Coffee in Tacoma has finally found it’s champion!
It’s been a bit since I posted about coffee here in Tacoma. In the meantime, Kickstand Coffee closed down, and was replaced by One Heart Cafe who I’ve yet to try, but the certianly have an interesting decor. Forza Coffee Company seems determined to take over the south sound area, with franchises popping up everywhere (I’ve yet to try them, but Jess says they have decent coffee). And Firehouse Coffee changes their name to Origin 23? Coffee Roasters, but looks to be still serving the Firehouse roasts. And last but not least, that I’ve noticed in my small sphere here, is Black Water Cafe, who serve up coffee from The Mandolin Cafe’s Valhalla Coffee. I’ve been once and enjoyed a drink, but I like to make multiple trips before I finish any judgments about a cafe.
So after all of this, so enters my new favorite spot to get a drink in Tacoma, Satellite Coffee Co..
Exclusively serving Stumptown Coffee, we now have incredible coffee being served up here in Tacoma. Apparently rising from the ashes of a place I never got to try, called Temple of the Bean, Satellite has fit itself up into a tiny little spot just off the corner of Wright Park. Great easy location to walk to, minutes from my place.
Using a beautiful 3 group La Marzocco, the owners and baristas are dedicated to bringing you a quality drink. It’s refreshing to watch the barista re-pull your shot a few times to make sure he/she is brining you the best they can. The owners have made sure that they and their employees take seriously this espresso thing, and you can see their training put to good use. The store is littered with evidence of their dedication – David Schomer’s espresso book (the one that I started my learning process with), SCAA and Barista trade magazines, and just many small tools of the trade that show they are going beyond the simple grind, pour, foam and serve routine.
Their milk steaming so far has been impeccable, creating beautiful lattes and kid’s hot chocolates, with the right amount of velvety foam that just begs to be sipped.
They pull out the French presses for their “drip” coffee, and will pretty much make your cup fresh when you order it. A small little selection of pastries, but the little rocket ship shortbread cookies are a great little treat. It’s a small space, but they make do with the space they have, with the atmosphere being very friendly and nice to sit for a bit, but if I had to do any work, I’d probably have to find another place where I could blend in a bit more.
So far it’s been an incredibly welcoming place, anytime of the day, patrons and employees alike. I’ve brought Ash, my toddler, in there with me many times over the weekends and they have been very playful with him and smile at the exuberance only a 2 1/2 year old can show. Big pluses there.
So basically, anyone else here in Tacoma is going to have a tough time topping Satellite coffee for the moment. I’ve still got a lot of places to visit and write about, but right now, it’s the top. Find your way there and once you do, having coffee anywhere else in Tacoma just means that you were to lazy to get what you really wanted – an cup of coffee, espresso or more that you will enjoy, without caveats.
(Picture credit goes to Tacoma Mama)
