & Co. Seattle

Credit: Dan Cole @ Milstead & Co. Seattle

Though relatively young in the coffee scene, Milstead & Co has amassed an army of fans who will vouch for its attention to detail. This includes fastidiousness when it comes to brewing methods, and Bon Appétit has noted the café’s “dedication to AeroPress.”

Barista Tip: The AeroPress is a fuss-free gadget that quickly presses hot water through coffee. It has gained rave reviews for its simplicity, durability, and affordability, and above all, its uncanny ability to produce an excellent cup of coffee where flavours are easily discerned. These days, “aeropress” is also used as a verb, e.g. to aeropress a coffee. Click here to find other cafés in Seattle (and the rest of the world) that serve AeroPress brewed coffee.

Barista Tip: What is the best coffee in the world, and how can we recognise it? Trust your instincts and taste buds, says “coffee scientist” and author Shawn Steiman. In his book, The Little Coffee Know-It-All, he proffers the following advice: “There is no way to define quality in a way that suits every person, every time… Preference is subjective and this means diversity is something to celebrate. Thus, the only sufficient answer to this question is ‘whatever coffee you like the most.’”

Espresso Vivace has been around since 1988, and its name loosely translates to mean “great enthusiasm and excitement for espresso.” This is where you go for one of the best espressos in the city, where superior taste is guaranteed by the chief quality controller a.k.a. owner David Schomer. In his words: “I’m very unhappy if there’s any bad espresso coming out of the machines.”

Think of Tougo Coffee Co as a place where you can be yourself, and be accepted. Eater Seattle commends the decade-old café for being a “nerdy-not-jerky haven,” where even coffee novices will feel right at home.

And if you need a place to rest after the effects of caffeine have worn off, consider booking a comfortable room at Pan Pacific Seattle for a luxurious stay.