Some mornings the best coffee is the one you don't have to plan. Step out the door, walk a few houses down, and you're at Uptown Espresso in the Junction, the hosts' own morning stop.
Seattle's velvet foam
Uptown opened its first shop on Lower Queen Anne in 1984 and became known for its velvet foam: a silky, creamy top on every latte. Back in 1990, the Seattle Times went as far as calling it the best latte in town. It's a hometown chain, and the Junction shop carries that same old-school Seattle coffeehouse feel.
A neighborhood room
This is a place to sit for a while. Neighbors settle in with a laptop or a paperback, and local writers have been known to work on their books here. Take a table, or take your cup to go and wander the Junction while the shops open up.
Make a morning of it
On a Sunday, carry your coffee to the farmers market a few blocks away and shop for a slow brunch back at the house; we wrote up how to turn the market into a kitchen morning. Any other day, our short list for the Junction has breakfast and lunch covered.
Hours change with the seasons, so check Uptown Espresso on Google Maps before you head out.
Mornings like this.
The Junction Retreat sleeps up to five, a few doors from the Junction's coffee. Book directly with the hosts.