Cafe Allegro

In an alley just off of the UW campus sits a hidden gem: Cafe Allegro. There is a sign out on the sidewalk directing people down an alley to where the cafe is located.
The outside of the cafe is just amazing. Vines cover the top of the building just above the windows and sweep down to the Cafe Allegro sign. The sign it self is beautiful in its simplicity. A woody, homemade look with no glitz or glamour. That in itself is the best way to describe Cafe Allegro;it has a very down to Earth feel with a wonderful, creative vibe. Along the exterior of the building is a bench where patrons sit drinking their coffee.

Inside is invigorating. Most cafes have the same typical art. TruthfullyI’m getting tired of seeing peoples “artistic” photos of their vacation or “tragic” photos that leave me feeling as if I was trying to be manipulated. If you have seem one you have seen them all, but what was on exhibit here was different. Unique, colorful, and full of life.
One of the first things that I noticed was the pastry case. This is the type of selection that I long for at any cafe. It was full of donuts, turnovers, muffins, almond croissants, and cookies as far as the eye could see. Way to many things to choose from, but that’s how I like it best. The menu offered a refreshing array of drinks. Besides the usual coffee offerings there was apple cider, fresh lemonade, orange juice, pink grapefruit juice, Italian soda, and Thamas Kemper Soda (root beer, cream, blackberry, and orange cream).
After placing my order I sat down and noticed that there were cards with various

bird identification covering the register. The wall behind the register was covered in foreign currency. A simple idea, but I loved it and it fit well with the rest of the cafe. The table itself had a piece of woven fabric under a glass top with a sign that encouraged patrons to please share the tables.
R brought over our order and I dove into a delicious looking raspberry donut. Oh my, was it amazing: moist, full of flavor, but most importantly it had the right amount of raspberry so that the flavor didn’t over power. I could really go off my diet and not really care if I had more of these in my life.

The carmel latte I had was good. The shot of carmel was too sweet, but the latte was hot. Getting a hot latte is a rare commodity lately so I’m more than willing to look past the flavor of the carmel if I’m served something warmer than an ice cube.
As I sipped my latte I watched the Baristas in action. They were nice, friendly, and seemed to know many of the patrons that came in. In between my Barista watching I drifted in and out of conversations at other tables. Some were discussing the influences of Jazz, the literary contributions of certain authors, and another was going on the most fantastic flow of conscious about Shakespeare right up to current events. However the most interesting was from a man reminiscing

about being in New York when John Lennon was shot. Not the usual coffee shop talk that I’m use to hearing. It was refreshing.
The bathroom is some thing that needs to be discussed for many reasons. First, it’s tiny. Meaning it’s thin. Really it is as wide as a person. Second, it is a bit grimy. Not that it looks like it hasn’t been cleaned in a while, but it isn’t my idea of a wonderful place to be. Finally it is a sight to see. The brick walls are covered in very artistic graffiti. It was so interesting that I forgot where I was.
Cafe Allegro is an amazing place that anyone in Seattle needs to try. No excuses. Go. Experience. Enjoy. Thank me later.